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THE SUNDAY SANTAN SUN NEWS | MAY 24, 2020
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Young artist graces Commonwealth Canal with mural BY KEVIN REAGAN Staff Writer
A colorful mural designed by a Chandler High School graduate is in the process of being added to the landscape of downtown Chandler. Ariana Enriquez, who last week earned an art degree from Arizona State University, has begun working on a 225-foot-long mural between the San Marcos Resort’s southern wall and the northside of SanTan Brewing Company. The 68-inch-tall mural runs adjacent to the Commonwealth Canal, which has been delivering water through Chandler since 1912. The aqueous surroundings inspired the mural’s aesthetic, Enriquez said, as the artist aimed to illustrate how water replenishes the desert ecosystem. The mural is covered with hummingbirds and bumble bees pollinating cactus flowers against a vibrant backdrop of watery waves and sunny skies. The idea was to present water as a nourishing, vital element that allows the desert’s beauty to continuously thrive, the artist said. Much of Enriquez’s prior work explores how nature can be used to symbolize human relationships. Her paintings and drawings often incorporate floral designs that are meant to serve as metaphors for experiences Enriquez has observed and felt in the modern world. “I may paint sunflowers, peonies and forget-me-nots, but what I am really
Chandler High alumna Ariana Enriquez is painting a mural across the entire 225-foot wall along the Commonwealth Canal. (Pablo Robles/Staff Photographer)
trying to tell you is that I am feeling joyous, fortunate and steadfast,” the artist said in a 2018 interview. Enriquez, who graduated from
Chandler High in 2012, was one of 14 artists to submit mural designs to the city of Chandler, which has been commissioning local artists to beautify
the downtown region for several months. Enriquez’s submission was ultimately See
MURAL on page 45
Chandler ASU grad taking next step to medical career SANTAN SUN NEWS STAFF
Now that she has graduated from Arizona State University summa cum laude with a double major and a long list of research projects and related work, Rohini Nott is taking the next step toward become a physician. Rohini majored in both biology and society) and public service/public policy) with a 4.0 GPA and research experiences and contributions that a spokeswoman called “extraordinary.” She has completed six different research experiences as a research intern between high school and her undergraduate studies, published three scientific research papers and four encyclopedia entries and presented six times at national or regional research conferences. Much of her work has been devoted to studying peptides, small chains of amino acids that have been studied for their use in slowing aging or building muscle. Nott studied their potential in cancer therapy. The daughter of Sujatha and AJ Nott and an alumna of BASIS Chandler, she explained that her two majors enable
Rohini Nott her to prepare for a medical career. “In my biology and society classes, I got to explore many historical, philosophical, political and ethical perspectives on the life sciences and relevant complex human issues,” she said, adding the public policy/service classes taught her “a lot about business principles, which I feel will be really
helpful for me to have an understanding of as a doctor.” “What really motivated me to pursue my double majors was my strong interest in health policy and my desire to get an interdisciplinary perspective on healthcare-related topics,” she said. Since the summer of 2017, Nott has been a research intern at the University of Arizona Phoenix in a cancer drug discovery lab. “Essentially, our lab looks at novel ways we can develop cancer therapeutics,” she said. “There are a lot of things that can go awry in the cell that can led to cancer development and progression. My research focus over the last two years has been on the development of stapled peptides as an approach to treat cancer.” In some ways, her academic pursuit was personal. “Cancer is a disease that impacts so many of us and within my own family, has affected both my grandmothers,” she explained. “I have learned so much about the science and disease process behind cancer from doing cancer drug discovery research at UA Phoenix. I have
also gotten to learn a lot about the complexity of the drug development process. “From my research, I have gained an appreciation for all that drug discovery entails,” Nott continued. “I recognize that what I have learned from my research will translate to my endeavors in medical school and beyond. I look forward to applying what I have learned from my research as a future medical student. Despite the time-consuming nature of her academic pursuits – as well as serving as student director for a nonprofit organization serving those experiencing homelessness – Nott does find time for other activities. “I value spending time with my friends, family and significant other,” she said. “Outside of academics, I love to play soccer, listen to music and read books. She’s now on her way to the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA as part of the MD Class of 2024. “I want to be a physician involved in advocacy and health policy efforts, specifically for low-income/underserved and vulnerable communities,” Nott said.