Scholars: Profiled Scholars | Reflections | 2006 | 2005 | 2004 | 2003
Reflections From 2006 Scholars
Rayshon Payton 
My freshman year at Oklahoma City University (OCU) was an amazing experience that would not have been possible without the help of the Michael J Berkeley scholarship foundation. I just finished my freshman year and I am majoring in Political Science with a minor in Economics. Although my first year was tedious and challenging, I really enjoyed the experiences and look forward to continuing my education. Since attending college, I have grown and learned a lot about myself and how to be a better leader. I participated in the OCU Leads, which is a very prestigious leadership program on campus and in the community, as well as the Oklahoma Intercollegiate Legislature.
Just like Mr. Michael J. Berkeley, I have a passion for golf; I play on the six-time National Championship OCU golf team. Attending the Michael J Berkeley Memorial Golf tournament in New York was a wonderful treat and an enriching experience that I will forever remember. It was not only great to play an amazing golf course, but it was wonderful to meet and interact with some of the people who personally knew Mr. Michael J. Berkeley. Being young, everyone always tell you that “hard work will take you places”. It was extremely inspiring to get the opportunity to associate with some of the most successful businessmen in America. It was such a wonderful learning experience talking to the businessmen and hearing their success stories and receive tips from them.
Thank you Michael J. Berkeley foundation for your continued support and investing in me and my future.
As a former Michael J. Berkeley Foundation scholarship recipient, I wanted to update the foundation on my progress as a scholar. This past year I was heavily involved in my independent research as an undergraduate in the molecular biology department at Princeton University. During the second semester of the school year, I began my senior thesis project which is aimed at trying to understand a protein complex that protects the ends of chromosomes from degradation. Fortunately, I spent this summer continuing my research as part of the Summer Undergraduate Research Program at Princeton, which is affiliated with both Howard Hughes Medical Institute and the Lewis-Sigler Institute. I was blessed to have my research funded by a grant from the National Institutes of Health. In addition to conducting experiments in the laboratory, I took a physics class, which fulfilled my last pre-medical requirement. Next year, I plan to finish my thesis research and attend the 2007 Annual Biomedical Research Conference for Minority Students (ABRCMS), which will be held in Austin, Texas. I will also start applying to M.D./Ph.D programs for graduate school.
As I begin my senior year of college, I am reminded of those who have helped me reach this point in my undergraduate career. The encouragement and support rooted in this organization have allowed me to pursue my dream of becoming a physician. As a two year scholar I was blessed to be able to attend the memorial tournament where I was able to see the level of dedication and commitment to supporting young people such as myself. Not only does this foundation believe in supporting the achievements of promising youth, but it also remembers a man who is the epitome of what every scholar strives to become. I think that being a Michael J. Berkeley scholar is an honorable opportunity to represent an individual who used his life to help others. I can only hope that one day I will be able to make the same indelible mark on society and others by exhibiting the same traits of perseverance, determination, and courage as Mr. Berkeley.
It is with great pleasure that I accept your 2007-2008 Michael J. Berkeley Foundation Scholarship Award. This generous gift is greatly appreciated and will be applied to my studies as I enter my freshman year at Hampton University. Like Michael Berkeley, I have a love of golf and my future plan is to make available to others in need, the resources to pursue golf interests and opportunities and to enjoy and see the limitless possibilities that become of the game of golf.
Again, thank you for your support and most importantly, for the faith and encouragement that you have placed in me and other recipients to pass this very kind gift forward in the future.
Theo Garrett 
Thank you for the generous scholarship award! Your support and encouragement to continue my education and to play the game of golf that I love so much means a lot to me. I appreciate your hard work, committment to youth, Mr Berkeley's legacy, excellence and the game of golf. I will take your example of dedication, the inspiration of Mr Berkeley's life and the lessons from golf with me in this new chapter of life at Hampton University.