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Service, school work are labors of love
A passion for community service shapes one scholar's plans for the future
By David Lai, CollegeBound Scholar
 When people see how much I do in terms of extra-curricular activities and coursework, they usually wonder why I would put myself through such punishment. My answer is, "I don't." Nothing I do can be called work, because I do what I love. Love is the ultimate pick-me-up, able to do what coffee or energy drinks can never do. "Live neither in the past nor in the future, but let each day's work absorb your entire energies, and satisfy your widest ambition," this quote from Sir William Osler, the "Father of Modern Medicine," is perhaps the best way to describe my life's philosophy. This philosophy has enabled me to obtain so much for myself and allowed me to develop a sense of duty to serve others, a duty that I can not call such because I truly love the work. Currently, I am a freshman bioengineering major at the University of Maryland College Park. I will not say that my days are easy, but I will definitely say that I live each day to the fullest and that I love what I do, even if what I do puts me through perils and struggles. My extra-curricular activities include Residence Hall Association, Alpha Phi Omega National Service Fraternity, hosting perspective students, and simply hanging out with friends, something that keeps me grounded and focused. The right balance of study and fun is a necessity in life, one that took me years to learn and one that I can still forget in stressful times. High school was an extremely good time for me. Titles I boasted were president of the band program and president of the National Honor Society. I also gave a great deal of my time to community service, recording over 1,000 hours of service by graduation and winning the Medal of Honor from my alma mater, Baltimore Polytechnic Institute. Was any of this work? No, I enjoyed every hour I gave of myself to those that needed it. Just as important as the thanks I received was the time I spent with friends in doing service. These are moments I still enjoy in college. Presently, I have many paths before me and many passions: biology, law, engineering, laboratory work and discovery, and serving the next generation of scholars. My current goal is to teach college students and perform research, but I'm also considering law school. The path I choose to take is yet to be discovered, but there is time. "Carpe diem," seizing the day, is what I will use to find that path and ensure my success in school and beyond. Thank you, CollegeBound Foundation, for coming along for the ride to see my dreams come to fruition, and for footing some of the bill. |
Students named Gates Millennium Scholars
Two CollegeBound-served high school scholars honored with national award
Antwan Branch of Doris M. Johnson High School and Lance McCoy of Mergenthaler Vo-Tech, both CollegeBound-staffed schools, have joined the ranks of the distinguished Gates Millennium Scholars.
 Antwan Branch is a well rounded student and talented athlete who excels on the varsity football and wrestling teams. He is one the most respectful and nicest people you will ever meet, say his teachers. Ranking second in his class, Antwan aims to further his education at University of Maryland College Park or Towson University. He plans to major in engineering.
 Lance McCoy ranks third in his class and is captain of the wrestling team. He is also a member of the National Honor Society and track, lacrosse and cross country teams. Lance plans to major in accounting and international business at Johns Hopkins University where he has also received a Baltimore Scholars four-year, full-tuition scholarship.
The Gates Millennium Scholarship covers unmet need. In addition to received financial assistance, Antwan and Lance will also receive leadership development and the possibility of graduate school funding. This year the program has awarded 1,000 minority students across the country and 13,000 since its inception in 1999. According to the website, the program, initially funded by a $1 billion grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, provides opportunities for outstanding minority students with significant financial need to reach their highest potential. | |
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PROGRAM HIGHLIGHT:
Transition to College Workshops
Each year CollegeBound Foundation sponsors pre-college workshops for students in each of the 28 Baltimore City public high schools we staff. Organized and presented by the CBF Scholarship, Research, & Retention Services Staff, retention specialists Jamie Tang and Patrick Young visited each high school during March and April to present a fact-filled crash course on college. The workshops prepare our students for the challenging and exciting journey they are about to embark on and they are clued into what past students wish they had known before going away to college.
The workshopa are divided into three parts: financial planning, study skills, and time management. Topics range from paying the bills, managing deadlines, prioritizing, and creating a budget to understanding academic expectations, note taking techniques, understanding syllabi, and handling stress. The worshop also addresses possible road blocks a student might encounter. Students learn of ways to deal with a myriad of issues: roommate concerns, trouble with professors, financial aid woes, as well as dealing with loneliness and isolation in a new and sometimes frightening situation.
Students are encouraged to ask questions in a welcoming and interactive environment. Each participant receives a handbook chock full of suggestions for making the most of freshman year. Additionally, CollegeBound provides each student with a sample undergraduate course catalog so they can begin to understand how to select classes and plan for the next four years.
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