Alumnae are building ecosystems to address systemic obstacles
Missions united by purpose
Two UMGC alumnae—Ginger Miller and Qyana M. Stewart—saw gaps in support for the communities they cared about most. Rather than hoping for change, they unleashed their entrepreneurial spirit and built organizations to create it. Their paths are different, but their drive is the same: use lived experience, education, and determination to empower others.
A former boatswain’s mate in the U.S. Navy, Miller created Women Veterans Interactive (WVI), focused on assisting women veterans in transition to post-military life. For 15 years, her organization has supported and engaged women who served.
Qyana M. Stewart earned a Master of Science in Information Technology from UMGC in 2012 and went on to complete a PhD in Higher Education Leadership and Policy Studies from Howard University.
She launched a technology consultancy in mid-2018 and founded GlobalForce for Girls (GFG) two years later. The latter is a nonprofit facilitating advancement for young women of color in technology.
Reframing debates
Miller, who briefly experienced homelessness following a medical discharge from the Navy, steers away from the idea of the "broken” veteran—one defined by health or social complications stymying reintegration.
"It’s not just talking about homelessness anymore," said Miller. "We're talking empowerment and addressing needs differently."
Stewart, from a self-professed line of entrepreneurs, pointed out that simply starting a business takes on many misunderstood forms.
"There is a connotation around hustling, which can be taken positively or negatively," said Stewart. “I always like to reframe this notion by calling it what it is. It is entrepreneurship.”
Educational attainment builds community, opens doors
Stewart completed her PhD at Howard University, continuing on a path that included formative time with UMGC.
Following her undergraduate studies, she described a struggle with institutional and foundational structures in higher education. Not to mention the technology.
"I wanted to better understand institutional challenges and needs, and work to be a change agent," said Stewart. "I thought that returning to school for my graduate education, particularly focused on IT, would help."
UMGC stood out as different.
"I did not want to return to the traditional sort of classroom," she said. "I was able to interact with other students from around the globe. It really did feel like I had the sense of community."
Miller first considered UMGC for a degree that felt necessary to be taken seriously. The experience evolved into a world she returns to frequently – whether speaking at events or accepting awards.
"I said, I want to go to this school because it fits who I am. It talked to me as a veteran and as a mother," said Miller.
She recalled the experience warmly, noting how the strong connections have continued well beyond obtaining a degree.
“It's nice to be an alum of UMGC, because it's something I can be proud of,” said Miller.
Determination and collaboration grow the mission
Describing herself as a finisher, Miller’s passion and commitment to her nonprofit once led her to pass up an opportunity to be director of the Center for Women Veterans at the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.
“I turned it down because WVI was not in position to continue without me,” she said. “I also felt like I could be a better ally inside WVI.”
Stewart acts on lessons learned, including from young women she mentored earlier in her career who were running into familiar barriers. She recalled meeting women with brilliant ideas who only lacked the infrastructure to amplify their voices.
Years into her nonprofit effort, change is evident.
“I see more women rallying around each other and supporting each other. We're all figuring out how to create ecosystems together,” she said.
How to act: Advice from nonprofit founders
While Stewart has leveraged education to drive her progress, she still stresses the “importance of listening to your gut.”
“Take a look at the people around you. If you see them being creative, finding alternate paths to generating income, or building things, pay attention,” she said. “Apply some of the learnings as you go.”
Miller has risen to the level of political appointment by a U.S. President and is part of the oral history of that office. Her advice is equally fundamental.
“Know your why,” she said. “Understand the community. Know the movers and shakers, the other organizations that are serving alongside.”
Hear more from Ginger Miller in the UMGC podcast Unstoppable Stories: Resilience in Action (June 2025).
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