FALL 2008 - UW-Milwaukee

Cache Owens (GREEN BAY, WI)GREEN BAY PREBLE HIGH SCHOOLCURRENT PLAN: GLOBAL STUDIESCache’s strong track record as a leaderin promoting diversity apprecia tionand awareness led to an opportunityto attend the Minority StudentAchievement Network nationalconference in Washington, D.C.(The goal of MSAN is to close theachievement gap between studentsof color and white students.) She is inspired by the writingsof Mohandas K. Gandhi, and has come to realize that “byembracing everyone’s differences, you can stand incrediblystrong and become personally enriched.”Cache sees UWM as being the “perfect choice” for hersince it is relatively close to home but has a “big-city atmosphereand cultural diversity.” She also appreciates theuniqueness of UWM’s Global Studies Program. On apersonal level, the scholarship lifts a financial worry from herparent. “The second I knew I won it, I saw my mom breatheagain. Not a stifled breath of worry, but a deep sigh of relief.”Phylicia Rios Rivera(MILWAUKEE, WI)DIVINE SAVIOR HOLY ANGELSHIGH SCHOOLCURRENT PLAN: PSYCHOLOGYThere is an international flair toPhylicia’s leadership role as adelegate to Model U.N. Conferencesat UWM and at Harvard. She creditsthese experiences for helping herdevelop intellectually. She believesthat her education has helped her become a confident andcapable young woman, despite cultural stereotypes andgeneralizations. As a young Latina, she hopes to be theexample that will help others no longer feel “weighed downand held back by labels and generalizations.”For Phylicia, the scholarship is not an “easy button” byany means. “It actually makes things harder. Now I have theresponsibility to make all those who have given me thisopportunity proud,” she explains. The scholarship alsooffers her the freedom to spend time on “the youngergeneration.” She adds emphatically, “Everyone deserves anexemplary education.”Phylicia selected UWM “because of its welcoming andcaring staff; no other university made me feel as importantand taken care of.” She feels she has the support necessaryto excel in every situation.Olusola Thompson(MILWAUKEE, WI)RUFUS KING HIGH SCHOOLCURRENT PLAN: ECONOMICSOlusola’s leadership roles includementoring ninth-grade students. Asa group leader in a school play, shelearned a lot about her abilities asan actor and team member. Olusolaalso found herself challenged andinspired by the academically demandingInternational Baccalaureate program at her high school.“Being born and raised in Nigeria before moving toMilwaukee in 2001 gives me a unique background andupbringing. I believe I will bring a different and valuedpoint of view to the UWM community,” says Olusola. Hersiblings, two of whom are UWM alumni, helped steer her toUWM by pointing out the diversity of the university. ForOlusola, the scholarship offers even more motivation to“give 100% to my studies and excel at UWM.”Amy Xiong (MILWAUKEE, WI)COMMUNITY HIGH SCHOOLCURRENT PLAN: UNDECIDEDWhile attending Community HighSchool, Amy took the initiative toform a student council and becameits president. That experiencerequired her to be optimistic,creative, and able to fosterrelationships with key people. Herposition as editor of the studentnewspaper “taught me the importance of guiding othersthat have conflicting interests towards achieving a commonobjective.”As a first-generation Hmong descendant in the U.S.,Amy wants to set examples for younger generations to follow.“Nothing is impossible if you set the bar high and then setyour heart and mind to achieve it,” she says. For Amy, thescholarship means the opportunity to prepare for thefuture career she is meant for, and that will help her “smileeveryday, not because I have to but because I want to.”Please see page 12 for a list of DiversityAcademic Scholarship Program recipients.Fall 2008/Myriad 7