Our Scholars

What advice do you have for Fordson high school students who wish to be selected for the Brehm Scholarship?

"A Brehm Scholar demonstrates three qualities: academic excellence, exceptional leadership, and a deep commitment to their community. My biggest piece of advice is to work hard in all areas of your high school journey. Be a leader—take initiative and start something you’re passionate about. Be someone who genuinely enjoys the process of learning and isn’t afraid of asking questions. Give back to our community, connect with people, and work to pay it forward. This will DEFINITELY be hard at times, but just keep reminding yourself that your future success is so much more important than short-term struggles. Make your four years at Fordson memorable AND fulfilling."

What classes are you really looking forward to taking or major do you hope to pursue?

"The major that I hope to pursue is mathematics. I absolutely love math and solving problems. I also can't wait to take higher level math classes which will help reinforce my basics and make my computational skills faster. I would also like to improve my calculus skills because it is my favorite branch of mathematics. I love solving derivatives and integrals. I know that pursuing a math degree at the University of Michigan will help me learn a lot more math and improve my already developed math skills."

Why did you decide to matriculate to Michigan?

"I decided to enroll in University of Michigan because of a few different factors. For one, the university is the top public university in many different fields of study. The College of Engineering, the one I am in, is one of the best in the country. Michigan is also very close to home, so I am only a drive away. It makes the transition to college less daunting. Having the Brehm helped me focus on my education without any other factors getting in the way. It solidified my decision to go to the University of Michigan."

What advice do you have for Fordson high school students who wish to be selected for the Brehm Scholarship?

"I was genuinely surprised when I got the email that I was chosen as a Brehm Scholar. No one ever told me why I was chosen. The Valedictorian and Salutatorian were also selected, and while we didn’t have much in common on paper, I was good friends with the two of them, and we shared one key trait: a genuine love for learning.

The reason the criteria is so vague is because there is no cookie cutter way to be selected for the scholarship, trying to mold yourself to fit someone else’s path misses the point. What really matters is putting yourself into your work because you enjoy the process of whatever it is you do. It’s not about your GPA, SAT, or hyper-competitive extracurriculars; Umich already has plenty of students with those. Just do what you do best, and do it to the fullest extent to which Fordson will let you. If you love the process, you’ll end up exactly where you’re meant to be."