Granite Edvance Scholarship winner Brianna Ohlund: ‘I thought it would be good to help someone not end up in the same situation I did’

Seeing her mom worry constantly about money, Brianna Ohlund decided at a young age that she wanted something different for herself. She got her first job at age 15 so she could start saving for college, worked hard to earn good grades, and got involved in numerous extracurricular activities.  

Though much of her hard work was geared toward having a strong college application, it also set the course for her college journey – giving her both a drive to excel and a heart for helping others. During her senior year, Brianna joined a group called Link Crew, helping new students make the transition to high school. “I really struggled my freshman year, so I thought it would be good to help someone not end up in the same situation I did,” said Brianna, a winner of a Granite Edvance Opportunity Scholarship. “I thought it was really cool that we could help them.”  

Now a sophomore at the University of New Hampshire, Brianna has her sights set on a career in clinical psychology. She also works as a tour guide on campus and was part of the Wildcat Welcome Crew, helping students on move-in day. 

As a first-generation student, she knows how important that little bit of extra support and enthusiasm can be.