I first heard about the Universities at Shady Grove (USG) at a college fair while I was a student at Montgomery College (MC). I had just started my second year studying biological sciences. I immediately registered to attend the USG Undergraduate Expo, where I learned that the University of Maryland, College Park offered the Biological Sciences program. The program director told me I was eligible to enroll in the Terp Transfer Program (TTP). This Transfer Access Program enabled me to easily transition from MC to USG by getting personalized academic counseling while taking advantage of all the resources available at USG.
After earning my Associate’s degree in Biological Sciences, I applied to the University of Maryland, College Park and was accepted into the Biological Sciences cohort starting in the Fall of 2018. I was compelled by the fact that this program offered additional science courses that make you a competitive candidate for several career paths. I knew USG was the right place for me because of the small class sizes, where I could build relationships with my professors and colleagues. I also had the added bonus of receiving double scholarships, from USG and main campus.
During my first semester at USG, I worked as an office assistant at the Center for Student Engagement and Financial Resources (CSEF). I also joined the USG Student Ambassador program. I love USG because it is really easy to get involved in several leadership opportunities. Currently I am the 2019-2020 USG Student Council President. I am grateful I have the opportunity to give back to USG by sharing all these benefits with prospective students while advocating for current students from all nine universities. All these opportunities have enabled me to develop professional skills in preparation for my career.
My career goal after graduation is to attend medical school. To advance my career in medicine, I joined the Institute for Bioscience and Biotechnology Research (IBBR) right next door to USG as an intern researcher. All the benefits here at USG will enable me to graduate debt-free and ready to take on the next chapter in my life.