Every so often, we highlight the importance of student scholarships by introducing you to the very students they help to succeed. Today, we’re featuring Bria Hamlet ‘15, who is an Alumni Association Scholarship recipient.

Name: Bria Hamlet
Major: Health Administration & Policy Program, Track II – Health Policy
Extra Curricular Activities: Peer Health Educator, President of the Women of Color Coalition
Scholarship received: Alumni Association Scholarship

Q: Why did you decide to attend UMBC?
My decision to attend UMBC was not an easy one, as I initially had my heart set on going out of state for college. I quickly learned that UMBC was not only a great place to study, but a perfect fit for me. I love being a Retriever and making the most of every day on campus. I fell in love with our school spirit, academic strength, and comfortable community. I can honestly say I would not want to be anywhere else.

Q: What’s been the most amazing discovery you’ve made so far as a student here?
The most amazing discovery I’ve made so far as a student at UMBC is my sense of unity with my fellow students. We’re all in this together, whether it’s overcoming our hefty workloads or bonding over a power outage on campus. I feel very at home here and hope many other students feel the same.

Q: Tell us about a class or club that has really opened your mind.
I have been a Peer Health Educator through University Health Services for three semesters. I am quickly approaching my fourth and final semester, as I am aging out. This program has really shaped both my experience at UMBC, but also my career aspirations and goals. I LOVE health education. I love helping other students feel empowered to take care of themselves, but also understand risk and make informed decisions. We put a lot of time and effort into creating fun and engaging programs for our classmates; we would not show them anything we wouldn’t sit through ourselves. I take so much pride in being a part of this amazing, elite group of students and I am grateful for every moment spent with them.

Q: How important is it to you as a student to get scholarship support?
Right before I chose a college, my parents and I had the talk about making wise financial choices. While there was never any doubt that I was destined to attend college, my parents had the foresight to avoid mountains of debt through going out-of-state. My decision to attend UMBC was the smartest choice financially, but that did not mean there were not struggles. I still have loans, I still worry about how I’m going to pay for graduate school, and I wonder why it costs so much to help people grow scholastically. However, this scholarship support shows me that their are great people out there who want me, as well as other students, to [succeed] too! It’s a great feeling and I plan to pay it forward someday.

Q: What are you most proud of accomplishing in your time at UMBC?
I am very, very proud of the work I put into building my GPA this past school year. Out of 10 classes, I received A’s in eight. I have always been studious, but I hit bumps in the road that no longer made my GPA a reflection of me. I have worked hard to pull it up, and will continue to do so in my final semesters here.

Q: What would you say to the people who provided your scholarship?
Thank you so much for seeing in me a student worthy of your support and kindness. I have never received a scholarship before and I am thrilled that you changed that for me. I will try my hardest to make you proud, and represent your alma mater in the best way I possibly can.

Q: What do you hope to do after graduation?
I plan to attend graduate school to obtain my Masters in public health. Afterwards I will gain my PhD in population, family and reproductive health. My short-term goal is to become a health educator, and my long-term goal is to open up my own non-profit healthcare center. I also hope to donate back to UMBC.

Support the UMBC Alumni Scholarships today!

Every so often, we highlight the importance of student scholarships by introducing you to the very students they help to succeed. Today, we’re featuring Bria Hamlet ‘15, who is an Alumni Association Scholarship recipient.

Name: Bria Hamlet
Major: Health Administration & Policy Program, Track II – Health Policy
Extra Curricular Activities: Peer Health Educator, President of the Women of Color Coalition
Scholarship received: Alumni Association Scholarship

Q: Why did you decide to attend UMBC?
My decision to attend UMBC was not an easy one, as I initially had my heart set on going out of state for college. I quickly learned that UMBC was not only a great place to study, but a perfect fit for me. I love being a Retriever and making the most of every day on campus. I fell in love with our school spirit, academic strength, and comfortable community. I can honestly say I would not want to be anywhere else.

Q: What’s been the most amazing discovery you’ve made so far as a student here?
The most amazing discovery I’ve made so far as a student at UMBC is my sense of unity with my fellow students. We’re all in this together, whether it’s overcoming our hefty workloads or bonding over a power outage on campus. I feel very at home here and hope many other students feel the same.

Q: Tell us about a class or club that has really opened your mind.
I have been a Peer Health Educator through University Health Services for three semesters. I am quickly approaching my fourth and final semester, as I am aging out. This program has really shaped both my experience at UMBC, but also my career aspirations and goals. I LOVE health education. I love helping other students feel empowered to take care of themselves, but also understand risk and make informed decisions. We put a lot of time and effort into creating fun and engaging programs for our classmates; we would not show them anything we wouldn’t sit through ourselves. I take so much pride in being a part of this amazing, elite group of students and I am grateful for every moment spent with them.

Q: How important is it to you as a student to get scholarship support?
Right before I chose a college, my parents and I had the talk about making wise financial choices. While there was never any doubt that I was destined to attend college, my parents had the foresight to avoid mountains of debt through going out-of-state. My decision to attend UMBC was the smartest choice financially, but that did not mean there were not struggles. I still have loans, I still worry about how I’m going to pay for graduate school, and I wonder why it costs so much to help people grow scholastically. However, this scholarship support shows me that their are great people out there who want me, as well as other students, to [succeed] too! It’s a great feeling and I plan to pay it forward someday.

Q: What are you most proud of accomplishing in your time at UMBC?
I am very, very proud of the work I put into building my GPA this past school year. Out of 10 classes, I received A’s in eight. I have always been studious, but I hit bumps in the road that no longer made my GPA a reflection of me. I have worked hard to pull it up, and will continue to do so in my final semesters here.

Q: What would you say to the people who provided your scholarship?
Thank you so much for seeing in me a student worthy of your support and kindness. I have never received a scholarship before and I am thrilled that you changed that for me. I will try my hardest to make you proud, and represent your alma mater in the best way I possibly can.

Q: What do you hope to do after graduation?
I plan to attend graduate school to obtain my Masters in public health. Afterwards I will gain my PhD in population, family and reproductive health. My short-term goal is to become a health educator, and my long-term goal is to open up my own non-profit healthcare center. I also hope to donate back to UMBC.

Support the UMBC Alumni Scholarships today!

Every so often, we highlight the importance of student scholarships by introducing you to the very students they help to succeed. Today, we’re featuring Kristine Galli, health administration and policy, who is a Barbara E. Burkman Health Administration and Policy Program Scholarship recipient. This scholarship is given to a student who has demonstrated academic stature and scholarly/creative activity in their chosen discipline.

Name: Kristine Galli ’14
Major(s): health administration policy
Scholarship(s): Barbara Burkman Scholarship Award

Q: Why did you decide to attend UMBC?

A: The school has a great reputation and I love the diversity of our campus community. I knew I could learn from experts in my field while cultivating relationships that have enriched my life more than ever expected. I will be graduating with an amazing degree and incredible friends.

Q: What’s been the most amazing discovery you’ve made so far as a student here?

A: Definitely learning about other students has lead to the most amazing discoveries. People are amazing and everyone has a story, so take the time to listen because both of your lives are enhanced through that connection.

Q: Tell us about a class or club that has really opened your mind.

A: Being a Peer Health Educator through University Health Services for two years was a fun and influential way to empower myself and benefit the campus community. This position helped me learn about health issues that are most pertinent to college students and engage many different subcultures to help empower them through knowledge, as well.

Q: How important is it to you as a student to get scholarship support?

A: It was extremely important for me to receive scholarship support for multiple reasons. Having your hard work acknowledged is always fulfilling, but more than that I am very grateful that this support takes some of the financial burden off of myself and my family. There are many areas of life to manage in university, so when someone helps you in such a significant way it allows you to focus more energy on succeeding in school versus worrying about how to pay for it.

Q: What are you most proud of accomplishing in your time at UMBC?

A: Thankfully I have been able to do a lot with my time at UMBC including founding a mental health awareness student organization, Active Minds. I am very happy I was able to bring this organization to campus and am extremely impressed by the students who have taken over its management. They are definitely making a powerful and positive impact on the well being of UMBC students.

Q: What would you say to the people who provided your scholarship?

A: Thank you so much!  It means a lot that people like you invest their hard-earned money to help students succeed.

Q: What do you hope to do after graduation?

A: I was accepted into the University of Manchester to earn a Master’s in International Disaster Management. While this is awesome, I have deferred for a year to explore other interests before committing to this path. We will see what life has in store!

Support the Barbara E. Burkman Scholarship!