Page 18 - Dentistry Magazine 2022

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DENTISTRY 2022
permanent university fund that has allowed him to focus on clinical work and studies without concern for his finances.
“As a minority, I felt it was an opportunity and a privilege to not only study what I loved, but also
get financial help to do so,” Gigato Gonzalez explained. “Being honored with a scholarship made me feel that I could do it, and that others saw potential in me.”
The weight and responsibility of re- ceiving a scholarship are not lost on Gigato Gonzalez. “I am grateful for be- ing a recipient of the scholarship, and I feel a responsibility to keep up the good work and show that I am worthy of it,” he explained, reflecting on the desire to succeed and use
the funds well. “It also makes me feel like an example for other minorities, that we are seen and rewarded with opportunities.”
Gigato Gonzalez has certainly lived up to the potential of his scholarship, working hard in and outside the class- room and serving his patients well.
“I love seeing patients happy with the services I gave them,” he explained.
JOSE GIGATO GONZALEZ
“Just doing restorations is not enough. Educating them and giving them the tools to improve their oral hygiene
is important. I do this so I can be the best dentist I can be to my patients.”
THE LEADERS
Out of love for the
profession
Providing scholarship funds has “always been at the forefront of my mind,” especially given the rising costs of education, he said.
“Scholarships help in attracting and retaining high-quality candidates. My dental education has created oppor- tunities for me. I was heavily invested in my profession, and I care about the future of it. That means I care about who is being trained to go into the pro- fession, and I want to create the same kinds of opportunities for those who are replacing me in the profession. By giving, I think scholarship recipients realize that there are those who care about their success—and I hope that when they are in a position to give back, they, likewise, will choose to do so. It is a privilege being part of the profession, and with that privilege comes a responsibility to support those who come after us.”
I think it’s important for “
us as alumni to make sure that our institution remains at the level that it was when we were in school here. It’s always been a great, national- ly-recognized institution. For those of us that are carrying that degree, we want to make sure that that degree continues to e well-respected.
Mark Bachman, DDS ’00
b”
THE LEAD
ERS
While Anthony DiAngelis, DMD, did not receive his dental degree from the University of Minnesota, it has in many ways been his academic home.
After receiving his degree from
Tufts University and fulfilling his service requirement in the Indian Health Service, DiAngelis came to Minnesota for graduate work. He then taught at the School of Dentistry for much of his career. DiAngelis saw how special the school was to him and to learners—and he’s made it his mission to give back.
“If you care about your profession,
if you care about education, giving to scholarship funds is a way of paying forward and investing in the future of your profession,” he said.