Nayiri Khatchadourian '16

Nayiri Khatchadourian '16 has drawn on her UCLA experience to co-author a new book, "The Price of Success: Understanding the Cost of Getting a College Degree," designed to serve as a transitional tool for high school students going to college. The book emphasizes the importance of focusing on your mental, emotional and physical health. Khatchadourian hopes that a positive self-care habit created during college will persist into adulthood and pave the way for future success.

"Success comes with a price, but that price should not be your mental, emotional or physical health," she says. "After all, you cannot pour from an empty cup. That is what my message is to all the students. I use the book and my experiences to speak to classrooms and youth groups about how to prepare for college emotionally and mentally, and not just academically."

The molecular, cell and developmental biology major currently is pursuing her my master's degree in public health at George Washington University and is applying to medical school. She has been featured in VoyageLA Magazine's "L.A.'s Most Inspiring Stories."