Friday Morning Mavericks
This past summer, Mr. Cepeda interned at a local RotaCare Clinic in East Palo Alto. RotaCare Clinics, founded by community leaders and members of local Rotary International service clubs, provide free medical care to low-income people in the Bay Area. Mr. Cepeda shared his summer research findings with the Club and emphasized the need for healthcare in underserved communities. “Next steps,” he said, “include a pilot study that could help lead to a sustainable national RotaCare model.” He hopes to pursue a career as an MD-PhD at a research institution, mentoring new students in his lab, and directing free clinics to support underrepresented individuals.
About Rotary Global Grant Scholarships
These scholarships are awarded to the students focusing their careers in one of Rotary Foundation’s Seven Areas of Focus. The scholar’s course of study, for which they are already accepted by an academic institution, is directed toward supporting the mission of The Rotary Foundation and the Rotary International credo, “Service Above Self,” and to foster international understanding and relations among people of different nations.
About the Rotary Foundation
The mission of The Rotary Foundation is to advance world understanding, goodwill, and peace through the improvement of health, the support of education, and the alleviation of poverty. As part of that mission, The Rotary Foundation, a not-for-profit organization, through Rotary International’s Member Rotary Clubs, has maintained one of the largest and lucrative scholarship programs of its kind since 1947.
To learn more about PAUR please visit http://www.paurotary.com
NEWS RELEASE
Contact:
Jyotika RoyC & Sophie Tsang
Palo Alto University Rotary
To Cambridge with a Rotary Global Grant Scholarship
“Attending Cambridge University would not have been feasible without Rotary. It is an honor to receive this scholarship and to be recognized for my efforts in contributing to Rotary’s mission with my research in finding cures for autoimmune diseases,” states recipient Christian Cepeda.
Palo Alto, CA, August 4, 2023 - A Friday morning meeting for the members of the Rotary Club of Palo Alto/University (PAUR) was made special when Stanford graduate Christian Cepeda, 2023-24 Rotary Global Grant Scholar, was presented with a scholarship check of $30,000 from the Rotary Foundation.
Mr. Cepeda is a worthy recipient. A Harvard-Amgen Scholar, Goldwater Scholar, a Hispanic Scholarship Fund Scholar, QuestBridge Scholar, Stanford NEUro Fellow, and a Caltech Wave Fellow, a commitment to research has been a constant in his career.
He graduated from Stanford University in June with an undergraduate degree in Human Biology and a Concentration in Neuroimmunology. He is headed next to Cambridge University, UK, for a Master of Philosophy (MPhil) degree in Clinical Neurosciences, made possible by the Rotary Global Grant Scholarship.
Club President Larry Christenson and Club Treasurer David MacKenzie presented the check and were joined by Dr. Noe Pablo Lozano, Co-Chair of Rotary District 5170 Global Scholarship Grant Committee. Dr. Lozano listed Christian’s many awards and said, “As a first generation, low-income student, this is phenomenal.” Dr. Lozano is Emeritus Associate Dean of Student Affairs at Stanford.
Photo L-R: Dick Levy, Ken Graham, Larry Christenson, Mary Chigos, Dr. Noe Lozano, Christian Cepeda, and David MacKenzie.
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