Brandon Grier (PENDING)

1) Where did you graduate from high school?
Harding University High School Charlotte, North Carolina, USA.

2) Where did you graduate from college?
I graduated from UNC Charlotte with a B.S. in Health Systems Management with a minor in Health and Medical Humanities. I also studied Biology and German at North Carolina Central University. 

3) What are your current UNC Charlotte academic majors?
Master of Public Health.

4) Which GPSG goal are you most excited to help accomplish this year—and why?
 I am most excited to help increase and maintain 95% attendance at each of the GPSG monthly Senate meetings. Without maximum attendance, we can’t achieve the maximum result that our Grad students are looking for. We need to make sure everyone has a voice in their own success. 

5) What is one thing in your bag/backpack right now that you probably shouldn’t admit to carrying around?
Probably the bag of crushed Lance crackers in the front pocket. I’ll get rid of them…eventually.

6) If you had to write your thesis/dissertation as a Netflix show, what would it be called?
The Real War at Home: Addressing the American Mental Health Crisis.

7) What is one important thing every graduate student at UNC Charlotte should know?
You don’t need to do this alone. Connect with other students and get to know your facility while you’re working on your grad/ post grad courses. You never know who can offer you the help that you might’ve been looking for.

8) What’s your go-to response when grad school gets overwhelming?
I have a song that I’ve listened to for years when I’m overwhelmed. “Hundred” by Khalid. It’s a very emotional song but I'm sure many of you will relate to the lyrics. 

9) What’s one thing you wish someone had told you before starting grad school at UNC Charlotte?
Do not fall for the First semester. The initial/introduction courses to many majors will give people a false sense of the work load required to graduate. Don’t fall into the trap! 

10) If your personality were the result of two famous people combining their traits, who would they be—and why?
James Baldwin and Mr. Rogers. I believe in compassion and I do my best to enlighten those around me about the struggles of the average person. I fight against division and educate those who are willing to learn and change. Some people will love me for it, others will disagree. As long as dialogue is created, progress can be made.

11) Dream Job?
My dream job would be to either run a non-profit that assists urban and rural youth with access to mental healthcare or to be a part of an organization that specializes in helping Veterans reintegrate into society and the workforce, while providing resources to help them stay stable through their transition.