- Pronouns:
- She/Her
Maya, who is from Indianapolis, intends to study biology on a premedical track at IU. She is excited about having been accepted into the Wells Scholars Program: “It is truly the opportunity of a lifetime, and I am so proud of the work it took to get here.” At IU, she wants to challenge herself with her courses and eagerly anticipates trying out student organizations. Her dream dinner guest would be Michelle Obama, whose writing and personal tenacity she admires. Not surprisingly, one of her favorite books is Michelle Obama’s Becoming (Maia also loves Brit Bennett’s The Vanishing Half and Zora Neale Hurston’s Her Eyes Were Watching God). Maia loves a quote by her namesake, the writer Maya Angelou: “We delight in the beauty of the butterfly but rarely admit the changes it has gone through to achieve that beauty.” And she lives by her dad’s wise insight that “intelligence means nothing without empathy and honesty.” Maia would like to thank her mom, who remains her role model: “She is an amazing woman, mother, and wife. I admire her for everything she devotes to her family and friends.” Maia has been shaped by her battle with childhood cancer: “Throughout my treatments, I saw firsthand the kindness and impact of healthcare workers. This experience has propelled me toward my pursuit in medicine.” She dreams about studying in Sweden, where she would like to study a progressive healthcare system. Maya will hold the William A. and Gayle K. Cook Scholarship.