Mia Mitchner '21

2019–20 Recipient of the Marion A. Bills Memorial Scholarship and the Dr. DeLois Traynum Lindsey M'88, P'04, P'13 Scholarship

I never realized that philanthropy can be giving in so many ways. This scholarship impacted my life and allowed me to stay in school, continue my education, follow my dreams, and also be a part of organizations on campus.

When I came to UHart, I entered right into my field in health science. After my sophomore year, I thought maybe I should have been undecided but then I stuck with it as I am succeeding. I lost a young uncle who passed of a heart attack, and a cousin who very recently died at 16—I want to strive for more so that I can help people. If they come for a medical exam, I can help them stay healthy and address their health issues. Believing and knowing this, I want to continue my studies in the medical field.

Something that I learned and grew from at UHart is to not be afraid to ask for help. One time I was really struggling with a math class, and I normally excel in math. I was frustrated and feeling upset—and then I met with my professor after class and he helped me out so much. I ended up doing extremely well in the class. It also felt good to ask for help—learning to ask, I realized, was hard because I didn’t want it to be a reflection of my inabilities. Now, I know that to do better, you need to be comfortable to not have to do everything on your own, and be comfortable to not be as perfect as you want to be. You can achieve your own level of perfection through the help of others. 

To the donors of this scholarship, I want to say “Thank you.” You have given students the ability to receive a higher education and allowed them to become a part of a different world. Sometimes after high school many students don’t have the opportunity to go to college and scholarships help them achieve this, provide them hope, and help their dreams come true.

Mia Mitchner is currently a senior in the College of Education, Nursing and Health Professions. In addition to her studies, Mia is the vice president of Strong Independent Sister, the ethic chair for the E board and the general board, an active member of Brothers and Sisters United, and part of the STRIDE (Success Team for Readiness Improvement Diversity and Excellence). After UHart, she aspires to attend medical school at NYU to focus on anesthesiology, and also hopes to travel and learn new languages.