Now, we turn our attention to a program at the University of Maryland Baltimore (UMB) that is working to address the lack of diversity in the biomedical field, by inspiring students to pursue STEM-based careers. It’s called the CURE Scholars Program. CURE stands for Continuing Umbrella of Research Experiences. Now in its sixth year at UMB, the CURE Scholars Program partners with three West Baltimore public schools, offering mentorship and experiences to kids beginning in middle school.

On Monday, October 25th at 9pm, Maryland Public Television will air a documentary film that features students in the program, called 10th and 11th Grade: West Baltimore. The documentary also is available online at the MPT website, where it streams through November 25th.

Tom spoke on Tuesday of this week with Princaya Sanders, a senior at Western High School, and Ivan Lamos-Sanchez, the College and Career Specialist at CURE, who has been helping Princaya with her college applications.

We hear their recorded conversation, and then we're joined live by Dr. Gia Grier McGinnis, the executive director of the UMB CURE Scholars Program. She joins us on Zoom.

Email us at [email protected], tweet us: @MiddayWYPR, or call us at 410-662-8780.