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Brian Michael Watson
“Higher education is something without which I would remain lost and directionless.”
- Program: 2009 Undergraduate Transfer Scholarship Recipient
- Resides: Oxford, MS
- Hometown: Pascagoula, MS
- Age: 27
- Community College: Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College
- Four-year College or University: University of Mississippi
- Academic/Career Pursuits: Mathematics, Sciences
- Other Interests: Classics, Honor Society, Literature, Philosophy, Student Government, Volunteer Work, Writing / Journalism
Biography
PROFILE: Brian “Mike” Watson will be the first one to say there is nothing wrong with the “blue collar” life, because for several years after dropping out of high school he was a union boilermaker. During those days he met and worked with hundreds of kind-hearted, hard-working men and women. But, Mike recalled, he felt trapped in that existence and wanted to use not only his brawn but his brain as well. He wanted to be a mechanical engineer and as a 9th grade drop-out he knew it would be a long road. He started his comeback by gaining his GED certificate and then enrolled at Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College (MGCCC) near his home in Pascagoula. All along this learning path, Mike received support and pats on the back from his co-workers in Local 112 of the International Brotherhood of Boilermakers. “They looked beyond the surface and perceived the potential for excellence within me,” Mike said. “Their staunch belief in my intellectual capabilities compelled me to become more than I was.”
INSPIRATION: Mike was strengthened by the support of his fellow Boilermakers of Local 112 in Pascagoula. “I have since endeavored to justify their confidence in me.” At MGCCC, Dr. Mary Ann Sison provided Mike with advice and direction, both personal and professional, “that has proven to be of inestimable value in my life.”
ASPIRATION: At “Ole Miss”, Mike will major in mechanical engineering, with a concentration in automotive engineering and vehicle dynamics. Mike wants to be “on the cutting edge of engineering design and I would like to make a significant contribution in the areas of vehicle safety and efficiency.”
MAKING A DIFFERENCE: As part of MGCCC’s Honors Biology Program, Mike worked as an intern with the Gulf Coast Research Lab and a local school district, developing a science curriculum for gifted third graders. One of Mike’s teachers said his is a “rags to riches story,” but his academic success is not his only strong point. Mike seems to always be busy doing something positive or helpful to others-coastal clean-ups, heart walks, relays for life, breast cancer awareness events.
ACCOLADES: Mike qualified for the MGCCC President’s List with a 4.0 GPA in every semester of college. He was also recognized by his campus for the first place presentation in science education at the 2009 Mississippi Academy of Sciences.
INTERESTING FACT: Prior to enrolling in community college, Mike was introverted, and took great pains to avoid speaking in public. But because of his experiences with Phi Theta Kappa, Student Council and the college’s Honors program, he’s been transformed into a much more extroverted and involved person.
Other Scholars Like Brian
Amanda Wood
Undergraduate Transfer Scholar
State University of New York at Geneseo
Vy Le
College Scholar
Drexel University
Yan Yan Hui
College Scholar
University of California, San Diego
Cristina Toledo-Cornell
Graduate Scholar
Cornell University