The first students in a new living-learning STEM program (Students Achieving Results in Science) arrived on campus in early August to jump-start their academic careers at UMES. Half of them (pictured at left) are pursuing degrees within the School of Agricultural and Natural Sciences.
“Campus is bigger than I expected, but not so large as to feel uncomfortable,” said Amaris Cary of Baltimore. Also a Marylander, Qureyin Wilkinson of Gaithersburg seconded the thought, “I hope being here, I’ll meet a lot of interesting people who have different backgrounds than myself.”
“This is one of the most comprehensive scholarships that we have at UMES,” said Tiara Cornelius, executive director of the STEM STARS program at UMES and associate professor and chair of the Department of Mathematics. “The goal is to increase the number of students of color who have Ph.D.s.”
The STARS, who are also Richard A. Henson Honors students, got a glimpse of what college life will be like during their monthlong orientation. Cary listed the lab experiences as being among her favorite activities. “It opened me up to what it will be like when the semester starts and I intern in a biology lab.” Wilkinson said a highlight for him was the experiments with alkaline and acidity and their reactions in water.
“We received funding from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute to create a science research track for students who would consider going on to graduate schools to earn Ph.D.s in their fields,” said Jonathan Cumming, chair of the Department of Natural Sciences. “With the program, we were able to attract top-talent high school seniors to UMES and get them started on their career journeys. This is our first cohort, and we’ll be able to recruit 10 additional students every year moving forward.”
Cumming, along with Dr. Victor Hsia, chair of UMES’ Pharmaceutical Sciences program, were instrumental in receiving a $2.5 million, five-year Howard Hughes Medical Institute Driving Change Initiative award in November of last year to fund the program. UMES’ award was one of six nationwide and the only HBCU funded through the initiative to “create inclusive environments, promote student success and recognize the institutional practices and historical context that are barriers to inclusion.”
UMES has awarded 60 percent of its degrees over the past several years in STEM fields, many of which fall within the School of Agricultural and Natural Sciences.
STEM STAR Victoria Casteel, a biology major from Largo, Maryland, is a pre-med major with thoughts of being a plastic surgeon, while Wilkinson, a general agriculture major with a pre-vet concentration, aims to treat four-legged patients.
“Interning in an animal hospital in high school was a fun experience that allowed me to see what veterinarians actually do,” Wilkinson said. “I also saw staff work nine-hour days and know how difficult it is for them to get help and staffing. Opening my own veterinary practice to serve the community is my plan.”
Cary is a budding marine scientist along with her peers in the program, Alleyah Britton of Laurel, Maryland, and Eli Ward of Cheltenham, Pennsylvania.
Britton, who enjoyed the outing to the beach during the orientation, said she wants to “start getting into conservation” by working on research in a lab and the field. Ward, also an environmental science major, wants to do research “engaging with the natural world.” He plans to “protect and conserve” it for future generations.
“I think we can expect great things to come from our STARS,” Cumming said. “The program allows UMES to provide value-added training and wrap-around support, which we will be able to supply to all UMES STEM majors and future members of the scientific community. Our goal is to have students like these become future researchers and faculty members at universities across the nation.”
Gail Stephens, agricultural communications, University of Maryland Eastern Shore, School of Agricultural and Natural Sciences, gcstephens@umes.edu, 410-621-3850.
Photos by Todd Dudek, agricultural communications, University of Maryland Eastern Shore, School of Agricultural and Natural Sciences, tdudek@umes.edu.
At top: STEM STARS pursing degrees within the School of Agricultural and Natural Sciences, from left, are: Eli Ward (environmental science, marine science), Alleyah Britton (environmental science, marine science), Victoria Casteel (biology, pre-med), Amaris Cary (environmental science, marine science) and Qureyin Wilkinson (general agriculture, pre-vet).
