Michael Jones, B.S. ’24, would give anything to help others. For years, he has volunteered his free time at homeless shelters and has always gone the extra mile in his human resources work. He's even organized impromptu food drives with friends to support community members in need.
"From where I started to where I am now, it feels like I have to give back."
After more than two decades in the military, Michael felt something was missing—his degree. He said, “It was a missing piece that I wanted to complete.” For him, applying to UBalt was “a shot in the dark.” Without funding, he wasn’t sure how to make it work.
After receiving the Student Veterans Award Scholarship, he’s deeply thankful for those who gave to him. “To be on the business end—getting a scholarship—is life changing,” Michael said. “I just applied, and now here we are.” Thanks to scholarship donors, he has earned his bachelor’s degree in business administration and is close to completing his MBA.
Michael met his scholarship support with a promise to use his education to help others. During his military career, Michael worked in human resources, so choosing a concentration in HR management was a natural fit. He said, “That was why I picked that major. It was something I was doing in the military. I was the person helping somebody.” From HR in the Army, to school at UBalt, to his future career, every step has been, as he likes to say, “a seamless transition,” all inspired by his commitment to service.
Michael’s “shot in the dark” opened doors beyond his expectations. Through UBalt’s Global Field Study program, he traveled to Hanoi, Vietnam. “The world is indeed a classroom,” he reflected. Experiencing life in Vietnam inspired him so much that he signed up for another field study trip, this time to Lima, Peru. “Everybody should take advantage of the Global Field Study program." Read more about the program and one of our alumni donors who help fund this life-changing experience>>
Through it all, gratitude has been his guiding force. “I know how it feels to be helped,” he said. That feeling drives Michael to pay it forward in his career, his community and his education. “That feeling is undeniable. I want other people to feel that too. So, help someone else. That’s what my scholarship has done for me.”
Read more about Michael’s UBalt journey here: Starting Over after 20-year Army Career