Yuan Tian shared their story and experiences with us recently and you can find our conversation below.
Yuan, it’s always a pleasure to learn from you and your journey. Let’s start with a bit of a warmup: What’s more important to you—intelligence, energy, or integrity?
I’d choose integrity, because with integrity, both intelligence and energy have true value. I serve in the military as a medic, and I learned integrity means doing what’s right even when no one’s watching. During a mass vaccination clinic, I stayed late to recheck patient records after noticing a small error. It delayed me an hour, but it prevented a reporting mistake the next day. The same applies to science research.
In my job as a science researcher, too, I’ve faced similar tests — staying late to redo an RNA sample or repeating data analysis because something felt off. Intelligence and energy helped me solve problems, but integrity made sure I could trust my own results. Intelligence and energy help me work hard, but integrity makes sure that work is honest and meaningful.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
My name is Yuan “Tracy” Tian, and I’m a PhD candidate in Microbiology at the University of South Dakota, specializing in infectious diseases. My research focuses on how bacteria, named Streptococcus pyogenes, regulates their genes to adapt and survive in human, which could help us better understand the complexity of Strep infections and develop new treatment strategies.
Outside the lab, I serve as a flight medic in the South Dakota Air National Guard, where I help ensure our airmen are medically ready to deploy and provide care in demanding environments. I also dedicate much of my time to volunteering, such as coaching with Girls on the Run, assisting athletes with disabilities in the Special Olympics, and helping at child care centers for children with special needs.
What makes my journey unique is the mix of science, service, and compassion that drives everything I do. I’ve faced many personal and professional challenges—balancing graduate research, military duties, and community service—but I’ve learned that strength doesn’t just come from endurance; it comes from purpose.
Right now, I’m working toward publishing my research. My goal is to combine my background in biomedical research with my passion for helping people.
Thanks for sharing that. Would love to go back in time and hear about how your past might have impacted who you are today. What relationship most shaped how you see yourself?
The relationships that most shaped how I see myself are the ones I’ve built through interacting and volunteering with my local community. Delivering meals for Meals on Wheels for the seniors, helping at the animal shelter, donating blood for the Red Cross, and working with people with disabilities through programs like the Special Olympics have all deeply influenced me.
Through those experiences, I discovered a deeper sense of purpose — realizing that joy doesn’t come from what I achieve, but from how much I can give and uplift others. Every smile, every small victory, and every challenge shared reminded me of the power of compassion and community.
Those relationships taught me humility, empathy, and gratitude. I’ve learned that fulfillment comes not from recognition, but from connection — from knowing you’ve made someone’s day a little brighter.
Was there ever a time you almost gave up?
Yes, there was a time I almost gave up — during one of the toughest periods of my PhD and military service. I was balancing long hours in the lab, weekend duties, and volunteering, often running on little sleep. My experiments kept failing, deadlines were piling up, and I felt like all my effort wasn’t enough.
One night, after another failed experiment, I sat alone in the lab wondering if I was really meant to do this. But then I thought about why I started — my love for science, my duty to serve, and my dream of helping others through medicine. That reminder gave me the strength to stand back up, troubleshoot again, and keep moving forward.
Now, when I look back, I’m grateful I didn’t give up, because that experience taught me that perseverance isn’t about never falling, it’s about finding the courage to rise every single time you do. You’re never truly failing — every time you stand back up, you’re still becoming stronger.
So a lot of these questions go deep, but if you are open to it, we’ve got a few more questions that we’d love to get your take on. What’s a belief or project you’re committed to, no matter how long it takes?
I’m deeply committed to a lifelong belief in serving others through compassion, consistency, and community, no matter how long it takes. For me, it’s never been about grand gestures. It’s about showing up, again and again, in ways that you truly care. Over the years, I’ve tried to live by that through challenging myself to do at least one good thing at day — whether it’s picking up trash, writing letters to people in jail to encourage them, making a small donation, or buying coffee for the person behind me in line.
In the future, I hope to keep serving in ways that bring comfort and connection — maybe even start a non-profit or community project for vulnerable groups. One dream close to my heart is to create a fitness and wellness program for people experiencing homelessness, to help them rebuild strength, confidence, and hope. I believe a person’s emotional world can be so enriched and happy when they choose to care for others and find joy in small acts of kindness. No matter how long and what it takes, I will keep doing these small things throughout my life-because kindness, even in its simplest form, never goes to waste.
Okay, so let’s keep going with one more question that means a lot to us: Could you give everything your best, even if no one ever praised you for it?
Yes, I believe that’s my goal and I’ve been working on that. I’ve learned that doing your best isn’t about being noticed; it’s about doing what feels right in your heart.
One cold winter night, I met a woman with a disability whose car was stuck in the snow. She used sign language to communicate, and even though I only knew a little, I understood she needed help. Her mother was sitting in the car, freezing, while she walked to a gas station to ask for assistance — but people kept walking by. I helped her jump start the car and called the police to make sure they were safe. It wasn’t anything big, just something that felt right in the moment.
Over the years, I’ve also found small, quiet ways to reach people who are often forgotten. For the past three years, I’ve been writing letters to people in prison — offering encouragement, sharing stories, and helping them rebuild confidence and hope. I’ve learned that sometimes a few kind words can mean the world to someone who feels unseen.
I have stories like these, but I never tell them to draw attention. I share them only because they remind me that kindness doesn’t need recognition — it simply needs to exist. To me, giving your best means choosing compassion, even when no one’s watching.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: ms.midwest_tracy_tian
- Facebook: Ms. Midwest USA Ambassador 2024 Tracy Tian
Image Credits
Special Olympics South Dakota
South Dakota Miss Amazing
University of South Dakota Graduate School
