Best and Brightest: Chronic illness drives scholar toward medical career
After months of dealing with constant, debilitating pain, on March 25, 2022, Joseph Brock was diagnosed with Crohn’s disease. The diagnosis came in the middle of a particularly difficult academic year for the Air Academy High School student.
In June 2022, Brock underwent a major surgery due to complications with Crohn’s and at the time was enrolled in Applications of Chemistry in Medicine through the Johns Hopkins University summer program. In what Brock calls “typical nerd style,” he decided not to defer the course but threw himself into the material morning and night.
Brock will attend the Colorado School of Mines on a Boettcher Scholarship to pursue a degree in biochemistry and what he hopes will be an eventual career as a pediatric gastroenterologist and medical research scientist. Since a young age, Brock has been fascinated with chemistry, going so far to spend his own money to set up a lab in his bedroom.
“From my challenges related to Crohn’s disease,” Brock said, “to my love of chemistry and research, I aspire to combine my personal tribulations with my passion for science. I am determined to find the cure to my disease, and I will be persistent until every child with my disorder is treated successfully.”
Though Brock’s academic achievements are undeniable, he has found time to relentlessly pursue volunteer and artistic pursuits. Brock admits that a job as a Cave of the Winds tour guide is not a typical first job, but his first experience at the site at just 6 years old ignited a deep fascination in him. Since then, he has thrown himself into learning the chemistry and long evolutionary history of the caves.
Another unorthodox choice; this one, a foreign language study that he started in his freshman year, has become abundantly useful for Brock. While his peers signed up for Spanish or French, Brock chose American Sign Language, interested in the visual component.
“I’ve found that this language has branched into virtually every aspect of my life,” Brock said.
Not only has he interpreted entire tours at Cave of the Winds for deaf individuals, but he has also seen how impactful knowledge of ASL can be when members of the deaf community are seeking medical treatment. Brock has volunteered for several years at a local health emergency department and said he’s seen the deaf culture from another perspective.
“From what I’ve learned about ASL, this knowledge has elevated my enthusiasm to enter the medical profession through a more understanding and inclusive lens,” Brock said.
Since he was a young child, Brock took classes at the Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center and, in high school, became involved in musical theater productions for AAHS and the local community. For the past five years, Brock has been coached by Metropolitan Opera baritone Kyle Pfortmiller, learning Italian arias, musical theater repertoire, and other challenging pieces with more than 290 rehearsal hours per year. In 2023, he was selected as a soloist for the Colorado All State Tenor Brass Choir.
“The reason I invest so highly in many of these different art forms is that they are an excellent outlet for me to express my creative nature outside of my interest in chemistry and medicine,” Brock said.
Brock’s parents, Dennis and Stephanie, praised their son’s resiliency and determination, stating that he didn’t wallow in any of the challenges thrown his way with Crohn’s, but researched and prepared himself for life with a chronic illness.
“The first words we usually hear out of his mouth in the morning are, ‘I’ve been doing some research.’ We are extremely proud of the young man Joseph has become and look forward to seeing what he will do in the years to come. The world will be a better place because of his contributions to it.”
High School: Air Academy High School
College Plans: Colorado School of Mines
Parent(s): Stephanie and Dennis Brock
Other: Boettcher Scholar, Colorado All State Tenor Brass Choir, Biology Club president, Chemistry Club president, summa cum laude graduate