Some know her as Batman, others deem her Mother Teresa, and though these labels may be exceptional for most, they are a drastic understatement for Moksha Merla. Known for her voluminous curls and the ‘please be patient’ stickers plastered on her silver Prius, Merla has made her mark at Claremont High School. In the fall, Merla plans to do the same at Pitzer college.
Merla will double major in Molecular Biology and Critical Global Studies at Pitzer. She aspires to join Doctors Without Borders, a humanitarian medical group, an ambition she has held for years. As an adventurous traveler, Merla has immersed herself in an array of cultures. Her desire to help underserved communities stemmed from witnessing the dire conditions of foreign healthcare systems.
“Throughout my travels, I’ve seen how bad and dilapidated a lot of healthcare systems are around the world,” Merla said. “And I feel like if I can use my education and put it forward, that makes it worth it.”
Merla’s immersion in the medical world is far from new. She expertly works as a receptionist in a doctor’s office and has clocked in countless volunteer hours at the hospital–almost more than the time she spends clocking people’s BS. At school, Merla is dedicated to Gardening Club and Rekindle, serving as Vice President for both. Additionally, Merla embraces her inner fashionista as a costume designer for the CHS theater creating looks for “Spongebob” and “Mean Girls’. In her free time, she is passionate about gardening, painting, cooking, and scuba diving. As she moves forward to a new chapter of her life, Merla leaves behind some sage advice.
“Rejection is redirection,” Merla said. “Just accept what’s happening to you and go with the flow. At the end, you’re going to end up where you’re meant to be.”
Before she moves forward to make the world a considerably better and sassier place, Merla would like to shout out Isabelle Shie and the Wu-Tang Gang. Iconic and timeless, Merla (and her cackle) will be missed in the halls of CHS.
