About the Fund
The Swann Scholarship will provide merit-based scholarships for undergraduate students who are involved with the Student Success Initiative. Eligible recipients will have participated in programs and initiatives that benefit the Black student community and/or have been members of the Student Success Leadership Council. The Student Success Leadership Council is open to students of all backgrounds.
About The Swanns
Bryan and Ryan Swann are alumni, business executives, entrepreneurs, investors, and public servants originally from Maryland. They have led, trained, and coached hundreds of business owners, executives, and students in business, personal development, and financial intelligence to build wealth and a well-balanced life. While in undergrad at the University of Maryland, they both served in the United States Marine Corps Reserve where after a tour in Iraqi, received several medals and awards for outstanding service.
Ryan Swann is currently the Chief Data Analytics Officer at Vanguard, one of the world’s largest asset management firms. Prior to Vanguard, Ryan was a Chief Data Officer at Collibra, E*Trade, and the Office of Government-wide Policy during the Obama Administration. Ryan was a founding member of White House Data Cabinet and a co-author of the first Federal Data Maturity Model. Additionally, Ryan earned his Master of Business Administration and Master of Public Administration from the Wharton School and Harvard University, respectively.
Bryan Swann is currently the Head of Enterprise Data Risk at Capital One. Prior to joining Capital One, Bryan was Head of Global Data Management and Oversight at PayPal, Inc. During his career, Bryan has held several other key leadership positions: Deputy Chief Data Officer for the Department of the Treasury, White House Leadership Fellow, Senior Program Officer for presidential programs at the White House Military Office (under the Obama Administration), as well as leadership roles at the Department of Defense, Home Depot, and ING Investments. Additionally, Bryan earned his Master of Business Administration and Master of Public Administration from the University of Maryland College Park and Harvard University, respectively.
Additionally, Bryan and Ryan have served on a number of boards in both the public and private sectors. They continue their community work by facilitating achievement and success seminars to various organizations. In their free time, they both enjoy investing, technology, mentoring/helping others, playing golf & basketball, fitness, traveling, and time with their family & their church.
Meet Our Scholars
Kediel Lam (2024-2026 Scholar)
Kediel Lam moved to the United States from Senegal with her family when she was just two years old, settling in Nebraska before moving to Maryland in 2007. Adjusting to life in the U.S. was challenging for her family, but they persevered through those struggles and built a strong foundation in our new home. Throughout her life, Kediel has been driven to excel academically and contribute to her community.
As a junior at the University of Maryland, College Park, majoring in information science with a minor in psychology, Kediel has developed a passion for technology and data analysis. She’s an active member of the Dean's Student Advisory Council (DSAC) and serves as the vice-president for the Senegalese-Gambian Student Association (SGSA). Through these leadership roles, Kediel had the opportunity to advocate for students and foster a sense of community within diverse groups.
In addition to her academic pursuits, Kediel has gained valuable professional experience through internships in customer service, data analysis, and marketing, which have helped her hone her problem-solving and communication skills. Kediel’s experiences have inspired her to continue working toward a career that combines technology with community impact, and she is committed to using her education and leadership to contribute meaningfully to society.
Miriam Oke (2022-2024 Scholar)
Miriam Oke is a freshman finance major enrolled at The Robert H. Smith School of Business. She is heavily involved in both The Scholars Program here at UMD as well as within the business school. She also serves as the Scholars Student Advisory Board as the freshman representative as well as The Diversity and Equity Council within Smith. She loves building community with other people.