As the academic year draws to a close, we thought we might take the time to introduce you to some of our Alumni Association Scholarship recipients. Today, we hear from Amirreza Saharkiz ’16, mechanical engineering.

Name: Amirreza Saharkiz

Major: Mechanical Engineering

Grad Year: 2016

Extracurriculars: President of the Persian Student Association, Member of the Honors College, Member of the Mini Baja team, Undergraduate Research Assistant

Why did you decide to attend UMBC? I considered many factors before I [chose] UMBC. First, I like small colleges and because I intended to be an engineer, the only available in-state school for me was UMBC. Also, UMBC offered me several scholarships which made me even more interested [in] attending UMBC.

What’s been the most amazing discovery you’ve made so far as a student here? The most amazing discovery that I found as a student is [that the faculty] at UMBC really care about students’ success, [especially] for undergraduate students.

What are you most proud of accomplishing in your time at UMBC? I have received an Undergraduate Research Award (URA), and [I was also] elected as the president of the Persian Student Association (PSA).

What would you say to the people who provided your scholarship? [You are] great people who care about other people’s success and [have a] great understanding of the obstacles toward higher education.

What do you hope to do after graduation? I have applied for [five Ph.D. programs] and hopefully I can get admitted.

Your gift to UMBC helps fund scholarships for students like Amirreza. Please consider donating today.