The morning sun had barely cleared the Coral Gables Campus’ palm-lined horizon when the newest Stamps Scholars gathered inside the Donna E. Shalala Student Center, their voices a mix of nervous laughter and excited chatter. The occasion was the University of Miami’s annual Stamps Scholars Welcome Breakfast—a rite of passage for recipients of the University’s most prestigious merit award.
Christopher Doell, executive director in the Office of Academic Enhancement, said the Aug. 12 event marks the culmination of a rigorous selection and recruitment process.
“This group of students is always exciting to interview but challenging to select because the pool is so rich with inspiring and talented students,” Doell said. “Our job now is to show them all the opportunities at the University, making them feel welcome, and giving them a sense of how unique this program is for pursuing their talents and interests.”
The Stamps Scholars Program was launched and generously funded at the University in 2009 by Roe Stamps and his late wife, Penny. The program provides scholars with an enrichment fund for service trips, unpaid internships, and independent projects, along with access to research and leadership opportunities. Stamps Scholars also participate in a cohort model, which includes events such as a first-year retreat, student-led gatherings, and “podvising” sessions designed to help them navigate the transition to college.
Kyla Kavanaugh, a chemical engineering major from Edgewater, Florida, said the scholarship allows her to explore her varied interests in chemical engineering and ecology without limitations. “As I am learning from other students and faculty about available opportunities, the Stamps Scholarship gives me the freedom to merge them and explore fields I didn’t even know existed,” Kavanaugh said.
Erich Laschinski, a biochemistry and molecular biology major from Jupiter, Florida, who hopes to become a plastic surgeon helping burn victims and trauma patients, said the award opens doors beyond academics. “The Stamps Scholarship not only lets me take more medically focused classes, but it also broadens my perspective so I can connect with patients on a deeper level,” he said. “Some professors here have already introduced me to books and ideas I never would have encountered otherwise. I think those kinds of practical experiences that go beyond the technical knowledge are what make a good doctor.”
For Joseph Simak, a biochemistry and molecular biology major from Rockville, Maryland, the scholarship has already provided hands-on research opportunities. “UM has always been my dream school,” Simak said. “Being part of this program opens the door to study my interest in venoms for medical applications and work on related projects. The research opportunities here are incredible.”
Sukriti Shrivastava, Oscar Varas, and Beatrice Baialardi Souza De Mello represent the global scope of the program. Shrivastava, from Delhi, India, is pursuing global health studies with a premed focus, while Varas, from Santa Cruz, Bolivia, is majoring in economics at the Miami Herbert Business School. Beatrice Baialardi Souza de Mello, from Cotia, Brazil, is studying journalism in the School of Communication, bringing an international perspective and a passion for storytelling to the group.
Joel Samuels, the University’s new executive vice president for academic affairs and provost, attended the event the day after assuming his role. It was his first opportunity to connect with incoming students, and he shared with them, “Like those of you who are first-year students, this is my first day on campus. I’m getting to know this community just as you are, and I’m excited to be on this journey with you over the next four years.”
