MARSHALLTOWN – In addition to being a successful Marshalltown restaurateur, Alfonso Medina has a knack for food-based mottos. For some time now, the Medina businesses have boasted “Burritos for Books,” where a share of profits from the restaurants funds scholarships they offer at Marshalltown Community College. The Medina Family Scholarship has provided $400 to two students each year, with selection based on essays submitted on “The American Dream.”
For Medina, his American Dream is not just his business ownership, but also exercising right to free speech to bring about positive change. Following some negative comments, he used social media to proclaim #NoLoveNoTacos. Social media followers reposted and retweeted, creating something of a viral movement. From there, his business sense took over: he had t-shirts made with the #NoLoveNoTacos motto, and dedicated the proceeds to the Medina Family Scholarship. Not just a local phenomenon, orders for the shirts have come from all over the United States. His motto took off so well that Medina recently provided $4,000 toward Medina Family Scholarships at Marshalltown Community College for this year!
Any Marshalltown Community College student can be considered for a Medina Family Scholarship simply by submitting an essay on “The American Dream: What It Means To Me” to the MCC Foundation office, Room 103 on campus, or emailing the essay to Carol Geil at carol.geil@iavalley.edu. The selection process will begin soon, so submit your essay before Oct. 30 to be considered for part of $4,000 to be awarded!