Colts Neck Grad Earns College Honor, Thanks High School Teacher For Her Mentorship

COLTS NECK, NJ — Teachers sometimes hear from former students about the impact they have had on their lives.

Colts Neck High School business teacher Cindy Bravaco recently heard back from one of her former students. But Bradley Polkowitz didn't simply write her a thank you note, he invited her to a fancy lunch: The Philip Merrill Presidential Scholars luncheon at the University of Maryland.

Polkowitz, a Maryland senior in the Robert H. Smith School of Business, was named a 2022-2023 Philip Merrill Presidential Scholar at the university. As part of the honor, which recognizes students’ academic excellence, the students get to choose one of their K-12 teachers and a member of the Maryland faculty to be honored as well, marking "the important role that teachers and faculty have as mentors," the program said.

In addition to the luncheon and a day of activities on the Maryland campus, Bravaco and the other teachers were invited to participate in a workshop led by Maryland faculty.

The teachers also received an honorarium, and the University of Maryland and the Merrill family will offer a $1,500 scholarship in Bravaco’s name to an incoming first-year student in Fall 2023 from Colts Neck High School or a high school in the Freehold Regional High School District, the university said.

"The late Philip Merrill created this program to build a community of scholars, faculty members and K-12 teachers who recognize the importance of teaching and mentoring the next generation," said Darryll J. Pines, university president. "We are grateful for a program that celebrates invaluable mentorship and for the many teachers who have a long-lasting impact on the lives of our students."

The students also honor a member of the Maryland faculty who mentored them along the way. Polkowitz, whose focus is operations management and business analytics in marketing, chose Joseph Bailey, Department of Decision, Operations and Information Technologies.

The program highlights the achievements of the graduating seniors, who are selected by the academic colleges and schools with undergraduate major programs. Scholars’ internships and research work ranges from fighting climate change to addressing global mental health disparities.

"These students’ accomplishments are a testament to the power of teachers and mentors in an academic journey,” said William A. Cohen, associate provost and dean for undergraduate studies. "The Merrill Presidential Scholars Program is creating an important legacy of teacher excellence— from K-12 through college — that leads to outstanding student achievements."