Miriam McBride, '17

The academic year might have only begun five weeks ago, but Miriam McBride, ’17, the Robins School Student Government Association president, has already been hard at work. Wasting no time, McBride used the summer to get ahead, spending many hours asking questions and listening to students, faculty, and administration in the Robins School to gather ideas. “I want to help highlight the great things the business school is doing,” she shared, “but I also recognize there are areas for improvement, and working with administration to address these opportunities for change is a priority during my presidency.”

Creating transparency between faculty, administration, and students and finding ways to collaborate with the larger University of Richmond campus are two of McBride’s key initiatives. “I want to make sure every UR student has access to the business school, and make it a more inclusive environment,” McBride shared. She has already reached out to the International Business Student Association to provide assistance in marketing efforts for their offerings, including the mentorship program, and to help exchange students feel more integrated in campus life. 

She is also working to create a more stimulating physical environment, coordinating with the Modlin Center for the Arts to commission a student designed mural on the halls of the Robins School, loaning Boatwright Library’s artwork to display on rotation, and providing more ways for students to gather for group work.

A project she launched at the start of the academic year was the Robins Dean’s Network, an effort to encourage all UR students to attend business school speaker and professional events to gain exposure to new ideas, practice interpersonal skills, and strengthen their networking skills. “I’m really trying to make things happen this year,” she said. “I love UR, and want to give as much back as I can to a school that has given me so much.”

When she’s not busy with SGA, McBride is focusing on her studies in management and healthcare. She spent her freshman year interning for the American Red Cross, and during her sophomore year was a Spider Research Fellow, during which time she researched how electronic health records can track population health, and in turn how hospitals can better serve the community. Working with Dr. Steve Thompson, McBride surveyed local health systems to examine the interoperability of healthcare records in providing a holistic view of patient care to serve the population with quality care. She followed up the next year with an internship in the administrative and development departments of World Pediatric Project.

Her research and experience has solidified her plans to pursue healthcare management after college. Unsure where that might take her, she has spent time looking into and applying for various master’s programs and positions in the healthcare administration field. McBride recognizes the value of her leadership position within SGA in preparing her for the professional world.

“SGA has helped me gain experience in leading an organization and enacting change,” she said. “I jumped right into the role, and that has helped hone my leadership and communications skills.”

McBride has a long to-do list for the year ahead, including a school-wide service day, a wider variety of breakfast options at Lou’s, and creating opportunities to celebrate students, and she encourages all students to attend the SGA’s open meetings to voice their opinions.

“We are looking for as much input as possible,” she shared. “We have a great team and are going to do a lot this year. I’m excited that I get to be a part of it.”