Black and Gold Rush: Stories of empowerment

Thu, 02 Mar 2023 14:09:44 -0500

UMBC’s 2023 Black and Gold Rush concludes tonight at 9 p.m. Please consider supporting the Center for Democracy and Civic Life’s programs today. Your gift will help us to extend and deepen our work of empowering and equipping UMBC students to make meaningful contributions to their communities.

For some inspiration, check out the stories below from UMBC students who had transformative experiences in STRiVE and Alternative Spring Break (ASB), two of the Center for Democracy and Civic Life’s programs. Support STRiVE, ASB, and our other programs here. Please also consider supporting other Division of Student Affairs programs and initiatives listed here.

Kayla Hegbe ’23: "Supporting other people in their goals and their dreams, that is something I really took away from [STRiVE] — being able to be my own leader in my own right, and having an impact, but my way."

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Musa Jafri ’24: "Through that week at ASB [Alternative Spring Break] I got to meet an engaged community that made me feel welcome, made me feel like I mattered and belonged, which was very important."

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Shawn Abraham ’24: "[STRiVE] taught me that change is always happening, and that change can happen if you put your mind to it."

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Brianna Malbon ’24: "I thought I was just going to college to get my degree, but [through STRiVE] I found that I'm going to college to find my community. I'm going to college to change things."

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