Born halfway around the world in Japan but raised in rural Southwest Louisiana, Marcus Shallow grew up surrounded by a family determined to create a better future, one centered on education. As a child, his parents instilled in him a love for learning that ultimately helped to cultivate some of his most identifiable characteristics: an inquisitive nature and social awareness.

During high school, Marcus was highly involved in the hybrid living-learning environment of his public residential high school—the Louisiana School for Math, Science and the Arts (LSMSA). He served and led numerous student organizations including student government, national honor society, and Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA). Along with this, he was as a school ambassador for his school’s admission and recruitment team as well as a peer tutor to underclassmen and peers. His insatiable desire for learning continued to push him to set his bar of personal excellence even higher. In the summer after his junior year, he attended Princeton University for seven weeks as part of the Leadership Enterprise for a Diverse America (LEDA) program: a non-profit dedicated to helping low-income, high-achieving scholars access prestigious institutions. Marcus was also awarded the Gates Scholarship, UNCF Fund II STEM Scholarship, and the Ron Brown Scholarship.

Marcus currently studies molecular, cellular, and developmental biology at Yale University. He also plans to pursue interests in medicine and public health while at his undergraduate institution through various organizations and research opportunities. In his first year, Marcus conducted public health research aimed at improving maternal healthcare for underserved, expecting mothers in the city of New Haven. This summer, Marcus is returning to Yale as an undergraduate research assistant in the Yale School of Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine’s Cardiovascular Research Center.

Marcus’s commitment to making the most of the opportunities afforded to him is inspiring. However, he maintains that it is due to the sacrifices of his family and their hope for a better future that he continues to remain motivated. His goal in life is to show the world that despite the social, financial, and educational limitations we may face, we are the writers of our own future. We must continue to strive for a level of personal excellence that affords the opportunity to give back to others.