Student Spotlight: Don Beamon, USMC
Tell us a little about yourself.
My name is Don Beamon, and I am from Boston, MA. I served in the United States Marine Corps Reserves as an air delivery specialist—parachute rigger. Growing up in a single-parent household with three siblings and an uncle who’s a low-functioning addict, I often lacked guidance and resources as the middle child in a chaotic environment. While my mother worked multiple jobs, we were encouraged to contribute financially to make ends meet. Immediate financial stability took precedence over future collegiate plans. Without that guidance, I could not navigate my education independently. I graduated with a 2.7 GPA, unaware that college was possible for someone like me. Encouraged by other parents, I began attending community college. However, the financial and logistical demands of attending a commuter school made it difficult to continue. I realized that I needed to escape my situation, leading to my enlistment in the United States Marine Corps. A fun fact about my personal life is that I beat a Grammy award-winning writer in a song battle over the pandemic.
Did you have any college experience before attending your Warrior-Scholar Project boot camp? Why did you decide to apply?
Before attending Warrior-Scholar Project’s humanities academic boot camp at Brown University, I was a student at UMass Boston and had already earned an associate’s degree. I had been accepted into Brown and was waiting to start attending classes there in September. I decided to apply to Warrior-Scholar Project because I thought it would challenge me and prepare me for the pace of an Ivy League school.
What were you feeling going into the first day of your boot camp? Did you experience a shift in your confidence as the week progressed?
I felt like an impostor or fraud. I had been struggling with accepting my good fortune of being accepted into Brown and wondering if I was really ready to compete academically on an Ivy League level. By the end of the course, multiple students approached me to compliment my public speaking abilities and consistent preparedness for class. They also mentioned my effective leadership skills. Most importantly, my imposter syndrome had vanished, and I genuinely felt like I belonged on this campus, especially after learning from some of the professors who teach there at Brown.
What are some of the key takeaways from your boot camp experience? Is there one thing that stood out to you?
Your mindset exists on a spectrum, and sometimes you need to adjust it based on the task you’re performing or the goal you want to reach. I also learned that different note-taking methods work better for different subjects and that I am not alone—imposter syndrome is pretty common for most people. My top lesson learned—and keep in mind that I’m 35 and have consistently received straight A’s during my current enrollment in UMass Boston—is how to write transition sentences in my essays effectively! It may sound silly, but I really struggled with this last semester.
How would you describe your overall experience?
It was eye-opening to realize that there are numerous tools and strategies available to help you succeed. I often thought that other students excelled simply due to innate abilities, but it’s actually more about discovering the strategies that align best with your individual learning style. Also, it was surprising to see that colonial Americans faced almost identical, in principle, the same problems as modern America.
Do you have any parting words?
We need cynicism to light a fire under our ass, and we need hope to see us through it… The world will provide plenty of cynicism, and Warrior Scholar Project provides hope. ✌️🏾