Rather than taking her usual route to UMBC at the Universities at Shady Grove for her spring public health class, Magaly Lizama Hernandez ’26, psychology, boarded a plane to Geneva, Switzerland, as part of a 2026 study abroad program. The experience was made possible by the Bernard L. Berkowitz Memorial Award for students dedicated to public service. Lizama Hernandez was the inaugural recipient in 2025.
“The Berkowitz Award helped make my study abroad experience in Switzerland possible. I had the opportunity to explore health and well-being from a global perspective while immersing myself in a new culture,” says Lizama Hernandez, who split her week abroad between Geneva and Zurich. “It was an amazing experience that broadened my understanding of community health and deepened my commitment to helping others through public service.”
Erika Bucciantini, a doctoral student of public policy and the 2026 recipient of the Bernard L. Berkowitz Memorial Award, is also grateful for the award. As a full-time mom and full-time student, time is scarce, and the cost of child care and basic needs adds up quickly.
(left)Stokan presents Bucciantini with the Bernard L. Berkowitz Memorial Award certificate at the 2026 award ceremony. (Amy Wolf/UMBC). (right) Bucciantini with her family. (Cheryll Bankert Ratzsch/UMBC)
“As a parenting student with swiftly growing children, the first thing I did was buy new shoes for my kids. I also treated myself to two books for my research by Alan Mallach—The Divided City: Poverty and Prosperity in Urban America and Smaller Cities in a Shrinking World: Learning to Thrive Without Growth,” says Bucciantini.
Eric Stokan, associate professor of political science and director of UMBC’s Center for Social Science Scholarship (CS3), praised the CS3 advisory board for an outstanding selection of two exceptional students — Magaly and Erika — who, as he noted, “are poised to make a significant and positive impact on the Baltimore community, as envisioned by the founders of the Berkowitz Award.”
“The real gift of this award for me is the opportunity to afford childcare for my youngest over the summer so that I can take an internship to further my skill building,” says Bucciantini, who assists Loren Henderson, director and professor of the School of Public Policy, with data analysis coding, manuscript development, and teaching support for Henderson’s research about the plight of Black farmers in the United States.
Whether it’s supporting fellow doctoral Retrievers on campus or serving as vice chair for Montgomery County’s Dickerson Area Facilities Implementation Group to help residents stay informed about facility operations, county initiatives, and state services, Bucciantini notes that public service is one of her core values. In her work, which also includes writing for the Food Bank of the Rockies in Colorado and Wyoming, she hopes to bring her commitment to public service and interests in planning policy and racial discrimination together for the greater good.
“The real gift of this award for me is the opportunity to afford childcare for my youngest over the summer so that I can take an internship to further my skill building.
