With support from faculty, staff, and her peers, Maia Turman Cooke ’26, English and political science, not only thrived in her double major but also challenged herself by joining the McNair Scholars Program and working as a workforce and education advocate for the Shriver Center’s Choice Program. An Honors College student, she was awarded a 2025–2026 undergraduate research award to conduct a qualitative study on British Columbia’s 2023 drug decriminalization policy, and her paper “Theoretical Potrayals: Lauryn Hill’s Self Love and Resistance Against Intimate Consequences,” was recently published in the UMBC Review. This fall, she begins work on a Ph.D. in English at the University of Maryland, College Park.
Q: What attracted you to UMBC?
A: During my senior year of high school, I moved from Brooklyn, New York, to southern Maryland, where my mom’s side of the family lives. At first, I thought I wanted to return to New York for school, but, after thinking things through, I realized I wanted to stay near my mom and her family. When I visited UMBC, I had never seen a school so diverse. And there was a section on the UMBC website that said, “15 minutes from Baltimore, one hour from D.C., and 3 hours from New York.” And as soon as I saw that, I was sold. I thought it was the best thing to do, and I’m glad I did it.
Q: What excites you about your two majors, and why did you choose them?
A: My mom wanted me to be a lawyer because of how much I argued with her! All my undergraduate applications were in political science. But literature was always such a huge part of me. I also realized how much I enjoyed writing the college application essays, and I realized I wanted to do English. Then, at orientation, I met a senior with an English and political science major. That was the first time I’d ever heard of double majoring. I thought, I’m going to do that. The intersecting qualities that English and political science have helped me understand my communities, learn how to better communicate, and how to represent and advocate for communities.
Q: What surprised you the most about your student experience at UMBC?
A: I guess what surprised me the most was what the McNair Scholars Program could do for my life. At the beginning of the application process, it seemed like a lot, and I wanted to quit—I didn’t want to join. The director of the McNair Scholars program, Dr. Michael Hunt, called me and said, “Just see it through, see it out. If you don’t like it when you get more involved, then you can leave.”
There were a lot of expectations, like pursuing graduate school. I knew I’d want to go to grad school, but I knew nothing about what it actually held. And I didn’t know a single thing about research when I started my first research project. I was so overwhelmed because I thought I had to solve every world problem. But my peers convinced me to stay. Soon, that work became a normal part of my schedule. I had no idea what research was, and now it’s something I’m super passionate about. Everyone has been so amazing.
Maia Turman Cooke (far left on lower low) with student colleagues. (Image courtesy of Turman Cooke.)
Q: Can you share more about your enthusiasm for the McNair Scholars Program?
A: I never knew what a strong and supportive academic community could look like, and they go above and beyond for every single person. Being able to prove myself, as well as supporting other people, has been a really great experience. The McNair Scholars Program also helped me financially, so that I could attend events I never could have afforded on my own. The McNair Scholars Program is not just within UMBC—it’s a nationwide program. There was a time when I was in a program through Penn State, and I met a peer who was also a McNair Scholar. It excites me to know that there’s a huge network I can keep meeting as I go along the way with my career.
Q: How have your experiences with the Shriver Center impacted your time at UMBC?
A: As a freshman, I applied to the Shriver Living Learning Community and then became connected to The Choice Program, which completely transformed my life. I started as a student coordinator for the College Night events, which is when students from Baltimore City visit the campus for different activities. I then decided to join the Choice Program as a job coach—a workforce and education advocate. I’ve been working with around 5 to 10 Baltimore youth, helping them with their professional, academic, and even personal goals. I’ve always wanted to serve my community, and it was such a great introduction to Baltimore, learning systems, skills, and understanding how to best support my community. I’ve grown a lot from the lessons they’ve taught me as well.
Q: And were there any faculty who especially supported you during your time at UMBC?
A: Oh my gosh, yes. Yes, so many—I can’t even count. First, Dr. Hunt, the director of the McNair Scholars Program. If not for him, I probably would have dropped out so long ago. Ting Huang, the McNair program coordinator, as well—she’s like Dr. Hunt’s right arm. Dr. Earl Brooks, an associate professor of English, who is my research mentor, introduced me to the whole world of rhetorical studies. Crazy enough, I’ve never taken one of his classes, but he just took time out of his personal and academic life to mentor me and introduced me to so many programs and conferences. Dr. Keegan Finberg, an assistant professor of English, introduced me to English research papers, helping with the structure of my papers—I really like playing with words and articulating myself in creative ways that push the boundaries of academia.
Maia Turman Cooke with Dr. Earl Brooks at URCAD 2025. (Image courtesy of Turman Cooke.)
Q: What do you feel most proud of from your time at UMBC?
A: My paper on Lauryn Hill, who is a singer, songwriter, and producer, is something I hold dear to my heart—it was just published in the UMBC Review. I was super happy. It was actually in Dr. Finberg’s English class that I learned that you can close read music, movies, anything outside of a formal paper, novel, or book structure. I chose a single Lauren Hill song for her class, but when it came to my McNair research, I decided to look at her whole album, The Miseducation of Lauren Hill. Having that opportunity to take something so personal to me and apply my close reading skills in a professional setting was something I never thought was possible.
Q: How did you manage to keep a work-life balance?
A: One day at a time, honestly. There were days when I knew I had to focus on one area of my life. And my planner—I wouldn’t be moving or running without my handwritten planner. There were some days when I knew I couldn’t work on a paper because I was so tired of reading my own work—my mind was about to explode. So, I think listening to myself every day, prioritizing myself, and my mental health.
Q: What are your post-graduation plans?
A: I’m starting an English Ph.D. program at the University of Maryland, College Park. I’m super excited about that. Long term, I don’t know, but the work I did with the Choice Program has changed my life entirely. I’d like to find a community service organization that advocates for a grassroots cause. Given that UMD is close to Washington, D.C., I hope to move in more political spaces.
Maia Turman Cooke ’26 presents at URCAD in 2025. (Image courtesy of Turman Cooke.)
Q: What advice would you give to new students?
A: Push yourself to be extroverted, if you can, not limiting yourself to one space. Go to as many meetings as you can, and talk to people. Push yourself a little bit, and you’ll meet so many people, discover important resources, and learn more about yourself and your connections. You will be introduced to a whole other world if you just meet someone or go somewhere!