When Tanya Daniels received her formal offer letter from the 2025 Helios Scholars program—complete with a wax seal that reminded her of Hogwarts—she learned she'd been placed with the Translational Genomics Research Institute (TGen) Office of Sponsored Research for an eight-week internship. The 48-year-old Phoenix College student recalls thinking, What is this? She'd interviewed with the legal department and with the clinical research management team, but was unfamiliar with sponsored research, so she explored what it meant. The Sponsored Research department manages the grant compilation and submission process, which secures essential federal funding, primarily from the National Institutes of Health, with additional funding from private foundations, collaborative partnerships with other biomedical/academic institutions, and state health initiatives. Embracing the unexpected, Tanya realized, was exactly where she needed to be.
A Mother's Promise
With two bachelor's degrees—one in English literature and another in Government–Tanya worked for General Electric, the Mayo Clinic Scottsdale, and a boutique law firm before becoming a parent to two daughters, Maia and Alexandra. Her daughter, Alex, was diagnosed with a rare and aggressive form of cancer at the age of two and, after six years of remission, faced another rare diagnosis at the age of nine. During Alex’s treatments at Phoenix Children's Hospital and Mayo Clinic, the family began exploring precision medicine and cutting-edge research, which is when Tanya became familiar with TGen. Her daughters were aware their mom had an education, but Tanya acknowledged, “I was not utilizing it the way that I wanted to during motherhood, and definitely not during Alex’s treatment.” The girls used to playfully tease their mom about her lack of technological skills, but also said Tanya should consider a Master’s degree or law school. Before Alex passed away in 2022, she asked Tanya to make a promise: "Mommy, if I leave, I just want to know you're going to continue to grow."
The Return to Education
In the wake of her loss, Tanya eventually enrolled in the Paralegal Studies program at Phoenix College. After seeing a job opening in TGen's legal contracts department, she realized her skills didn't yet match the technical requirements. "I will work on building that skill set," she told herself. "And when I feel emotionally and mentally ready, I'll apply." Her return to school brought its own challenges—online classes brought social anxiety about reentering the workforce—but her older daughter, Maia, who was attending university full-time as an engineering student, and Tanya’s instructors provided a vital support system. Within six months, Tanya became an honors student, leading to more in-person classes and an invitation to join Phi Theta Kappa (PTK). There, PTK advisor Dr. Inhye Peterson asked a simple question that would change everything: "What are you doing after graduation?"
Phoenix College Support System
Peterson attended a Helios Scholars presentation and immediately thought of Tanya. "Oh, no, that's for science people," Tanya protested. "I'm more liberal arts. They wouldn’t want me." Peterson insisted, recognizing that Tanya’s excellent writing and critical thinking skills were exactly what the administrative side of science required. Dr. Peterson also agreed to proofread the various iterations of Tanya’s essay as the application deadline was only a few days away. Professor Brad Olsen's Computer Information Systems class also proved crucial. "My computer was so old I couldn't load Canvas," Tanya recalls. She bought a new computer and credits Olsen's lessons for later helping her confidently use TGen's grant management software, Cayuse, and create a 44-by-44-inch scientific poster in PowerPoint for the Helios Symposium.
Paralegal professor Sybil Taylor Aytch offered equally important guidance. "Her lessons really spoke to what I liked most about the legal and healthcare field, which is that you are doing it to be part of something bigger than yourself," Tanya recalls. Taylor Aytch taught her to assess her own readiness before committing—knowing when to push forward and when to take a break. Meanwhile, Honors Program Director Dr. Kenny Miller encouraged her to apply for the Chancellor’s Scholarship, providing the financial lifeline that made attending school full-time possible.
The Helios Experience
In TGen's Office of Sponsored Research, Tanya became an integral part of the institute’s operations. "Sixty percent of TGen's resources come from NIH funding," she explains. Her project focused on using Cayuse to mitigate or manage risks associated wtih grant management and submissions, specifically financial transparency and regulatory compliance—issues that had taken on new urgency in the current global research climate. Her team worked to adapt to mounting restrictions, using software to pre-screen applications for flagged terminology while maintaining the integrity of the research.
But the real revelation came in understanding that her placement was intentional. Helios assigned every Scholar to an internship outside their comfort zone to foster growth through curiosity, risk-taking, and discovering what resonated.
The Impact of the Work
Under the mentorship of Jatan Clark, Senior Director of the Office of Sponsored Research, and Cynthia Lechuga, Manager of Grants and Contract Administration and Systems Support Administrator, Tanya wasn't just learning grant management—she was understanding how administrative excellence enables scientific breakthroughs that might one day help children like Alex.
A turning point came during a lecture by Dr. Daniel Von Hoff, a renowned oncologist and Distinguished Professor of Clinical Genomics and Therapeutics at TGen. "His lecture gave me the why—how the work I was doing for TGen was going to be impactful," Tanya says. She, too, began connecting with scientists studying the specific type of cancer that took her daughter's life.
"Some days it is really hard, because nothing will bring her back," Tanya reflects. "But Alex would tell me, 'People need to study my tumor. People have to figure out what drugs actually work. If no one does that, Mom, more kids will die.' So that gives me strength."
Tanya completed her research project, wrote a 250-word scientific abstract, presented her work orally to the research administration department, and created a scientific poster for the Helios Symposium. When she graduated from the eight-week program with Dr. Peterson watching from the audience, she had proven something to herself: she belonged.
Looking Forward
Tanya's Helios summer was just the beginning. She has now transitioned into an academic year internship at TGen, working up to 20 hours per week. She has one more semester at Phoenix College, where she will complete both her honors requirements and additional coursework in Health Information Management. Tanya has already joined the Society of Research Administrators International with her sights set on a career in research administration. Whether at TGen, Phoenix Children's Hospital Foundation, or Mayo Clinic, she's building expertise that matters—and keeping her promise to Alex.
Tanya keeps a photo of her daughters, Maia and Alex, on her desk at TGen. Maia is now a college senior. When the work gets hard, she looks at that picture. "Don't forget, you are their mom," she tells herself. "And they always thought you could do anything." As the oldest Helios Scholar in her cohort, Tanya proved them right while discovering that the path from grief to purpose isn't straight, and sometimes the most meaningful work happens in places you never expected to be.
For those considering a return to school later in life, Tanya recommends giving Phoenix College a try: "Get to know your instructors, find out if there are experiences that might be a positive plus for you, and come to campus even when you don't have class to form relationships with other students." Tanya found her place in the Paralegal Studies Program, Health Information Technology Program, Phi Theta Kappa, and the Honors Program. Explore your options and find your purpose at PC.