Having earned acceptance at five of the country鈥檚 top dental schools, 2021 graduate Markus Mosley will be attending East Carolina University School of Dental Medicine, in Greenville, North Carolina. 鈥淕o Pirates!鈥� Mosley says.
Choosing ECU is a homecoming for the Biomedical Sciences student, a North Carolina native who earned his undergraduate degree in biology at the school. He was also a celebrated track and field athlete during his time there, a role he believes helped prepare him for the rigors of the Biomedical Sciences master鈥檚 program at Barry. 鈥淗aving the vulnerability to receive constructive feedback can be translated into so many other areas in life,鈥� he says. 鈥淏eing 鈥榗oachable鈥� allowed me to take advice and strides toward my personal goals, and I truly believe this has guided my time with the countless mentors and instructors who believed in me along the way.鈥�
One of those mentors was Pamela Johnson, Coordinator of Barry鈥檚 BMS department, who was an early champion of Mosley鈥檚. 鈥淧rior to attending the BMS program, I applied to dental school and didn鈥檛 get in,鈥� he says. 鈥淚 began to search for ways to improve my application for the next cycle. Mrs. Pamela Johnson assured me that she would help me improve my studying skills and challenge me to give everything I had toward this God-driven journey. My family and I are very grateful to have had such an inspirational person in my life.鈥澛�
Just two short years later, Mosley has found himself having to turn down offers from prestigious programs that believe in his promise as a dentist. Along with the encouragement of his Barry mentors, he credits discipline, faith, and a positive outlook for his impressive growth and attainment of his goal of attending the dental school of his choice. 鈥淭he power of faith will bring even your biggest dreams into fruition,鈥� he says. He encourages future BMS students to 鈥渘ever stop visualizing your success. A positive mental attitude will help you in numerous ways,聽so taking the time to work hard but to also recharge and reflect on your goals will propel you toward achievement!鈥�
As he works to become the first doctor in his family, Mosley is driven, in part, by his natural instinct to serve others, which he did often during his Barry career. In late 2020, after Hurricane Iota devastated many in Central America, he coordinated a food and clothing drive that collected more than 800 clothing items and 200 canned goods for the people of Honduras. He is also acutely aware of the lack of representation in his chosen field and how he can help shepherd a more equitable future. 鈥淚 aspire to provide thorough care to聽Black and Hispanic communities through my service as a dentist,鈥� he says.聽鈥淟ess than 4% of dentists聽are聽African American. This聽makes聽this role bigger than me. I have always aspired to inspire other minorities and the youth to shoot for the stars, aim for the moon.鈥�