Stephanie Marceron graduated from UMBC with a MCS degree in the Fall ‘23 semester, and has since become the Chanel boutique manager at Ulta, where she has worked since starting there in 2021. Stephanie worked on the media campaign production team for MCS last semester, and spoke highly of the MCS department.  She recommended using the valuable resources available in the MCS department as well as the resourceful and helpful professors.

“The professors were so encouraging and supportive throughout my time at UMBC. It always felt like Dr.Snyder and Dr.Loviglio, in particular, were in my corner as I was trying to figure out what I wanted to do with my Capstone and then what I wanted to specialize in with my degree. Through their guidance, I developed a project that became the pride of my academic career that I will be putting forth for publication in August.”

When asked about some of her favorite experiences, she told me about a fantastic experience where media and entertainment intersect in a fun way.

“Honestly, I think my favorite memory is when I was giving my presentation for my capstone, and I warned everybody that I would be showing clips from horror films because my paper was all about the use of sound in horror media, and just saw the look of disgust and discomfort on my classmates faces when I showed them the chest-burster scene from alien it was amusing to me because I knew that the sound was getting to them, and I did the same thing with a specific sequence from dead space, the game.”

Stephanie has gone on from UMBC to gain promotion and success in her career by rising the ranks to manage her own Chanel Boutique for Ulta, while also getting to cement her academic work into publication which will be ready later this Fall. She is a great example of the shining talent at UMBC that grows in MCS and goes on to change the world for the better both as a person and as a community.

By: Rae Daniel

I had the wonderful opportunity of interviewing my co-worker and former UMBC MCS student Dakota Boodhoo. While attending UMBC, Dakota was able to get an internship at a BCPL library through MCS 404, and after graduation he continued in the library career path, where he eventually ended up back at UMBC, not as a student, But as an AOK Library worker! What goes around, comes around. He and I talked about His journey, and the integration of MCS in his daily work life. 

Rae: How did you transition from a major in Media and Communication Studies to a career in a library? What inspired you to make that transition?

Dakota: I was uncertain about my career direction after completing my Media and Communication Studies degree. However, I landed an internship at BCPL Pikesville Branch library and found it to be a rewarding experience. With time, I gained more knowledge and eventually pursued a career in libraries. It wasn't an easy journey, but I take pride in taking an unusual career path.In fact the internship was the one I used for my MCS internship and I found out that I could use this degree in the field to become a digital media library specialist. 

R: Was Media and Communications Studies your first choice of major?

D: Yes, I chose Media and Communication Studies as my major because I've always been fascinated by the power of media to shape our understanding of the world. I'm particularly interested in the role that media plays in shaping public opinion and influencing social change. I have been studying commuincations since I was in middle school my magnet program was Mass Communications. I have never left it and last May received my Master's in Organizational Communications. 

R: In what ways do you see your media and communications background as an asset in your current role, and how have you leveraged those skills to enhance your work?

D: With a background in Media and Communication Studies, I excel at effective communication with others. My skills allow me to make a positive impact on society and convey my ideas clearly. I have to deal with students and community members from all backgrounds. In order to be successful you must communicate well.

R: What kind of jobs did you pursue after graduation, and how did you get started in your career?

D: Internships in libraries and job shadowing led me to my career. I enjoyed working with the people and the type of work they did. I spent many years in the library as a visitor and it was my happy place. Working their has been a blast. Also using my degree everyday has also been pretty great. 

R: What do you think are some of the key skills and qualities needed to be successful in a library, and how do those compare to the skills and qualities needed in media and communications?

D: As someone with experience in media and communication, I believe that effective communication is a vital skill that can make a positive difference in both fields. The ability to articulate ideas clearly, engage with others, and convey information accurately are all transferable skills that are valuable in both environments. However, in a library setting, attention to detail, organization, and a passion for learning and research are also crucial qualities.Especially in academic libraries. 

R: What do you enjoy most about working in a library, and what are some of the biggest challenges you face in your role?

D: This job can be peaceful and fulfilling, but also comes with challenges like dealing with difficult patrons and staying up-to-date with new technologies. Working with the campus community you enjoy getting to know the students and seeing them grow and mature each semester. It's also kind of sad seeing them graduate but you are happy to see them go fulfill their dreams. 

R: What is an underrated genre of books in your opinion?

D: Historical fiction is underrated. It's entertaining, educational, and can be just as gripping as any other genre. It's funny seeing the rise of shows like Bridergton or Queen Charlotte on Netflix they  are helping bring attention to the genre.  

R: What are the most challenging and rewarding aspects of being a Media and Communication Studies student, and how have you navigated the field through your college career?

D: MCS was great it prepared me for the real world. Also they expected the best from us and I felt prepared to get my Maste's. Lots of papers and projects but I enjoyed them all. Professor Snyder was the best! I have heard many complain that they just felt like they were just a number at their university in MCS I felt they wanted us to succeed. MCS prepares you for any field it's the best. 

R: How do you think libraries are evolving and changing in the digital age, and what do you see as the role of libraries in the future?

D: Even with the rise of technology, libraries still have an essential role in providing access to information and promoting literacy. In the future, libraries will adapt to meet the needs of a digital society while maintaining their commitment to equitable access. Libraries will be a hub for lifelong learning, fostering a love of reading, critical thinking skills, and supporting the community's educational and cultural needs. In the academic world libraries are a safe place where students can always  come together and study. During the pandemic we missed seeing students together the library always provides a place to do it.  

R: What advice do you have for someone who is interested in pursuing a career in the library field, especially if they come from a different academic background?

D: If you're determined to pursue a career in the library field, especially if you come from a different academic background, it's crucial to start by researching the various roles and responsibilities within the field. Taking courses or workshops to gain knowledge and skills in areas such as information management, literacy and education, and community outreach is highly recommended. In addition, volunteering at a local library can provide invaluable experience and insight into the daily operations of a library. Moreover, networking with professionals in the field can help you gain a better understanding of the industry and potential career opportunities. Remember, libraries play an essential role in society, and your skills and passion can make a significant difference in promoting equitable access to information and literacy. Find out which type of library that interests you they have public, private and academic libraries. Find your specialization, there is someplace for everyone. 

By: Sophia Blackwell 

Photo Credit: Ashley Harper Cottrell

Meet Graham Whaples,  a UMBC Alumni, ‘19, MCS & American Studies, as he talks about his fond memories at UMBC as an Athletics Broadcaster for the Retrievers and gives some advice for current MCS students.  

His fondest memory as a Retrievers Athletics Broadcaster:  “The relationships I was able to build with all of the coaches and Athletics Department staff, especially the student-led Broadcast Team.  Not only have I continued to keep those relationships alive, but I've actually used those relationships in my current position.  UMBC's Retriever Soccer Park has served as a host for professional soccer teams for practices that we've hosted over the years, and I've found myself working with the Athletics Department staff on planning, site visits, and other operations that go into logistics and planning.”

Graham is a Project Administrator at Maryland Stadium Authority, Marketing and Communications Group with Maryland Sports Commission. A typical day for him consists of the “regular administrative stuff: responding to emails, Zoom meetings and conference calls, etc.... However, our department is also outward facing, so that means I also get to attend conferences and tradeshows (in state and out of state), I do site and venue survey's and visits, attend sporting events and other events not related to sports, meet with potential partners in the Baltimore-Metro area and across the state.” 

Graham gives advice for students at UMBC pursuing sports broadcasting: “Sports and sports broadcasting are very competitive industries but there are more jobs in sports than a lot of people might think.  If you're in college, start with the university athletics department.  It's a great way to get invaluable skills and experience.  I've moved away from broadcasting just because it is such a grind and hard to juggle with having young kids, but I'm still able to work in the sports industry through sports tourism in my current position with the Maryland Stadium Authority/ Maryland Sports Commission.... so I'm lucky in that I've been able to find something that I truly enjoy doing.”

His future goals would be “playing some kind of role in getting the NFL Draft and MLB All Star Game to Baltimore.  We work closely with Visit Baltimore, the Destination Marketing Organization for the city of Baltimore, and hosting the NFL Draft in Baltimore is definitely on their radar, as it is for us at the Maryland Sports Commission.”

By: Louna Temsah 

Photo Credit: Chloe Love Obispo 

Meet Chloe! A UMBC MCS and softball alumni. Chloe discusses new career opportunities and her current roles after graduation.  

Could you tell us about yourself ?

I graduated from UMBC in 2022 with a B.A. in Media and Communication Studies and a minor in Psychology. During my time at UMBC, I interned as a Social Media Manager for the UMBC Division of Professional Studies and interned in Sports TV Broadcasting for UMBC Athletics.

Ever since I began my studies in Media and Communication Studies, I realized how much of a "big picture" thinker I am and how much I love when a brand has a strong foundation in who they are, what they provide, what they embody, and how they project that in their storytelling. After realizing this, I knew that I wanted to take my shot at a career that allowed me to work for big name brands.

After graduating UMBC, I began my entry-level career as a Marketing Coordinator at Live! Entertainment and Hospitality Districts at the Waterside District location in Norfolk, VA. More recently, I just finished a project with the Norfolk Tides, the Triple-A Affiliate of the Baltimore Orioles and landed a new position as Marketing and Communications Manager at DICK'S Sporting Goods - House of Sport.

 What does a typical day in your life look like?

A typical day in my life as a coordinator was weekly meetings with the marketing team, which included conversations about upcoming events and concerts coming up and how we can creatively market and promote those events through our channels.

After meetings, we break up into who is working on what. When you work in the entertainment industry, there's a lot of things happening continuously, so it's extremely important to communicate duties, divide, and conquer! 

After figuring out which projects are mine, I begin market research and industry trend research, brainstorming content ideas for social media, creating email marketing campaigns, brainstorming sales building offers, and outreach to local businesses.

Also, day-of events are super cool! We'd have a large-scale of about 2,000 people and some that are small with about 100 people. Working those events like concerts, food festivals, and more are extremely fun and rewarding to see all of your planning unfold!

What is it that you do now and what is your role?

I am finishing up my role as a Marketing Coordinator at Live! and am transitioning into my new role as Marketing and Communications Manager at DICK'S Sporting Goods - House of Sport where I will be in charge of all-things marketing and promotions for the brand and partnered events.

If you could go back to the time you came into UMBC as an MCS major, is there anything different you would do?

If I could go back to that time, I definitely would have started my MCS major a lot earlier. I was someone who was extremely indecisive and made decisions based on other peoples' vision for my career versus what I actually wanted for myself.

Starting MCS 2 years later ultimately set me back and I had to play catch-up for a little, but the grit and determination to be great in the field is what got me to where I am now.

How has MCS been of help towards your career?

Media and Communications has allowed me to become the professional I've always wanted to grow into. Before changing my career path to it, I was an extremely shy, reserved, and soft spoken individual with a lot on her mind with no way to express it. As I've said, I am a "big picture" thinker, so being able to switch to a more creative space as a career has allowed me to really grow into a strong writer, speaker, creative, innovative forward-thinker, and storyteller.

What has been the highlight of your career so far?

The highlight of my career so far definitely has been this past weekend- we had 2 sold out large events in one weekend and we couldn't be more proud of the work we put forth to drive so many sales and bring revenue to our District!

Not only that, but the opportunity to start a new position with a big brand that I truly love and grew up on is an exciting feeling for me. Also, being able to really network and build my portfolio/resume with incredible experiences has been great. I think that every little step is a new highlight and I just have continued successful visions for myself and the brands that I build and represent. I just can't wait to have more career highlights in the future!

By: Spencer Derrenberger

Photo Credit: William Greenwood

Meet Ashton Greenwood, an MCS alum from the class of 2016. During her time at UMBC, she worked on UMBC’s Bartleby Creative Arts Journal and WMBC Radio. Since 2018, Ashton has been working at Diamond Comic Distributors.

In our conversation, she detailed her position at Diamond Comic Distributors, marketing in general, and her UMBC MCS experience.

Q: Could you describe your position at Diamond Comic Distributors? What are your roles and responsibilities?

I’m the Associate Marketing Manager at Diamond Comic Distributors and since we run a pretty lean marketing department, it means I wear a lot of hats. The biggest part of my job is organizing and executing the logistics and promotion of our annual outreach event, Free Comic Book Day. Free Comic Book Day is designed to engage existing comic book readers and expand readership to new fans by offering a selection of comic books, usually around 40-50, that consumers can get from their local comic shops. It takes place around the world at thousands of participating comic book shops, with an average of over 3 million comic books given away, again, for free. It’s a super fun event that generates a lot of buzz each year! My role is to build and promote the event from start to finish. First, by working with our publishing partners – companies like Marvel, Image Comics, Archie Comics, Dark Horse Comics, and more – to create that year’s list of available comic books. Each year, there’s a new set of comic books given out. Then, it’s onto promo merch (or “swag” as we like to call it): shirts, hats, lanyards, buttons, etc. After that, it’s time for my favorite part – marketing the comic books! That means interviewing the comic book creators, sharing sneak peeks inside the pages of some of the books, and keeping an active social presence. I’ll keep up with that promo until event day. On the actual day of the event, I’ll usually try to head out to a few comic book shops to get some photos and videos of the event happening in real time. Speaking of, Free Comic Book Day is coming up soon – Saturday, May 6! If you haven’t participated before, I highly recommend getting in on it!

Beyond that, I handle advertising partnerships, working with our publishing partners to build marketing

campaigns that most effectively reach the audience they’re after – comic shop owners, comic book readers, or both. I handle social media a selection of Diamond’s brands, including Free Comic Book Day, Comic Shop Locator, and Diamond Comic Distributors, among others. I also write press releases, field press inquiries, and manage our relationship with the “Comics Media” (in other words, journalists who write nearly exclusively about comics, pop culture, and all things nerdom).

Q: What qualifications or traits do you think are most important for this position?

The ability to prioritize and re-prioritize, for sure! Priorities shift pretty regularly so you need to be able to pivot and jump on something new. I want to be clear in saying this: not multitasking. I actually find that in a situation where you’re trying to juggle a lot of balls, multitasking creates more problems than it solves. In terms of qualifications, strong writing skills feel like a must.

Q: In your opinion, do you have any traits that specifically make you distinguishable from your peers?

My position relies fairly heavily on soft skills, like collaborating with publishers and building a rapport, so I’d say my generally bubbly personality has been helpful in that regard.

Q: What do you find the most exciting about marketing? Why does it interest you?

This is a great question! The thing I like most about marketing is engaging your audience and getting them excited about what you have going on. To that end, I probably like content marketing and social media marketing the most because there’s so much room to play! On the Free Comic Book Day website and socials, I always aim to keep it light and fun – we’re talking about comic books after all! We do a lot of polls and match-up brackets and make quotes and references. It’s really rewarding to see the audience get invested in certain books or characters and know I had a hand in building that hype.

Q: How do you think your experience with MCS at UMBC has prepared you for shaping your career?

I found all the different formats and opportunities for writing in the MCS program incredibly helpful! I got hired at Diamond right out of graduating from UMBC and had never actually written a press release before, but was able to pull from my experiences in MCS and make it happen. I also found the interview skills I learned as part of the internship requirement made a huge difference in my mindset and preparation during the interview process for this position.

Q: From your experience, what was the biggest or most important lesson you learned during your time as a student?

Might sound a little weird, but breaking down a big project into smaller, bite-sized chunks. There were so many times at UMBC that I would have a big project or paper and would get overwhelmed by how much would need to happen in order to finish it. Being able to break a big project down into small steps, and therefore small victories, is an approach that definitely translates to the professional world and makes a big difference.

Q: What advice would you give to a student considering a future in marketing?

First, to give some thought to what “side” of marketing you’re most interested in. Maybe it’s analytics, maybe it’s content and social, maybe it’s SEO. Marketing is an umbrella term, to some extent, and there’s a lot of ways to take it. Next, don’t take it so seriously. Marketing doesn’t have to be all “boardroom vibes.” It can be fun! I’ve had some of my best ideas and biggest successes when I let up on being stern and serious and let my creativity lead.

By: Rae Daniel

Photo Credit: Joey Scalise 

Alumni and good friend of mine, Joey Scalise started his UMBC career in 2017. He graduated in 2021 and has since taken various topics he learned in MCS and applied them to his jobs and career path. 

I sat down and talked to him about his journey through the MCS career and college, and what he has been doing since graduating.

The interview has been edited for clarity.

Rae: So, we’ve known each other since literally the beginning of our college careers starting in 2017, even just a bit before that. So correct me if I’m wrong, but when we first started, you were undecided in terms  of your major?

Joey: Yes, I had no idea. Well, I had a couple of ideas, and MCS was one of the majors I was thinking about, but I wasn’t completely sure at the time. I was thinking about theater, for a little bit. Just because one of my teachers in high school was really pushing me to do that. But, I took an MCS class and theater class both my freshman year, and I just ended up leaning more towards MCS because I felt like it was more promising and I just enjoyed it more. 

R: That was actually my next question, was “what made you want to choose MCS as your major?” 

J: I think it is just more usable in day to day life, I mean, I still use a lot of stuff I learned, especially right now with a lot of issues surrounding media in the last few years, it’s been great to learn and apply as everything’s been happening. I’m thankful every day for learning media literacy, and it was actually the first class I took, was [MCS] 101, and it’s helped me a lot. 

R: I’m glad it has. And you know, being in MCS comes with doing a lot of projects, do you remember any projects that were your favorites, or projects that stood out to you?

J: I think the one I’m proudest of is my capstone, just because it’s becoming more and more relevant. 

R: Really? What was your capstone?

J: It was about Google and Facebook data mining, I was also talking about the thing with Cambridge Analyica and the 2016 election. It and similar topics have been talked about more and more since then. Especially right now specifically with the talk of TikTok being banned soon, and that, I think, was the moment I really realized that it’s like “oh, my degree helps me because I’ve never had anything [that I learned] in school that was this applicable to real life, other than fun facts from food chemistry classes. It took through quarantine to finish.

J: I feel like MCS is kind of like technological philosophy.

R: What do you mean by that?

J: I think we've got a lot of modern philosophy  in all the classes, so that was helpful. I think a lot of the work  was reading and then writing about what we read, which really helped, like Foucault. I think just critiquing and thinking about modern culture around media technology, like looking at Black Mirror, and we watched Black Mirror episodes about three different times. It was a lot of thinking, looking at, analyzing, and just discussing a lot of concepts with modern philosophy. We’re surrounded by the internet and computers and it’s interesting seeing just how humanity interacts with it now. I genuinely feel like everyone should take a media literacy class. 

R: So what do you do now after your college career?

J: So right after graduation, for like, six months, I was working at Six Flags America in Bowie. I was the digital and social media coordinator. But it was a lot of physical labor. It was like 60% other duties asigned, I wasn't doing a lot of what I signed up for, the MCS stuff. Granted, on the one hand, like I was designing signs and using Adobe software, but then I had to go and put them up for like hours at a time in the dead heat. 2021. And since then, I've been working with Anne Arundel County Public libraries as a technology and  video coordinator at the headquarters in Annapolis.

J: So predominantly, I'm part of the virtual services team. We run the website, we provide hotspots and Chromebooks to patrons in the libraries, but we don't fix them and address those issues. Basically anything digital that isn't hardware related, is a living through like a web service-ish kind of state. That's what we do. And then my specific niche is video; video editing and helping with social media.I also now take photos at different events, especially in the summer because there's a lot of summer programs at the branches. I use Adobe every single day. I would know how to use it if I didn’t start with MCS. 

R: you’re ahead of me, that was also leading into my next question. Have you learned any new skills being in the position you’re in now?

J: I started learning [Adobe] After Effects. So that's been fun. I use it to animate the library system logo, that's a big thing. But also I've started learning about a little bit of HTML coding.  We had to make portfolios at one point for one of my MCS classes and then see. I didn’t think my portfolio looked too good, but it was a good start considering it was the very first time I'd ever made a website. 

R: What have you learned through searching for jobs fresh out of college, and the job hiring process as a whole? And do you have any advice for students searching for jobs?

J: First of all, there are scam jobs out there that I've almost fallen for. I've done the application process and then realized that it was fake like two or three times. So be careful. I was applying to like a couple hundred a week, I think, like right after graduation. Leading up to and right after graduation, throughout those four months that was a lot of jobs that I was applying to and I was using quick application functions through Indeed. And LinkedIn. I highly recommend doing those. Another one is, definitely make sure you have a portfolio, or a demo reel of your work. 

R: So do you see yourself staying in this line of work at the library in the future?

J: Maybe not specifically in the library, but just in what I do for the library. video editing, Visual and digital production. Ideally for a non-profit. I’m going to be looking for other jobs fairly soon, actually. The hardest part of this job, is that it’s really hard to make captions for posts, actually. It’s like, trying to reach and hype up an audience without having to use seven exclamation points to get your point across, but also saying just enough that it fits in like, a hundred characters. 

R: That’s understandable. So, last question then. If you were to give freshman year Joey some advice given where you are now, what would you tell yourself?

J: Don't worry. A lot of my last years in college were taken in the heat of the pandemic, and it actually helped me get better grades because I like doing work on my own time and being in my room helped me focus more, personally. But there was a lot of “what ifs” during that period, i just had to take one day at a time, and make the best of it. Also, don’t slack off too much, and you’ll be fine. The professors are very understanding. They helped me through personal and school issues when they came up. I highly recommend people try at least one MCS class, or think of it as a major if you have trouble deciding because it is such a broad topic. It gives you a lot of life skills too.

By: Ajel Balan

Photo Credit: Cassie Semyon

One of the many benefits of being a Media and Communication Studies major is the diversity of careers you can choose from. From being a copywriter to running human resources, this major allows for a broad selection of paths for you to follow. One popular choice for MCS majors is Public Relations – or PR for short. Bradley Ingram ('18) is one of those UMBC alumni who graduated with his MCS degree and chose the path of public relations. He is currently working atZeno Group as Account Supervisor in their Health and Wellness Practice. Outside of work, he loves exploring new restaurants, partaking in photography, golfing, and cheering on UMBC's sports teams.

Ingram's path is one with many turns, working for big and small agencies alike. He helped a number of clients of all business sizes. He had gained his experience outside of the classroom through working internships, one company he worked for beingLightGrid LLC. He would also develop his skills through working with UMBC's Retriever Weekly and Student Life. These roles range from media relations, crisis communications, corporate communications, to even a combination of all three.

 One of the big challenges when it comes to getting into the field, according to Ingram, is getting that first internship. The field of PR is quite competitive, so it may seem very hard to have yourself stand out. Despite this, Bradley notes that your first job is not your last job, and that any experience, be it in or out of school, is a good experience. Another struggle that may happen when starting out is the pacing. “The news cycle and projects”, he comments, “are not confined to a 9-5 workday and getting used to a faster pace environment can be an adjustment”.

By: Alexandra Hulett

Photo Credit: Caleb Miller

In this interview, Alexandra Hulett speaks with Mitch Case, a MCS alum from the class of 2011. In our conversation, we discuss his experiences at UMBC as a Retriever, lessons learned throughout his career, life in New York, and his current position as Director of Communications at the National Art Club.

Describe your academic life at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC).

I earned my associate's degree at Howard Community College, then went to UMBC and majored in Media and Communications Studies (MCS).

Did you know what you wanted to study or focus on academically before you went to UMBC?

Yes, I did. I knew I wanted to study Media and Communications. My associate's degree was in that field. I took journalism, radio, and video classes at Howard Community. By the time I transferred, I had a pretty good idea of what I wanted to do.

When did your interest in journalism and communications begin?

Good question. My interest in politics and news started in college. MCS stuck out to me. That might have been the catalyst. I also got my minor in political science at UMBC too. 

While studying at UMBC, you participated in the Student Government Association (SGA) and College Democrats. What was the impact of those activities on your life after graduation?

The experiences I had back then have definitely shaped my career today. I served on the public relations committee of SGA. Originally, I was a Senate blogger. At the time, I kept a Tumblr account of Senate happenings. It led to me becoming SGA's Director of Public Relations. At this time, Facebook was just getting started. I started a Facebook page and a Twitter account for SGA. Managing social media accounts is what I do in my career today. I also served as president of the College Democrats for about a year. MCS played a huge role in most of that. We made flyers to invite people to our meetings. We maintained that Facebook account and took photos when elected officials came to visit. In my role as president, I did outreach and wanted to make sure people knew what was happening because we had gone dormant at UMBC for a while, so we wanted to make sure people knew we were back. That was a lot of great social media experience, and I still use it.

During your time at UMBC, did you take any social media classes? I'm not sure what the curriculum offered concerning social media at the time.

Social media classes were not offered at UMBC at the time. Social media classes were still pretty new in colleges. It's something I learned more about during my internships. I worked in UMBC's marketing department. I also interned at the Baltimore Museum of Art (BMA). My work today is in the arts. My career passion has always been that. While my classes were primarily theory and critical thinking, most of my real-world experience came from internships and extracurriculars.

Can you recall any particular moments during your time at UMBC that were memorable?

In terms of my personal life, it was there that I met my husband. We met at the Strive Leadership retreat one winter. We will be celebrating 13 years together soon. Regarding academics, I got to take a class about sitcoms. I'm a big TV nerd, so this was really exciting for me.

Do you have a favorite sitcom at the moment?

Right now, I'm really enjoying watching the TV show Abbott Elementary.

Was there anything you would do differently if you could relive your UMBC experience?

Honestly, I wouldn't change anything. In terms of the MCS program, I'm not sure how the curriculum has changed over time, but I think it might be helpful to include a few more real-world classes.

Agreed, I would say the same thing.

There was a real push for internships, so I suppose it was understood that you needed to get that experience somewhere. I'm still on the MCS LISTSERV, and I'm happy to always see the department advertising internships and other career opportunities. Getting some of that experience before entering the job market is so useful.

Where did you land your first job after graduating from UMBC?

I graduated in December 2011 and started my first job in February or March 2012 as a Social Media and Website Coordinator at the Baltimore Office of Promotion of the Arts (BOPA). It is a nonprofit that operates as the city's art department, largely funded by the city government. They organize many great events in the city, like Artscape, the Baltimore Book Festival, and the Baltimore Farmer's Market. My position was brand new. Again, this was when social media marketing was still new, and everyone started realizing, "oh, we need to do marketing on social media; We need someone who knows how to do that." Luckily I had experience from SGA and my internships, so I applied and got the job. Also, I was able to get in touch with my references at BMA and say, "Hey, could you put in a good word for me?" That certainly helped. I updated their website and developed an app for the Artscape festival, which everyone in the office thought was a big deal. Luckily, I knew how to use WordPress. I also managed our social media accounts. Being in social media marketing during that time was a baptism-by-fire kind of experience, but it was nice to be a part of something new. As a 22-year-old, right out of college, I accomplished some really cool things, and I was able to make some really important decisions. After a while, this job helped me to leverage my next one.

My coworker left BOPA for a new opportunity. Her job was to handle press releases and media interviews. I saw an opportunity there for more experience. I asked my boss if I should apply. She said, "Go for it." I did the interview process, and they decided I was the right candidate. 

That role gave me the experience for my next job at PROFILES, a local PR agency. There I worked with amazing clients, like the Reginald F. Lewis Museum of African American History and the Waterfront Partnership of Baltimore. We also were involved with neighborhood activities. I connected with local radio and TV stations. I knew everyone and who to call if we wanted something on TV. It felt pretty cool, having that sense of connection with the city. I worked at PROFILES for almost nine months. 

I was in a long-distance relationship with my then-boyfriend between New York and Baltimore at this point. He studied medicine at New York University. For three years, we took three-hour bus trips every other week. We decided we'd had enough of that, so it was time for me to move to New York. I told PROFILES that I would be moving to New York. They were sad to see me go, but we decided that I could keep working remotely until someone else could take my place.

What year was this? 

This was back in early 2016 before everyone was working remotely. I moved to New York without a plan or a real job, which was completely out of character for me, but I had no choice. In the end, everything worked out. Working remotely for PROFILES was enough to cover my rent for a couple of months while I looked for a new job. Within a few months, I landed a job at the AIDS Service Center of New York as a Communications Manager.

As a result of that whole experience, what was the biggest lesson you learned?

I learned that it is important to stay current, especially in communications. I subscribe to a lot of newsletters. Whenever possible, I attend training. PR, marketing, and other related things are constantly changing. In the 10 or so years that I've been working, I've grown a lot professionally. It's getting to the point in my career when it's time to mentor new professionals. Being constantly open to change and learning would be my best advice.

In your opinion, do you have any particular skills that distinguish you from your peers?

I like to think I'm really observant of trends, and know when it's time to get on board. I'm pretty decent at marketing myself and my skills. I know which accomplishments to highlight and I like to think I have a good LinkedIn profile. I'm an introvert, so I'm great with networking on LinkedIn. It is so important to network. I think the way to be considered for a job, is to be connected with someone who can put your name forward.

Could you tell me more about your current job?

I am the Director of Communications at the National Arts Club, a nonprofit organization. I still manage our social media, primarily Instagram. My time there has resulted in an increase in Instagram following of over 300%. That's something I'm really proud of. Since we're a nonprofit, we don't have a huge advertising budget, so it's been mostly organic, which you can only do by staying on top of trends and creating cool content. While we were in pandemic lockdown, we switched to virtual programming. We did more than 200 online lectures and performances. We went from having a space where about 150 people could attend in person, to our largest event where over 3000 people attended online. Suddenly, I had a worldwide audience. Adapting and managing that huge jump was another cool accomplishment for me. I have gotten to work with a lot of art magazines, art newspapers, and with TV. Also, I do email marketing, sending out weekly email blasts, and just keeping our audience up to date with what's going on. 

You seem to wear a lot of hats.

Yes, that's always been my experience working for nonprofits. There's not always someone to do a specific job, so it can fall to you, and you just adapt.

Are there any tips you can offer to a student on how to handle all these responsibilities?

I'd say just be prepared for those other duties as assigned and be an advocate for yourself.  In my job, Communications has always been my top priority, no matter what's being assigned to me. I signed up to handle communications, and I'll do it well. Don't forget what you're there for, and make sure you're enjoying it.

I have one more question. It's really serious. Do you miss Baltimore, and would you ever come back?

That's an excellent question. I miss Baltimore sometimes, but I'm pretty spoiled living in New York City. New York has ruined all the other cities for me. I lived in Hamden for two years after I graduated from UMBC. Maybe down the road. My brother still lives there, so I'm down to come back and visit. My parents have since moved to Delaware, so I don't get to visit Baltimore often. It's a great city, though. I'm just happy living in New York right now.

By: Ben Magder

Photo Credit: Marlayna Demond

Meet Michael Berardi: a UMBC graduate from the class of 2019. He is the current General Manager for OCA Mocha: a coffee shop five minutes from UMBC, by car. The acronym in its name stands for “Opportunities for Community Alliances”. Michael co-founded the organization with Deep Patel - another UMBC alum - in 2019. The store celebrated its 3-year anniversary at the beginning of this month, on November 4th.

In our interview, we discuss Michael’s time and experiences at UMBC as an MCS alum. I was grateful for the opportunity, and thank Michael for his time.

This interview contains answers that were edited for time and clarity.

First, do you mind telling us about you and how you’re connected to UMBC and MCS?

I graduated from UMBC in 2019 with a degree in MCS and a minor in Entrepreneurship & Innovation.

What were the most memorable parts about being a student at UMBC?

Being able to work on “real world” problems and taking our education outside of the classroom in very real ways. 

How important is maintaining a connection with UMBC and the surrounding area/s?

I found a true sense of community at UMBC and that ultimately has driven me to stay connected. Through OCA Mocha I found a way to help continue cultivating that sense. Since graduating I have stayed in the area and have now been a resident of Baltimore County for nearly 8 years. I still feel this sense of community and have witnessed how the connections are continuing to deepen and strengthen. At the end of the day I operate with the belief that we are stronger together. 

Did you see yourself doing something similar to this, or is this a different path from the one you envisioned?

I wasn’t sure exactly where I would end up. I knew I didn’t want a classic 9-5 job, and I wanted to do something that contributed to positive social change. I wasn’t sure exactly what that would look like but I had envisioned it being tied to the creative world. For a long time I was planning on joining the Peace Corps after graduating. To this day I don’t envision myself building a career in any particular field, but rather continuing to stay open to opportunities that present themselves while working on learning and growing more in my personal interests. 

Were there any specific parts of MCS that have aided you in accomplishing your goals or another significant aspiration?

I still use what I learned in the MCS department to this day. Whether that’s the practical skills taught about design and software, or the philosophic questions posed about how/what content we consume and produce. MCS helps prepare you for a broad range of work.

If you could tell your past self anything, what would it be?

Don’t worry so much about the future. Have trust in yourself, focus on what interests you, and stay open to opportunities as they present themselves. 

Do you listen to any music?

All the time. I couldn’t pick an all time favorite song. I love all things funky and filled with soul. 

By: Ava Sekowski

Photo Credit: Amanda Ly