An American Dream Defined

St. Joe’s opened doors that were otherwise closed, allowing Dr. Sophia Bellegarde ’14, ’17 to dream big

Dream as if you were five-years old.” This is not only a saying for Harvard Resident Pathologist and St. Joseph’s University, New York alumna Sophia Bellegarde ’14, MBA ’17, MD, it is a belief system that has allowed her to reach unimaginable heights.

A personification of the American Dream, Dr. Bellegarde arrived in Miami, FL in 2002 from Port Au Prince, Haiti, her eyes wide to all the possibilities her new home would offer. That said, reaching her full potential would be anything but easy. As the daughter of political refugees, Dr. Bellegarde discovered she would have to work twice as hard only to have twice as many doors closed due to her status.

Overcoming the language barrier would serve as the first challenge. She eventually became fluent in both English and her native languages of Haitian Creole and French. However, more obstacles would follow. While she excelled academically, Dr. Bellegarde shared that she sometimes felt directionless as many labeled her as a refugee.

“I didn’t know where I was going to school,” Dr. Bellegarde said, reflecting on her college search. “I wasn’t eligible for financial aid and I had been passed up for scholarships because of my status.”

A college adviser brought up the idea of attending St. Joseph’s University, New York in Brooklyn.

“St. Joe’s changed my life,” she said. “They took the opportunity to look at me for who I was.”

With her tuition completely covered through the University’s Presidential Scholarship, Dr. Bellegarde still needed to secure the cost of housing and living in New York City. Once again, SJNY proved its willingness to invest in exceptional students, connecting Dr. Bellegarde with a foundation that would help fund her move from Florida to SJNY’s Clinton Hill campus.

“Sophie’s determination, perseverance and hard work are a testament to her truly living the University’s motto — Esse non videri — To be, not to seem,” said S. Elizabeth Hill ’64, CSJ, JD, who served as president of St. Joseph’s when Dr. Bellegarde was an undergraduate student.

With dreams of attending medical school, Dr. Bellegarde enrolled in the University’s biology program. She worked as a medical laboratory scientist at several hospitals including the world-renowned Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center and returned to SJNY to pursue a graduate degree in Health Administration and Health Information Systems, earning her MBA in 2017.

Dr. Bellegarde found herself drawn to pathology while in medical school. Graduating from the American University of Antigua College of Medicine in 2024, Dr. Bellegarde is currently a resident at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, a teaching hospital that is part of Harvard Medical School.

In addition to her pathology residency, Dr. Bellegarde speaks at schools and on panels where she encourages others to follow a belief system that allowed her to accomplish so much.

When asked if she would like to highlight any awards or achievements, Dr. Bellegarde cited something that wouldn’t be found in a trophy case or sitting atop one’s desk. Instead, she brought up the love and support of her parents as well as her resiliency.

Even with all she has achieved, Dr. Bellegarde says she is only getting started.

“I don’t know where the story ends, but the mantra that I’ve followed since being a kid is to still be a kid. Stay humble, stay hungry and stay ready,” she said.