Meet Alana Pollard (BFA '21), a Blavin Scholar alumna who's now making her dreams come true on Broadway. Her journey highlights how the Blavin Scholars Program’s support and resources help students navigate college, build essential life skills, and pursue their passion.
Q: How did you discover the Blavin Scholars Program?
Alana: During my first year at Michigan, I decided to look for scholarships because I needed financial support to continue my studies. I applied for dozens, and Blavin answered because I was technically part of the foster care system—my grandmother had officially adopted me when I was 11.
To my surprise, it's been the best and most magnificent blessing in my life. I'm so glad that I found Blavin and they found me.
Q: When you first joined the Program, how did you find your way through all the resources and support offered?
Alana: Navigating the resources was easy because I had coaches guiding me through the process. I had monthly sessions to come into the office and talk about the problems I was having in school. They could offer advice, but they also provided support for the tools I needed to succeed. I remember really needing an iPad or a laptop, and there was money there for me to get one.
Q: What impact did the Blavin Scholars Program have on your academic and professional success?
Alana: I felt much stronger and more confident that I could pursue the next three years with Blavin by my side. I had some extra monetary help, but that was also on top of the community’s support. I had amazing coaches and leaders who inspired me to keep going and talked me through those rough patches.
I really wouldn't have gotten to Broadway without Blavin, because they saw my value without singing or dancing, or wearing makeup or a costume. They saw me for who I truly am, and that's why I keep coming back.
Q: Speaking of Broadway, how did the Program help you on your path there?
Alana: Blavin gave me confidence. The musical theater program gave me all the skills and tools I needed to be an actor, but I didn't have the life skills required to be an adult, move to New York City, live alone, and pay rent.
Blavin hosted a life skills conference every year, where I took classes on budgeting and finance, how to rent a car, how to sign a lease, and what to look for in contracts. These are things that not only helped me perform better on campus but also in real life.
Q: How have you grown since your time as a Blavin Scholar, and what are your aspirations for the future?
Alana: I’ve grown a lot in the past four years—I’ve performed in a Broadway show and I've done a national tour. I want to continue to be an actor and improve my skills, and I want to build my community and support others in their process of accomplishing their dreams.
I still have a lot of ground to cover, but I’m more confident now knowing that I still have a community on campus, and I feel really strong because of that.
Q: What advice would you offer to future Blavin Scholars who are working to find their own paths?
Alana: Keep these people in your life. Never let them stray too far and know that your value isn't determined by how much money you make or what kind of job you have; it's determined by how much heart you bring into every environment you enter. So if you lead with love, if you lead with your heart, people will see that and appreciate you for it.
Just be yourself. If you're rejected, great. Now move on to the next person. Just keep pushing. Keep believing in yourself.
Inspired by Alana's journey and want to help future scholars achieve their dreams? Consider donating to the Blavin Scholars Program to provide essential resources and support to students from foster and kinship care backgrounds.