Celebrating 10 Years of Webster Suggs Scholars: Gerald Burton

Webster University’s Dr. Donald M. Suggs Scholarship program is 10 years old this year. Webster is reaching out to some of the 37 students or alumni who benefited from the program to feature their personal and professional successes.

Gerald Burton

BA, Journalism

Class of 2025

Gerald Burton grew up in the Enright neighborhood on the west side of St. Louis. 

“My community is like a badge of honor,” he recently told Webster. “I definitely do the best I can to always represent my community through my writing and journalism.” 

The current Suggs Scholar, who joined the program in 2022, has also done everything possible to represent Webster and immerse himself in all the university has to offer. 

After all, the opportunity to be a Gorlok, he said, is one that came about purely by fate. 

Right out of high school, the Mehlville grad had a vision of attending another university in Missouri well known for journalism. He applied and was denied — because of a mistake he made on the application. 

“Silly, Gerald. It was an accident, but it turned out to be a blessing,” he said. “My mother, who was a very, very influential force — as she has always been — was my guiding light. She told me to use my first year of college as a period in which I could instill myself with confidence again, set the record straight, and let other schools know what I was made of.” 

Following her advice, Burton got busy “taking care of business.” 

He spent his first year at another local university and earned a 3.8 GPA. He also continued to devote himself to his work with Dream Builders 4 Equity, a St. Louis non-profit that “provides underserved youth with personal and professional development training, employment, ongoing mentorship, and ownership in real estate and book publishing programs.”

It was at a panel discussion held by Dream Builders that Burton met Webster Chancellor Beth Stroble, and Chief Diversity Officer Vincent Flewellen. 

“From that night on, they were both just really interested in who I was as a student,” Burton said of the two. 

Not long after that chance meeting, it was Stroble, Flewellen and Webster’s Joanna Finch who personally introduced Burton to the Suggs Scholarship opportunity. The rest is history— or at least history in the making. 

Today, Burton is a Gorlok Guide, a residential assistant, a social media ambassador, and — his favorite role — a Student Ambassador for Webster. 

“It’s a significant honor that I’ve been a part of a great program surrounded by many great staff, a lot of my awesome peers, and great friends who aspire not only to represent Webster in the best way possible, but to put themselves in rooms with alumni and administration and do everything they can to make a difference,” Burton said.  

His ambassadorship has continually allowed him to make connections with many influential people and alumni, including alumna Jenifer Lewis, who he was particularly thrilled to meet last fall. 

“It’s always great when changes are made to benefit the students,” he went on, “but it’s even sweeter when we are able to represent and fully embody the hopes and dreams of our fellow students — to translate that to administration and donors and to let them know what is on the hearts and minds of the many students at this school. I’m very excited to continue my journey as a Student Ambassador.” 

Burton is also fully committed to exploring every opportunity he possibly can through his journalism studies, which he feels have been his calling since he first developed a knack for storytelling as a child.

“In my elementary school, we had a Dierbergs writing competition called “I Love My Mom Because,” he explained. “Out of five years of elementary school, I won it three years in three different grades. I’ve always just loved writing.” 

As for any other future plans, Burton wanted to keep it brief, funny, and brimming with hope. 

“I plan on being a billionaire, definitely a millionaire, by 25. I’m serious about that one,” he said with a laugh. “Truthfully, I hope to use my experiences, my words, and my writing to share the stories of people who look like me; to share the stories of people who come from my community; and to be a vessel others can use to have their story shared. I plan on always using my words to empower and preach life and hope into the hearts and minds my words are able to reach.” 

About the Suggs Scholarship

The Dr. Donald M. Suggs Scholarship was established to honor Dr. Donald M. Suggs, an oral surgeon, newspaper publisher, patron of the arts, and distinguished community leader, and is administered by The St. Louis American Foundation. The scholarship is designed to enhance recruitment and retention of academically talented undergraduate students from communities that are typically under-represented in higher education. The funding for the Webster University Dr. Suggs Scholarship Program is provided by Webster University. A committee of staff volunteers helps select students for the program. Webster University has 32 students currently enrolled in the program, more than double that of any other participating institution of higher education.