SIERRA GREY-COKER
Sondheim Public Affairs Scholar & Honors College Certificate
Majors: Math
Minors: Statistics, Public Health
Hometown: Takoma Park, MD
Sierra showed remarkable leadership in the Sondheim Scholars Program, as well as outstanding dedication to her intellectual life at UMBC. Sierra served as the first chairperson of the Sondheim Steering Committee, and she made important contributions to building community. Sierra and a small group of other Sondheim Scholars planned and ran the inaugural Sondheim Retreat in 2019. In addition, Sierra worked with program staff to strengthen the peer mentoring program and collaborated with fellow Sondheim Scholars to plan social events. Sierra contributed to the campus community through her sustained involvement with UMBC’s SGA. Sierra has longstanding interests in math, statistics, and public health, and she pursued many opportunities related to these interests during her time at UMBC. These opportunities included serving as a teaching assistant and SI PASS leader, and being selected for the competitive Boston University Summer Institute in Biostatistics program. After graduation, Sierra will pursue a PhD in Biostatistics at Johns Hopkins University as a Health Equity Scholar.
A few thoughts from Sierra on her time as a Sondheim Scholar:
What are you most proud of from your time at UMBC?
I am most proud of the friendships and other connections I made during my time at UMBC.
What is your most memorable public service experience as a Sondheim Scholar?
My most memorable public service experience as a Sondheim Scholar was serving for a semester at the Regional Institute for Children and Adolescents (RICA).
What was your favorite Sondheim event?
My favorite Sondheim event is the Fall Retreat!
“I am incredibly grateful for my time at UMBC and as a Sondheim Scholar. My life is truly better for this program and the people I have met through it.”