Q&A with Darren Meredith, “Are You Smarter Than A BCP Student?” Celebrity Panelist

When Darren Meredith takes the stage on April 30, 2026, to square off with his fellow celebrity panelists against two groups of talented Baltimore Curriculum Project (BCP) students, he will be making history. The Northrop Grumman associate pathways electrical engineer will be the first BCP alumnus to participate as a celebrity contestant for the BCP annual gala, “Are You Smarter Than a BCP Student?” held at the Maryland Science Center.

Meredith attended City Springs Elementary / Middle School through 8th grade. Active in debate throughout his City Springs career, he was sure he’d become a lawyer. In fall 2019, he matriculated to Baltimore Polytechnic Institute or “Poly,” and the rigorous STEM classes he took shifted his path to engineering. In December 2024, he earned his B.S. in electrical engineering from Morgan State University.

We talked with Meredith about the impact of his BCP education, the nurturing community at City Springs, and whether he thinks he’s a “ringer” for any math and science questions this April in BCP’s quiz-show-style gala.

In 2023, BCP highlighted Meredith in its regular “BCP Grads Going Places” column. Read about Meredith’s journey to Morgan State. 

Q: What made you decide on electrical engineering as your career?

I took engineering classes at Poly beginning freshman year. When it came to senior year and applying to college, I knew I wanted to do engineering. I just made a gut call about electrical engineering as that was piquing my interest at the moment. It really worked out for me in the end with my degree in electrical engineering from Morgan State.

Q: What do you love about your field?

The thing that I love about engineering is that it keeps me on my feet; it’s a new challenge every day. Some challenges are headaches, but other ones are really interesting. I did work for the Department of Defense and got to see aircraft up close. As an engineer, it’s a constant challenge of being able to learn more. 

I have a security clearance at Northrop Grumman and can’t talk about what I do in depth, but I am an antenna test engineer and work with aircraft to make sure the antenna can pass the flight test and perform under certain conditions. 

Q: Did you ever imagine at City Springs that you would end up in this career?

Back then, I was into debate league. From 4th grade until 8th grade, I debated for City Springs. I always used to tell people that I would be a lawyer. So, all of my teachers from City Springs probably thought I was gonna be a lawyer, to be honest.

Q: When you think back to young Darren who really enjoyed a good argument, does that experience play into what you do now?

It plays a part because I’m comfortable with being in uncomfortable positions. I can talk to anyone and be myself with anyone from different ethnicities, races, traditions, and cultures. I’m always comfortable telling my story of growing up in Southwest Baltimore and how I got here. That’s one thing that was always consistent from City Springs. I was always able to express myself.

Q: Talk about your non-engineering internship with Goldman Sachs.

I was a Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses Fellow for two semesters during my junior year of college. I worked under two different companies each semester, performing two different roles. I assisted Exceed IT and Cybersecurity with research and analysis to support service development, competitive analysis, and economic data. For the BLK+GRN program, I oversaw company advertising, marketing plans, and media management as their social media manager.

I thought it would be good on my resume. During COVID, I was always applying for electrical engineering internships, which were really hard to get. Most places were keeping those “in the family” during the pandemic, which I get. Firms did not want to bring in a bunch of new hires. The Goldman-Sachs opportunity was a confidence booster, too. It opened up more scholarships for me as well.

Q: Do you have plans to get your Masters? 

I have been getting that question a lot recently. Yes, I am looking at programs now for this upcoming fall. It will be an online program in either manufacturing engineering or systems engineering. As a first-generation college student, I want to get my Masters for my family, too. It will mean so much to them.

Q: Are you excited to be the first-ever BCP alumnus selected as a celebrity panelist for “Are You Smarter Than a BCP Student?”

When BCP called to ask me, it was perfect timing because I was also telling people that, because I’ve been removed from school for so long, I wanted there to be more to life than just going to work. To be part of something bigger than just myself. Then Brianna [Kaufman, BCP Director of Operations and Development] reached out to me. I feel like this is definitely a good step toward that goal, to meet other people I don’t get to see every day, and be part of something bigger.

I plan to ask Dr. Richetta [Rhonda Richetta, City Springs Principal] about coming back to City Springs to talk to students. When I was at City Springs, we had someone from the University of Maryland who was in engineering come and talk to my class. It’s a crazy full-circle moment that at that time I wanted to be a lawyer, then I turned around and became an engineer like him. 

Q: What do you think the biggest impact of your City Springs experience has been? 

The community. When I go back to the school, my teachers treat me like I’m their own. My mother still talks to my debate coach Megan Murkowski. I feel like I actually made a family there. Everyone is there to support me. They make sure I keep going and are always happy to see that I’m still doing good things and want me to do even more.

Q: Do you think you’ll be a lock for all the math questions at the “Are You Smarter Than a BCP Student? Event in April?

I hope so after all my engineering and math classes! I took math from elementary school until my last semester at Morgan State, from three calculus classes, linear algebra, and more.  

Join us to see Darren Meredith make history – and to see if he has all the correct math answers on April 30, 2026, at the 13th Annual “Are You Smarter Than a BCP Student?” Gala in celebration of BCP’s 30th year.