Texas A&M Foundation Board of Trustees Honors Three Outstanding Graduates

The Texas A&M Foundation Board of Trustees recognized Britton Bielitz ’25, Swapnil Dash ’25 and Jocelyn Ma ’25 with its highest student honor, the Trustees’ Outstanding Student Award. In acknowledgment of their academic success and student leadership despite significant financial or personal challenges, the three graduates received the award and a $3,000 cash prize at a June 6 luncheon on the Texas A&M University campus.  

These outstanding students join a list of only 27 Aggies to have received this honor since 2013. Gina Luna ’95, chair of the Foundation’s Board of Trustees, emphasized the caliber of students who earn this award. “It is always an honor for the Board of Trustees to recognize students like Britton, Swapnil and Jocelyn,” she said. “They represent the best of the university, not only in the classroom but also as young leaders who have left their impact on all corners of this campus.” 

Former Foundation trustee Melbern Glasscock ’59 and his wife, Susanne, established the award in 2012 to recognize high-achieving students and provide them with a financial head start post-graduation. Recipients must have demonstrated financial need, received one or more scholarships through the Texas A&M Foundation and displayed outstanding extracurricular involvement.  

“It takes just one conversation with these students to understand why they are deserving of this award,” said Tyson Voelkel ’96, the Foundation's president and CEO. “We’re proud to reward them for their efforts on campus and are excited to watch them embody the Aggie Spirit as they embark on their next journeys.” 

Britton Bielitz ’25 

After witnessing the compassion of nurses who supported her friend through her battle with cancer in middle school, Britton Bielitz ’25 felt confident in her decision to pursue a medical career through her allied health major. That was, until she attended Texas A&M’s Gilbert Leadership Conference as a delegate her freshman year.  

Listening to accomplished entrepreneurs, doctors, executives and nonprofit leaders, she discovered a new passion: the intersection of health care and business. “I did a complete 180 and transferred to Mays Business School to study health care marketing,” Bielitz explained.  

Since then, the Sugar Land, Texas, native embraced opportunities to grow her business acumen and leadership potential. She has held roles in the Gilbert Leadership Conference, Delta Gamma, Freshman Aggies Developing in Excellence, Business Student Council and the Spanish Involvement and Community Outreach, impacting nearly every corner of campus.  

But the second-generation Aggie’s path wasn’t without challenges, as funding her education was primarily her responsibility. “I always wanted to be part of Aggieland’s kind ‘Howdy’ and solemn ‘Here,’ and scholarships have greatly helped my ability to do so,” Bielitz shared. 

As a recipient of the Peggy L. and Charles L. Brittan ’65 President’s Endowed Scholarship, Bielitz is a proud testament to the power of philanthropy at Texas A&M. “When I received scholarships my senior year of high school, it felt like a door was opened for me,” she reminisced. “I've woken up every day with so much gratitude to be here with the support of other Aggies.” 

To say thank you to those who support the university, Bielitz joined the Texas A&M Foundation Maroon Coats, where she engaged with donors and friends of the Foundation through campus tours and university events. “I have learned how so many Aggies selflessly give back,” she said. “One day, I hope to pay it forward and support a student at Texas A&M.”

Bielitz plans to pursue a career in medical device sales. After repaying her remaining loans with her award money, she dreams of eventually going back to school, most likely attending nursing school to become a labor and delivery nurse. As she chases this dream, she knows that this award will serve as a reminder of the Aggie family’s support. “The real world can be daunting,” she explained, “but knowing that Aggies are supporting me through this life transition reminds me that I’m never truly on my own.” 

Swapnil Dash ’25 

Swapnil Dash ’25 describes his upbringing as having one constant companion: uncertainty. After his family moved to the United States from Odisha, India, in 2005, Dash spent much of his life moving around for his father’s work.  

He felt the greatest weight of that uncertainty when applying for college. Despite living in the U.S. for 16 years, Dash had to apply as an international student, which severely limited his access to scholarships and financial aid. “When I was accepted to Texas A&M’s Mays Business School with a merit scholarship, it was life-changing,” he recalled. “For the first time, I felt seen and supported and had a renewed sense of hope. Texas A&M and the Foundation believed in my goals and dreams even when obstacles seemed insurmountable.” 

Now a permanent resident, the business honors student from Austin has spent his collegiate career creating space for others. Dash has served in leadership roles in Mays Business Fellows, Business Student Council and Business Healthcare Alliance and as a member of Maroon Coats, Titans of Investing and the Business Honors Recruitment Committee.  

Though a business major, Dash quickly discovered his passion for health care and tailored his studies toward the field. While completing medical school prerequisites, he conducted undergraduate research under Dr. Leonard Berry at Mays Business School, focusing on caregiver support in hospitals. “Our main project studied how we can improve service quality for the caregivers of patients with long-term or terminal illnesses at Henry Ford Hospital,” Dash explained. “Oftentimes, this role falls on close family members, which can become a difficult task, so we studied how the hospital can better support these caregivers through resources and counseling.”  

Now, Dash is taking the next step to becoming a physician as he begins medical school at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center this fall with a full-tuition merit scholarship, where he plans to complete the Doctor of Medicine and Master of Public Health dual degree program. He will use his award money to help cover medical school startup costs, including furniture for his new apartment. Dash said that receiving this honor motivates him to continue representing Texas A&M’s values long after graduation.  

“Across all my involvement, I’ve noticed that people are always willing to pour into each other, even if it doesn’t directly benefit them. It is something I believe is unique and special to Aggieland,” he said. “I once heard someone say, ‘You go to other schools to get an education, but you come to Texas A&M to develop your character.’ In my four years, I’ve definitely seen that happen.”  

Jocelyn Ma ’25 

Initially planning to become a high school teacher, Jocelyn Ma ’25 shared that her life trajectory changed the moment she was diagnosed with lupus. “After being diagnosed with a chronic illness and seeing how much doctors impacted my life, I realized it was a path I wanted to pursue,” she said.  

For Ma, a Little Elm, Texas, native and daughter of two Taiwanese immigrants, her diagnosis not only shaped her career goals but also added a financial burden as she pursued her four-year degree. “My autoimmune disorder requires ongoing treatments and regular visits to specialists, which has been a significant financial commitment,” she emphasized. “Scholarships became essential to pursuing higher education and allowed me to focus on extracurriculars. The assistance reassured me that people are willing to invest in my future and support me.” 

In addition to scholarships, Ma funded her education through work at Kroger and Chili’s, as a physics teaching assistant and through undergraduate research. Her main research, where she will be one of the primary authors, studies an engineered material that could help bone and tissue regenerate faster than currently available products.  

Beyond being a stellar student, the biology major has heavily invested in fellow Aggies. As a member of The Association of Former Students’ 1879 Society Ambassadors, she witnessed how the university’s traditions contribute to a close-knit and collaborative environment. “The most special moment in this role was being part of an Aggie Ring presentation for the family of a student who had passed,” Ma shared. “I was honored and realized I’m not just one student at a school of 80,000 students. I forever have a family here that really cares about me.” 

Additionally, she fostered a collaborative environment for other pre-medical students as the membership director of the Texas A&M Pre-Medical Society, where she helped grow the organization’s membership from 200 to 500 members and established a mentorship program for aspiring medical school students.  

This fall, Ma will begin medical school at the Texas A&M College of Medicine. She plans to use her award to purchase supplies and visit her extended family in Taiwan. “Medical school is extremely expensive, so this award will help cover significant costs,” she said. “I couldn’t be more honored to know that everything I’ve worked so hard for is being recognized, but I credit all glory to God for carrying me through every season of my life now and in the future.”