Eli Marion

Eli Marion is a Spanish and Portuguese major in the W.A. Franke Honors College with minors in Neuroscience/Cognitive Science and Biochemistry. He has served as a Spanish medical interpreter in clinical environments and provided patient advocacy at Flying Samaritans clinics in Agua Prieta, Mexico. His interdisciplinary research spans from analyzing FADS gene variants and diet interactions in Mexican-origin populations in Dr. Floyd “Ski” Chilton's lab to examining bilingual education misconceptions in Dr. Genesis Arizmendi's lab. For his honors thesis, Eli is developing an AI tool for consecutive English-Spanish medical interpretation, a novel innovation in accessible healthcare. Beyond academics, Eli serves as President of Comedy Corner, one of the country’s longest-running improvisational comedy clubs, and has designed public health materials and educational workshops that make complex health information culturally accessible. In his free time, he enjoys improvising on the piano and exploring local restaurants. Eli most enjoys exploring how language, culture, and creative expression are essential components of whole-person health and equitable care.