The Women’s Center was excited to see four of the Returning Adult Learners scholarship recipients graduate at the end of the Fall 2024 semester! 

Returning Adult Learners are identified as undergraduate students over 25 seeking their first undergraduate degree. The Returning Adult Learners Program at the Women’s Center offers monthly workshops and programs focused on the academic, personal, and professional aspects of life as returning students. Newly this semester the Women’s Center also hosted community-building programming in partnership with the Division of Student Affairs Adult Learners Office including two adult learners mixers with breakfast and lunch! 

The experience of being an Adult Learner is unique. Many adult learners navigate the challenges of academics along with the responsibilities of families and full-time employment. One of the graduates shared “My journey at UMBC as an adult learner has been both challenging and deeply rewarding. Balancing the demands of school, work, and family life has pushed me to my limits, but it’s also been a transformative experience. I’ve had to overcome obstacles that tested my resilience, yet every challenge has made me stronger and more determined… Being at UMBC has been more than just an academic pursuit—it’s been a journey of personal growth and self-discovery. I’ve found a supportive community that recognizes and values the unique perspective of adult learners like me. The lessons I’ve learned extend far beyond the classroom, shaping me into a more compassionate, driven, and empowered individual…While the road hasn’t been easy, the sense of accomplishment I feel, knowing I’m paving the way as the first in my family to earn a bachelor’s degree, makes every late night, early morning, and sacrificed moment worth it. It’s a journey I’m proud to call my own, and one I hope will inspire others to chase their dreams, no matter the challenges.”

This semester’s graduates included Asjad, Matthew, Maria Eligio, and Ayanna Martin (some last names are left out for anonymity). They studied Media and Communication, Geography and Environmental Studies, Spanish Language and Linguistics, Latin American History, and Management of Aging Services. One graduate, in addition to her BA, also received a certificate in intercultural communication.

The graduates of this semester shared some of their advice for other Returning Adult Learners: 

“Don’t be judgmental, you were also a mess when you were younger… Don’t follow the majority’s example and just exist through your classes. Lead by example and be involved, participate and build relationships with your professors…”

“Don’t forget why you started. The journey can be rough, but it will make the rest of life easier…I had a lot of hardships during my time in college. Life doesn’t just stop. Make sure you have a strong support system or something else to help you drive or it will be too easy to give up.”

“My experience as an adult learner was a rollercoaster. I struggled to keep myself motivated and I had to juggle [with] many other responsibilities. Although it was tough I know this has shaped me into a better person… You only fail if you don’t try and you have to believe in yourself.”

“To current returning adult learners, my advice is this: embrace the journey with courage, patience, and faith in your abilities. Returning to school as an adult is not easy—you’ll face challenges that test your resilience and time management skills. But remember, your unique life experiences are your greatest strengths…Don’t be afraid to ask for help. Build a network of professors, advisors, and peers who support your goals. Take advantage of every resource your school offers, whether it’s tutoring, counseling, or career services… Be kind to yourself. Juggling school, work, and family is tough, but every step forward is a victory. Celebrate those small wins and remind yourself of the bigger picture: you’re doing this to build a better future for yourself and those you love…Above all, don’t give up. Your presence in the classroom proves that it’s never too late to dream and achieve. Stay focused, trust the process, and know that your hard work will pay off in ways you can’t yet imagine. You’ve got this!” 

The Women’s Center is very proud of the graduates as they embark on journeys toward graduate school and employment. We also look forward to deepening our relationships with the Returning Adult Learners still seeking their degrees as we move into the Spring semester!

For more information about the RAL Scholars program reach out to the Womens Center at womenscenter@umbc.edu. 

RAL Scholars meeting Dr. Freeland, Interim Dean and Vice Provost for Undergraduate Academic Affairs during the Fall Orientation

Maryland Public Service Scholars Programs offer paid internships/fellowships and leadership development opportunities for students of all majors to explore careers in government and nonprofits while making a difference in Maryland. Each program includes full-time placement at a nonprofit or government agency under senior-level mentorship, orientation, seminars to deepen understanding of public service, and networking events with Maryland leaders. Fellows also engage in social justice and equity reflection activities and collaborate on projects that apply their skills, culminating in presentations to stakeholders. This is your chance to gain hands-on experience, grow as a leader, and create positive change in Maryland!

Programs Offered:

• Governor’s Summer Internship Program (GSIP)
• Sondheim Nonprofit Leadership Program (SNLP)
• Maryland Dept. of Transportation Fellows Program (MDOT)
• Sondheim Public Service Law Fellows (this application will open later in Spring 2025 for current law students)

Eligibility:

• GSIP/MDOT: be a rising junior/senior; SNLP: be a rising junior/senior or current graduate student
• Attending a Maryland institution OR a current Maryland resident attending an out-of-state institution

• GPA 2.7 or above
• Available May 27 – August 8,  Monday-Friday 9am-5pm

Participation Includes:

• Internships at government/nonprofit agencies (hybrid, remote, or in-person)
• Seminars, reflection, and career exploration
• Networking events and mentorship opportunities
• Real-world projects and skill-building activities
• $5000 stipend for GSIP/MDOT/SNLP

To Apply and to Learn More:  publicservicescholars.umbc.edu

Deadline: March 1, 2025

For Questions: publicservicescholars@umbc.edu.

Follow: 
Instagram: @mdpublicservicescholars
LinkedIn/Facebook: Maryland's Public Service Scholars Programs

Name: Oluwasemilore Osinowo
Pronouns: She/Her
Semester of Internship: Summer 2024
Major: Biological Sciences
Current Class Level: Senior

This semester I completed a(n)...: Research experience

Internship, Co-op, or Research Site (Company/Organization Name): UPMC Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh—Circle Lab
Location of the Organization (City, State): Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Title of position: Research Assistant (Intern)

Tell us about your internship, co-op, or research opportunity, including your day-to-day responsibilities:

During my summer 2024 research internship at UPMC Children’s Hospital, I worked on a project that focused on how social media affects adolescent relationships and the role it plays in relationship violence. I helped recruit and interview teens about their experiences with social media and how it influences their relationships. We also spoke with caregivers of LGBTQ+ teens about how they talk to their children about healthy and unhealthy relationships.

A key part of the project involved the Engaging Together for Healthy Relationships (ETHR) model, which aims to prevent adolescent relationship abuse by building trust, empathy, healing, and resilience in families. The goal was to guide teens and their caregivers toward healthier relationship dynamics.

We conducted all interviews online, and we used AI to transcribe the interviews. I proofread and de-identified the transcripts to protect the participants’ privacy. I also used a software called Dedoose to code the interviews, helping us identify common themes and patterns in their responses.

In addition to working with teens and caregivers, I also interviewed doulas and community health workers (CHWs) about their experiences with clients who had faced intimate partner violence (IPV). These interviews shed light on the emotional challenges survivors face and how doulas and CHWs can better support them. We talked about ways to improve training for healthcare workers to help them provide better care for survivors, especially during pregnancy.

This experience gave me valuable skills in research and taught me more about the important role healthcare professionals play in supporting violence prevention and promoting healthy relationships.

Describe the process of obtaining your position. When did you hear of the position and submit your application?

I discovered the UPMC Children’s Hospital internship through Handshake in January 2024 and applied directly through the organization’s website. In April, I received confirmation that I had been selected for the position. A few months before my start date, I traveled to Pennsylvania to complete the necessary clearance requirements for onboarding. This process allowed me to be fully prepared for my role when the internship began.

What resources did you use to find your current experience?
Handshake

What have you enjoyed the most about your position and organization?
What I enjoyed most about my position was the opportunity to meet people from various schools like Princeton, UPenn, Howard, etc. Learning about their diverse college experiences was really interesting and gave me new perspectives. I also loved talking to teenagers during the interviews. Since I was once a teenager myself, I found many of the topics we discussed relatable, which made the conversations more engaging. Additionally, I really appreciated the chance to shadow my PI, who is a pediatrician. It gave me valuable insight into the field of pediatrics, which is my passion.

How do you believe you have made an impact through your work?

I made an impact by creating a more engaging and comfortable environment for the teens during interviews, making it easier for them to open up and express themselves. As someone young who could relate to their experiences, I helped them feel understood and safe. In the specific lab I worked at, most researchers were young adults who weren’t very active on social media, so I was able to bridge the gap and bring a fresh perspective to our discussions about adolescent relationships and social media.

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

My advice for another student seeking an internship is to start early, be proactive, and make your application show how excited you are about the opportunity. After applying on the organization’s website, send a follow-up email to show your passion for the position. Use resources like Handshake to find internships, and don’t worry if you don’t meet every requirement. Focus on your strengths and what makes you a good fit. Also, talk to mentors or professors for advice and take advantage of networking to learn from others.

Most importantly, don’t give up. Keep applying, and if you face rejection, recognize what you can improve in your application. Remember, rejection is just redirection.

Please provide a short reflection or quote about what you liked most about your position / earning internship credit / working with the Career Center.

What I liked most about my position was the chance to connect with people from different schools and engage with teens in a meaningful way. I also really appreciated how the organization took great care of the interns’ well-being, making sure our meals, housing, and other needs were covered. The Career Center was instrumental in helping me find this opportunity through Handshake and guiding me through the application process.

“We shall not cease from exploration, and the end of all our exploring will be to arrive where we started and know the place for the first time.” – T.S. Eliot

It’s 2021, senior year of high school, and as the COVID-19 pandemic continues to surge we sit anxiously at our computers awaiting responses from the universities and colleges we’ve applied to. Few students dare to break from tradition, choosing instead to follow the well-trodden paths of their parents, grandparents, siblings, or cousins. In Texas—especially at this small Catholic school—tradition carries immense weight, shaping the choices of most graduates. 

Because of this, it’s no surprise that when a peer decides to go to an out-of-state school, it’s met with shock and skepticism. “Are you sure you want to move so far away?” they ask, voices tinged with disbelief. “How could you leave your family? What are you even going to do out there? Isn’t it easier to just stay here?” These questions often carry an undertone of judgment, as if breaking away from the familiar is a betrayal of the community or an unnecessary risk. 

I was no exception to these questions when I announced that I would be going to the University of Maryland, Baltimore County, (UMBC). Still, I knew deep down that Texas had given me all it could. Despite coming from a liberal family, we couldn’t escape the suffocating grip of conservatism that shaped so much of life in San Antonio. In my 18 years there, I was taught to love Jesus and my family, to believe that abortion was the ultimate sin, and that rape could never result in pregnancy. Texas seemed determined to isolate itself from the rest of the world, and I realized no one around me was going to show me what lay beyond its borders. If I wanted to see the world for what it truly was, I had to leave and discover it with my own eyes.

It wasn’t easy. I often found myself going to great lengths to reassure people that, despite the stereotypes, not everyone in Texas was a bigot. It was true that my life experiences had been limited, but more than anything, I wanted to learn and grow. Being away from my family was a constant challenge. While I formed wonderful friendships, my peers had the privilege of going home after a tough week or celebrating their birthdays with loved ones. My visits were restricted to Thanksgiving and Christmas breaks, and the ache of homesickness sometimes made me question my decision. Yet, I knew deep down that this was a path I had to follow—a necessary step to discover more about myself and the world, no matter how hard it was.

For the first time in my life, I wasn’t required to wear a school uniform, and people asked me about my pronouns and sexuality—things that had never been part of the conversation back home. Here, there was no assumption that I was straight or that I had to stick to she/her pronouns. It was liberating in a way I hadn’t imagined. Every weekend, I called home, brimming with excitement about what I was studying and experiencing. I’ll never forget how thrilled I was to discover new ideas and perspectives that challenged everything I thought I knew.

Reproductive health, in particular, was something I had no idea about when I arrived in Maryland. Growing up in Texas, I was steeped in a culture that avoided honest conversations about sex, contraception, and bodily autonomy. Misinformation shaped my understanding, from the stigmatization of abortion to outright falsehoods about pregnancy and assault. At UMBC, I encountered a starkly different reality—one where access to accurate information and open dialogue about reproductive health was not only encouraged but normalized.

Learning about comprehensive sex education, the science of reproduction, and the policies that impact reproductive rights empowered me to think critically and advocate for myself and others. It has been a transformative experience, allowing me to see how much I had been denied back home.

UMBC felt like an entirely different world, one that revealed just how sheltered my life in Texas had been. I was thrilled to finally learn the information I had missed out on growing up—knowledge that felt empowering and long overdue. More than anything, I wanted to return home and share what I had discovered, to challenge the misconceptions that had shaped so much of my upbringing. I realized how fortunate I was to have the opportunity to attend college out of state, knowing that not everyone has the privilege to explore life beyond the boundaries of their hometown.

Four years later, now in my senior year of college, I am planning for life after graduation—a future that once felt bright and full of promise but now seems clouded by the aftermath of the recent presidential election and its implications. Returning to a conservative state like Texas feels overwhelming, knowing I may encounter skepticism or resistance from those with deeply different views. As a woman, I’m acutely aware of the rights that have been stripped away, and the thought of going back fills me with fear. Yet, my love for my family and my desire to support girls like me—those who don’t have the option to leave—outweigh my hesitation. I want to make Texas a better place for them, a place where they can thrive despite the challenges.

When I share my decision to return to Texas, the reactions from friends and colleagues are often a mix of shock and fear. “Why would you go back there?” they ask, eyes wide, their voices filled with concern. I can’t blame them for their alarm—after all, I’ve spent years speaking openly about the challenges of growing up in a conservative state and the liberating experiences I’ve had here in Maryland. But despite their worry, my decision feels right. Texas shaped me, for better or worse, and I can’t turn my back on the place or the people who are still there, navigating the same struggles I once faced. Yes, moving back is daunting, but it’s also a chance to bring the knowledge I’ve gained and the perspective I’ve developed to a community that needs it. And while leaving the supportive and progressive environment I’ve built in Maryland is bittersweet, I know that going back is not a step backward. It’s a step toward creating change and making my home a place where others like me can see a future worth staying for.

I understand that meaningful change won’t happen overnight, but I truly believe that progress is possible.