MASON HEALTH AWARDS INAUGURAL MASON HEALTH FOUNDATION HOSPITALIST GROUP SCHOLARSHIP TO XIOMARA SANCHEZ-BARAJAS

SHELTON, WA – Mason Health is proud to announce that Shelton High School senior Xiomara Sanchez-Barajas has been named as the inaugural recipient of the Mason Health Foundation Hospitalist Group Scholarship Fund. Xiomara was recognized for her perseverance, kindness, intellectual curiosity, and conscientious nature.

The $10,000 scholarship was offered to students seeking a four-year college degree, leading to application in the health care fields. This includes traditional provider services (e.g. medicine, dentistry, nursing, physical therapy), allied health (e.g. pharmacy, nutritional science), social sciences, behavioral health as well as those desiring to further the medical sciences through basic science pathways (e.g. biochemistry, bioengineering, laboratory medicine, etc.). Special consideration was given to first-generation college students, those demonstrating a strong desire to complete a 4-year degree, and those with a financial need as determined by the FAFSA Student Aid Index.

The Mason Health Hospitalist Group Scholarship Fund is administered through Mason Health Foundation with donations from the Mason Health Hospitalist Group. The review committee includes:

• Douglas Lindahl, DO, board-certified internist and Lead Hospitalist at Mason General Hospital
• Jacqueline Gorzynski, MD, full spectrum family provider at Mason Clinic Primary Care
• Darren Cuevas, DO, Chief Medical Officer at Mason Health

The award is part more than $90,000 in total scholarship funds given to local students through Mason Health Foundation in 2026.

“We are honored to provide the scholarship to such a worthy recipient.  The scholarship committee was impressed by Xiomara’s accomplishments through her high school years and her drive to excellence as she enters the university setting, working towards her intended ambitions of a degree in public health and becoming an oncologist,” said Lindahl. “She conveyed the empathy, drive and desire needed to succeed in college and become an excellent physician.  Through her essay and interview she showed that she is a dedicated and caring person.  Our hospitalist team wishes her the best and is glad to serve as a small part in her future success.”

A Shelton native, Xiomara excelled while maintaining a busy schedule between school, athletics, work, and involvement in the community. While a student at Shelton High School, she enrolled in the Running Start program through Olympic College. She earned recognition from the National Honors Society for her high school academic success, while earning a spot on the Dean’s List and President’s List at Olympic College. She was a multi-discipline athlete, participating in the long jump and 100-meter dash for Shelton High School’s track and field team. She worked as a cashier at a local food truck, while also serving as a volunteer camp counselor at Pioneer Middle School and Algebra II tutor for her classmates.

From a young age, Xiomara set her sights on medicine, specifically a goal to become an oncologist. In the fall, she will attend University of Washington School of Public Health and pursue a degree in Public Health-Global Health. After that, she intends to apply for medical school. University of Washington was ranked the #3 best college in the United States for Public Health by CollegeRaptor. The major provides undergraduates with competencies in Assessment & Measurement, Communication, Environment, Ethics & Social Justice, Natural Science, Population Health, Policy & Politics, and Social Science with particular emphasis on collaboration and critical thinking.

Xiomara’s passion for oncology can be attributed to watching multiple members of her family battle cancer throughout her life. She gained inspiration as a young child from watching doctors at UW treat her mother. Her goal as a physician is to connect with patients and give them the best treatment possible, while making her family proud of her achievements. When Xiomara graduates from UW, she will be the first person in her family to achieve a bachelor’s degree or any higher level of education.

“When Dr. Gorzynski surprised me at Shelton High School, I had no words and I never expected I would be chosen as the recipient. Not going to lie, I almost teared up. This scholarship will help me help others, especially my parents who have sacrificed their time, money and dreams to make my own dreams come true,” said Sanchez-Barajas. “With this money, I have more motivation to continue my journey of being an oncologist. I am committed to not letting the hospitalist group, Mason General Hospital, and my family and friends down. I learned a life lesson from this: hard work and sacrifice pay off; in time, you get something better in return. All you have to do is keep focusing on your goals and they will come true. I am really grateful. Thank you so much and bless you guys!”

Mason Health, Public Hospital District No. 1 of Mason County is ISO 9001 Quality Management System certified by Det Norske Veritas (DNV) and is a licensed and accredited acute care hospital with a level four emergency trauma designation. The Board of Hospital District Commissioners are Don Welander, President, Lori Brady, Secretary, and Pamela Schlauderaff, Trustee. Mason General Hospital and Mason Clinic are ENERGY STAR® certified and Mason Health is the recipient of one Practice Greenhealth Environmental Excellence Award, three Partner for Change Awards, two Greening the Operating Room Awards, the Making Medicine Mercury Free Award, the 2025 Emerald Award, and the 2026 Greenhealth Champion Award. To learn more about Mason Health’s sustainability efforts, visit https://www.masonhealth.com/about/sustainability-environmental-stewardship. There are more than 100 physicians on staff in 19 specialties. For more information or to find a health care provider, visit www.masonhealth.com. To learn more about DNV, visit www.dnv.com/healthcare.

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