Story by Monette Austin Bailey

"A new University of Maryland Incentive Awards Program scholar, Akoumany received a full ride to the university beginning this fall. In terms of distance and expectations, it is miles away from where his life was headed in his native Togo, West Africa. “It’s unbelievable. I would never think about anything like this happening to me. It happens on TV,” he says.

Class of 2010

This sentiment is echoed in many scholars’ stories. Their circumstances differ, but what it means to them to receive a full award (tuition, room and board) to the state’s flagship institution is the same. It means opportunities beyond their imaginations. Now in its sixth year, the Incentive Awards Program, or IAP was started in Baltimore City, creating a pipeline into Maryland for students from a number of the city’s public high schools. President Dan Mote modeled the Incentive Awards on a similar program he started while at the University of California, Berkeley. Akoumany is in the first class of students from the program’s expansion into Prince George’s County Public Schools this year. The chosen young people demonstrate not only academic promise, but they do so in the face of sometimes harsh circumstances.

“These students have faced significant loss, volatility and struggle throughout their lives,” says Jacqueline Lee, director of IAP. “But they persevere. They rely on incredible fortitude and strength of character to succeed academically, socially and, after graduation, professionally.”

Lee and others say the program is not about scholarships, as much as it is about fulfilling the university’s promise to provide greater access while maintaining quality. What Christopher Brown ’06 wants people to understand is that being an Incentive Awards Scholar doesn’t mean receiving handouts.

“If you want to walk in our shoes,” concedes Brown, and earn a scholarship that way, “go ahead.” He doesn’t recommend it. “It’s hard working six days a week and keeping good grades. A lot of other students just don’t understand,” he says shaking his head. During high school Brown worked two jobs, in the training department at the Bosch tool company and at a supermarket, in order to help his grandmother take care of him and a younger cousin.

The reward, though, was worth it.

"YOU CAN TAKE SOME PRIDE IN HAVING CHOSEN A STOCK OR BOND, SEEING ITS VALUE INCREASE, BUT IT IS NOTHING COMPARED TO THE SATISFACTION OF SEEING THESE YOUNGSTERS EMERGE AND BLOSSOM AS THEY DO." -Murray Valenstein. He and his wife Suzanne have made a generous commitment to establish an endowment that will ultimately support what the university will call the Suzanne G. and Murray A. Valenstein Baltimore Incentive Awards Program.

Brown, who graduated with a political science degree and now works for the Environmental Protection Agency, talks about all of the cultures he’s been exposed to and how much he’s learned—about himself and others. “I’ve met so many different kinds of people, people I wouldn’t have met otherwise,” he says.

During visits to his former high school as part of IAP’s community outreach component, he told students, “ ‘You can do it too. This is not your last stop.’ Once you establish that, then you start talking specifics on how to make it happen.”

“It was so much more than I ever expected,” agrees Kelly Smith ’06, who spent 30 days in Italy as a study abroad student and attended plays with other scholars. She thought Maryland was for rich kids. Coming from a tough Baltimore neighborhood, where she was enrolled in the low-achieving and now-closed Southern High School, Smith knew the odds were against her. What the odds didn’t count on were Smith’s intense determination and her supportive family. A recipient of one of two Murray and Suzanne Valenstein Incentive Awards, Smith also found immediate mentors.

“Here was a program with an objective that made a great deal of sense to us. It is an investment of a very, very special kind,” says Murray Valenstein. Though he and his wife are graduates of Baltimore city schools, giving to IAP went beyond that connection.

“You can take some pride in having chosen a stock or a bond, seeing its value increase, but it is nothing compared to the satisfaction of seeing these youngsters emerge and blossom as they do. All you have to do is provide funds that enable a process to take place.”

Gary Williams, co-chair of the scholarship component of Maryland’s fundraising campaign and men’s basketball coach, uses the word “all-inclusive” when describing this area of the campaign. If someone shows potential, a great university should have money available “to make sure that person reaches his or her potential,” he says. He feels that the Incentive Awards Program is a good example of this thinking. “It opens up the university to those who may not have the means to come here.” When Williams thinks of scholarships he also thinks of himself— and his older brother. “He had better grades than I did, but there was no money for him to go to college. I got a basketball scholarship. He’s had a good life, but different. I wouldn’t have been a basketball coach had I not gone to college. The University of Maryland has been very good to me. This is a way for me to give back to the school.” While scholarships tend to go to top achievers, Williams demonstrated that students with more moderate grades, such as his, can accomplish great things. So scholarship campaigns must also seek to be multi-faceted, he says. “We don’t want an exclusive scholarship program.”

"Akoumany demonstrates the process’ ripple effect. Though he has been in America since 2000, he doesn’t forget Togo. He says that for many in his country, escaping poverty means coming to the United States. A graduate of Central High School in Capitol Heights, he intends to use his Maryland opportunity to help provide advantages for his countrymen. With money he’s earned as a Web site designer for aerospace services company Stinger Ghaffarian Technologies Inc., in Greenbelt, Akoumany wants to work with family friends still in Togo to begin setting up free computer labs. “I was fortunate to meet Komi during graduation and the Incentive Awards ceremonies,” says John Deasy, superintendent for Prince George’s County Public Schools. “He is extremely impressive, humble and determined to succeed. His goals are admirable.”

Tiana Wynn ’05 is equally clear about how she’ll use her Maryland education. Possessing a surprisingly strong sense of self and purpose for one so young, her maturity begins to make sense once she tells some of her story. Adopted by her aunt at age 8, Tiana is determined to honor her mother, despite the drug addiction that claimed her life. Active in high school activities at Baltimore Polytechnic Institute, Wynn took advantage of every opportunity to learn and grow at Maryland, even if she wasn’t sure about coming to the university.

“I thought it was going to be this really big place and I was going to get lost. After my first year, I made my place on campus,” she says. “I feel I left a mark.” Indeed. Wynn was a resident assistant, taught UNIV 100 for other RAs, volunteered in the community and pledged a sorority. She also traveled to London. Today she’s a newly hired external auditor for the Baltimore office of Ernst & Young.

It becomes clear that being an IAP scholar also means connecting with people in life-altering ways. “It’s more than just financial. This program lets people know that somebody cares, somebody has taken an interest in you,” says Chrisopher Brown. “You interact with the donors. You can look them in the eye and say ‘thank you.’ ”

Kelly Smith talks fondly of the network of people that comes with being an IAP scholar. She could always count on Lee to either help her through a difficult time, or find her other resources to do so. The new graduate began working at PricewaterhouseCoopers in August, but like many of her IAP peers she intends to continue the cycle of support, encouraging high school freshmen and sophomores to pursue a college education. She also wants to keep working with young children through a Langley Park-based mentoring program.

Brown, who says Smith is like a sister, adds that other scholars are another valuable resource. Their shared entrée into this larger world of promise bonds them in a way that is far reaching.

“We’re so grateful for this opportunity. I plan to maximize it and I guarantee that I’ll be doing this for someone one day,” he says. TERP

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