Shining star: TU grad student awarded inaugural USM scholarship
Kendra Welborn one of 12 to receive University System of Maryland Board of Regents Excellence Scholarship
By Matt Wright '23 on June 5, 2023
This May, Towson University graduate student Kendra Welborn received the 2023 University System of Maryland (USM) Board of Regents Student Excellence Scholarship for innovation and creative activity.
Welborn, in her second year of graduate studies in the Master of Arts in Dance Education (MADE) program, is one of 12 USM students to receive the inaugural scholarship, which is the highest award the board grants for exemplary student achievement.
“We are incredibly proud of Kendra for achieving this prestigious and much-deserved honor,” says Interim President Melanie Perreault. “Her passion for her work and her dedication to supporting others is a true inspiration, and it reflects the power that creative arts hold in strengthening our communities. Congratulations, Kendra!”
In her studies, Welborn focuses on exploring culturally responsive language and teaching methods that speak to dance students' current emotional, intellectual, physical, social and professional development needs.
She says it’s hard to put into words how amazing this award is for her.
“It feels a bit surreal,” says Welborn. “To be in a position to continue to advocate for the arts and for dance and to have that recognized is a big, big piece for me.”
Welborn decided to pursue graduate studies five years after earning her bachelor’s degree in dance from UMBC. Her professional experiences created a desire to give back through instruction.
Her goal is to provide dance and arts education resources to underrepresented communities. Welborn hopes to create a dance and arts resource center that goes beyond offering artists the space to practice, perform and present their art.
“I found it was a necessity to not only educate students about the techniques of dance movements but to educate them about the resources and professional opportunities that exist within the field,” says Welborn.
While she has achieved much success, Welborn is grateful for the mentorship she has received at TU.
“I am very appreciative of Dr. Keiwana O. Perryman, associate director of the Center for Student Diversity, for being my [nominator] for this scholarship,” she says. “She's been a really strong support system for me here. She's somebody I will carry with me throughout my professional career.”