The Mt. Diablo Unified School District announced that 14 seniors in Mt. Diablo High School’s Medical Biotechnology Academy (MBTA) have earned “I Belong” Scholarships from John Muir Health based on applications that demonstrated their knowledge and passion for pursuing careers in healthcare, volunteer work and extracurricular activities including internships.
Teacher David Pintado noted that more than 50% of the total 19 scholarships awarded went to MDHS students, including many who are also members of the HOSA health occupation student association for future healthcare professionals.
This was the first year John Muir Health awarded the scholarships, which ranged from $500 to $1,000 each, in an effort to increase diversity in the healthcare industry, said Jamie Elmasu, Director of John Muir Health’s Community Health Improvement Department, who is Arab and represents Middle Eastern employees in the health system’s diversity and inclusion task force.
They targeted Mt. Diablo High in MDUSD, Dozier-Libbey Medical HS and Antioch HS in Antioch USD, and Richmond HS in West Contra Costa USD for the scholarships because of their diverse student populations “to show students who come from the community that there is a place for them” in local healthcare organizations.
The MDHS students who earned the scholarships are: Nilab Rezaee, Fatima Moreno, LizSandra Gallegos, Ayana Platero, Stephanie Lopez Jauregui, Vanessa Chavez, Yuliana Martinez De Dios, Alejandra Garcia Barazza, Citlali Garcia, Fatima Yusi Shakour, Grecia Reyes, Mariela Dominguez De la Cruz, and Eric Jomnaap Sen. Nilab (below right), whose application earned the highest score, received $1,000 scholarship and the other students received $500 awards. She plans to attend Diablo Valley College then transfer to UC Davis to become a general surgeon.
Mt. Diablo HS Medical and Biotechnology Academy (MBTA) seniors (left to right) Eric Sen, Alejandra Garcia Barazza, Fatima Yusi Shakour and Nilab Rezaee pose in front of a “photo booth” background after receiving their “I Belong” scholarships at John Muir Health in Concord.
Eric (below left( said he has applied to several California State Universities and plans to pursue a career as an orthodontist. He said he appreciates the academies that Mt. Diablo HS offers because they give students a chance to explore a variety of career options such as computer science, engineering, food and hospitality, and healthcare. He is learning micropipetting, which is used in molecular biology labs.
Alejandra (below, second from left) said she has applied to several universities including UCLA, UC Davis, Stanford and Harvard, which the goal of becoming a cosmetic surgeon. “I feel very grateful,” she said, adding that the MBTA academy has given her opportunities to learn about occupations in the healthcare field. “I’m determined and I just won’t give up,” she said.
Fatima (below second from right) has applied to six UCs – in Berkeley, Irvine, Los Angeles, Santa Barbara, Davis and Santa Cruz – with the goal of becoming a cardiovascular surgeon. A first-generation Filipino whose family members have sought medical help for cardiovascular issues, Fatima said she wants to assist people in the community and those from Third World countries who may not be able to afford expensive healthcare facilities. She said she appreciated the scholarship and the MBTA program because they offered her opportunities she might not otherwise be exposed to. She has learned the parts of the body and how they function, which is preparing her for courses she will take in college. Although she said she knows of many Filipino nurses, she does not know of many Filipino doctors, and she is happy that John Muir Health wants to increase diversity so that Filipino residents can feel comfortable getting medical help from professionals who understand their culture and speak their language. Fatima said she speaks Tagalog, English, Arabic, French and another Filipino dialect.
