Plans: M.D./Ph.D., Washington University School of Medicine
B.S., Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
Summa Cum Laude
Hometown: Lanham, Maryland

Chinwendu Amazu never backs away from a challenge. She was attracted to UMBC because of its rigorous undergraduate programs and was selected to be a Meyerhoff Scholar, MARC U*Star Trainee and HHMI Scholar. These opportunities allowed her to connect with faculty and students who motivated her to pursue research and service work. Her hard work has enabled her to join the Phi Beta Kappa Society and Golden Key International Honor Society, as well as win numerous honors, including the Faculty Award for Excellence in Biochemistry, Robert and Jane Meyerhoff Award, William C. and Gregory O. Faith Scholarship, MARC U* Star Distinguished Scholar Award and MARC U* Star Outstanding Commitment to Research Award. Amazu has received first place awards for her poster presentations at research symposia. She has also tutored her peers in general and organic chemistry and co-founded the UMBC Minority Association of Pre-Medical Students. She has worked with research scientists at the Johns Hopkins Malaria Research Institute, University of Maryland School of Medicine, and Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, where she will pursue an M.D./Ph.D.

“Without UMBC’s nurturing atmosphere, academic rigor, support, and extensive research and service opportunities, I would not have been fortunate enough to realize many of my current successes. It has been an amazing experience, and I am proud and excited to take all that I have learned as an undergraduate student into my next level of academic training.”

Plans: Artist for social change as Fulbright National Geographic Digital Storytelling Fellow (if selected, finalist)
M.F.A, Imaging and Digital Arts
Summa Cum Laude
Hometown: Meredith, New Hampshire

Charlotte Keniston is a Shriver Peaceworker Fellow whose work as an artist and activist has been influenced by local Baltimore communities as well as communities in Guatemala, where she was a Peace Corps volunteer. She is a recipient of the Rockville F.E.A.S.T Artist award, coordinator of the Paul’s Place Women’s Group, coordinator of Pigtown Food for Thought (a neighborhood food justice group), and visual arts instructor for the UMBC SUCCESS Program. For her thesis, she hosted workshops with over 300 participants to explore how personal food stories relate to the food system and social change. Charlotte is a finalist for the Fulbright National Geographic Digital Storytelling Fellowship. As a fellow (if selected), she would spend the next year working in Mexico City with people with disabilities, using digital art tools to create visual stories about their experiences.

“UMBC provided me a place and mentors to explore how art could create lasting social change. The wealth of interdisciplinary conversations and collaborations that happen at UMBC meant that I had lots of opportunities to work with others in really meaningful ways.”

Plans: Ph.D., Sociocultural Anthropology, Harvard University
B.A., Cultural Anthropology; B.A., Interdisciplinary Studies, Visual Research Methodology
Magna Cum Laude
Hometown: Ellicott City, Maryland

Marylanders might recognize Samantha Hawkins as the energetic Miss Baltimore 2014 and first runner-up to Miss Maryland 2013, but her two Miss America Academic Awards provide a glimpse of the tremendous hard work behind those public honors. This fall Samantha will begin a fully-funded Ph.D. fellowship at Harvard University, studying sociocultural anthropology. At UMBC, she was a member of the Honors College and received multiple scholarships, including the Walter Sondheim, Jr. Maryland Nonprofit Leadership Scholarship, Maryland Delegate Scholarship and UMBC Humanities Scholarship. She also received an Undergraduate Research Award to study Baltimore identity and the construction of sense of place. Samantha cares deeply about Baltimoreans, and has been a weekly volunteer at St. Francis Neighborhood Center and a goodwill ambassador for Children's Miracle Network Hospitals. She is the founder of Food Resource Program in Reservoir Hill, an organization that provides free groceries to low-income families. Through this work, she received the State of Maryland Governor's Citation for outstanding contributions to Maryland's nonprofit community. Samantha has interned at the Maryland State Arts Council and Smithsonian Institution's Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage, and done work for National Geographic. She is published photographer, from the Retriever Weekly to the Smithsonian Institution.

“I am so grateful for all the opportunities that have been provided to me by the Honors College, the Shriver Center, the INDS and anthropology departments, among others. I could not have accomplished so much in my four years without their constant guidance and unwavering commitment to this university and its students.”

Plans: M.A., Education, UMBC
B.S., Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
Magna Cum Laude
Hometown: Frederick, Maryland

Amy Connor was working as an artist when she found herself searching for answers after a life-threatening illness. Her curiosity unearthed a passion for science and has driven her to succeed at UMBC. She says, “UMBC has given me the opportunity to make and achieve goals that I never thought were possible. The support I have received from my professors, mentors and peers has given me the strength to excel.” Now, Connor wants to inspire young students to think critically and creatively about science. She plans to teach chemistry after obtaining a graduate degree in education.

“As a non-traditional student, I am still amazed at how welcome I felt here by the UMBC community. The people I have met have made this a truly wonderful experience, and I owe my success to each of them.”

Plans: Fulbright Research Grant, University of Turku, Finland; Ph.D., Watershed Sciences, Utah State University
M.S., Geography and Environmental Systems
Cum Laude
Hometown: Ellicott City, Maryland

Mitchell Donovan’s research is impacting our world. As a graduate student, he won a Maryland Sea Grant to study the health of the Chesapeake Bay and present his work at the Scientific and Technical Advisory Committee’s Chesapeake Bay workshop. His presentation was used to support adjusting future models of sediment and contaminant sources. His research in Maryland enabled him to win a Fulbright Research Grant to Finland, where he will study the role of agriculture on erosion and water quality.

“Through UMBC's faculty, staff and students, I was provided with intellectual challenges, research opportunities and career resources that fostered many successes and achievements.”

Plans: M.D./Ph.D., Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine
B.S., Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
Summa Cum Laude
Hometown: Greenbelt, Maryland

UMBC has been a learning experience for Blossom Tewelde, both inside and outside the classroom. As a Meyerhoff and HHMI Scholar, she has excelled in her coursework and research, winning the Donald Creighton Memorial Scholarship for Outstanding Senior Undergraduate Researcher in Biochemistry and the Biochemistry Poster Presentation Award at the Annual Biomedical Research Conference. She has also explored and found success in poetry, publishing in UMBC’s Bartleby and winning the Malcolm C. Braly Award. Tewelde was named a finalist for valedictorian.

“The faculty and staff across all disciplines at UMBC have been an immense resource, not only in terms of their knowledge, but more importantly, as role models. The only resource vaster than UMBC’s faculty and staff is its student body. The classmates and friends that I am graduating with could soon be my collaborators, and in that sense, I feel UMBC truly has prepared me for my future career.”

Plans: Theatre administration, technician and costuming positions at Daydreams and Nightmares Aerial Theatre, Historical Designs and the Jim Rouse Theatre
B.A., Theatre
Cum Laude
Hometown: Columbia, Maryland

Linehan Artist Scholar Kat Schuster is a costume designer whose hard work in the studio has been recognized by the theatre department, local theatre companies and audiences. Kat earned the position of wardrobe master for three different UMBC Theatre productions, and was granted the Outstanding Departmental Service Award for her work, as well as a Linehan Summer Award. She has also been acknowledged for her work supporting younger students, through UMBC Residential Life and the Wilde Lake High School Theatre Department, where she has served as a designer and mentor.

“I was attracted to UMBC as an institution for its hands-on approach to education. Not only did my department prepare me with the technical skill required to succeed, they also helped me get internships, jobs, a striking portfolio and showed me how to present it all to keep me going.”

Plans: Research Mathematician, Department of Defense
Ph.D., Statistics
Summa Cum Laude
Hometown: Stoughton, Wisconsin

Just before graduating, Justin Jacobs was the first member of the intelligence community to receive the highest honor bestowed by the U.S. government on science and engineering professionals in the early stages of their careers, the Presidential Early Career Award in Science and Engineering (PECASE). His lengthy list of experience and achievements includes working for the U.S. Census Bureau as a mathematical statistician, working for the Department of Defense as a research mathematician, and receiving awards for development of a time series analysis program using nonparametric wavelet filtering and for advancement of geolocation algorithms and development of a robust geonavigation toolset. After graduation, Justin hopes to continue work at the Department of Defense and also would like to begin teaching.

“Through coursework and daily interaction with professors, my ability to understand and communicate challenging problems in statistics and mathematics greatly improved. I can now handle special challenges in the workplace, including briefings at the presidential level. Through interactions with other students in my program, I have developed a professional network that has stretched across the country.”

Plans: Position at the Office Refugee Resettlement
Master of Public Policy
Summa Cum Laude
Hometown: Arnold, Maryland

Mark Bennett’s policy research and analysis have taken him around the country. His research focuses on the effects of desegregation on the athletic programs of historically black colleges and universities. He presented this work with co-author, and political science professor, Dr. George LaNoue at the Southern Economics Association in Louisiana. Mark also travelled to Texas Tech University to compete against hundreds of teams in the National Parliamentary Debate Tournament, winning top-ten speaker and team awards for arguments on topics ranging from U.S.-China relations to comprehensive immigration reform. Mark has learned about public policy outside of the classroom through internships with Shared Hope International, World Vision, and in the office of U.S. Congressman Roscoe Bartlett. He has been invited to join four honors societies, and plans to attend law school after completing work with the Office of Refugee Resettlement.

“Most importantly, UMBC has prepared me for success. That success may come in a million dollar job or being CEO of a company, or in changing the life of a child through inner city policy work or teaching in a local school. UMBC has shown and built in me the desire to work hard at whatever I do, to stand up and take action when action is needed, and to be a leader for good.”

Plans: Lead Computer Engineer, NASA Goddard Space Flight Center
Ph.D., Electrical Engineering
Magna Cum Laude
Hometown: Philadelphia, PA

During his time at UMBC, Damon Bradley has also worked as lead computer engineer in the Instrument Electronics Development Branch at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center. In 2004, Bradley founded the National Society of Black Engineers, Greenbelt Space Chapter. A year later, he received the Excellence in Outreach Award from NASA Goddard Space Flight Center. By 2008, he founded the Digital Signal Processing Technology Group at the NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, and in 2010 he received the Robert H. Goddard Leadership Award.

“UMBC has helped me make the transition from an engineer to a scientist – from one who manipulates existing knowledge to solve engineering problems, to one who creates new knowledge to expand what is possible in the realm of electrical engineering.”

Plans: Reelection campaign manager for County Councilman Tom Quirk
B.A., Political Science; B.A., Gender and Women’s Studies
Summa Cum Laude
Hometown: Frederick, Maryland

Caitlyn Leiter-Mason has a clear enthusiasm for experiential learning, from interning for the state legislature to using oral histories to complete original research in Tunisia. A member of the Honors College and a Sondheim Public Affairs Scholar, she has represented UMBC on the University System of Maryland Student Council, and she was awarded the Jo Ann E. Argersinger Award for Academic Achievement in Gender and Women's Studies. Caitlin also received the Circle of Excellence Scholarship at the Daily Record's Top 100 Women Awards Ceremony.

“UMBC has served as a home base. Each time I have pushed myself out of my comfort zone, I have been able to come back to my mentors and friends at UMBC for encouragement, critical reflection, and advice. Without being challenged and supported by the UMBC community, I would never have gained so much from my time in college.”

Plans: Director of Policy and Research, Eric Ebersole campaign for State Delegate B.A., Political Science
B.A., Political Science
Magna Cum Laude
Hometown: Catonsville, Maryland

A political science major and Sondheim Public Affairs Scholar, Meghan Carpenter has focused on exploring how she can affect change in government and education policy. She served as the director of the Office of Community and Government Relations in the Student Government Association and was a Governor’s Summer Intern at the Maryland State Department of Education. While there, she interned for the Office of the State Superintendent and conducted evaluations on K-12 accountability systems and Race to the Top. Meghan advocated for student needs at the state level and testified to the Maryland General Assembly for UMBC’s proposed budget and for a measure to reduce textbook prices.

“The value at which UMBC holds its students really helped me to achieve my goals and helped me to grow as a person. UMBC is really unique in that students aren't treated merely as receptacles for academia, but as partners in an educational environment. At UMBC, I was able to take on leadership roles that allowed me to change the campus, and that lead to practical experience in problem-solving and community relations.”

Plans: Youth Services Coordinator, Blind Industries and Services of Maryland
B.A., English Literature
Summa Cum Laude
Hometown: Plainfield, New Jersey

While Melissa Lomax credits UMBC for helping her grow in “independence, confidence, humility and passion,” it is also clear that her work has helped UMBC articulate a commitment to welcoming students with disabilities. Her leadership as president of the Maryland Association of Blind Students and active membership in the National Federation of the Blind of Maryland and UMBC Residential Life Peer Review Council demonstrate her commitment to strengthening our inclusive community. She was selected to travel to Damascus for the Open Hands Youth Abilities Summit, where she worked with Syrian youth on the topic of the United Nations Convention for the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, shared experiences and advice, and helped develop the storyline for Liquid Comic’s Silver Scorpion, an empowering superhero who has a disability, profiled in news outlets from NPR to Time Magazine. Lomax is UMBC’s first December graduate to be named a valedictorian finalist.

“Often times, people offered to help me, and I could not experience helping them in return. However, UMBC has given me ample opportunities to help. The faculty and fellow students did not stop me because of my blindness, but they stood behind me every step of the way.”

Plans: M.S., Computer Science, UMBC
B.S., Computer Science
Cum Laude
Hometown: Columbia, Maryland

CWIT Scholar Emily Scheerer is passionate about cybersecurity, which she attributes to her engaging and dedicated professors. She is a two-time recipient of the Armed Forces Communications and Electronics Association’s Cyber Studies Scholarship and has completed internships with the Department of Defense and Booz Allen Hamilton. Scheerer also shared her cyber knowledge with the greater UMBC community as the editor of the Technology Section in The Retriever Weekly for several years. She looks forward to interning with the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Lab before starting an M.S. in Computer Science. Emily has also enjoyed serving as a UMBC Welcome Week Leader (Woolie) and president of the UMBC Ballroom Dance Team.

“UMBC has helped me to take charge of my own learning experience, to redefine what it means to be proud of my university and my education. As a member of the CWIT Scholars Program and Honors College community, I have felt uniquely cared for by the faculty and staff here.”

Plans: Engineer, Whiting-Turner Contracting Company
B.S., Mechanical Engineering and B.A., Mathematics
Cum Laude
Hometown: Damak, Nepal

When Kabish Shah arrived in the U.S. in August 2009, he didn’t know who would pick him up at the airport or where he would stay his first night, but he came determined to earn a college degree. He began his studies at CCBC before transferring to UMBC. As he had done in the past, Shah hit the ground running. In his first summer at UMBC he landed an engineering internship with Whiting-Turner Contracting Company working on the university’s Performing Arts and Humanities Building. His work impressed the site managers so much they offered him a full-time position as a mechanical engineer after graduation. Shah is passionate about his field, and has pursued both research (in Tim Topoleski’s Bio-Implantable Lab) and teaching (with Dr. Susan Hoban). Through NASA’s Engineering Exploration Training (NeXT), he taught robotics to more than 100 local middle school students. He will teach NExT Robotics again this summer, and train future NExT instructors. Shah has held several campus leadership positions and has received numerous honors, including recognition as a T-SITE Scholar, W. Patrick Wilson Scholar, and Janice Antoine Lumpkin Scholar.

“My experience at UMBC has been one of a kind. It has brought the best out of me, made me realize how smart I am and challenged me to challenge myself.”

Plans: Community outreach in Sierra Leone and Fulbright-funded research in Jordan
B.A., Political Science, History and Visual Arts
Cum Laude
Hometown: Shenyang, China

As a triple major and double minor committed to experiential learning, Coco Tang has explored the intersections of several disciplines in her time at UMBC, both in the classroom and through international travel. She has received a Fulbright Scholarship, NSEP Boren Scholarship, Undergraduate Research Award (URA), Plogman Award and Imaging Research Center Fellowship Award. Through her Boren Scholarship and URA, she spent 9 months in Jordan last year, completing a powerful film featuring interviews with members of Jordanian civil society, exploring their reaction to the Syrian refugee crisis. Tang is also trained as an EMT and has traveled extensively: to the Philippines for disaster relief, Germany for study, and North Korea during her spring break. Immediately after graduation, Tang will spend two months in Sierra Leone doing medical missions surrounding Ebola, return to Jordan through Fulbright, and then complete a year of government service to fulfill her Boren Scholarship.

“UMBC got me out of my comfort zone and opened doors. Never did I think I would become a varsity cheerleader or become an emergency medical technician. I never thought I would pursue any studies in Arabic, let alone travel to the Middle East or North Korea. It connected me to scholarships I didn't even know existed.”

Plans: M.A., Counseling Psychology, Johns Hopkins University
B.A., Psychology
Summa Cum Laude
Hometown: Catonsville, Maryland

Cho Fung Chim took full advantage of the undergraduate research opportunities available to UMBC students. As a psychology major, he became interested in counseling and worked as a research assistant in Robin Barry’s Couple and Family Research Lab and in Charissa Cheah’s Culture, Child and Adolescent Development Lab. He completed an honors thesis on the relation between spouses' perceptions of each other’s behaviors and their marital satisfaction in newlywed couples, managing all stages of the study, from developing the research question, to completing a literature review, to coding and analyzing the data. Chim plans to become a family counselor and serve other families who have immigrated to the U.S. He graduates from UMBC with a 4.0 and notable lab experience, achieved while working many hours to support his education.

“The research experience I had at UMBC was extremely valuable and incomparable. UMBC prepared me for future challenges in graduate school and in my life. UMBC also provided a friendly learning environment which helped me to stay focused.”

Plans: Consultant, Deloitte LLP
B.S., Mathematics; B.A., Political Science
Magna Cum Laude
Hometown: Huntingtown, Maryland

Taylor Good is both a Sondheim Public Affairs Scholar and a member of the first cohort of students receiving NSF-funded interdisciplinary training in biological and mathematical sciences. As a rising junior, he combined his interests in math and political science by working at Maryland StateStat–created to boost the accountability, transparency and efficiency of state government–through the Governor's Summer Internship Program. As a rising senior, he won an SGA election for Finance Board (reaching four years of service to the SGA) while studying abroad in South Africa. Upon returning to UMBC, he worked as a government relations intern for Deloitte LLP, which offered him a full-time position after graduation. Taylor has also performed with the UMBC Camerata, a choir selected from students and faculty across academic departments.

“UMBC provided the environment for me to develop close relationships and constant advising with faculty. Through these relationships, I learned of research opportunities and fantastic internships, in addition to helping me form my personal character. By allowing me to maintain my multiple interests while helping develop my passion for service to the community, UMBC truly promoted my academic and personal development.”

Plans: Community development non-profit work
B.A., Cultural Anthropology and Spanish
Summa Cum Laude
Hometown: Baltimore, Maryland

Sondheim Scholar and valedictorian finalist Kelsey Krach is deeply involved in her community. Throughout her time at UMBC, she has participated in service-learning and internships with the Citizens Planning and Housing Association and Amnesty International USA. At UMBC, she led an Alternative Spring Break to help other students learn about the experiences of refugees in Baltimore. Krach won the Outstanding Student in Anthropology Award and was inducted into multiple honor societies, including Phi Beta Kappa, Phi Kappa Phi and Lambda Alpha National Collegiate Honors Society for Anthropology. She hopes to someday direct a human rights and social justice non-profit.

“Over the past four years, I have hundreds of moments, both life changing and seemingly small, that cultivated me into the person I am today. UMBC provided me multitudes of opportunities which I was able to turn into experiences that developed my skills for success.”

Plans: Master’s of Public Policy, UMBC
B.A., Dance and Interdisciplinary Studies
Magna Cum Laude
Hometown: Easton, Maryland

Through her undergraduate experience at UMBC, Mary Hester was able to explore and combine her two passions: dance and advocacy. As a Linehan Artist Scholar, Mary was prepared for success as an artist, student and leader. She served as president of the Dance Council of Majors, received the Linehan Summer Research and Study Award, and performed at the American College Dance Festival for three years. In 2013, she was selected as an Undergraduate Research Scholar. Through her project “Arts Advocacy: Promoting Policy Change,” she examined the benefits of dance lessons and the political implications for arts education. She also completed an internship with Americans for the Arts in Washington D.C., the nation’s leading nonprofit for arts advancement.

“The Interdisciplinary Studies Department has encouraged me to pursue my unique interests in dance and public policy. My INDS advisers, mentors and coursework have prepared me to become an advocate for the arts, even when I was unsure if this was a possible career path. UMBC has taught me how to integrate all parts of myself to create a future bigger than what I thought it could be.”

Plans: Ph.D., Chemical Engineering, University of Notre Dame
B.S., Chemical Engineering
Cum Laude
Hometown: Germantown, Maryland

Sebastian Snowberger discovered his passion for research at UMBC. The Washington Suburban Sanitary Commission Joyce Starks Engineering Scholarship and an Undergraduate Research Award have supported his research experiences. He also received two Undergraduate Research Dissemination Awards to present his findings at the American Institute of Chemical Engineers. Thanks to his department and the Honors College, says Snowberger, “I've felt confident always pushing myself harder and have developed my love for education and academia.”

“The opportunity to perform serious research as an undergraduate has easily been the most influential experience during my time at UMBC. Discovering my passion for research has steered me to graduate school, and I'm very eager to continue my education and start considering new projects in the fall!”

Plans: M.S.W., Social Work, University of Maryland, Baltimore
B.A., Social Work
Magna Cum Laude
Hometown: Baltimore, Maryland

Melissa Hartman is an inspiration to the UMBC community. She returned to school as a single parent at age 33 and obtained an associate’s degree from the Community College of Baltimore County. She realized that she needed to further her studies to achieve her goal of addressing social policies that criminalize drug addicts instead of offering treatment opportunities, and she enrolled pursued a bachelor’s degree at UMBC as a Charlotte Newcombe Scholar. She has worked tirelessly to help at-risk populations, mentoring pregnant women with substance abuse problems and girls at Waxter’s Children’s Center detention facility. For her work, Hartman has been inducted into the Phi Theta Kappa National Honor Society and Social Work Honor Society.

“After coming to UMBC, my full potential was realized. The faculty and staff are among the most caring and educated I have studied under and I was consistently encouraged to look within and rediscover my talents by my mentors.”

Plans: Dr. Giuliano Scarcelli’s Lab at Harvard Medical School
B.S., Physics
Magna Cum Laude
Hometown: Offenbach, Germany

Kim Berghaus is an athlete and scientist. She has received the Outstanding Graduating Senior in Physics Award, Joseph F. Mulligan Memorial Lectureship, and has been named Matt Skalsky Outstanding UMBC Scholar. She has excelled in athletics as well, named the Most Valuable Player in Women’s Tennis this year. In 2013 she received the Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) All-Academic Honor. In 2012 she was a member of the American East Tennis All-Academic Squad and was the first Retriever to receive a national ranking in women’s tennis. In 2011 she was American East Conference Rookie of the Year and Most Valuable Player.

“UMBC has provided me with an excellent undergraduate education and research experience. UMBC faculty's outstanding commitment to teaching–reinforcing rigor while nurturing the spark of curiosity–is what ultimately guided me to pursue a future in research.”

Plans: Position with the Department of Defense
B.S., Information Systems
Hometown: Frederick, Maryland

As a young girl, Tabitha Haverkamp was fascinated by technology. When she first visited UMBC, she knew it was the perfect place to learn more about computing. She quickly made a place for herself here, co-founding UMBC’s Industry Certification Training Group, serving on the executive board of the Information Systems Council of Majors, and working in UMBC’s Department of Information Technology. Haverkamp has found great success in her field, conducting undergraduate research in geographic information systems, being an affiliate member of the Center for Women in Technology (CWIT), and winning the 2014 Student Leadership Award from the Department of Information Systems.

“I have spent my years at UMBC learning how to be a successful minority woman in a technical field, and have dedicated my life to helping others on their journeys to their definition of success. As I begin my career and graduate school, I know that my success will continue because of the values and habits that have been instilled in me throughout my college career.”

Plans: M.D./Ph.D., Duke University
B.S., Chemical Engineering
Cum Laude
Hometown: Loxahatchee, Florida

Dalton Hughes is a Meyerhoff Scholar, Janice Antoine Lumpkin Scholar, Howard Hughes Medical Institute Scholar, and MARC U*STAR Scholar, as well as a member of the Tau Beta Pi Engineering Honor Society. In addition to completing sophisticated lab research throughout his time at UMBC, receiving multiple Undergraduate Research Awards, he has played a leadership role in the UMBC Engineers without Borders effort to establish a clean water supply for a community in Isongo, Kenya. This innovative project includes a partnership with a university in Kenya, active engagement with local community members, and participation from students across disciplines, including the arts and humanities, which are essential to the public health and education aspect of the work. Hughes has also spoken about his UMBC experience at major events, such as the recent U.S. News STEM Solutions conference.

“A remarkable attribute of UMBC is the great sense of community on campus. All the amazing opportunities I've had during my time here is due to the tremendous amounts of guidance and support I've received from the Meyerhoff Scholars Program, UMBC faculty, and the members of Jennie Leach Laboratory.”

Plans: Assistant professor of TESOL, University of Wisconsin, La Crosse
Ph.D., Language, Literacy, and Culture
Summa Cum Laude
Hometown: Lee’s Summit, Missouri

English Language Fellow Heather Linville began her career at UMBC as the academic director of the English Language Institute (ELI). Within only a year and a half of her enrollment in the Language, Literacy, and Culture program, Heather earned a faculty position at American University in her field. Having prepared English language teachers in Indonesia, Mexico and Panama during five years of work abroad, she was also selected as an English Language Specialist for the U.S. State Department. She will continue to serve in this role following graduation, while moving on to a tenure-track faculty position. Linville has also completed a master’s degree in instructional systems design at UMBC.

“UMBC not only provided me experience as a leader at the English Language Institute, but also prepared me to find a faculty position.”

Plans: Contract Financial Analyst, AAI Corporation
B.A., Financial Economics, Health Administration and Policy
Hometown: Hiram, Ohio

Brandan McGee hit the ground running at UMBC, literally. He was a member of UMBC’s Division 1 cross country and track and field athletic programs for all four years, setting the steeplechase and 8k school records. His various internships with leading firms and government agencies haveincluded T-Rowe Price, Envision Rx and the National Institute of Health (NIH), where his responsibilities ranged from working on Medicare part D contracts to working on budgets for translational research in the drug abuse field. McGee was also president of the Economics Council of Majors and won the 2012-2013 UMBC Student Affairs Leadership Award. After graduating, he plans to attain an MBA while working for AAI Corporation.

“One of the main ways that UMBC has helped me reach my goals is through the Shriver and Career Service Centers. With a little bit of their help and the wonderful education that UMBC has equipped me with, I have taken advantage of amazing internships and job experiences. They also organized the on-campus job interview that led to my job offer.”