What do you most enjoy about History? What interests you about it, and why is it important to you?

I enjoy history because there are so many experiences, traditions, and lives to commemorate and learn about. I find history so intriguing because one person's decisions can affect the lives of those after them. I most enjoy the topics of history that involve people who have been ignored, mistreated, and forgotten. I no longer want to encourage the "winner's" narrative in history, and I want to help those around me and those who come after me understand the true consequences of conquests and wars. The importance of history lies in the present day and how past societal structures still affect us today. Remembering and studying the history of our ancestors, and past as a country, can aid in creating a better future for those who grace the earth today. We must continue to study and learn from the past in order to move forward and create a better world.

What does it mean to you to be a Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History (GLI) Scholarship recipient? 

Being a recipient of the Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History scholarship means that I have the incredible opportunity to study one of my favorite subjects and I am encouraged to expand my historical knowledge. Receiving the GLI Scholarship means that I not only get to attend school, but I have a support system around me that supports my studies and encourages me to strive for greatness.

How has being a GLI Scholarship recipient impacted your Marist experience?

Being a GLI scholarship recipient has made my Marist experience all the more meaningful. I have been given the opportunity to study at a school that gives great importance to History, but also access to historical resources and a community to share them with. Even in a space that is dominated by people who have more money than me and had access to more educational resources, I feel like I deserve to be at Marist. The GLI scholarship gives me a sense of belonging and a sense of reassurance that I have access to the future that those before me would dream of. I am part of a new and different world because of the GLI Scholarship, I am able to share and compare experiences with a plethora of people and for that, I am so grateful.

The GLI scholarship supports its scholars through so many situations outside of just tuition; I participated in a spring extension trip to the south and learned about racial injustice in the south. The spring extension experience changed me for the better and I hope that students know that in this scholarship program you not only get tuition money, you get a support system of people who genuinely want to see you win and succeed!