The University of Maryland, Baltimore (UMB) is transforming lives in West Baltimore with initiatives like the UMB CURE Scholars Program, a groundbreaking health care pipeline program that serves 65 sixth- and seventh-graders from three middle schools near the University.
The program, in its second year, identifies promising middle school students and prepares them for health care and research careers through hands-on workshops, lab experiences, and mentorship from UMB faculty, students, and staff.
Each scholar enjoys weekly tutoring, science lessons, and interpersonal skill development on both the UMB campus and at his/her middle school. The young scholars are well on their way to becoming more informed, more prepared, more confident, and more excited about the many STEM-related career paths and opportunities that could await them in their future. This program attempts to break the cycle of poverty in West Baltimore.
Take the story of UMB CURE Scholar of the Year Shakeer Franklin, a seventh-grader at Franklin Square Elementary/Middle School. Uninterested his last few years of elementary school — “I was being a very bad me,” he admits — Shakeer began to apply himself when he entered the UMB CURE Scholars Program in sixth grade.
“I like science because the world is made up of science,” says Shakeer, who often hears gunshots near his home in West Baltimore. The newly motivated seventh-grader now speaks of becoming a psychotherapist. Once content with C’s and D’s because they were “passing” grades, “now I hold myself to a higher standard,” says Shakeer, who strives for straight A’s.
Moved to tears when he was named UMB CURE Scholar of the Year, “Shaq” sees a brighter future “because I’m going to be one of those to make it better.”
More than 100 UMB faculty, staff, and students contribute to UMB CURE as mentors, providing a 5:1 mentor-to-scholar ratio, maximizing the scholars’ learning. One of the mentors, Malinda Hughes, chief of staff in the Office of Academic Affairs and the Graduate School, thinks so much of the program she donated her $1,500 prize to UMB CURE when she was named University Employee of the Year on March 29.
Asked why she did it, Malinda said: “My office is two doors down from Robin Saunders, the UMB CURE executive director. I see how hard they work and I see the fruits of their labor by being a mentor. Donating the award money to this program will be the very best use for it.”
Malinda’s donation will assist UMB CURE in various ways. If you would like to join Malinda and other fellow employees in donating any amount to the UMB CURE Scholars Program, please visit www.umaryland.edu/support-cure.