The seventh iteration of the Maryland Thoroughbred Career program will see participants who range in age from recent college graduates to juniors in high school, the Maryland Horse Foundation said on Tuesday.
The contestants for this year are Claire Superczynski (Sykesville, MD), Keely Flynn (Harwood, MD), Emily Cross (Westminster, MD), Daria Bogdanov (Baltimore, MD), and Kate Benjamin (Westminster, MD).
“Every year, with the Maryland Thoroughbred Career Program, we look forward to introducing our industry to a new group of young people”, noted Cricket Goodall, executive director of the Maryland Horse Foundation. “We always learn from them about their interest in and experiences with horses, and their hopes for a continued connection in the future.”
A one-time scholarship called Career Development Funds is available to MTCP graduates to help them with their post-MTCP career goals.
Launched in 2017, the Maryland Thoroughbred Career Program is an educational program within the Howard & Sondra Bender Educational Series that aims to:
· Increase awareness of the diverse career options in the horse industry
· Give participants access to leaders of the Maryland horse community
· Highlight various paths for pursuing a career in the horse industry
· Address a critical need to attract and retain experienced and devoted employees
Over a week, participants are encouraged to fully engage in the Maryland horse industry and explore a multitude of career options. Graduates of the MTCP are eligible to apply for Career Development Funds, one-time funding that can be used to further career pursuits within two years after the program ends.