Story and photo by Logan Jackson
David Braman set a big goal for himself before his senior year of high school – secure a full-ride college scholarship.
“I had always been passionate about my academics and the leadership positions I held,” Braman said. “Before my senior year, I began doing a lot of research on full-ride academic scholarships across the country. I was really intrigued by what I saw from the University of Missouri and thought it would be the perfect place to begin my next chapter.”
Braman is from the island of Kauaʻi in Hawaiʻi, so his college research looked a bit different than most. He would email admissions counselors and meet with them via Zoom after using YouTube for virtual campus tours. When he applied for the Mizzou Stamps Scholarship, he was thrilled to advance to the interview weekend so that he could see all the campus has to offer.
“I couldn’t just get up and drive to a campus for a tour, so I had to put in a lot of work to learn more about the universities I was interested in,” Braman said. “Being able to tour Mizzou in that capacity was an amazing experience. I loved talking with the current Stamps cohort, and my brain was working in ways that I never had before. They were interesting people, they were smart people and they were people who I knew I wanted to be like.
“I also appreciated the fact that I could bring my parents to the interview weekend. They were able to experience the environment with me and saw me smiling for three straight days. Seeing them so happy with the programs and people made me even more excited for everything Mizzou would allow me to pursue.”
Braman is one of eight Stamps Scholars beginning their college journeys this fall at Mizzou. He said that while being that far from home is bittersweet, he’s ready for the new challenge.
“I was actually on a plane back home when I received the call about the scholarship, so I missed it,” Braman said. “When I landed, it was past business hours in Missouri, so I had to wait until the next morning to call back. It was the worst sleep I’ve ever had. I woke up at 5 a.m. the next morning and sat in the dining room with a single light on to call Dean (Catherine) Rymph back. We had a great conversation, and I remember running through my house, waking my parents up and celebrating together.”
Mizzou Stamps Scholars have a variety of unique opportunities, including a dedicated mentor, opportunities to connect with campus leadership, alumni networking, funding for study abroad and connections with other students in a larger Stamps Scholarship network. Scholars also participate in research early on in their college journey and are enrolled in the Honors College for all four years, working toward the completion of the Honors Certificate.
Braman will be a health science major at Mizzou, with a specific focus on physical therapy.
“I’ve always known that I wanted to help people,” Braman said. “When I was in middle school, I went to one of my grandma’s physical therapy appointments. She had fallen and hurt her knee, and I watched the light come back into her eyes as she was learning to walk again. It was inspiring. I wanted to have a career where you get to give grandsons their grandparents back. I soon began talking with physical therapists and fell in love with the profession.”
As part of the Stamps Scholarship, Braman will have the opportunity to participate in undergraduate research at Mizzou. He said he’s excited to begin that journey and get involved in the Columbia community. Braman has been a Unified Partner with Special Olympics since he was in sixth grade and has been active with his local Boys and Girls Club. He’ll continue to be involved with both while in Columbia.
At Mizzou, Braman plans to be a regular at many of the Tiger athletic events. He also wants to join the Latin Dance Club.
“There are so many ways to get involved, and I’m looking forward to seeing everything that’s out there,” Braman said. “I’m just so, so grateful for this opportunity and thankful to everyone who helped make this a reality. We use the term ‘mahalo’ in Hawaiʻi to express gratitude, so a huge ‘mahalo’ to everyone who has supported me in this journey. I can’t wait to get started!”