A 2021-2022 Phillips Alumni Scholar
Kimberly Owens is a recent graduate of Boston’s John D. O’Bryant School of Math and Science. There, she was a member of O’Bryant Push Up, a peer leadership program that works to prevent substance abuse among young people and to advocate on public health issues. Kimberly recalled, “One of my favorite events with Push Up was giving testimony to the Boston Health Commission about why they should ban menthol products. I spoke about my mother and niece who both have asthma and live in apartments where there was no smoke free policy. I was able to tell them about how my niece passed away from asthma and how the pollution from cigarettes only complicated [her] asthma more while she was alive.” During high school Kimberly also engaged in activism as a member of the Mayor’s Youth Council, where she was able to raise awareness of youth housing insecurity in the city of Boston.
Kimberly recently enrolled at the University of Massachusetts, Lowell. She plans to be a lawyer one day, “to do pro bono cases for Black and other marginalized communities.” She said, “I hope whatever career path I go down I am able to improve my community.”
PHILLIPS ALUMNI SCHOLAR
The Phillips Alumni Scholar Award goes to a new recipient of the scholarship who clearly exemplifies a “sense of other,” strong work ethic, academic strength and commitment to community service that are the hallmarks of the Phillips Scholar. The funds for the Alumni Scholar award(s) come from the generosity of Phillips Scholarship Alumni who donate so that others may have the opportunity to overcome the same financial barriers to education that they found. We are deeply grateful for the support of our alumni.