4 minute read
The Gift of Scholarship
Fund for Pre-Med, Nursing Students Nurtures Dreams and Secures Futures
by Donna Birch Trahan
Jasmin Dominguez Cervantes recalls her parents’ hesitation to seek medical treatment from doctors. When they did, they struggled to connect with them.
“They lacked confidence and trust in the healthcare system,” said Cervantes, whose parents hail from Mexico. “Whenever they went to doctors, they felt as if they were not being heard, and they were not able to have a trusting relationship with their physicians.”
Seeing her parents’ experiences strongly influenced the Modesto native’s desire to become a physician and eventually establish a medical practice where patients trust and confide in her.
Her dream of achieving a career in healthcare took a significant step forward when she received the PreMed First-Generation Scholarship, which supported her educational pursuits at Stanislaus State. Established by Dr. Stephanie Brown, alongside her daughters, Lydia and Nelia, both of whom are Stan State alumnae, the First-Generation Pre-Med Scholarship is more than a monetary gift. It’s a catalyst for continuity and community care.
“The gift of scholarship is an opportunity to serve and nurture future generations by providing students with educational opportunities that my own children had at Stanislaus State,” Brown said.
It encourages graduates to plant their newfound skills in local soil by remaining in the Central Valley once they graduate and lessen the stark shortage of healthcare professionals in the region.
The family has donated $300,000 toward the fund, which supports nursing and pre-med students, each year gifting up to $12,500 to support. Ten students have been awarded the scholarship since the fund was first established in 2020.
This award isn’t just help — it’s a vote of confidence, a boost to the faith I have in myself.
- Sandy Shamoul
Each of the scholarship recipients was born and raised in the Valley, is bilingual and carries a story of ambition and resilience.
The ripple effect of Brown and her daughters’ generosity has impacted Warriors such as Hussein Maatouk.
“Not only will this scholarship help me reach my goal of medical school, but it is also a huge motivational boost,” he said.
Genesis Maciel envisions the day when she can “complete the nursing program at Stan State and be successful in healing the lives of all those who walk through hospital doors.”
Kassandra Garcia’s gratitude resonates with a promise to pay it forward: "Hopefully, one day, I am able to give back to another student.”
The idea of helping someone today so they can help someone else tomorrow is what Brown’s mission is all about. Along with aiding students through college, the scholarship is fostering a community of professionals with deep cultural ties to the Central Valley.
Brown’s story parallels those she aids. She was an adult who funded her own education, and she empathizes with the challenges faced by the scholarship’s beneficiaries. Her path from the College of Alameda to Cal State East Bay, and eventually a medical degree from UC San Francisco, is a testament to the power of perseverance — a quality she seeks to instill in Stanislaus State students.
“I want to make it easier for families to allow their young people to take this up,” she said. “I want them to know they are not alone.”
Right on the heels of a promise to make the journey easier for others, Sandy Shamoul shared the power of the support she received.
“I have made so many sacrifices to pursue my education in nursing,” Shamoul said. “This award isn’t just help — it’s a vote of confidence, a boost to the faith I have in myself. One day, I hope to extend the same helping hand that I’ve been given.”
The gift of scholarship is an opportunity to serve and nurture future generations by providing students with educational opportunities that my own children had at Stanislaus State.
- Dr. Stephanie Brown
