It was a really good experience and I met a lot of good people. That's when I realized they really want me to be the best and were going to offer all the advantages that I would have if I'd gone to Harvard or MIT." Tove Goldson, currently a Meyerhoff scholar and a senior majoring in biochemistry and molecular biology, said Selection Weekend had also "opened her eyes" and made the difference in choosing to be a part of the program.

"I loved the family and non-competitive atmosphere," she said. "At some of the other schools .... students had told me how competitive it was and that everyone just seemed to be for themselves." Goldson also acknowledged that, if not for the Meyerhoff program, she too might have missed some very valuable summer experiences.

"They put us in environments and have given me opportunities that I would not know where to look for," she said. "During the academic year, we receive a lot of guidance and don't feel alone," Goldson said. "Last year, I took an upper level (graduate) course and, though there were no other Meyerhoff students in the class, other students were taking upper level courses, so I felt supported."

About the program's architect, Dr. Freeman A. Hrabowski III, Goldson says: "Dr. Hrabowski takes time to have a lot of personal contact with us. He meets with each Meyerhoff class individually and does things like stop us to talk if he sees us while out on the campus. He does that for other students, too. You can tell he really cares."

Hedgepeth is planning a career in academic medicine doing research. Goldson is planning to enter an M.D./ Ph.D. program next year in pharmacology.

COPYRIGHT 1996 Cox, Matthews & Associates