CSUSB alumnus Alexander Soto is well on the way to defining the future in becoming a physician.  As a youth growing up in a neighborhood plagued by drug abuse and gang violence, Soto saw education as a way to succeed and give back to the community to help those less fortunate.  “What made me want to become a doctor was my community,” he said. “I originally grew up in Duarte, California, and the neighborhood I lived in was, unfortunately, socially challenged and economically challenged. There’s a lot of gang violence, drugs circulating and so I knew at a young age that education would be the route of success for me.”

He looked up to his parents and grandparents whose work ethic and sacrifice inspired him to become the first in his family to go to college. “What helped me in the classroom was remembering my grandparents and my parents and their sacrifices they made to get into this country,” Soto said. “I’m the first in my family to go to college and my parents, unfortunately, did not have this opportunity, so constantly remembering those sacrifices really allowed me to get through academically.” His dedication and hard work at CSUSB, with the support of faculty and staff, resulted in his being awarded the California State University Trustees TELACU scholarship. Soto graduated with a degree in biochemistry and is now attending the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA.