Henninger Alumnus Receives First Say Yes to Education Medical School Scholarship

Henninger High School graduate Alex Guerrero (’18) has become the first recipient of a new Upstate Medical University Say Yes to Education scholarship!
 
In a ceremony this week, Alex was recognized by Norton College of Medicine Dean Lawrence Chin, SUNY Upstate Medical University President Mantosh Dewan, SUNY Chancellor John B. King, Jr. and other local dignitaries. He was presented with a white coat, along with words of support from Syracuse Mayor Ben Walsh and others.
 
At age 14, Alex, his mother, and his brother came to Syracuse from Cuba. While he noted struggling to learn English and adapt to the culture, within two years, he was enrolled in AP English. He met with his school counselor, where he mentioned he was interested in the healthcare field. From there, he enrolled in the MEDS program offered at Henninger High School, which allowed him to visit the Upstate campus regularly and interact with medical students and professors.
 
“That experience allowed me to see that those people are just normal people… and if they can do this, maybe I could, too,” Alex shared.
 
After graduating from Henninger, Alex went on to earn his Bachelors degree from SUNY Cortland on a Say Yes to Education scholarship. He has since been serving as a researcher in a lab at Upstate, as well as an ER Technician at a rural medical center in Monticello, New York. Thanks to this scholarship, Alex will begin his medical school journey at Upstate next week!
 
“I never imagined I’d be here,” he said. “I just got back from Cuba for the first time in eight years, and it gave me so much perspective. Say Yes to Education has made all of this possible. Without it, I wouldn’t have made it through college – I wouldn’t have made it to medical school. This is definitely life changing for me. I’d tell other students that as long as you’re trying your hardest, you keep your faith, you find your people, and you push out distractions, you can accomplish your goals!”
 
Alex is interested in psychiatry or emergency medicine but also plans to keep his mind open to other specialties. He mentioned that he hopes to give back to the Syracuse community when he graduates from medical school in four years.  
 
Syracuse Mayor Ben Walsh noted that stories like Alex’s are ones that the Syracuse community should be celebrating.
 
“To see how far you’ve come is a testament to your drive as well as the support of your family,” Mayor Walsh said. “We celebrate the people who made the Say Yes to Education program possible. It’s also an opportunity for us to spread the word about the program and what we have achieved as a community with Say Yes. It’s remarkable! We really need to shout out to our students and families that this is a resource available to them. We have amazing young people here in Syracuse, and I want us to continue raising up their stories. There are so many young people, like Alex, who are succeeding against great odds. Alex, you are a model, an inspiration, and a story we need to tell. Other young people need to know that they can follow in your footsteps!”
 
For years, Upstate has been building pathways for students to enter a variety of fields, investing $3 million since 2020 via eight pathways at the hospital. Alex’s scholarship, valued at $240,000, includes full tuition, housing, and a $5,000 stipend for each of the four years of medical school. Upstate Medical University has announced the creation of this as an annual full-ride scholarship to Syracuse City School District residents accepted into medical school after receiving an undergraduate degree with a Say Yes Scholarship - called the Upstate Say Yes Scholarship - to support students on the four-year medical degree path. Funding for this scholarship is provided by Upstate Medical University.
 
Students and families interested in learning more about Say Yes to Education Syracuse should visit https://sayyessyracuse.org/ or text SAY YES to 315-562-7154!