Maria Cary is a current student at Mount St. Mary’s University majoring in History with a minor in Biology. She is set to graduate early in the Winter of 2023 before pursuing her dream of attending law school! Maria has attended Catholic school her entire life, from Pre-K to college. At Mount St. Mary’s, she is extremely involved in the student body, and has founded a new program, called Mount Mobile. As a Knott Scholar recipient, and current SGA Vice President, Maria believes that one of the most important things for a successful career is the ability to network, and we have shared her insight below!
Can you share your experiences with networking, and how it has helped you achieve your goals?
“I believe that one of the most important things for a successful career is the ability to network. I am currently looking for an internship to gain priceless experience before law school. I was able to meet Martin Knott at a luncheon hosted by the Mount. I had a great conversation with him and expressed my passion for law. After that, Mr. Knott introduced me to Meghan Casey, a partner at Gallagher, Evilius, and Jones, and a member of the board for the Marion Burk Knott Scholarship Fund. I was able to have a lovely conversation with Mrs. Casey and learned so much. I am now able to have someone to go to if I have any questions about anything with law. My advice to making connections is to be yourself and put yourself out there. Rejection can be scary, but it is better to try than to not try at all.”
How did Knott Scholarship Funds support your college dreams at Mt. St. Mary’s?
“The Knott family supported my college dreams at Mount St. Mary’s by investing into my future. I am the first person in my family to attend a four-year university. The Knott Scholarship helped make that possible. The scholarship helped me continue my education in a Catholic Institution by supporting me financially and providing me other resources that are priceless. The Knott foundation has helped me form connections into the career path that I want to pursue.”
Why did you get involved in SGA, and what are your responsibilities as Vice President?
“I always had a passion to help people and change the system for the better. SGA seemed like the best way to help my peers. If I want something done, the best way to do it is by doing something about it myself. SGA allows me to have the platform to give my classmates a voice and make my college experience the best it could be. SGA also allows me to be involved with MSMU and to give back to the community.
My responsibilities as Student Body Vice President are to run the Senate meetings (I am also the President of the Senate), substitute for the President whenever they are not available, and a lot more. I have recently launched an initiative to promote transportation on campus. I have started a new program at the Mount called Mount Mobile which is a free bi-weekly transportation shuttle available to all students that will take them to the grocery store. I mitigated the budget for Mount Mobile, organized and gathered the student volunteers, made the
schedule, surveyed students about Mount Mobile, and even drove the vehicle myself. Many students from all grade levels have used Mount Mobile and have expressed the need for this resource.”
What are your plans for attending law school?
“My plan is to attend law school starting the fall of 2024. I am currently studying for the LSAT and hope that all of my studying pays off. I plan to be as involved in law school as I am involved at the Mount. I would like to stay in the state of Maryland to serve my hometown of Baltimore. I believe the skills I learn in law school can help me make some type of difference in Baltimore.”
Pictured: Maria Cary driving one of the Mount Mobile vans at Mount St. Mary’s University.