Solid Foundation

Jim Griffin, of the Class of 2003, credits Westminster Schools of Augusta for much of the success he has had.

"It molded me into the person I am," Griffin said of his education at Westminster. "The way I handle stress, success, failure all goes back to the skills I developed or honed at Westminster."

While at Westminster, Griffin, a Burke County native, was involved with baseball, track, debate, Science Olympiad and Model UN. He was also student council president his senior year.

After Westminster, Griffin received his Bachelor of Science degree in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology with a focus in genetics from the University of Georgia Honors College in 2007. He graduated Summa Cum Laude, with a 4.0 GPA, which made him a First Honor Graduate. He was a member of the Phi Beta Kappa Honor Society and the Phi Kappa Phi Honor Society.

At UGA, he received the HOPE Scholarship, the Charter Scholarship, the Governor's Scholarship and was a Presidential Scholar each semester.

Griffin earned his MD in 2011 from John Hopkins University Medical School, where he continued to complete his general surgery residency. At John Hopkins, he was awarded the William Stewart Halsted Award in Surgery for his outstanding proficiency in surgical sciences.

Griffin is currently doing a fellowship in complex general surgical oncology at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center. He plans to focus on liver and pancreas cancers.

In addition to his academic success, Griffin said Westminster prepared him grow in his faith.

"Once I left Westminster, I gained a large knowledge base, a deeper understanding of my religion," he said. "Once in the real world, I met academic minds who challenged me based on the particular science they believe. Westminster equipped me with the ability to defend my faith and hopefully plant some seeds."