PURPOSE: The USMWF recognizes and fosters the achievements of all students within the USM. Specifically, the USMWF Scholarship Program provides monetary awards to eligible undergraduate and graduate students currently enrolled in an USM institution.
The USMWF scholarships are open to any person regardless of sex, race, color, religion, age, national origin, sexual orientation, marital status, veteran status or disability.
ELIGIBILITY: To be eligible for scholarship consideration, applicants must:
- Submit a completed application form to their campus representative
- Be a US citizen or permanent resident of the United States
- Be currently enrolled in an USM institution
- Have completed 48 or more undergraduate credits or 9 graduate level credits
- Have a minimum GPA of 2.8
- Document short and long-term educational and career goals (see: Personal Statement)
- Provide evidence of financial need (see: Personal Statement)
- * Preferred candidates will:
- Be residents of the state of Maryland
- Be pursuing educational and career goals that focus on the social, economic, political, scientific, and health conditions that impact women.
AWARDS: $500 scholarships will be awarded for the academic year
APPLICATION MATERIALS: All application packets must include the following documents:
- USMWF Scholarship Application
- Personal Statement
- Copies of official transcripts
- Copies of federal tax statements or financial aid statements for the previous year.
NOTE: It is the applicant's responsibility to ensure that the application packet is complete. Applications without the required information will not be considered.
PURPOSE: The USMWF recognizes and fosters the achievements of all students within the USM. Specifically, the USMWF Scholarship Program provides monetary awards to eligible undergraduate and graduate students currently enrolled in an USM institution.
The USMWF scholarships are open to any person regardless of sex, race, color, religion, age, national origin, sexual orientation, marital status, veteran status or disability.
ELIGIBILITY: To be eligible for scholarship consideration, applicants must:
- Submit a completed application form to their campus representative
- Be a US citizen or permanent resident of the United States
- Be currently enrolled in an USM institution
- Have completed 48 or more undergraduate credits or 9 graduate level credits
- Have a minimum GPA of 2.8
- Document short and long-term educational and career goals (see: Personal Statement)
- Provide evidence of financial need (see: Personal Statement)
- * Preferred candidates will:
- Be residents of the state of Maryland
- Be pursuing educational and career goals that focus on the social, economic, political, scientific, and health conditions that impact women.
AWARDS: $500 scholarships will be awarded for the academic year
APPLICATION MATERIALS: All application packets must include the following documents:
- USMWF Scholarship Application
- Personal Statement
- Copies of official transcripts
- Copies of federal tax statements or financial aid statements for the previous year.
NOTE: It is the applicant's responsibility to ensure that the application packet is complete. Applications without the required information will not be considered.
CURRENT AWARD RECIPIENTS: 2011
Dawn Bellinger, University of Baltimore
Pursuing a graduate degree in Health Systems Management
My short term educational goal is to finish my graduate degree at the University of Baltimore. This degree will provide me with the skills and knowledge to manage a health care clinic. My short term career goal is to continue to volunteer in areas of mental health and to increase my knowledge in the public health laboratory at the MD Dept of Health and Mental Hygiene. My interest is in women and child mental health. I plan to attend medical school next year and to specialize in psychiatry.
Jeanette Campbell, Coppin State University
Pursuing a B.A. in Biology
As a sophomore in college majoring in Biology, I am interested in furthering my knowledge of the scientific world. In addition, I am aspiring to be an oncologist or a pediatrician and I believe that the Science Department at Coppin State University will provide the necessary foundation to help me get the next level in my educational journey. Currently, my short-term goals include successfully passing my classes with an A or B grade, and my clinical internship. The cost of attending a four year university increases every year which makes it more difficult for me as a student to find the necessary funds needed to cover the cost of my education. This scholarship opportunity provided by the Women's Forum Student Scholarship will tremendously lessen the financial burdens of my guardian and lower the amount of my loan.
I was recently accepted into the Summer Medical and Dental Education Program at three different program sites which are Duke University, Yale University and the University of Nebraska Medical Center. Ultimately, I chose Duke University where I will be provided with clinical experience by shadowing doctors on various units in the hospital. In addition, I will be attending interviewing workshops using standardized patients and weekly medical school interview practice with admissions committee members and seminar on ethics, humanism, and health care policy which includes discussion with physicians from various specialties. Furthermore, I was recently recognized by the Honors College of Coppin State University as sophomore of the year due to my achievements over the course of the academic school year and will also be recognized at the upcoming Academic Excellence Awards Ceremony by the class of 2013 for my outstanding academic achievements.
The medical field has always sparked interest within me from the day I discovered that my aunt was diagnosed with leukemia and eventually died from it. There are numerous reasons that I choose medicine as my profession over another career path such as nursing. I view the profession of medicine as a continuous learning process: it never ends. There is always a new disease, and a new discovery. Furthermore, I want to be part of a team that spends countless hours researching about a rare disease, or a cure for that matter, and experience the joy and relief felt when there is positive outcome. However, I know that in order to accomplish what I set out to do, there need to be motivational factors that keep me grounded and determined. Knowing that my family is unfortunately plagued by cancer, motivates and pushes me forward to complete my mission of going to medical school and moreover, being an instrumental figure in research.
Kami McManus, Towson University
Pursuing a graduate degree in Women's and Gender Studies, with a focus in Health and Human Sexuality
I have always wanted to be a health educator and to become a university level professor. It is my ultimate passion, which I discovered by assisting teachers at a troublesome school for a year through AmeriCorps. For a short-term career goal, I will be the health and counseling intern at Goucher College next year, which should be very exciting because it's the smallest campus I've worked at. Both of the schools I went to previously, Penn State and the University of Pittsburgh had over 40,000 students which made doing anything health oriented almost impossible. However, I am currently in the process of completing my application for Widener University's PhD in Sexuality Studies with the hopes of becoming a Sexologist after I graduate from Towson. I grew up in a very multi-cultural home, my mother was Jewish Russian and my father was Catholic Irish and when they died, my grandparents raised me who were not religious at all. Sex was always a comfortable topic, religion was always open to be discussed, and that's how I approach everything myself openly. My grandmother was a pharmacist so I would spend a lot of time with her at her hospital, almost every day I would visit her at work. My parents were very much into raising money for AIDS and cancer research before they died, so the importance of research and advocacy for health and wellness is very strong in my blood. I am also naturally attracted to sexuality studies due to my mother's work with Planned Parenthood and joining her at feminist events while she was alive. Being raised in a small town, I was lucky to be in a family that stressed the importance of health education which is why I'm studying and so interested in sexual health now. I honestly can't imagine doing anything else with my life besides being a health educator and hopefully going on to pursue my PhD in Sexuality Studies.
Beth Peterson, University of Baltimore
Pursuing a B.A. in Psychology
My short-term educational plan is to finish my psychology degree at the University of Baltimore and join the Peace Corps. By resigning my full-time position, I will be able to enroll full-time pursuing my academic goals, while building the human service experience necessary to apply to the Peace Corps. This summer, I have been accepted into two international volunteer/intern positions. These positions, one in Guatemala and one in Nigeria, will boost my human service experience while enhancing my application for the Peace Corps. Although undecided on which position to accept (mainly due to uncertain funding), each will help me accomplish my short-term goals. Later this year, beginning approximately September 1, 2011, I will begin training as a Substitute Support Staff member at KeyPoint Health Services, a residential facility that provides 24-hour psychiatric care, and vocational and social support services to clients with diagnoses of schizophrenia and other co-occurring psychiatric disorders. This part-time employment also fulfills the human service requirement of the Peace Corps and for Master of Social Work programs. During the fall semester, I will seek out an additional volunteer position serving in a HIV/AIDS clinic or support organization in Baltimore City.
My short- and long-term goals are to serve marginalized communities, and at this time, I have two areas of interest: people living with HIV/AIDS and maternal health. My short-term goals will prepare me academically and experientially to apply to graduate school, either a Master of Social Work program or a Master of Public Health. My Peace Corps experience will help me to narrow these two into a cohesive long-term goal. My intent is to work internationally with people who are considered outcasts and are in most cases, overlooked by members of their own society and culture.
My short- and long-term academic preparation will give me the necessary training to achieve my ultimate personal and professional goals of working in places others call God-forsaken and serving those who have an abundance of faith and hope, but no basic health care.
Christina Smiroldo, Salisbury University
Pursuing a B.A. in Nursing
I intend to keep a GPA above 3.5 while in nursing school. I would like to make it possible to do an internship in pediatric nursing while I'm in school as well. After I have graduated and become a registered nurse, I would like to gain experience in the hospital. I am considering getting my masters after I graduate at Johns Hopkins University, and I hope that I could work at Children's National Medical Center for the majority of my career. I know that these are high expectations, but if I've gotten this far because of my discipline and determination I know that I can achieve these goals as well. I will have to put in a lot of time studying, and make sure that I get experience in medical settings versus a restaurant or store in the mall so that I can get to where I want to be.
PAST RECIPIENTS: (all $500 awards)
2011
Dawn Bellinger (UB)
Jeanette Campbell (CSU)
Kami McManus (TU)
Beth Peterson (UB)
Christina Smiroldo (SU)
2010
Brittany Connor (SU)
Renee Cornish (CSU)
Stacie Hering (UMBC)
Bettina Jones (SU)
Stacey Krebs (SU)
2009
Christina Aumand (FSU)
Lucy Campbell (UMCP)
Lisa Eimer (TU)
Molly Morin (UMCP)
Ho Lam Yiu (UMCP)
2008
Ucheoma Akobundu (UMCP)
Esther Anjorin (TU)
Carol Galladian (TU)
Lindsey Giles (TU)
Vanessa Hughes (TU)
Krissa Jackson (UB)
Stacie Lopez (UB)
Helen Martin (UMCP)
Deepika Mittal (UB)
Jose Riera (UMCP)
2007
Susan Kane (UMBC)
Kulsum Malik (UMUC)
Teresa Metajovsky (UMB)
Kate Riera (UMCP)
Melissa Seymore (UMBC)
Dawn Smith (UMCP)
Marie Ziesat (UMB)
2006
Deborth Beall (UMBC)
Laura Dres (UMBC)
Janet Nye (UMCES)
Sharon Rzepkowski (UMBC)
2005
Jeanie Cross (TU)
Roxanne Fonger (UMBC)
Michael Guterl (UMCP)
Meredith Hickey-Schiappa (UMB)
2004
Due to lack of funds, scholarships were not offered
2003
Abigail Aiyepola (UMBC)
Beth Connolly-Dzidek (UMCP)
Emily Henson (UMB)
Erin O'Neill (TU)
Shauna Smith (CSU)
Michele Snyder (UB)
2002
Celina Boer (UMB)
Stacey Bouchet (UMBC)
Keisha Brome (CSU)
Tiffany Guest (SU)
Nuzhat Khalid (UMCP)
Nechama M. Koretzky (TU)
Aileen Joy Marangu (FSU)
Nicole Perry (UB)
Alina Predescu (UMBC)
Claudine Stone (UMCP)
2001
Karla Barrow (BSU)
Melanie Dahlgren (UM)
Felicia DeWatson (UB)
Alice Howe (FSU)
Shereen Jaouni (UMUC)
Joan Mark-Bell (UM)
Alison Mendiola (UMB)
Joan Mitchell (SU)
Atinuke Ogunde (UMBC)
Mariastel Pou (TU)
Patricia Rambu (UMES)
Norma Sosa (FSU)
2000
Elizabeth Allen (TU)
Azeb Bedane (UMB)
Brenda Carroll (UMBC)
Helen George (UMCP)
Jane Embry Hunt-Howser (FSU)
Katara Jones (UMUC)
Sharon Jones (CSU)
Bridgette McMahon (SU)
Kimberly Nugent (UB)
Tracey Parker (UB)
Sonha Son (UMBC)
Lori Stalbaum (UMB)
Wanda Wagus (FSU)
1999
Julianna Benjamin (UB)
Connie Eiseman (UMB)
Gwendolyn Ford (UMUC)
Stacey Gladden (UB)
Veronica Holland (CSU)
Sharon Kelly (CSU)
Kathleen Santangelo (UMCP)
Tinamarie Steon (TU)
Maryam Taabodi (SU)
Deana Weiss (FSU)
1998
Dzeydana Alic (TU)
Jennifer Brienza (UB)
Chaurese Dean (CSU)
Angela Lewis (CSU)
Patti Merritt (UMES)
Margaret Pittman (UMBC)
Vicki Williams (UMB)
Deborah Shields (BSU)
1997
Kimberly Kummell (TU)
Kimberly Winship (UMBC)
Margaret Pittman (UMCP)
Amy Purdum (UMB)
Joyce Brassfield (UMUC)
Kathleen McQuade (UB)
1996
Julie Thrasher (FSU)
Helen Quach (UMUC)
Suzette Byrd (UMES)
Julie Newey (UMB)
1995
Margorie Webb (TU)
Thelma Hawkins (CSU)