Rebekah Sargent

Bekah Sargent is a Biomedical Engineering student at the University of South Carolina, where she also studies minors in Leadership Studies and Medical Humanities & Culture. Her academic and advocacy work is rooted in a deep commitment to community-centered healthcare, health equity, and grassroots leadership. 

At UofSC, Bekah is actively engaged in student advocacy, research, and peer leadership. She serves as a Research Assistant in the College of Engineering and Computing, contributing to lipid bilayer simulation research, while also working within Student Affairs and Student Success initiatives to strengthen student engagement and access to resources. As a Changing Carolina Peer Leader, she facilitates mental health education and leads outreach initiatives that promote student well-being. 

Bekah is the Founder and Executive Director of NextGen Cancer Advocates, a youth-led nonprofit focused on cancer awareness, education, and community support. Through this work, she amplifies young voices, challenges stigma, and helps connect communities to critical health information and support systems. Her leadership and service have been recognized nationally through her selection as a participant in the Allstate Foundation National Youth Service Summit. 

Motivated by both personal and community experiences with healthcare inequities, Bekah aspires to pursue an MD–PhD and a career in oncology. She is particularly interested in bridging research, patient advocacy, and community-based solutions to improve cancer care and outcomes. With over a decade of sustained community service addressing food insecurity and public health needs, Bekah brings a grounded, people-first perspective to grassroots storytelling and systems-level change.