Merced College Students Chosen For
Prestigious Summer Education Programs

May 7, 2007

Four Merced College students have been chosen from a nationwide pool of applicants to participate in number of prestigious summer premedical programs. Of the thousands of applications submitted, Merced College students were selected to fill five of 40 slots available at these three outstanding universities.

Paul Cordova and Luisa Valenzuela were selected to attend the Stanford University School of Medicine Summer Premedical Student Program. Tyson Schmidthuber was chosen to attend the UCLA David Geffen School of Medicine summer program. Amarinder Singh and Luisa Valenzuela were both selected for the summer premedical program at the University of Utah.

The Stanford program, for example, brings together 20 educationally and/or economically disadvantaged undergraduates from across the country to Stanford. The program provides a background in cellular biology, human anatomy, basic research skills, and experiences in clinical medicine. Students participate in seminars on minority health care issues, test-taking skills and MCAT preparation, and effective writing and research skills. Other workshops cover the medical school admissions process and provide help in developing portfolios, obtaining letters of recommendation, writing a compelling personal statement, interviewing, exploring financial aid options, and selecting the right medical school.

“This is a great tribute to these students and to our faculty and staff who prepare them for their future medical careers,” said Merced College President Dr. Benjamin Duran.