Surprise scholarship cements veteran’s college choice
What's My Why?
“I have two children, my daughter, who's 20 and my son's 15. I want them to be able to see that I finished. It really sounds like cliche, but I want to be an inspiration.”
Doug Purvis was making the rounds at orientation like most new students at The University of Baltimore when he met his assistant dean by chance.
He made sure to stop at The Bob Parsons Veterans Center table to introduce himself as a U.S. Army veteran around the same time Kathea Smith, an assistant dean for the Merrick School of Business, came by.
“I happened upon the veterans table and was just chatting and sharing my background, and they’re basically like, we have resources for you, you know, we can help. And then she was like, I think I can give you a scholarship,” Doug recalled.
The event continued. Doug left the resource fair to find his seat for the opening remarks, while, unbeknownst to him, Smith was swapping phone messages about the new B.S. in Information Systems and Technology Management student.
Just before the event started, Smith secured the good news and found Doug to share it.
“We were all in the auditorium, and she’s like, you’re good to go. I got you the scholarship,” he said. “I was just impressed. I didn’t ask for it. I didn’t even know about any additional scholarships, or I hadn’t tried to get anything extra. It was just like, this is where I need to be. People are looking out for you. They really want to take care of you.”
A semester later, Doug has made himself more at home at UBalt. He visited the veterans center and connected with more staff members there. He volunteered with The 6th Branch, a veteran-led organization that aims to revitalize neighborhood green spaces, community gardens and more, as part of the University’s annual Community Service Day.
He’s always finding and embracing more ways to immerse himself in the college community. That’s why he chose to come to UBalt in the first place.
The first college that Doug attended was primarily an online school. It wasn’t the right fit for him and he realized a college with more in-person opportunities suited him more. After his work brought him to Baltimore, he started exploring his options and found UBalt.
“I’ve always driven by here and seen the banners outside, so that just piqued my interest,” he said. “I read some reviews online—there’s a bunch of good stuff—and then I was going on the web pages and saw some of the other student interviews, success stories and how it’s geared toward working adults, and the types of classes they offered. So, it really piqued my interest.”
Orientation night cemented that UBalt was the right choice for Doug, and he’s found more to love since then.
“It’s been great,” he said. “I’ve been very appreciative of everybody’s help and the types of services that are available to to students.”