Markia Eubanks is a cohort 1 scholar and 12^th grader at Baltimore Polytechnic High School. She began her UMB CURE Scholars journey in 2015 as a sixth grader at Southwest Baltimore Charter. She will graduate in May and has already been accepted to sixteen colleges, including Morgan State University, Penn State University, Temple University, and the University of Maryland College Park.

Thanks to her experience with the UMB CURE Scholars Program and her various extracurricular activities, Markia has grown from a shy and timid student to one who takes advantage of every opportunity that comes her way. Recently, Markia was invited to join the prestigious College Park Scholars Program at the University of Maryland. College Park Scholars is a living-learning program for academically talented students that aims to enrich student's undergraduate education by offering an interdisciplinary curriculum, hands-on learning, and intentional community-building. We are very excited for and proud of Markia.

Q: How were you able to balance your academic and extracurricular commitments in a virtual setting?

A: I had a set schedule that made sure I had enough time to focus on my academics while doing extracurriculars. I would often set certain times of the day where I would spend time on my academics in the morning and afternoon and then extracurriculars in the evening. I would also alternate between academics and extracurriculars on the days of the week to make sure that each got the time they needed, sometimes even having to sacrifice some of my free time.

Q: What made you interested in applying for a summer internship with BD?

A: I thought it would be a great opportunity to learn more about medical technology, especially since the world uses technology much more than they ever have and we are very reliant on technology. I thought this experience would be very fun and would show me the advances in health care with medical products. I am very interested in being in the medical field for my career, so I knew it was vital for me to take advantage of this opportunity.

Q: Who is an important role model in your life? Why?

A: My mentor, Sanya Springfield, because she always gives me great advice when I need help with anything and shows that she’s a very caring person. She is a very smart, driven, and successful person who I aspire to be like in the future. I like how humble she is, and you can also notice her determination. I’m very grateful to have her as a mentor and connect with her even outside of the CURE program.

Q: What are you most looking forward to going into your senior year of high school?

A: I am looking forward to continuing to keep my grades at their best so I can end my senior year with a 4.0 GPA or above. I am also excited to finish up my college search and begin applying to colleges, so I can continue to follow my path to become an anesthesiologist. I would also like to stay involved in my school community, so I want to try to join new clubs before I finish high school.