Bulldog Scholars Academy Participants Praise the Program

Summer Program Provides Head Start for College Success

MEDIA CONTACT: David Thompson, [email protected], 301-860-4311

(BOWIE, Md.) - The 2024 Bulldog Scholars Program welcomed 77 incoming freshmen to the university to take classes for college credit, become familiar with the campus and meet peers before the fall semester begins on August 26.

Students came with high aspirations to start their Bowie State experience and preparations for varied careers. The program ran June 24 - Aug. 3.

Grace Edmonds from Plant City, Florida will be majoring in Literature at Bowie State. An honors student in high school, she took a college tour that visited Clark Atlanta, Florida A&M University, Lincoln University and Livingstone College in North Carolina but said BSU was just more appealing.

"I chose to attend Bowie State University because of the opportunities, and I believe attending the Bulldog Scholars Academy will give me a huge advantage in adjusting to college life," she said. "Ultimately, I want to go to law school and become a civil litigation attorney. The D.C. area just has more to offer me in terms of attaining my goal."

Richmond, Virginia's Kamari Loving is a scholar athlete who gained star status on the football field playing for Northpoint High School. He had scholarship offers to play ball at UNC Charlotte, Elon University, Morgan State University and the U.S. Naval Academy but chose Bowie State.

"I'm amped up about being at BSU for the academics and to play on the football team," said Loving. "The Bulldog Scholars Academy is really making a difference for me in and out of the classroom. Sports Management will be my major. I want to learn and understand how the deals are made because I plan on becoming an agent and eventually running my own company."

Students who participated in the academy had an entire team of professors and support staff to help guide them and ensure they had a positive experience during their first six weeks on campus.

"This year we had 10 faculty members who taught classes, 24 live-in staff members who served as mentors and tutors and two counseling interns from Johns Hopkins University and Stevenson University in Baltimore," said Monica Lawson, director of the Bulldog Scholars Academy. "And this year for the first time, 12 students participated in a Science Academy Workshop Series through a partnership we have with Dr. Jacqueline Smith from BSU's Natural Sciences Department."

Locally, Donovan Reid from Flowers High School and Tiffany Oliver from Archbishop Carroll High School attended the academy. Oliver plans to major in criminal justice and is honed-in on working for the FBI, CIA, NSA or Homeland Security as a crime scene analyst. She said the academy made a difference.

"I had no idea that we'd have all of the support at the academy," she said. The university really showed me it cares. I'm looking forward to school beginning and earning my degree so that I can save lives."

Reid was a member of the National Society of Black Engineers and Manhood 101 while attending Flowers High. He will be majoring in Computer Technology and Security at Bowie State with a focus on becoming a political data analyst. "I eventually want to become a politician in Maryland and believe everything I do while at Bowie State, including participating in the Bulldog Scholars Academy, will prepare for my life as a public servant."

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About Bowie State University
Bowie State University is an important higher education access portal for qualified persons from diverse academic and socioeconomic backgrounds, seeking a high-quality and affordable public comprehensive university. The university places special emphasis on the science, technology, cybersecurity, teacher education, business and nursing disciplines within the context of a liberal arts education. For more information about Bowie State University, visit bowiestate.edu.

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