As a member of the University of Delaware’s Alfred Lerner College of Business and Economics’ Class of 2020, Magdalene Bramlett from Swedesboro, New Jersey has not had the typical final semester or commencement at UD due to the coronavirus outbreak. She, and her entire class, have shown incredible resilience, maturity and spirit while adjusting to the many unexpected changes that they have encountered.
Bramlett was nominated for this series by UD Senior Assistant Dean for Global Programs and Partnerships and Associate Professor of marketing Jennifer Gregan, who said, “Magdalene is a non-traditional transfer student who is originally from Germany. She balanced a full course load (18 credits this semester!) with the demands of a family and lengthy commute. I admire her dedication to completing her education and excelling in all that she does.“
In this profile, Bramlett, global enterprise management major with a minor in social entrepreneurship, shared her favorite UD memories, how she has changed during her time at UD and her plans following graduation.
Q: How do you think you have changed from your first semester at UD to now?
Bramlett: I grew to be a more well-rounded student and gained an awareness of the way our world is shaped. My time at UD taught me teamwork, leadership and professionalism, and I am not afraid to strive for excellence in anything I do.
Q: What is your favorite place at UD?
Bramlett: My favorite place is the library because that’s where I was able to find a quiet place to reflect, collect my thoughts and surround myself with like-minded people. Furthermore, the library offers space for team collaboration and research, which allowed me to be successful in my studies.
Q: What is the most memorable course that you took at Lerner?
Bramlett: The most memorable course I took at Lerner was POSC 453, Comparative Political Economy, with Dr. Kinderman. This course was extremely challenging and gave me insight into graduate-level thinking and discussions. It took me out of my comfort zone, but the topics and the materials piqued my interest in political science. I was also able to share my experience and knowledge from growing up in Europe.
Q: What was your favorite signature UD experience?
Bramlett: My favorite UD experience was unexpectedly meeting Vice President Joe Biden. I was sitting outside Trabant University Center between classes and finishing some of my homework when I was quickly surrounded by Secret Service agents. Minutes later, VP Joe Biden arrived, and I was face-to-face with potentially the next president of the United States.
Q: What does being a “Lifelong Lerner” mean to you?
Bramlett: Being a “Lifelong Lerner” means that I can always rely on a professional network of intellectuals. It also means that I am part of a prestigious group of college graduates.
Q: What are your plans following graduation?
Bramlett: I will be attending graduate school at Johns Hopkins University. I will also continue my volunteer work with Impacting Villages in Africa, a non-profit organization I worked with during the last semester at UD. Unfortunately, we had to postpone our trip to Uganda due to COVID-19, so I hope to resume these plans in the soonest future.