Hadia Saroya is a sophomore at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC) majoring in Biological Sciences on the Pre-Med track.

Hadia heard about the UMB CURE Scholars Program through UMBC’s Shriver Center which connects UMBC students to applied learning/service-learning experiences in our community. As a freshman, Hadia was really eager to get involved and give back to the Baltimore community, so she reached out and was able to learn about the CURE program. Now she’s a mentor to a sixth-grade scholar.

Q: What has been your favorite part about a CURE mentor?

A: My favorite part about being in CURE has been getting to know all of the wonderful scholars on a personal level as well as meeting the other mentors that come from so many diverse backgrounds. I love how the CURE Program creates a sense of community among the various individuals that are working together to inspire and support the scholars to achieve their highest potential.

Q: What is your favorite moment with your scholar?

A: One of my favorite moments with my scholar would be during one of CURE’s after-school enrichment sessions where we conducted an experiment using yeast, sugar, and balloons to see if a gas would be released into the balloon to inflate it. While our experiment was initially unsuccessful in the first trial, my scholar and I were able to refine our steps to get the expected result in the remaining trials. Through this process, my scholar was able to learn about the importance of multiple trials in the scientific process. It was a great learning experience and I really enjoyed seeing all of the scholars having fun while learning about the scientific process through a hands-on experience.

Q: How has COVID impacted your relationship with your scholar? How do you stay connected?

A: Unfortunately, due to COVID, I haven’t been able to see my scholar in person, which is something I definitely miss, and I cannot wait until we can safely reunite.  To stay connected, my scholar and I continuously keep in contact through text and FaceTime. This allows us to stay in touch with each other during these unusual times and is a way for me to check-in to ensure her and her family are well. 

Q: Why is mentoring/being a mentor important to you?

A: Being a mentor is important to me because I truly believe it will allow me to make a positive and meaningful difference in someone’s life. Additionally, being a mentor has really allowed me to grow and learn more about myself as I inspire and motivate others. Through my experience as a mentor in the CURE program, I have learned so much about building meaningful relationships, serving as a motivator, and being empathetic and understanding of others. This has been an invaluable experience that has allowed me to meet so many amazing people while helping others. I would definitely, without a doubt, recommend the CURE program to everyone!