2018 Burton Scholarship Awardee: Germain Medina

Germain Medina believes in education as a door-opener. So far, that attitude has taken him from Watsonville to UC Davis, Cabrillo College, and Suzhou, China. Germain is charting his own path as a leader in the classroom so that someday, his office door reads: Dr. Medina.

"I want to thank everyone who's believed in me and helped me achieve my dreams in education. I want to do what you donors have - give back to my community and support those who are disadvantaged."

Germain’s dedication to his education and personal development was evident through his participation in extracurricular school clubs, volunteerism in his community, all while maintaining a 4.0 GPA with a rigorous high school course load. The Foundation was proud to award him a $4,000 Burton Scholarship in 2018.

Germain attended the University of California, Davis in the Fall of 2018 and began working towards his degree. Due to the financial hardship tuition posed, Germain took a leave from Davis in 2019 to enroll at Cabrillo College while saving to transfer to a four-year college.

Germain has been praised by his teachers and professors for his dedication to learning, impressive analytical skills and promise as a future M.D.

This Burton scholar shows no signs of slowing down. While at Cabrillo, he continues to excel in his coursework and shows a deep level of engagement with his field of study. In the summer of 2018, Germain was one of two student researchers selected for a prestigious summer program at Soochow University in China.

As Germain prepares for medical school post-graduation, he is clear-eyed about where he wants to end up: as a pediatrician for a local community clinic. Congratulations on your success Germain and we can't wait to see you trade a cap and gown for a white lab coat.