My name is Josiah Gordon, and I’m a DSF Scholar supported by HCA HealthOne, currently attending the University of Colorado Boulder, where I’m on the premed track, majoring in Physiology. My ultimate dream is to attend medical school and gain exposure to different specialties, but at the moment, I have a particular interest in cardiology and internal medicine. To be 100% honest with you, it would be a complete lie to sit up here & say that I’ve always dreamed of going to medical school to become a doctor. Prior to going to college, I couldn’t have confidently told you what physiology even was. My story actually began at Thomas Jefferson High School. At the time, my focus was on one thing: playing basketball at the collegiate level. I spent countless hours working on my game until it all abruptly came to an end when I broke my foot in my senior year of high school. At the time, it felt like a crisis; it was this point in my life that paved the way for something truly special. For the first time, I had the chance to sit down with my DSF College Advisor, Ms. Webster. The DSF Future Center at TJ was a hub for students like myself, maybe first gen, inexperienced, navigating the complexities of college. I would hobble into the Future Center on my crutches to see Ms. Webster daily. We would chat about scholarships, career choices, and even bigger things – like what it really means to make a difference in someone else’s life. These conversations, along with the reality of seeing immediate family members deal with chronic illness, kindled within me a passion to pursue a career of service.
From left to right, Lorii Rabinowitz, Maureen McDonald, Josiah Gordon, Future, Hali Koren and Dr. Weingart
Reflecting on my high school days, and amazing organizations like DSF and HCA HealthOne, which helped make college possible through scholarships & support, sparked within me a desire to create the Hem of Hope Foundation – a nonprofit designed to expand educational opportunities to underprivileged students. But more importantly, to display the love of God in my community through service. Instead of climbing up the ladder and pulling it behind us, our hope is to extend the ladder and find creative ways to combat preventable outcomes in communities such as my own. Last year, we raised over $ 2,000 and had the privilege of awarding two $1,000 scholarships to deserving students at DPS high schools. In my own life now, at CU Boulder, battling with difficult classes such as organic chemistry, seeing the fruits of what it means to Direct a nonprofit has been what has kept me going. My parents, every so often, remind me of scripture stating that EVERYTHING you go through: challenges, difficulties, & even injury, has a way of working itself together for good. I pray that you come to realize that, in your own life, it empowers you to move forward boldly!
