All posts by: Catalina Sofia Dansberger Duque

UMBC celebrates alumni educators in Maryland public schools

What do nine UMBC alumni with a passion for basketball, dance, and lacrosse, and fields from biology and biochemistry to information systems and political science have in common? They all chose to teach in Maryland public schools, and all returned to UMBC this May to speak at a special Celebration of Teaching event, launching a campus-wide initiative to increase recruitment and retention of teachers of color in Maryland public schools.

Participating teachers included Shalonda Holt ’07, biological sciences, teaching certificate in education, 2016 Washington Post Teacher of the Year and 2016 Howard County Teacher of the Year; Corey Carter ’08, M16, biological sciences, ’10 M.A.T., education; Demetria McAndrew ’08, political science, ’16 M.A.T., government; Raven Harris ‘12, media and communications studies, ’14 M.A.T., early childhood; Emily Diaz ’16, M24, biochemistry and molecular biology, ’17 M.A.T., education; Jennifer Smith ’00, information systems management; Monique Rivera-Velez ’17, M.A.T, education; Josephine Kalema-Kasozi ’13, dance, teaching certificate in secondary math education; and Tea Harrison ’17, visual arts, teaching certificate in education. They spoke about their decisions to choose careers in education, to purposefully connect with and inspire students, including students of color. They also discussed research findings that students of color benefit from having teachers and mentors who reflect their identities, and how there is currently a gap in the proportion of teachers of color in comparison to the proportion of students of color in U.S. public schools.

Jennifer Smith ’00, information systems management, shares her 17-year teaching experience in Baltimore City Public Schools.

Carter, a Sherman STEM Teacher Scholar, a Meyerhoff Scholar, and 2016 Baltimore County Teacher of the Year, explained the importance of addressing this gap not only through hiring more teachers of color but also through changing the language that people use to talk about the issue. “When we look at classrooms and we talk about how the demographics are changing, how now we have more than 50% students of color,” Carter said, “we need to stop using the word ‘minority,’ because when you are above 50% mathematically that is not a minority, and there is nothing ‘minor’ about anyone of color.”

Carter speaks to prospective educators in front of panel (L to R) Santelises, Singer, Rous, and Hrabowski.

The event was hosted by Provost Philip Rous, President Freeman Hrabowski, and John Singer, associate professor and chair of education, with Sonja Santelises, Baltimore City Schools CEO, as the keynote speaker.

Rous described to the audience the urgency of addressing this national issue, and the opportunity to have an impact through work at a local level. “In Maryland, 57% of students are students of color while only 17% of teachers are of color,” explained Rous. “If we do not diversify the pipeline that enters the teaching profession we will miss out on attracting the best and the brightest, and having our children learn from individuals from a diverse set of backgrounds and perspectives.”

“We want to prepare highly qualified leaders of color in public schools where there are few or no teachers of color through UMBC’s graduate and undergraduate teacher certification programs,” said Mavis Sanders, professor of education, during the event. Sanders is director of the new Center for Early Learning in Urban Communities, recently established through a $6 million gift from the George and Betsy Sherman Family Foundation.

Sanders and President Hrabowski previously published “Increasing Racial Diversity in the Teacher Workforce: One University’s Approach,” in the National Education Association journal Thought and Action. According to their research, when students of color have teachers who share a similar background and identity, they see gains in attendance, achievement, and engagement. Teachers of color also tend to stay longer in high-needs schools, providing greater stability for students and their broader communities.

Santelises is supportive of UMBC’s work to close the teacher diversity and workforce gap in Baltimore City and the state. “UMBC is an amazing reservoir of talent,” she said at the event. “The teachers who spoke here tonight were students who had many options but chose to teach out of interest and compassion. That is what makes UMBC different: teaching is the first option; it is not a default. This is a true commitment to equity through excellence.”

Santelises listens to Kalema-Kasozi

UMBC’s Sherman STEM Teacher Scholars program has been a leader in preparing future educators of color to teach in STEM fields and to stay in teaching careers. Event speakers Carter, Kalema-Kasozi, Diaz, and Rivera-Velez are all graduates of the program.

Rivera-Velez spoke at the Celebration of Teaching event about coming to UMBC specifically to follow her desire to pursue a teaching career after earning a B.S. in biology at the University of Puerto Rico-Mayaguez. She currently teaches biology at the International High School at Langley Park in Bladensburg, Maryland, and was recently selected as a 2018 Knowles Teaching Fellow.

Monique Rivera-Velez

The Knowles Teacher Initiative was created by Janet H. and C. Harry Knowles in 1999 to cultivate and support exemplary science and mathematics high school teachers and develop the next generation of leaders in education. It provides new teachers with financial, professional development, and mentoring support over the course of five years.

Rivera-Velez shared that although her father, a doctor, encouraged her love of science, she didn’t have a particularly positive experience with teachers growing up, and she wanted to provide a different educational experience for her future students. “I wanted to be the best teacher I could be,” she said. “If it wasn’t for the Sherman STEM Teacher Scholars Program I would not be the teacher I am today.” She thanked Josh Michael ’10, political science and education, assistant director of the program, in particular, for being proactive and supportive, saying, “He listened, helped me work through issues, and find solutions to best meet my students’ needs.”

The UMBC department of education is continuously recruiting students from all disciplines for its Master of Arts in Teaching program. It is also offering a program for certified teachers to pursue a Masters of Arts in Education (MAE) degree with a concentration in STEM education, as well as an online Secondary Mathematics MAE.

Banner image (L to R): Rehana Shafi, director of the Sherman STEM Teacher Scholars program. Monique Rivera-Velez, Corey Carter, Emily Diaz, Josephine Kalema-Kasozi, and Josh Michael. All photos by Marlayna Demond ’11 for UMBC. Video by Corey Jennings ’10 for UMBC.

UMBC Shriver Center explores civil disobedience and social justice fifty years after Catonsville Nine

The Vietnam War lasted for twenty years and claimed the lives of millions of civilians, Vietnamese soldiers, and 58,220 U.S. military personnel. In the late 1960s and early 1970s, public opposition to the war and the draft grew. Protesters took a series of non-violent direct actions to make their opposition known, including two key protest actions in Maryland. The first was the protest of the Baltimore Four, who symbolically poured blood on draft records. They inspired a larger protest by a group now known as the Catonsville Nine. Fifty years later, a special event hosted by UMBC’s Shriver Center will explore their story.

The UMBC Shriver Center will reflect on this story of activism throughout the month of May as part of the Center’s broader 25th anniversary programming, with support from Maryland Humanities and the Catonsville Nine 50th Committee. Events will kick off the weekend of May 4 with a symposium on social justice, creative non-violence, and spirituality and activism.

The Catonsville Nine included nine Roman Catholic men and women — Father Philip Berrigan, Tom Lewis, Father Daniel Berrigan, Brother David Darst, John Hogan, Marjorie Melville, Thomas Melville, George Mische, and Mary Moylan — who entered Selective Service Local Board #33 in Catonsville, MD in May of 1968, removed over 300 draft files, and burned them in protest of the violence and death in Vietnam. They were arrested, convicted, and sentenced to 2-3.5 years in federal prison, and their action inspired more than fifty subsequent draft board actions around the nation. In the face of this mounting opposition, President Nixon ended the draft in 1973, and the U.S. has not initiated a draft since then.

“ Hit and Stay” a film by Joe Tropea ‘06, history, M.A. ‘08, historical studies,  and Skizz Cyzyk will be screened on May 10.

“The Catonsville Nine’s protest is one of the most significant acts of war resistance in our nation’s history, and it happened just down the road from UMBC fifty years ago this May,” says Joby Taylor ’05, Ph.D., LLC, director of the Shriver Peaceworker Program at UMBC. “Our goal with our symposium on May 4th, and other upcoming events, is to bring people together to better understand the story and impact of the Catonsville Nine, as well as the lessons and questions it raises today for those engaging in citizen-led nonviolent social change efforts.”

The symposium will take place at UMBC’s Public Policy Building foyer, 3 – 10 p.m., and will highlight three short films from the Baltimore Traces project, created by students in the media production classes of Bill Shewbridge ’80, history, professor of practice in media and communication studies. The films feature Dave Eberhardt from the Baltimore Four group that inspired the Catonsville Nine; Alva Smith Grub, a juror on the Catonsville Nine trial; and  Brendan Walsh and Willa Bickham founding members of Viva House , which was established fifty years ago to help serve the Catonsville Nine action and continues to serve the Baltimore community as a soup kitchen on Hollins Street.

“This was a great opportunity to preserve these stories,” says Shewbridge, explaining, “Eberhardt, who will be at the symposium, is one of two surviving members from the Baltimore Four.” Shewbridge notes, “The story of people putting their beliefs into action resonated deeply with my students.”

Rebecca Wireman ‘18, media and communications studies, one of the student filmmakers, grew up in Catonsville hearing stories about the Catonsville Nine protests, and valued the opportunity to meet some of the community members involved. She helped conduct interviews, did camera work, and edited footage in post-production. “I was excited to film local oral history,” says Wireman. “It is really inspiring to learn about activism and political action from these protests, especially now when young people are looking for ways to voice their opinions.”

UMBC alumni have also played a role in engaging with and expanding public memory of the Catonsville Nine on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of their action. David Goldsmith ’77, history, M.A. ’04, and Dennis DeBoy ’78, political science, worked together to erect a historic plaque for the Catonsville Nine, which will be unveiled in front of the Catonsville Library on May 5 at 2:30. Joe Tropea ‘06, history, M.A. ‘08, historical studies, created the award-winning film Hit and Stay about the Catonsville Nine. The film will be screened on May 10, at 7 p.m., followed by a Q&A with the filmmaker.

“As a public historian,” says Tropea, “ I think it is important to tell this story of regular people who saw a problem with the war, the draft, the deaths and the killing, and found a solution through effective non-violent actions.” He shares, “They…helped change people’s minds about the Vietnam War and their example continues to inform political protests today.”

Header photo by Marlayna Demond ’11 for UMBC.

UMBC hosts social justice-focused panel on gentrification in Baltimore

“How can Baltimore neighborhoods renew themselves without forcing out local residents or homogenizing diverse populations?” Community-engaged researchers from UMBC, Morgan State University, and the University of Baltimore will examine this question through a Dresher Center Humanities Forum panel discussion on “Redevelopment and Justice in Baltimore,” held in the Albin O. Kuhn Library Gallery, April 18, 2018, 4 – 5:30 p.m.

Panelist Nicole King, associate professor of American studies, has worked with her students to document and understand the diverse stories of Baltimore’s people and places, producing the radio series Bromo Speaks and Downtown Voices, and the project A Journey Through Hollins. King’s classes examine the complex web of social, economic, and political issues involved in gentrification, based in the idea that better understanding the perspectives and experiences of current Baltimore residents can lead to more collaborative and just planning and policies.

“There is a lot of discussion about how we need more millennials to move to the city. Freddie Gray was a millennial,” explains King. “Young people need to be able to see through the boosterism, coded language, and the so-called Baltimore ‘renaissance.’ We need to rethink the public’s right to the city.”

Joining King on the panel will be Felipe Filomeno, assistant professor of political science at UMBC; Lawrence Brown, associate professor of community health and policy at Morgan State University; and Seema D. Iyer, associate director and research assistant professor at the University of Baltimore’s Jacob France Institute.

Brown agrees with King on the importance of challenging the many misconceptions about what gentrification is, why it happens, and how it impacts residents physically, socially, economically, educationally, and emotionally. “Baltimore is the largest city in the state and there are many narratives that tell the story of who lives in Baltimore. Without understanding what has happened to Black communities in Baltimore, these narratives become victim-blaming,” notes Brown. “They miss how systems by our government have played a pivotal role in disrupting and uprooting entire communities until they were fundamentally unstable.”

The panel describes gentrification behaviors as the influx of private and/or public capital in a targeted area that then triggers an increase of education levels, income levels, housing prices, and a higher proportion of white residents. “When you see these markers of gentrification it is not a solution for existing communities who are waiting for safe and affordable housing,” says Iyer. “Baltimore has a housing crisis. There are 25,0000 households waiting for housing assistance. The house you have, which you may not be able to afford, is all you have because there is little economic relief or safe, affordable housing alternatives.”

The immigrant population in Baltimore has been impacted in a similar way, says Felipe Filomeno. He partnered with the Mayor’s Office of Immigrant and Multicultural Affairs from 2016 to 2018 evaluate Baltimore’s policy to attract and retain immigrants, examining education, health, public safety, and housing. Filomeno explains that nationally, immigrant homeownership rates are lower than the native-born population, making them more vulnerable to the effects of urban renewal. These communities are pushed out by increasing housing costs or by urban redevelopment that creates expensive amenities inaccessible to existing neighborhood residents.

“Immigrants forced out of Southeast Baltimore lose access to schools trained in teaching Spanish-speaking students and to community organizations that help connect them to jobs, health care, and housing resources,” says Filomeno. “Gentrification is a way to perpetuate inequality by cutting residents from the social and economic networks they need to experience some upward social mobility.”

The panelists will also look toward the future, discussing possible strategies to lessen the negative impacts of redevelopment and the gentrification that can result. Brown is hopeful about a proposal for the Perkins Homes near the Inner Harbor, where the housing authority will place residents in temporary housing before demolishing and rebuilding the development, and will then allow them to move back, to avoid displacement at any stage. Filomeno sees an answer in expanding homeownership programs for immigrants in neighborhoods across the city and county that need to increase their census. Iyer suggests a focus on maintaining diverse neighborhoods with a balance of different income and educational levels, as well as demographic factors, like race and age.

King wants Baltimore to take a different approach. Instead of focusing on enticing wealthier people from outside Baltimore to move to the city, she hopes the city can shift its strategic focus to the needs and great potential of current residents. She is setting her mind on educating and motivating thought leaders to rethink what community and success mean in Baltimore.

“We need to rethink the city for the 21st century,” explains King. She argues, “Baltimore should serve its current residents first and foremost. We need our politicians to show the same spunk of the city’s residents and to be up to try new things.” To do this, King suggests city leaders “listen to residents that have been here for generations, new residents ready to fight for a right to the city, and the young ones who will really shape the cities of the future.”

Banner image: Lexington Market, by Kimberly Zerfas.

Stephanie Milani named Newman Civic Fellow for expanding access to computer science education

When Stephanie Milani ‘19, computer science and psychology, attended an all-girls robotics camp as a middle school student she realized that she found computer science truly fascinating. It was also the last time she had an abundance of female mentors and peers in STEM until college. “All through high school, I didn’t see where computer science could be a career choice for girls,” says Milani. “I didn’t entertain it as a career option until I came to UMBC and found it again. I knew instantly computer science was what I wanted to be doing.”

Milani has not only charged forward in her study of computer science at UMBC, but she has also worked to make sure that, in the future, other girls who are fascinated by computer science can more easily connect with role models and peers who have a shared interest in the field. Campus Compact just awarded Milani the 2018 Newman Civic Fellowship in recognition of her work to increase underrepresented students’ access to opportunities in computer science. This selective national fellowship honors college students who are committed to their community and engage in direct action to create long-term social change, addressing issues of inequality or political polarization. It also recognizes recipients’ tremendous potential in public leadership.

“Stephanie is a thoughtful, passionate, and supportive leader capable of inspiring others,” notes President Freeman Hrabowski, who participates in the nomination of the fellows. “Her passion to improve computer science education for marginalized populations is evident,” he shares.

The Newman Civic Fellowship honors Frank Newman, the Campus Compact founder, and his commitment to educational access and responsible citizenship. Campus Compact is a national coalition of 1,000 colleges and universities, focused on teaching, research, and institutional action in service of the public good. The UMBC Shriver Center is a service-learning member of the Campus Compact Mid-Atlantic.

Through this award, Milani will access in-person and virtual learning, networking events, and mentoring. She will also join a national network of peers who continue to work for social change after their fellowship year, providing support and resources to one another as they pursue public leadership positions nationwide.

Milani is the fourth UMBC student to be recognized as a Newman Civic Fellow. In 2011 Kelly Cyr ‘12, biological sciences, and  M.S. ’13, applied molecular biology, received the fellowship for her work to support animal welfare, developing a partnership between UMBC and the Baltimore Animal Care and Rescue Shelter (BARCS). She currently is a veterinarian at a Franky Fund hospital, providing care for homeless animals in need. In 2017 Sophia Lopresti ‘17, global studies, earned the fellowship for her work in global healthcare access as chairperson for the UMBC Global Brigades program in Central America. 

Max Poole leading March to College in spring of 2018. Image by Catalina Sofia Dansberger Duque.

In 2016 Maxwell Poole ‘18, computer science, economics, and mathematics, received the fellowship for his service continuing the work of Nick Ramundo, a Maryland-DC Compact Americorps VISTA member at the Shriver Center who passed away unexpectedly, in the Arbutus Achievers and March to College programs.

When, as a fellow, Poole attended a conference with the Newman program, he noticed none of the fellows at the time were focusing on expanding access to computer science for students from underrepresented groups. After returning to UMBC, he connected with Marie desJardins, associate dean of the College of Engineering and Information Technology and professor in computer science, and Stephanie Milani, who was interested in the access issue, to form Creative Coders. Their new program sought to introduce middle school students to computer science through game development.

“The amount of students with access to computer science in middle school is minuscule,” says Poole. Knowing that computing skills will be important for many kinds of jobs of the future, he suggests, “If you can get kids interested, learning, engaged, and involved as early as possible it prepares them to be successful.”

Poole nominated Milani for the 2018 Newman Civic Fellowship after seeing her dedication and commitment to expanding access to computer science. In addition to her work with Creative Coders, Milani is the president of UMBC’s Computer Science Education club, where she leads a diverse membership in hosting computer science outreach events on campus and in surrounding local middle and high schools. Milani has also developed curriculum for Computer Science Matters in Maryland and is a lead organizer for UMBC’s Hour of Code event, which brings Lakeland Elementary/Middle School students to campus for fun, hands-on activities with circuits and coding.

desJardins praises Milani’s service, noting, “Stephanie stands out as an exceptionally motivated and determined student, with outstanding technical skills, excellent teamwork and communication, natural leadership, and a high level of maturity and focus.”

“It is an honor to represent the commitment of UMBC to service and engaged citizenship at a national level with the help of The Shriver Center,” Milani reflects. “They helped me to bridge the gap between my desire to create change and my ability to apply my knowledge through service-learning.”

Banner imager by Marlayna Demond ‘11 for UMBC.

Valedictorian Kara Seidel focuses her research on supporting families dealing with trauma

Kara Seidel
B.A., Psychology
Minor: American Studies
Summa Cum Laude
Hometown: Baltimore, Maryland
Plans: Family trauma researcher

One of the best things about UMBC is how supportive professors and staff are. They tell you the truth, even when you don’t want to hear it. They see potential in you and encourage you to take each mistake as a learning experience. Their ongoing support helped me feel confident about pursuing a wide range of opportunities.

Second generation Retriever and valedictorian Kara Seidel sees every experience as a learning opportunity. She is particularly thankful for the broad range of academic and professional experiences she has found through UMBC, as well as the relationships she has developed. Her work at Johns Hopkins School of Medicine in an HIV/Addiction Lab and at the American Psychological Association helped her identify her core intellectual interests within the vast psychology field, and pursue her own research.
“As a student at UMBC, I accessed unbelievable opportunities to gain hands-on learning. As a result, I was able to discover behavioral therapy and a passion for research and helping families dealing with trauma,” says Seidel.

Kara Seidel reflects that UMBC’s diverse student body and range of student experiences available are two of UMBC’s core strengths.

Seidel has worked as lead research assistant in the Trauma Lab of Christopher Murphy, professor, and chair of psychology. A member of the Honors College, her commitment to challenging herself academically and as a student researcher earned her a Shimoff Award and a Distinguished Achievement Award from the psychology department.
As a Sondheim Public Affairs Scholar, Seidel has also explored ways to combine academics with service. The UMBC Shriver Center awarded Seidel with the Samson, Rosetta A., and Sadie B. Feldman Family Award for her work as a student service coordinator in the Students United for Campus-Community Engagement for Post-Secondary Success (SUCCESS) program. Seidel also served as president of Psi Chi International Honor Society, is a member of the Phi Beta Kappa academic honor society, and works as a social justice intern for UMBC Hillel.
Ultimately, Seidel reflects, her success at UMBC is all about community. “The array of experiences I’ve had at UMBC are because of the people I have met here,” she says.
Seidel will work as a behavioral therapist and researcher for the next year, before beginning a Ph.D. program in psychology, with a focus on supporting families experiencing trauma.
Photos by Marlayna Demond ‘11 for UMBC.

Todd Cox, U.S. Navy veteran, looks ahead to business analyst career at Northrop Grumman

Todd Cox
B.S., Financial Economics
Summa Cum Laude
Hometown: Frederick, Maryland
Plans: Business Management Analyst, Northrop Grumman

UMBC has provided me with an outstanding education and has helped me secure a future as a business analyst.

Todd Cox’s success at UMBC has been driven by the discipline, focus, and perseverance he learned during his service in the U.S. Navy as a boatswain’s mate third class attached to Amphibious Construction Battalion One. His interest in economics began in the Navy after attending the “Million Dollar Sailor” training where he learned about savings, investing, and budgeting. He decided to pursue a degree in financial economics shortly after.  

Cox applied his newfound passion to excel in his studies, earning a perfect GPA and a place on the dean’s and president’s lists every semester. He received the Outstanding Student in Macroeconomics Scholarship as well. During his time at UMBC, he also found time to apply his economics skills as a member of the accounting club and as a business management intern at Northrop Grumman.

Of the True Grit statue, Cox says, “I walked past this statue with pride nearly every day; it marks the beginning and end of my journey at UMBC.”

Throughout his time on campus, Cox worked closely with the UMBC Career Center to connect with top-performing companies where he could apply his knowledge, drive, and ever-expanding skill set. Cox is looking forward to working as a business management analyst at Northrop Grumman after graduation.
“One of the greatest assets on campus that facilitated the achievement of my goals was the Career Center,” Cox reflects. “The Career Center does a phenomenal job mentoring, preparing, and connecting students with future employers.”

Portrait by Marlayna Demond ‘11 for UMBC.

Shirley Basfield Dunlap, educator and director, produces groundbreaking research on African American theatre history

Shirley Basfield Dunlap
Ph.D., Language Literacy and Culture
Summa Cum Laude
Hometown: Baltimore, Maryland
Plans: Coordinator of Theatre Arts, Morgan State University

I have taken one course a semester since 2009. UMBC has taught me perseverance.

Shirley Basfield Dunlap directed plays celebrating African American life and experience in regional theatres across the country before settling in Baltimore as an associate professor and coordinator of theatre arts at Morgan State University. Wanting to further her scholarship in the history of theatre, she found a home in UMBC’s language, literacy, and culture (LLC) Ph.D. program. 

At the opening night of “Red Velvet” at the Chesapeake Shakespeare Company, Director Basfield Dunlap (far right), poses with Kimberly Moffitt, Moffitt’s family, and Christian Gibbs (center), an actor performing the lead role of Ira Aldridge.

Through the LLC program, Basfield Dunlap has connected with mentors committed to her success in completing a ground-breaking and thought-provoking dissertation, including her committee chair Beverly Bickel, clinical associate professor of LLC; co-chair Michelle Scott, associate professor of history; and Kimberly Moffitt, associate professor of American studies. These mentors “have been avid supporters of my work as a stage director,” she says, sharing a particularly significant memory of them attending the opening night of Lolita Chakrabarti’s “Red Velvet” at the Chesapeake Shakespeare Company, which she directed in its Baltimore debut.

As the director of “Red Velvet” at the Chesapeake Shakespeare Company, Basfield Dunlap delivered the opening night toast. Beverly Bickel, Kimberly Moffitt, Liz Steenrod, and their families attended the production.

Basfield Dunlap’s dissertation, “The Oral History Project of African American Stage Directors in American Theatre,” explores how the making of a play is influenced by the cultural lens of the director. “Scripts and performances directed by these African American directors have been chronicled in African American theatre history books,” her dissertation abstract notes, “but the cultural processes of ‘making’ of the play and the creating the production, have not.”
Her dissertation aims to create a space to acknowledge the work and impact of African American stage directors in American theatre history. She will apply her research to enhance her ongoing work in theatre at Morgan State University.
Portrait by Marlayna Demond ‘11 for UMBC.

Manisha Vepa pursues interest in East Asian affairs as Fulbright Scholar in South Korea

Manisha Vepa
B.A., Economics and Global Studies
Minor: Music
Summa Cum Laude
Hometown: Ellicott City, Maryland
Plans: Fulbright English Teaching Assistant, South Korea

UMBC has afforded me many critical opportunities to gain the quantitative skills required for a career in foreign policy, as well as to cultivate a passion for research and East Asian affairs.

Manisha Vepa came to UMBC ready to explore — both driven to excel academically and excited to become an active member of a caring community. As a Sondheim Public Affairs Scholar, she was particularly interested in learning about the diverse needs of different communities and how public policy can affect communities, locally and internationally.

“The mentorship I have received from my professors and staff advisors has been invaluable,” says Vepa. “They have taught me how to be reflective, analytical, and mindful in both my personal and academic lives.”

Vepa’s particular interest in Asian culture and policy led her to study in Hong Kong for a semester. She will continue her exploration of Asian cultures as an English-language educator through the Fulbright English Teaching Assistant program in South Korea, before pursuing a graduate degree in East Asian affairs.

On campus, Vepa has served as president of the UMBC Moot Court for the past three years, a member of the Student Government Association (SGA) for four years, and Assistant Speaker of the Senate for 2017-18. She also found balance in continuing her study of music as a Music Performance Fellow by playing the viola in the UMBC Symphonic Orchestra all semesters except for when she studied abroad. While abroad she played in two orchestras in Hong Kong. In addition, she served as a tutor in the Refugee Youth Project at Beechfield Elementary/Middle School.

“I have grown as a leader through my involvement in Student Government Association, the local community, and my international opportunities,” says Vepa. “My experiences empowered me to be an active part in social change efforts and helped me develop a deep passion and understanding for civic engagement and civic agency that has guided my college career.”

Portrait by Marlayna Demond ’11 for UMBC.

Marc Schultz, world traveler, to return to China as a Fulbright research scholar

Marc Schultz
B.S., Political Science and Global Studies
Minor: Chinese Language and Culture
Summa Cum Laude
Hometown: Columbia, Maryland
Plans: Fulbright researcher, China

I have found the faculty at UMBC to be overwhelmingly encouraging, helpful, and engaging. Their support has made it possible for me to accept unique professional opportunities in D.C. and in China.

For Marc Schultz, UMBC has been a key to the world, giving him access to opportunities that, a few short years ago, he didn’t know would be possible.
Schultz started at UMBC with a focus on developing his academic credentials and broadening his horizons. By sophomore year, he earned an internship at the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of East Asian and Pacific Affairs. His next step in exploring his interest in China was to earn a Boren Scholarship, which provided $20,000 to study Mandarin and urban development at the Harbin Institute of Technology in China during his junior year. After graduation, Schultz will return to China to study urban planning policy in Chengdu through a Fulbright research award.

Schultz at the Harbin Institute of Technology during Chinese National Day. Photo courtesy of Shultz.

“I am not sure that I would have come as close to mastering the Chinese language as I have without attending UMBC,” explains Schultz. “Brian Souders, associate director of international education services, really encouraged me from the beginning of my university career to keep up my grades to be eligible for more international opportunities.” He followed Souders’s recommendation and is graduating with the Outstanding Senior Award in political science as well as memberships in the Phi Beta Kappa and Phi Kappa Phi honor societies.
Schultz has also remained engaged in the campus community, serving as co-head delegate for UMBC’s Model United Nations, event programmer on UMBC’s Student Events Board (seb), an academic tutor, and a volunteer with the Refugee Youth Project. He shares, “Throughout my four years, the UMBC community has pushed me to be a better student, researcher, and community member.”
Portrait by Marlayna Demond ‘11 for UMBC.

With three majors and a core passion for service, Max Poole promotes access to computing education

Max Poole
B.S., Computer Science, B.S., Mathematics, B.A., Economics
Summa Cum Laude
Hometown: Takoma Park, Maryland
Plans: Site Reliability Engineer, eBay

UMBC provides extensive opportunities and support for students to get engaged and involved in service beginning in their freshman year. The UMBC Shriver Center has been incredibly supportive of every service endeavor I wanted to do.

Max Poole wants to live in a society where everyone can access an education, is informed, is open to hearing new ideas, and is willing to work together to achieve great things. With this ideal in mind, he is completing three majors in three different colleges, which has enabled him to explore problems from a range of angles. He has also pursued collaborative service-learning opportunities through the Shriver Center since his freshman year, with a focus on promoting college with middle school students and boosting access to computer science education.

“The amount of students with access to computer science in middle school is minuscule,” says Poole. Knowing that computing skills will be important for many kinds of jobs of the future, he suggests, “If you can get kids interested, learning, engaged, and involved as early as possible it prepares them to be successful.”

Poole has been recognized for his commitment to service with the 2016 Newman Civic Fellowship. He is also a Sondheim Public Affairs Scholar and a member of the Honors College, with stellar academic achievements that have garnered him recognition through the national honor societies Pi Mu Epsilon and Phi Beta Kappa.

“I have this need inside of me that pushes me to always be improving the world and myself, to create and collaborate,” explains Poole. “I feel like service is deeply ingrained in my DNA. It is something I have to do.”

Beyond UMBC, Poole even pursued service opportunities while a summer intern at eBay. He looks forward to resuming those projects when he begins a full-time position with the company after graduation.

Portrait by Marlayna Demond ‘11 for UMBC.

Kaylin Corsiatto will pursue international work to prevent intimate partner violence

Kaylin Corsiatto
B.S., Psychology
Minor: Sociology
Summa Cum Laude
Hometown: Middletown, Maryland
Plans: International development

UMBC has given me a well-rounded education. I have had the opportunity to participate in both research and practice related work in the field of psychology. These diverse experiences have helped me realize my passions for international development and fighting to prevent intimate partner violence.

Kaylin Corsiatto sees herself as a global citizen, ready to get to work addressing major challenges related to violence, public health, human rights, and development.
In her psychology studies at UMBC at the Universities at Shady Grove (UMBC@USG), Corsiatto has worked closely with Chris Murphy, professor, and chair of psychology, whose research focuses on understanding and preventing intimate partner violence. Her work earned her a Psychology Distinguished Achievement Award in spring 2018.
Corsiatto came to understand the potential international applications of violence prevention research while working in Thailand with a non-profit that seeks to prevent human trafficking through outreach and education. “During my time studying in Thailand I fell in love with working on such a foundational level,” she says.

A group of children reading a book.
Corsiatto in Thailand reading to Thai children at a non-profit organization that works to prevent human trafficking.

Corsiatto has also been engaged in local community outreach in Baltimore, through projects that question privilege, equity, and access to resources. She helped to plan and execute two major civic engagement programs focused on education and service: the interactive privilege walk “A Mile in My Shoes,” and meal donation for hundreds of people experiencing homelessness. In her UMBC@USG community, Corsiatto serves on the Peer Advisory Team and is president of the Tau Sigma Honors Society at the Universities at Shady Grove.
As to the future, Corsiatto is thinking globally. She feels inspired “to continue working in international development, disaster relief, and public health.”
Portrait by Marlayna Demond ‘11 for UMBC.

Summer Akhtar, a member of UMBC’s history-making mock trial team, heads to law school

Summer Akhtar
B.A., Political Science, B.S., Financial Economics
Minor: Legal Policy and Economics
Magna Cum Laude
Hometown: Woodstock, Maryland
Plans: The University of Maryland Francis King Carey School of Law

Participating in UMBC Mock Trial has taught me to think more openly, appreciate the perspectives of those that disagree with me, speak professionally and articulately, think on my feet, and advocate for the things I believe in.

Summer Akhtar has served as a leader of UMBC Mock Trial at a particularly exciting time for the team, as it has risen to new heights in recognition and achievement. In 2017, Akhtar helped make history as part of the first UMBC Mock Trial team to travel to Los Angeles for the American Mock Trial Association’s national championship tournament. The team, in which Akhtar serves as senior vice president, has continued to compete in major tournaments throughout 2017-18.
At a regional competition in Maryland this past fall, Akhtar received an all-region attorney award and UMBC earned a bid to the Opening Round Championship Series. Akhtar also received outstanding attorney awards at the Johns Hopkins Blue Jay Invitational in spring 2017 and the Tobacco Road Invitational in fall 2017.

Akhtar competes as a member of UMBC Mock Trial.
Akhtar competes as a member of UMBC Mock Trial.

“Mock Trial introduced me to my greatest passion: trial advocacy,” says Akhtar. She reflects, “I have come so far since I started my UMBC Mock Trial career,” noting that she feels privileged to have acquired such significant experience as a student attorney on both defense and prosecution.
Akhtar has also excelled academically in her time at UMBC, being recognized as an outstanding scholar-leader in political science and a member of the Pi Sigma Alpha Honor Society and Golden Key Honour Society. She knows the rigor of her academic and extracurricular activities will benefit her as she enters law school.
Portrait by Marlayna Demond ‘11 for UMBC.

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