Twelve Students Earn 2026 USM Board of Regents Student Excellence Scholarships
BALTIMORE (May 1, 2026) — A dozen students across the University System of Maryland (USM) have been named recipients of the 2026 USM Board of Regents Student Excellence Scholarships. The awards are the highest honor presented by the Board of Regents to recognize student achievement.
“It’s a joy to be able to celebrate the enormous talent of our students, their skillful leadership, their dedication to service,” said USM Board of Regents Chair Linda Gooden. “It’s a joy to see how much curiosity and creativity they bring to their work, and how much passion drives their purpose. I have no doubt that these are the leaders who will shape our future, and that fills me with optimism.”
Scholarships are presented in four categories: Academics, Scholarship, and Research; Innovation and Creative Activity; Leadership and Advocacy; and Outreach and Engagement. Within each category, one winner is a freshman or sophomore, one is a junior or senior, and one is a graduate or professional student.
“Every year, our scholarship winners prove that student excellence runs deep at the University System,” said USM Chancellor Jay A. Perman. “I know I speak for thousands of faculty and staff across the USM when I say that these are our proudest moments: seeing our students achieve everything they’re capable of, helping them realize their dreams, and backing them as they change the world. It doesn’t get any better than watching our students shine, and they do—every day.”
Each award carries a $2,000 scholarship provided by the System and the USM Foundation. The students will be honored at a private ceremony on Sunday, May 17.
2026 USM Board of Regents Student Excellence Scholarships
Academics, Scholarship, and Research
Zehra Syeda is a sophomore pursuing a bachelor of science in bioengineering at the University of Maryland, College Park, and is a member of the inaugural class of the University of Maryland B.S.–M.D. Program. Zehra is maintaining a 4.0 GPA while serving as a researcher in the Fischell Department of Bioengineering and a clinical research associate at the University of Maryland Medical Center, where she works across six trauma ICUs. She aims to become a physician-engineer, solving clinically relevant problems with tools that reach patients.
Benjamin Raufman is a senior at the University of Maryland, College Park pursuing bachelor’s degrees in chemistry and mathematics. A Banneker/Key Scholar, he maintains a 3.96 GPA and has earned three prestigious national research awards. For six years (since high school), Benjamin has been an intern at Towson University’s Inorganic Chemistry and Nanoscience Lab. He is also a research intern with the University of Maryland Complex Fluids and Nanomaterials Group. He plans to pursue graduate training in biomolecular therapeutic development.
Safiullah Rifai is a student in the University of Maryland, Baltimore M.D./Ph.D. program at the University of Maryland School of Medicine. He forged an intensive academic path, completing three full degrees in mathematics, computer science, and biology. His research spans cancer multi-omics and therapeutic resistance. Safiullah’s academic trajectory brought him to the esteemed NIH Oxford-Cambridge Scholars Program, marking his path to becoming a physician-scientist who bridges computational research and care.
Innovation and Creative Activity
Jordon Hurley is a first-year visual communications and digital media arts major at Bowie State University. He uses his exceptional skills for storytelling, entrepreneurship, and community impact. A cornerstone of his creative work is his role with Bowie State University Athletics, where he captures games, practices, and media days and helps shape the visual identity of BSU’s athletic programs. Jordon owns his own photography business, managing clients, shoots, and post-production, and volunteers with his church and local youth organizations.
Erika Young is an upper-class arts production and management major at the University of Baltimore. Erika founded Poetic Parables Arts Integration LLC, which facilitates workshops in underserved Baltimore City communities that introduce youth and adults to photography and creative writing. She is also a photovoice project facilitator with the Public Justice Center, where she facilitates a photovoice project centered on participant-led storytelling and advocacy related to the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families program.
Maria Sanchez is pursuing a master of fine arts degree in the Intermedia and Digital Arts program at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC). Her artistic work spans installation, film, sculpture, sound, drawing, and performance. As a Venezuelan artist, she is dedicated to presenting her culture and memories and exploring the experiences of Baltimore’s Latinx diaspora. Her work was exhibited at VisArt Center and Julio Fine Art Gallery and selected for a benefit auction at Transformer DC. Maria also serves as graduate assistant and instructor.
Leadership and Advocacy
Arielle Johnson is sophomore pursuing a bachelor’s in history and government with a pre-law minor at Bowie State University. Through continued involvement in student organizations, she prioritizes equity, inclusion, and the meaningful representation of student voices across campus. As vice president of the Pre-Law Society, she plans programs that connect students with Black legal professionals and local elected officials, providing critical exposure to careers in law and public service. Presently, Arielle serves as a legislative aide for state Senator Joanne Benson.
Kasey DeSuza is a junior finance major at the University of Maryland Eastern Shore. He served as sophomore class president, representing student concerns and creating opportunities for students to be more engaged in campus life. As founder and executive board member of the UMES Street Team, Kasey helped establish one of the university’s most recognized student organizations, enhancing school spirit, unity, and engagement through culture, creativity, and media. He has also mentored prospective students as a Hawk Ambassador for Admissions.
Loren Nelson is pursuing a Ph.D. in public administration at the University of Baltimore. Her transformative work has advanced equity, access, and visibility for student parents. As a USM Langenberg Fellow, she led the largest student-managed civic engagement event in the university’s history, uniting partners to highlight student parents’ resilience and the systemic gaps they face. Loren is the founder of the Glow Forward Foundation, a nonprofit supporting young and single mothers through scholarships, mentorship, and community-building.
Outreach and Engagement
Maria Stepanyan is a sophomore at the University of Maryland, College Park pursuing degrees in management and public health science. Informed by her studies in global and public health and her Armenian heritage, she has translated awareness of health disparities into action that centers education, partnership, and service. Maria founded One Thriving World, a global health nonprofit delivering community-driven initiatives in Armenia and the United States. She is also working to expand a community-based health education initiative in Crisfield, Maryland.
Eniola Sokera is an upper-class student attending the University of Maryland School of Nursing at the University of Maryland, Baltimore. As an executive board member of the One in Ten Collective, Eniola has played a pivotal role in addressing stigmatized women’s health conditions such as endometriosis and PCOS through education, advocacy, and culturally responsive programming. Through Project Opal, a grassroots initiative she founded in 2018 to serve vulnerable communities in Lagos, Nigeria, she has supported countless low-income individuals and families with essential resources.
Gatha Adhikari is pursuing a Ph.D. in bioengineering at the University of Maryland, College Park. Her research focuses on engineering sophisticated cervical cancer models to advance therapies for women in low-income communities. Motivated by the high burden of cervical cancer in rural Nepal, her country of origin, Gatha founded and leads the Cervical Cancer Awareness and Screening Initiative, through which she works with local providers, clinics, and nonprofits to foster awareness and coordinate screening camps in remote villages.
The University System of Maryland (USM) is the state’s public higher education system: 12 universities and three regional higher education centers working together for the good of Maryland. Our universities enroll 175,000 students and award 45,000 degrees each year — delivering accessible, affordable, excellent education to diverse learners at every stage of life and supporting thriving careers and a skilled workforce. With more than $1.8 billion in research expenditures, our universities make discoveries that drive innovation, spur economic growth, and improve life in Maryland and worldwide. For more information, visit usmd.edu.
Contact: Beau Boughamer
Phone: 410.576.5732
Email: bboughamer@usmd.edu
