Advocacy in Action: Briana McGregor’s Journey at UMD
Between rebuilding the NAACP chapter at UMD, working within the Maryland General Assembly, and balancing leadership roles across campus, Briana McGregor has built a college experience centered around advocacy, public service, and community impact.
The senior Government and Politics major has become deeply involved on campus and in Maryland politics, using her experiences to advocate for others while continuing to challenge herself. While leadership now plays a major role in her work, McGregor says stepping into those positions required her to grow more confident in spaces that once pushed her outside of her comfort zone.
That growth has shaped nearly every part of her experience at UMD.
As Political Action Chair for the newly rechartered NAACP chapter at UMD, McGregor has helped lead efforts to rebuild the organization’s presence on campus after years of inactivity. Working alongside fellow student leaders, she has helped organize events centered around advocacy, voting rights, policy awareness, and community engagement, while encouraging students to become more informed and involved in issues affecting their communities.
This semester, those efforts helped contribute to the induction of 43 new NAACP members — a milestone that reflected months of outreach, collaboration, and consistent campus involvement.
“We just had people that genuinely wanted to be a part of this,” McGregor said. “We wanted people to feel involved, informed, and connected to the work we were doing.”
McGregor’s passion for advocacy and politics grew as she watched major political and social moments unfold across the country. During the rise of the Black Lives Matter movement, she attended protests with her family and became more engaged in conversations surrounding policy, activism, and representation. Those experiences eventually pushed her toward Government and Politics and helped her realize she wanted to be directly involved in creating change.
“If I want to give back to my community and be a voice for my community, I need to be in the room where the change is happening,” she said.
That mindset has carried directly into her academic and professional experiences. Outside of campus leadership, McGregor has spent the past three years working within the Maryland General Assembly, where she has gained firsthand experience with policymaking, legislative advocacy, and campaign operations. She currently interns for Delegate Melissa Wells while also serving as a Field Director for Delegate Andrea Harrison, balancing responsibilities that range from committee hearings and testimony sessions to campaign outreach and community events.
Her time in GVPT has helped strengthen that work. Courses focused on law, policy, and political systems challenged her academically while helping her better understand how government functions beyond the classroom. She credits Professor Spivey and Professor Kumar with helping shape her academic growth throughout her time in the department.
Even with her growing list of accomplishments, McGregor says leadership is still something she actively works at every day. Organizing events, speaking in front of groups, and stepping into leadership roles pushed her beyond her comfort zone, but those experiences have helped her become more confident in both her voice and her ability to lead.
“I feel very fulfilled after my events are done,” McGregor said. “I’ve shown people how much I care, and I’m hoping that me caring so much will make them care.”
Much of that motivation comes from her father, whom she describes as her biggest inspiration. From introducing her to political conversations at a young age to supporting her throughout her time at Maryland, she says his encouragement continues to fuel her drive to succeed.
“Seeing how proud he is of me — that’s my biggest inspiration,” McGregor said.
As she prepares for graduation, McGregor hopes the work she and her fellow student leaders have started will continue long after they leave campus. More than anything, she hopes students continue pushing themselves to get involved, advocate for others, and take chances on opportunities that may initially feel intimidating, just as she did.
Published on Mon, 05/18/2026 - 10:56