Growing up in a low-income household in Portland, OR, Cindy Lin didn’t see a doctor until she was 16 years old. That and the influence of her parents fueled her drive to work hard, help others and treat all people with respect — all skills she’s applied at DMU and in the College of Podiatric Medicine and Surgery (CPMS). In April she was selected by CPMS students and faculty as Student of the Year, an honor that includes a $500 scholarship and a nomination for the national title.
“Cindy has devoted her time at DMU to making our college and University a leader at the forefront of medicine and service,” says R. Tim Yoho, D.P.M., FACFAS, dean of the college.
“I have trouble saying ‘no’ to people,” Lin explains.
Recipient of the CPMS Merit Scholarship and the American Podiatric Medical Association Educational Foundation Scholarship, she has held or currently holds presidency positions of the D.P.M. Class of 2016, the American College of Foot and Ankle Orthopedics and Medicine student chapter, the Student National Podiatric Medical Association, Student Programming Board and Conservation and Sustainability committees. She is an alto and co-director of the DMU Choir.
To guide policy change and advocate for students, Lin sits on the executive committee of the Iowa Podiatric Medical Students Association, the CPMS student government; the Multicultural Affairs Student Advisory Committee; Dean’s Leadership Council; CPMS Strategic Planning Committee; and DMU Council of Presidents committees.
Lin has helped coordinate numerous volunteer events, such as the Katie Miller Young Adult Cancer Conference and the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation Walk to Cure Diabetes, for which she organized a team of students, faculty and staff to raise money for type I diabetes research. Last year, she was DMU’s liaison to the American Diabetes Association Diabetes Busters and the YMCA Grubb Kids Day and after-school programs.
“I was an overweight child. Working with kids to help them learn about diabetes and healthy lifestyles is one of my biggest passions,” she says. “I like to effect change in people’s health. That’s why I want to be a doctor.”
Lin has volunteered with DMU’s Homeless Community Outreach, the Margaret Cramer Free Clinic and other efforts to provide free health care, information, basic necessities and hot meals to people in need. She has taught a variety of exercise classes in the DMU wellness center.
“Service back to the community is very important to me,” she says. “DMU has given me a lot of opportunities to do that.”
