Maggie Bosley’s first day of medical school went well. After a long day of classes, she had the white coat, a big smile and the knowledge that the three post-graduate scholarships she received at the end of her senior year at Wofford were helping pay for her education.
Bosley ’14 was selected to receive a Carolina Panthers Graduate Scholarship, a $10,000 one-time award given annually to one female and one male collegiate student-athlete from the Carolinas. She also earned an NCAA Post Graduate Scholarship, a one-time $7,500 award given to 28 student-athletes throughout the country, and the Coleman Lew & Associates Scholarship, a one-time $2,000 grant awarded through the Southern Conference.
Bosley believes that she’s a good investment and that the four years in the classroom as a Wofford biology and chemistry major and the four years on the field for the women’s soccer team equipped her to succeed.
“The first day wasn’t too bad … a little review. Wofford has really prepared us well,” she says speaking not only of herself but also of the 10 other Wofford graduates attending the Medical University of South Carolina in Charleston as first-year students. According to Bosley, Wofford has the highest percentage of graduates in the entering class of any other college or university.
“I don’t think I would be able to be half the physician I hope to be without my four years at Wofford, on and off the field,” she says. “Being a student-athlete is a huge advantage when going into the medical field. Medicine isn’t a solo practice. You’re part of a team of nurses, doctors and hospital staff providing complete patient care. Being a part of a team helps you know what to do in that environment. We also had to really manage our time well to handle athletics and academics. Teamwork and time management are both skills that transition well to what we’re getting into in med school and later as physicians.”
Bosley is particularly interested in the medical field because she spent time in the hospital during her senior year.
“My experiences as a patient changed my perspective,” she says. “There was a student panel on our first day of med school, and someone explained that there are two worlds in medicine — the people suffering with the illness and those focused on studying and healing. I’ve been on both sides.”
Bosley represented Wofford at scholarship award events. At the Southern Conference awards dinner in Hilton Head and at the Carolina Panthers pre-season football game awards presentation, she wasn’t alone. Paul Inclan ’14, a first-year student at Wake Forest School of Medicine, also received highly competitive Carolina Panthers and Southern Conference post-graduate scholarships.
“I was thrilled to receive both the Dave Hart Graduate Scholarship through the Southern Conference and the Carolina Panthers Graduate Scholarship,” says Inclan. “Wofford was my home for four years, but my Wofford education began at birth. My father (Roberto Inclan ’73) brought me to Wofford games even before Gibbs Stadium was built.”
When Wade Lang ’83, Wofford’s offensive coordinator, called to tell Inclan that the Terriers wanted him to play football, Inclan couldn’t have been happier.
“I will never be able to replace the feeling of stepping off the field, hugging my father and reflecting on the fulfillment of my childhood dream,” says Inclan.
Inclan has completed his first weeks of medical school and is eager for more, thanks to the foundation he built at Wofford.
“Wofford prepared me for medical school by helping develop me as a complete man. … Wofford allowed me to develop as a member of society, able to contribute, lead, impact and improve whatever community I eventually reside in,” says Inclan. “That is, ultimately, why we pursue a liberal arts education. That is, ultimately, what I hope to accomplish through my career in medicine. Simply, I expected to have an enjoyable college experience playing football. Ultimately, I received a world-class education, a family of teammates and the ability to impact my surroundings, all while obtaining life-changing experiences.”
By Jo Ann Mitchell Brasington ’89