Malik is a Gates Millennium Scholar, proud Baltimore Polytechnic Institute alumnus, and engaged member of many communities. Since freshman year, Malik has volunteered weekly with the College Gardens after-school program in Baltimore City, where he has become a longterm mentor to many of the students in the program. Malik has also volunteered as a STEM activity leader and campus tour guide as part of the UMBC – Commodore John Rodgers School partnership. On campus, Malik has been part of the Game Development Club, and worked as a Welcome Week Leader and an A-Team member with Undergraduate Admissions.
Malik has found great value in the academic courses that are part of the Sondheim Scholars Program. In Malik’s words: “For me, the first defining experiences of Sondheim are the freshman year classes: English 100P and PUB 150H, the Public Affairs Seminar. Within both classes, I not only had the opportunity to get to know my peers’ through discussing, debating and sharing experiences, but I also got to know myself. Throughout the classes, we were tasked with examining real, current structures and policies through various lenses…since coming to college, I knew I’d always wanted to “give back” but because of Sondheim, I understand more (and am continuing to learn) about what “giving back” looks like.”
As a UMBC student, Malik participated in the Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (SURF NIST) after his freshman year, and he has also completed two computer science internships in California.
Where He Is Now – Malik has completed his summer internship with IBM and is pursing his master’s degree in Computer Science!