Faces of Scholarship

Scholarship gifts open doors to the deserving and transform young lives.

Hailing from every imaginable background and pursuing a dazzling array of dreams, students at the University of Miami make distinctive contributions to the University’s dynamic, diverse environment.

When financial barriers prevent young people from attending or completing their educations at UM, it’s a loss to us all. While financial aid programs such as student loans certainly help to bridge the gap, not all students are able to take advantage of them—and those who do take on extensive debt to complete their educations must address significant financial obligations before they can truly begin building their lives and careers.

For everyone who believes in higher education, a gift to student scholarships is one of the most rewarding philanthropic opportunities of the Momentum2 campaign. Many of the University of Miami’s most dedicated supporters have endowed scholarships throughout the University. In addition, the University’s Annual Fund offers an easy, convenient way to put contributions toward student scholarships to immediate use. All scholarship gifts provide the satisfaction of knowing that your generosity is truly transformative in the best sense of the word.

Below, we invite you to meet just a few of the many bright, energetic, and ambitious University of Miami students who reap the wonderful benefits of this generosity—and will soon “pay it forward” in their career successes and contributions to society.

Amber Cotton

Amber Cotton, B.S.N. ’07
School of Nursing and Health Studies

Cotton managed a trauma ICU unit during her 2003 deployment to Iraq as a sergeant in the U.S. Army. She came back to UM for her master’s degree in nursing and wound up assisting in the University’s earthquake relief efforts in Haiti. “The School of Nursing and Health Studies has an exceptional facility and faculty that make you really want to go the extra mile to make a difference in the world,” she says. Historically a welcoming place for veterans seeking college degrees, the University recently increased its participation in the federal Yellow Ribbon Scholarship Program.


Rachel Silverstein

Rachel Silverstein
Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science

A doctoral student at the Rosenstiel School, Silverstein received graduate scholarships from both the University of Miami and the National Science Foundation for her studies of coral reefs, which “host a huge majority of known life forms,” she says. “I’m trying to answer major questions about the future of our marine environment.” Silverstein notes that the financial support she received was as vital as the Rosenstiel School’s unique location in her decision to come to UM: “Gifts to graduate students are often the key factor in determining what they study, what discoveries they make, and where they make them.” Silverstein discusses her research on coral survival in warming oceans.


Dany Accilien

Dany Accilien
School of Education and Human Development

When Accilien came from Haiti at the age of 6, attending college was not on his list of dreams and aspirations. No one in his family had ever studied beyond high school—and financial resources for college were far beyond them. Today, however, Accilien is a UM junior studying exercise physiology at the School of Education and Human Development on a premed track—thanks to a first-generation Ronald A. Hammond Scholarship made possible by the Coca-Cola Foundation. “Education,” Accilien says, “is the most important thing you can give to another person.”


Dhrushti Desai

Dhrushti Desai
School of Business Administration

Born into a family active in both entrepreneurship and education, scholarship student Desai, the recipient of a scholarship from the M. Hasan and Kokab Ghomeshi Scholarship Fund, plans to apply the expertise she is gaining at the University of Miami School of Business Administration to the marketing of creative enterprises in New York City. “The financial support I received is one of the main reasons I was able to attend the University of Miami,” she says. “It’s given me the opportunity to further my education not only in terms of academics, but through diverse learning experiences. Scholarships can make a world of a difference for a bright student who wants to build a strong future—one scholarship, one chance, one lifetime.”

 

Matt Pipho

Matt Pipho, B.S. ’11
Miller School of Medicine

Growing up in Iowa, Pipho always knew he wanted to become a physician. His first step on the path to achieving that goal was an Eldredge endowed athletic scholarship at the University, where he played various positions along the offensive line of UM’s football team while tackling a rigorous, science-heavy course load. Before completing his undergraduate studies, Pipho volunteered at Jackson Memorial Hospital. Now, after graduating with a major in biology, he is a scholarship student at the Miller School of Medicine and plans to become a radiologist.


Rimsky Dennis

Rimsky Dennis
Miller School of Medicine

For medical student Rimsky Denis, summer “vacation” is often more challenging than medical school. Denis recently traveled to rural Ghana with nine other medical volunteers to promote community health and conduct valuable field research. A stipend from the alumni-sponsored John K. Robinson Fund scholarship allowed him to present his experiences and results at two national conferences. “I had an amazing time in Africa. We provided health services directly to children, taught parents about practices to protect their children’s lives, and did assessments to help improve the community’s overall health,” he says. community” Denis says. “We de-wormed nearly 1,500 children and conducted interviews and assessments with their parents—vital information that could help improve and sustain health care for rural communities. Momentum2 offers an array of opportunities to support outstanding young medical students in their quest to build vital skills and make our world a healthier place. To support alumni-sponsored scholarships at the Miller School of Medicine, contact the Office of Alumni Relations at alumni@med.miami.edu, or call 305-243-9387.

Andrew McCormick

Andrew McCormick
Frost School of Music

His entire life revolves around music—and that’s just Frost School of Music student Andrew McCormick likes it. A recipient of the Weeks Music Scholarship at the Frost School, where he is majoring in instrumental performance on the trumpet, he plans to be a professional trumpet player in a symphony orchestra. “I’m being exposed to a high level of performance in so many different genres,” he says. “Without this scholarship, I wouldn’t be here. It’s made it possible for me to move forward with my dream.” Established by philanthropist Marta S. Weeks in honor of her late husband, L. Austin Weeks, and the entire Weeks family, the program supports more than 20 students in the Frost School of Music each year.