Scholars in the News
Reshma Tharani, 21, is part of a new breed of community college student
Maile Ku'ulei Burkhalter
“I realize now that an education, even one in the making, can make a huge impact not only on one’s personal life, but on the lives that surround them as well.”
- Program: 2008 Undergraduate Transfer Scholarship Recipient
- Hometown: Galveston, TX
- Community College: Trinity Valley Community College
- Four-year College or University: Texas Tech University
- Academic/Career Pursuits: Clinical Psychology, Drama, Theatre Arts
Biography
PROFILE: Maile Burkhalter’s determination to achieve a doctoral degree in psychology comes in part from her own early experience with counseling: “I did not particularly care for my doctors and I promised myself that if I were ever given the opportunity to change things, I would. I did not like being treated as a mere statistic. I want to actually listen to people.”
As a peer tutor at Trinity Valley Community College, Maile has already begun cultivating her listening skills and ability to instill positive changes in others. The coach of the men’s basketball team noticed a marked improvement in the academic performance of his athletes under her tutelage and she was nominated for the Tutor of the Month Award.
INSPIRATION: Maile did not want her children to think giving up was the right thing to do just because their mother never received her high school diploma. “I did however receive my G.E.D. and realized I needed more of an education to provide for my children in the way that they deserve.”
ASPIRATION: As the survivor of a difficult childhood, Maile intends “to go on and become everything that everyone told me I could not be.” Inspiring others to do the same will be her gift as a psychologist.
MAKING A DIFFERENCE: Maile started a metal and plastic recycling program at her college and ran a booth for the Texas Freshwater Fisheries Center at their Halloween festival fundraiser. She also volunteers at the Henderson County Humane Society—taking pictures for Petfinder and helping to raise funds.
ACCOLADES: Maile is Vice President of her internationally award-winning Phi Theta Kappa chapter and was recently appointed student ambassador to her college. She belongs to the Student Senate and serves as an assistant to the psychology department.
INTERESTING FACT: Maile worked on re-roofing a house for her neighbor.
Other Scholars Like Maile
Lalita Booth
Undergraduate Transfer Scholar
University of Central Florida
Hai Vo
Undergraduate Transfer Scholar
University of California, Irvine
Miguel Eduardo Del Mundo
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University of Southern California
Lara Miller
Undergraduate Transfer Scholar
Smith College