My Lantern Scholars Story: Brittany Thomas '29

Hi! My name is Brittany Thomas, I’m a first year at Bryn Mawr, and I am from Pittsburgh, PA. My current plan is to major in Physics and transition that degree into engineering in the 4+1 program at BMC. 

The Lantern Scholars program came onto my radar as I was looking for ways to visit schools, and Bryn Mawr’s gorgeous campus really stuck out to me.

Looking at the campus led me to research the school. After seeing everything the school offered and the collaborative and genuine community, I  wanted to have a glimpse of what it would actually look like to go to Bryn Mawr, which led me to apply for Lantern Scholars. During the three days, I was able to explore Philly and see what being that close to a city could do for me.

My personal favorite parts included walking the Rocky Steps, exploring the art museum, and finally getting ice cream at the Reading Terminal Market. I was also able to explore campus by seeing most of the residential halls and different types of dorms I could end up in. This definitely put some of my anxiety to ease because I was very nervous about the living situation since I’m used to having my own space.

Additionally, I was able to sit in on a Physics 101 class, which really helped me envision myself on campus and as a student of BMC. Coming into the college process, I knew I was going to focus on physics, so being able to see what that was like right off the bat, not only set Bryn Mawr apart but also excited me for my future. This class was truly the turning point in setting BMC apart from the other schools I looked at during the college process.

Now that I am at Bryn Mawr, I'm involved with the Owl Ambassadors program, and one of my best friends on campus is also a former Lantern Scholar.

These connections have made the adjustments to Bryn Mawr ten times easier, because I have been able to lean on people who have had similar experiences to me, which is always a perk in the hard adjustment of college. Although I wouldn’t say that Lantern Scholars set my heart on Bryn Mawr, it did set a standard on how I viewed the rest of the colleges I visited. As I continued my search, I quickly realized that those standards that I had gained in that short weekend were only going to be met at BMC.

"I quickly realized that those standards that I had gained in that short weekend were only going to be met at BMC."

If I were to speak to a senior who was looking into the fly-in program, I could not recommend enough the importance of at least throwing your name into the hat for the program. I was able to truly see what my life would look like as a Bryn Mawr student, and I am so grateful to be able to say that my BMC journey started in October of 2024. As a high school student, this whole process is long, tiring, and stressful, and I know it can feel like it just adds to what you must do to secure your future. But those three days could completely change the trajectory of your college process, and I could not recommend the fly-in enough!