Role at the UMBC Career Center: Director

Q: Where have you earned your college degrees?

A: Graduate Degree

Harvard University- Cambridge, MA

Undergraduate Degree

Georgetown University- Washington, DC

Q: What program(s) did you study? How did you choose your major?

A: M.Ed. in Human Development and Psychology

B.A. in Psychology

Personally, I struggled with deciding on a major flipping between biology (pre-med) and psychology. However, I always knew I wanted a career where I could personally make a difference. I decided on psychology as I was drawn to learning about human development and began to see myself in academia as a career.

Q: Tell me about the job and internship process when you were in college. Were you able to find job/internship positions that were related to your major or your career interests?

A: I worked throughout college- research, intern, volunteer, work study, part-time job- you name it and I did it. Each of these experiences developed my strong work ethic and passion for helping others. My favorite positions included interning at a Women's Shelter and conducting research in artificial intelligence and alien abduction (long story here).

Q: What is the best piece of advice you have ever received?

A: Your community does not define you.

You are in control of your destiny.

Q: Why should students visit the Career Center?

A:  While in college, it's important dream about the possibilities. However, the Career Center will help connect you to those possibilities via internships, networking functions, on campus interviews, trips to companies, etc.

Let us help you discover and achieve your dreams.

Q: What is your favorite aspect about UMBC?

A:  I greatly value my UMBC experience, which spans over 15 years. UMBC is not only a place that supports innovation but also is a community that cares about people.

Q: What is one item on your bucket list?

A:  Within the next five years, I would like to take my husband and boys to Poland. Both of my parents immigrated to the US in their 20s and remain very active in the Polish community. In fact, they still only speak to me in Polish. I want my kids to experience Polish culture and customs first hand. This would mean a lot to me.

Q: What is one aspect of the DC/Baltimore area that you often explore?

A:  My husband and I lived in Baltimore City (Federal Hill and Canton) for ten years. We love going into the city to meet up with friends- relive our younger years.

Want to connect with Christine or any of our great Career Center team? Call our office at 410-455-2216 or check out our contact us page here: http://careers.umbc.edu/aboutus/

The Summer Clinical and Translational Research Program (SCTRP) is a ten-week mentored, summer research program designed to enrich the pipeline of college students' understanding of and interest in pursuing clinical and/or translational research, as well as to increase underrepresented minority and disadvantaged college student exposure to clinical/translational research.

In addition to mentored clinical/translational research experience, SCTRP students will participate in weekly seminars with Harvard faculty and graduate students focusing on topics such as research methodology, health disparities, ethics, career paths, and the graduate school and medical school application process. Participants will also have the opportunity to participate in offerings of other Harvard Medical School programs such as career development seminars and networking dinners.

With such a diverse major, there are so many areas in this field to explore!

Becoming a student researcher will give you the option to:

> Engage in hands-on projects with faculty and peers

> Travel (to Costa Rica, Turkey, or Sweden; it's up to you!)

> Publish your findings

> &/OR Get paid to keep going!

Check out the link below for more info and to see some of the cool research other peers in your field have done!!

In 2012-2017, UMBC will support a total of 22 new Cybersecurity students at the BS, MS, MPS, and PhD levels in computer science and related fields. Each scholarship is for the final two years of study (three years for PhD and combined BS/MS). Each scholarship covers full tuition, fees, travel, books, and an academic year stipend of $30,000 for PhD, $25,000 for MS, and $20,000 for BS students.

Interested full-time degree students should submit an application to Dr. Alan T. Sherman, as explained on the CISA website. The same application form is used for the Scholarship For Service (SFS) and Information Assurance Scholarship Program (IASP) scholarships. Clearly state on the cover page to which program you are applying. Be sure to include official transcripts and original signed letters of reference on letterhead (preferably from tenure-track faculty who can comment on your research potential and accomplishments).

The applications must be received by the deadlines: 12noon Monday, November 17, 2014, for scholarships beginning in spring 2015 and 12noon Monday, February 2, 2015, for scholarships beginning fall 2015.

We expect to make up to two new SFS awards for spring 2015, and up to six new SFS awards for fall 2015. We do not yet know if any IASP scholarships will be possible for fall 2015.

Applicants must be US citizens capable of obtaining a secret or top-secret clearance. Each scholar must work for the federal, state, or tribal government (for pay) for one year for each year of award. Each scholar must also carry out an appropriate cybersecurity summer internship (for pay) for each year of support.

Recipients are expected to engage vigorously in cybersecurity education, research, and other cybersecurity activities while at UMBC.

For more information, contact Dr. Alan T, Sherman, Director, UMBC Center for Information Security and Assurance, Sorry, you need javascript to view this email address.

Name: Laquazia Bell

Internship, Co-op or Research Site: Independent Can

Major(s)/Minor(s): Mathematics; Acturarial Track

Expected Graduation Year: 2016

Briefly describe your internship, co-op, research, or service-learning opportunity, including your day-to-day tasks, responsibilities, and assignments.

As the lithography technical intern at Independent Can my first project is to find the main causes to Lost Time on their 6-unit press. Currently I have found all issues, narrowed the list to 3 main issues to focus on, determined their root causes, and now I am brainstorming and researching on solutions to eliminate or minimize Lost Time.

Describe the process of obtaining your internship, research, or co-op opportunity.

I live in an area that is home to many industrial companies. I looked through Google Maps to search the companies in my immediate area since I am limited by my mode of transportation. I narrowed the companies down to ones I'd be interested in and visited their web pages or searched through various job search engines to see if they had any job postings. On independent cans website I found the posting for the internship I now have and applied. To prepare for my interview I was unaware of the mock interview I could have gotten through the school. Instead to prepare I used resources another company I applied with, Accountemps, had online that gave advice on how to prepare for interviews. It was incredibly helpful and made me feel and look a bit more prepared and competent during my interview.

Which of the following resources did you use to find your current experience?

Career Center, UMBCworks

What have you enjoyed the most about your position or organization/company?

The open atmosphere. It is my first position in a professional setting and I appreciate that at Independent Can. I am able to wean myself into the business instead of being thrust into it.

What have you gained from your experience that you could not have gained from another opportunity?

Time to build myself. Right now I am tasked to come up with solutions to the issues that I have found, I have a deadline but I am given plenty of room to think, everyone makes me feel comfortable enough to ask the questions I need answered in order for me to come to conclusions, regardless how tedious my questioning.

What advice would you give to another student who is seeking an internship or similar experience?

If you can, take the time to ask the questions you need to get your job done right. It's an internship and we're supposed to be learning so when we start our careers we're prepared.

Please provide a short quote about what you liked most about your position / earning internship credit / the internship placement process.

Living in a how-its-made episode everyday while learning the basics for my future career.

On Tuesday, November 11th through Friday, November 14th the Women's Center will be closing at 5pm. Please plan accordingly!

Hours will resume as normal beginning the week of November 17th.