Cynthia Yvette Blaney, Class of 2019, graduated from Howard University with Magna Cum Laude honor distinctions. She has earned a Bachelor of Science in biology with a minor in chemistry and plans to attend medical school. Cynthia will cherish the warm memories she had made throughout her undergraduate studies, such as completing two research internships at Bristol Myers Squibb, shadowing physicians abroad in Italy, and reconnecting with her Stuart Country Day community when she provided a guided tour of Howard’s historic campus for Stuart’s Black Student Union during her senior year.
My experience as a lifer student at Stuart Country Day equipped me with the tools and skills to succeed as an aspiring physician. I was introduced to the five Sacred Heart goals at an early age. Goal three, in particular, fostered my lifelong commitment to service and has motivated me to give back to my community as an academic tutor, intensive care unit volunteer, and high school mentor. As a STEM endorsement track participant, my interest in the sciences prompted me to major in biology and minor in chemistry at Howard University. During my college education, I continued to strengthen my interest in STEM by participating in two research internships. I also engaged in Stuart's Environmental Science Emersion Trip in Iceland and the Sacred Heart Exchange Program in Nates, France. Both experiences prompted my cultural competence and gave me the confidence to understand global perspectives further as I shadowed physicians in Genoa, Italy last summer. As I enter this next step of applying to medical school next year, my experiences and the instilled five goals will prepare me to make a positive impact in healthcare. I am continuously thankful for my parents' investment in my Stuart education to make this all possible.