Erika Miller is a University of Maryland, Baltimore Master of Health Sciences degree candidate.

Why did you choose the UMB the CURE Scholars Program?

During my first year of graduate school, I was enrolled in the President’s Student Leadership Institute. One requirement of the program was to partake in community service. Of the many organizations to select from, I chose to serve my community by becoming a mentor to UMB CURE Scholars to encourage students to pursue STEM-related careers, build self-confidence, and ensure that students continue to excel.

What is your favorite thing about the UMB CURE Scholars Program?

My favorite thing is that the program is composed of a great number of mentors attending various institutions with different educational backgrounds who are very much dedicated to seeing each student succeed. Also, another aspect that sets this program apart from other mentoring programs within the community is the training that mentors receive to identify signs of trauma in school-aged children and ways to establish effective communication between mentors and mentees.

What project have you most enjoyed working on with our scholars so far?

It has been a pleasure witnessing the students grow and assisting them as they completed their research projects this year. By enabling students to explore their interests and perform research, they have become more proficient in writing, reading comprehension, and public speaking.

In what ways will your mentoring experience with the UMB CURE Scholars Program prepare you as a health care professional?

Mentoring the CURE Scholars has better prepared me to assess the academic needs of students and pinpoint areas of improvement. This experience will be useful to apply to any future global health projects I may participate in so that I may identify health needs of a community or population and establish health programs to resolve any issues.