Scholarship finalists Daniel Mendoza, Lakshmi Subramani, Eli Ussery, Isabella Mak. Photo by Gerrie LimGavin Gilliland - Staff Writergjgill@uab.edu
Eli Ussery and Isabella Mak won the 2016 Mr. & Ms. UAB Scholarship Competition.
With the Marching Blazers playing in the background, 10 students walked across BBVA Compass Field at half-time of the Green and Gold game on Thursday, Oct. 20 to await these results.
Ussery is a junior from Columbus, Ga. majoring in industrial distribution. He served as a Goin’ Green Orientation Leader and most recently an Orientation Leader Coordinator. In addition, he is active in his fraternity, Phi Gamma Delta, as well as being a Habitat for Humanity volunteer.
Mak is a junior from Dothan majoring in neuroscience. As a member of YouAB, Undergraduate Research Ambassadors, a past resident assistant and a volunteer at Children’s of Alabama, Mak has been able to meet and network with a significant portion of the student body.
What were your first thoughts when you heard your name announced?
Mak: “My mind went blank. Honestly, the first moment, I couldn’t believe it,” “And then it was a little more emotional because it means a lot to me. I never thought I would make it that far. As a first generation college student, I didn’t even think I could go to college. I still can’t believe it.”
Ussery: “Everything just culminated into one moment. I am able to take all of these experiences I have had and serve everyone. Not disbelief, [the feeling] can’t really be put into words.”
How do you feel about your newly appointed position as the liaison between the student body and the UAB National Alumni Society?
Ussery: “These past two years working with orientation has been a blast getting to meet incoming students and working with students already here in order to help new students get connected. It’s just been a blessing and I am very glad to get to serve everybody as a whole and connect them with alumni.”
How do you plan to give back to UAB through this role?
Mak: “I am very excited to represent UAB in many ways, to represent the UAB Blazer Spirit and just be so energetic for UAB. I hope to use this position as Ms. UAB to plan wonderful events. Being the liaison between alumni society, faculty, staff, and student, body and just being able to reach out to new students. Especially to those transfer students, commuters, or those who just don’t come out to anything and I hope I can get them to come out and enjoy the Blazer Spirit as well.”
Ussery: “I just want to make sure that students know the resources that they have at the alumni society. I know for at least my first year and a half, I had no idea that the NAS gave out so many scholarships.”
How do you feel about the return of UAB football?
Ussery: “It has had such a resurgence this past year. “Be Seen in Green” on Fridays before footballs was huge. Whenever football was taken away, it was a huge thing for the students and blazer family to come together.”
Mak: “It raised awareness... The UAB family has gotten stronger because of what happened,” Mak said. “It’s very interesting to see the different perspectives from everyone, which is very important to respect each other’s opinion. At the end, we still love each other as part of the UAB family. There will be more football tailgates to attend – See you there.”
What distinguishes UAB from other schools?
Mak: “The close relationships with everyone. Whether its faculty, staff, admin, student body, size of the school, beautiful campus, and world class education - there are so many things to love about UAB.”
Ussery: “The fact that while we are one of the largest schools in Alabama, we still have that small feel and we are still so diverse. Talk about success – we are noticed for all of the discliplines – academics, athletics, arts – It’s not just the typical college experience. You can get so much more here.”
