About the Fund
The Fearless Terp Scholarship Fund was created in 2018 to celebrate the marriage of UMD alumnae Lianne Berne and Rachelle Beanlands, who first met as undergrads in College Park in the spring of 2013. They created the scholarship to help support students who have participated in programs and initiatives that benefit the LGBTQIA+ student community, as a way to give back and provide opportunities for younger Terps to pursue their education. As an international couple and alumnae of several study abroad programs themselves, they hope that Fearless Terp scholars will be able to use these funds to explore the world through study abroad and internationally focused programs.
Lianne and Rachelle are Maryland Terrapins through and through. Though neither is native to Maryland, both developed a lifelong love for UMD during their time there by taking full advantage of the many academic and extracurricular opportunities offered to students.
Lianne majored in government and politics and added a minor in Arabic during her sophomore year. She participated in the Arabic Flagship Program, which took her to Meknes, Morocco, for a capstone year of full immersion in Arabic. In her spare time, she played mellophone for the Mighty Sound of Maryland, UMD’s incomparable marching band. She remembers her time at Maryland quite fondly and considers herself a Terp for life. After graduation, she remained at UMD to pursue a master's in public policy with a focus in international development.
Rachelle was an international student who came from Canada to play on the women’s soccer team at Maryland. She had an exciting college goalkeeping career for the Terps, learning valuable lessons in dedication and discipline and forging incredible friendships in the process. In her sophomore year, she added an environmental science and policy program to her original physiology and neurobiology major and graduated with a double bachelor's degree four years later. She was fortunate to study abroad in New Zealand during her final winter break at Maryland, taking an incredible journey across the country’s landscapes as part of a sustainability course. Her experience at Maryland was unforgettable and has made an everlasting impact on her. She hopes to return for future alumni events with the women’s soccer team. After graduation, she returned to Canada to study medicine at Western University.
How to Apply
Meet Our Scholars
Wilson is a senior at the University of Maryland. His experience has been amazing, as it has helped shape his career and professional goals.
Wilson Martell Flores, 2025-2026 Scholar
Past Scholars
Annabella Davis (2024-2025 Scholar)
Though this will be her first semester at Maryland, Annabella Davis is so excited to bring the enthusiasm and commitment that she exemplified at West Virginia. Throughout her time at West Virginia University, Annabella participated in many organizations including the Peace Corps Prep Program, Women in Politics and Government, the Russian and East European Club, Delta Gamma and the Appalachian Advocacy Network. In these groups, she participated in semesterly community service efforts, engaged in cross-cultural competency through initiating conversation with retired peace corps volunteers and those from different backgrounds, and has learned how to community build and outreach. In her role as an Office Aid at the West Virginia University Department of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, Annabella was able to directly see the ways in which to make the campus environment accepting for everyone, no matter their differences.
Jordan Bellamy (2023-2024 Scholar)
Jordan Bellamy is studying abroad in the Netherlands for the current spring 2023 semester, where she is engaging in cross-cultural discussion from a variety of perspectives. Despite being away from campus, she is an active UMD Global Fellow as well as a Rawlings Undergraduate Leadership Fellow. Additionally, she served as Vice President of the Residence Hall Association for Commons before leaving for Europe. Jordan has also been accepted into the MAIR 4+1 program, which she is looking forward to beginning next semester.
M Pease (2020-2021 Scholar)
M Pease (they/them) is a junior psychology major with a triple minor in Asian American studies, public leadership, and neuroscience. Their academic interests broadly encompass how systems and experiences of oppression impact psychological health in marginalized communities, especially for racial minority and LGBTQ+ populations. M completed an honors thesis on transgender mental health risk mechanisms and has contributed to research projects in the Department of Psychology and School of Public Health, in addition to working as a teaching assistant for multicultural psychology and Asian American psychology. They also serve as Administrator of the Help Center, as a Resident Assistant, and as a representative on various campus diversity committees. After graduation, M plans to pursue graduate school in counseling psychology and hopes to engage in research, activism, and therapeutic practice with marginalized communities in their eventual career.
Ali Bhatti (2018-2019 Scholar)
Ali Bhatti is a sophomore in the iSchool majoring in Information Science and French, with a minor in Statistics. He enjoys data visualization and using data techniques to provide representation for groups that are consistently marginalized or forgotten, especially the South Asian community and all the marginalized communities within. In his free time, Ali plays on his Nintendo Switch, runs, bikes, plays tennis, writes poetry, and watches movies.