Queensbury High School senior Maya Starr was asleep when her mother came home with some news.
“She called me down, and I thought, ‘Oh no, am I in trouble or something?’” she recalled.
Maya sat around the table with her parents and grandparents and learned that she was one of two students to earn a full-tuition scholarship to the Albany College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences based on her GPA and community engagement.
“Maya has and continues to take honors level courses, IB courses, and college courses,” according to an article on the college’s website. “Her letters of recommendation mention her commitment and determination in succeeding, particularly when taking on new, challenging coursework. In addition, she is cited for her admirable volunteer work/community service with a local church, food pantry, and shelter, and McCann Pharmacy in Hudson Falls, N.Y.”
Maya was accepted at ACPHS last fall and is interested in pursuing pharmacy.
“Just the thought of helping people is my main focus and goal in life,” said Maya, who originally wanted to be a doctor, but decided pharmacy school was less expensive and still provided her the opportunity to work in the medical field.
She was also looking at pharmacy schools in Florida, but is now content staying closer to home and closer to her parents. She was also impressed with the amenities at Albany Pharmacy.
“Their dorm life is amazing, because the freshman dorms, we’re lucky enough to get our own bathroom and our own AC unit,” she said. “I think it comes with a microwave and a fridge. I don’t think you can get much better than that.”
Maya, who is a member of National Honor Society, Spanish Honor Society, Business and Marketing Honor Society and the Astronomy Club at QHS, plans to join the club volleyball team at college. She leaves at the end of August.
“I don’t want to put my parents thousands of dollars in debt just to help me pay for college and even put myself into debt,” she said. “When this opportunity arose to go to college for free at Albany Pharmacy, it was a surreal moment.”