Simone Kruse had a circuitous route to UMBC. She studied fashion design in her native country, Germany, and later, came to the U.S. as an au pair and began studying at Howard Community College. The community at UMBC and her ideal degree program—business technology administration with a minor in entrepreneurship and innovation and an honors college certificate—prompted her to transfer.

“Simone has exhibited an amazing drive for success and community,” says Kendyl Walker, assistant director of recruitment and assessment in the Honors College, who got to know Kruse through the Honors College community. At UMBC, Kruse found the resources and people to meet her goals.

Q: How did you decide to come to UMBC?

A: I first learned about UMBC just by driving by. I loved that it was a large campus but still small compared to the University of Maryland, College Park. Then just walking around on campus—even before I was a student, I saw there were so many people outside enjoying the weather, or talking and studying together in The Commons. I could see that there was such a great, diverse community and I definitely wanted to be part of that. So when I learned that UMBC had a program that fit what I was studying, which is business technology administration, it was a very easy decision for me to apply and to accept my offer to go to UMBC.  

Q: What have been some of the best parts of your experience here?

A: The best parts are definitely the connections. People truly want to help you. What I heard from friends at other colleges is that they go to their lectures and then that’s it. But at UMBC, you can truly make a connection and learn from the professors, not just in the classroom but also outside of the classroom.

Q: Are there particular instructors who you have made a special connection with?

A: Prof. B (engineering and computing education assistant teaching professor Mark Berczynski, M.S. ’17, information systems) is definitely one of them. Also, Kendyl Walker and Dr. Julie Oakes (assistant director of curriculum and retention in the Honor College). All three were just great instructors. They always wanted to support their students and make sure they felt comfortable in their classrooms. It’s not just that they were teaching us their subject, they wanted us to experience their subjects while allowing us to share our thoughts and experiences in a safe setting as well. 

Q: Is there anything that surprised you at UMBC?

A: I was surprised by some of the amazing classes offered through the Honors College. They would never have fit into my major in any obvious way, but I loved them because they kept my mind open to other subjects. I took a class on how disasters have shaped societies, and another about Hello Kitty and kawaii culture. I just love talking about that class because there’s so much history and so much pop culture behind a little kitty character.

Q:  What are your plans for after graduation? 

A: I’m hoping to work for Turner Construction, as a field engineer in the DMV area. Once my visa is approved, it would be part of an optional practical training (OPT) program. As a field engineer, I would work on the job sites, coordinating subcontractors and ensuring that construction follows the design while staying on schedule and within budget. 

This role aligns well with my business technology degree, especially because I completed a project management course where we worked on a project with a construction company. That experience solidified my decision to pursue a career in the construction industry. I’m especially fascinated by how different teams can come together to build something from the ground up.

Q: What are you hoping to get out of this opportunity? 

A: I think it’s learning a new skill. I’m a very hands-on person. I really like being in the field, understanding what the managers are talking about, and then seeing something new come to life. Because of my project management class with Prof. Kahl (information systems assistant teaching professor Margaret Kahl), I’ve become really excited about focusing more on construction and gaining hands-on experience. I’m especially interested in applying and deepening what we learned through our semester project in a real-world setting.

Q: What do you think will be some of your strongest memories from UMBC? 

A:  My strongest memory is just the community. UMBC is so big on community—you can see it everywhere. I have friends from so many different kinds of classes, when we see each other we always say “hi,” and check in with each other. 

I took a Java class in my first semester and I was terrified of that class because I’d never done any programming before. I’m an introvert, so I usually hesitate to talk to other people, but I knew I might need some help. So I asked a classmate if I could sit next to him because he looked like he knew what he was doing. To this day, we still talk almost every week and I still call him sometimes when I need help. 

Everyone here is very friendly. People are interested in each other and always very supportive. College life is not just about preparing for a career, it’s also for you to learn something about yourself. UMBC really helps with that, and you can always get as much help as you need.

With support from faculty, staff, and her peers, Maia Turman Cooke ’26, English and political science, not only thrived in her double major but also challenged herself by joining the McNair Scholars Program and working as a workforce and education advocate for the Shriver Center’s Choice Program. An Honors College student, she was awarded a 2025–2026 undergraduate research award to conduct a qualitative study on British Columbia’s 2023 drug decriminalization policy, and her paper “Resilient Hearts: Theoretical Portrayals: Lauryn Hill’s Self Love and Resistance Against Intimate Consequences,” was recently published in the UMBC Review. This fall, she begins work on a Ph.D. in English at the University of Maryland, College Park.

Q: What attracted you to UMBC?

A: During my senior year of high school, I moved from Brooklyn, New York, to southern Maryland, where my mom’s side of the family lives. At first, I thought I wanted to return to New York for school, but, after thinking things through, I realized I wanted to stay near my mom and her family. When I visited UMBC, I had never seen a school so diverse. And there was a section on the UMBC website that said, “15 minutes from Baltimore, one hour from D.C., and 3 hours from New York.” And as soon as I saw that, I was sold. I thought it was the best thing to do, and I’m glad I did it.

Q: What excites you about your two majors, and why did you choose them?

A: My mom wanted me to be a lawyer because of how much I argued with her! All my undergraduate applications were in political science. But literature was always such a huge part of me. I also realized how much I enjoyed writing the college application essays, and I realized I wanted to do English. Then, at orientation, I met a senior with an English and political science major. That was the first time I’d ever heard of double majoring. I thought, I’m going to do that. The intersecting qualities that English and political science have helped me understand my communities, learn how to better communicate, and how to represent and advocate for communities.

Q: What surprised you the most about your student experience at UMBC?

A: I guess what surprised me the most was what the McNair Scholars Program could do for my life. At the beginning of the application process, it seemed like a lot, and I wanted to quit—I didn’t want to join. The director of the McNair Scholars program, Dr. Michael Hunt, called me and said, “Just see it through, see it out. If you don’t like it when you get more involved, then you can leave.” 

There were a lot of expectations, like pursuing graduate school. I knew I’d want to go to grad school, but I knew nothing about what it actually held. And I didn’t know a single thing about research when I started my first research project. I was so overwhelmed because I thought I had to solve every world problem. But my peers convinced me to stay. Soon, that work became a normal part of my schedule. I had no idea what research was, and now it’s something I’m super passionate about. Everyone has been so amazing.

Q: Can you share more about your enthusiasm for the McNair Scholars Program?

A: I never knew what a strong and supportive academic community could look like, and they go above and beyond for every single person. Being able to prove myself, as well as supporting other people, has been a really great experience. The McNair Scholars Program also helped me financially, so that I could attend events I never could have afforded on my own. The McNair Scholars Program is not just within UMBC—it’s a nationwide program. There was a time when I was in a program through Penn State, and I met a peer who was also a McNair Scholar. It excites me to know that there’s a huge network I can keep meeting as I go along the way with my career.

Q: How have your experiences with the Shriver Center impacted your time at UMBC?

A: As a freshman, I applied to the Shriver Living Learning Community and then became connected to The Choice Program, which completely transformed my life. I started as a student coordinator for the College Night events, which is when students from Baltimore City visit the campus for different activities. I then decided to join the Choice Program as a job coach—a workforce and education advocate. I’ve been working with around 5 to 10 Baltimore youth, helping them with their professional, academic, and even personal goals. I’ve always wanted to serve my community, and it was such a great introduction to Baltimore, learning systems, skills, and understanding how to best support my community. I’ve grown a lot from the lessons they’ve taught me as well.

Q: And were there any faculty who especially supported you during your time at UMBC?

A: Oh my gosh, yes. Yes, so many—I can’t even count. First, Dr. Hunt, the director of the McNair Scholars Program. If not for him, I probably would have dropped out so long ago. Ting Huang, the McNair program coordinator, as well—she’s like Dr. Hunt’s right arm. Dr. Earl Brooks, an associate professor of English, who is my research mentor, introduced me to the whole world of rhetorical studies. Crazy enough, I’ve never taken one of his classes, but he just took time out of his personal and academic life to mentor me and introduced me to so many programs and conferences. Dr. Keegan Finberg, an assistant professor of English, introduced me to English research papers, helping with the structure of my papers—I really like playing with words and articulating myself in creative ways that push the boundaries of academia. 

Q: What do you feel most proud of from your time at UMBC?

A: My paper on Lauryn Hill, who is a singer, songwriter, and producer, is something I hold dear to my heart—it was just published in the UMBC Review. I was super happy. It was actually in Dr. Finberg’s English class that I learned that you can close read music, movies, anything outside of a formal paper, novel, or book structure. I chose a single Lauren Hill song for her class, but when it came to my McNair research, I decided to look at her whole album, The Miseducation of Lauren Hill. Having that opportunity to take something so personal to me and apply my close reading skills in a professional setting was something I never thought was possible.

Q: How did you manage to keep a work-life balance?

A: One day at a time, honestly. There were days when I  knew I had to focus on one area of my life. And my planner—I wouldn’t be moving or running without my handwritten planner. There were some days when I knew I couldn’t work on a paper because I was so tired of reading my own work—my mind was about to explode. So, I think listening to myself every day, prioritizing myself, and my mental health.

Q: What are your post-graduation plans?

A: I’m starting an English Ph.D. program at the University of Maryland, College Park. I’m super excited about that. Long term, I don’t know, but the work I did with the Choice Program has changed my life entirely. I’d like to find a community service organization that advocates for a grassroots cause. Given that UMD is close to Washington, D.C., I hope to move in more political spaces.

Q: What advice would you give to new students?

A: Push yourself to be extroverted, if you can, not limiting yourself to one space. Go to as many meetings as you can, and talk to people. Push yourself a little bit, and you’ll meet so many people, discover important resources, and learn more about yourself and your connections. You will be introduced to a whole other world if you just meet someone or go somewhere!

Read more Class of 2026 stories

Appropriately, chapter one of UMBC’s inaugural BookFest began at AOK Library Plaza. Hundreds of students gathered at the BookMarkIt to try letterpress printing, stitch pamphlets, create and swap zines, and browse a book arts display and used books.

Lindsay DiCuirci, associate professor of English, envisioned Bookfest ’26 after receiving professional development funds from the Breaking the M.O.L.D. leadership program in the College of Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences in spring 2025. Her proposal for the funds included hosting a book festival that explored both the creative, maker-based aspects of book history and the importance of advocacy and access. BookFest came to fruition this April when UMBC celebrated writers, readers, makers, and advocates during National Library Week.

“My own research is in early American book history, so I am drawn to all aspects of books across time and place,” DiCuirci says. “Given that we are also facing a major resurgence in book banning and censorship, I wanted to draw particular attention to attacks on libraries and the urgency around protecting our rights to read. Books by and about underrepresented people and experiences are being pulled from shelves across the country at the same time that funding for public schools and libraries is being slashed. I wanted BookFest to amplify this dynamic.”

A communal reading experience

One of the first conversations DiCuirci had about her idea was with Aditya Desai ’09, English, a program officer for Maryland Humanities who runs its Center for the Book and the One Maryland, One Book (OMOB) initiative. The pair decided that BookFest would celebrate OMOB—a communal reading experience for the state—by hosting Lawrence Burney, author of the 2026 OMOB selection, No Sense in Wishing. Burney attended BookFest and discussed his essay collection, growing up in Baltimore, and his deep relationship to music with Chris L. Terry, assistant professor of English.

Burney contended that everyone, no matter their age or life stage, can make valuable contributions to their community. “I think that’s one of the easiest ways any critic can kind of stunt their own growth, so I always make it a point to engage with people younger than me,” he said. As he leaned into writing and sharing his passions, he says he realized, “There is a way to amplify something while also having a challenging conversation about it.” 

Desai also introduced DiCuirci to Maryland State Librarian Morgan Miller, who was instrumental in passing Maryland’s Freedom to Read Act. The pair collaborated on a BookFest panel called “Freedom to Read: Libraries and Our Democracy.” 

Miller then brought John Owen into the mix. Owen is the librarian for the Maryland State Library of the Blind and Print Disabled (LBPD), and throughout BookFest, UMBC raised funds for a nonprofit that supports the LBPD in its mission to make reading and all library services accessible to Marylanders. In partnership with Maryland Humanities, BookFest also served as a collection point for the Maryland Commission on African American History and Culture’s annual book drive. 

Stay tuned for the sequel

Craft and care were front and center throughout the festival. Graphic design senior Sonia Pivovarov brought the first iteration of BookFest to life with eye-catching print and digital advertising materials. The BookMarkIt purveyed BookFest-themed original creations and items from the Hilltop Print Shop, an instructional letterpress printing shop and mobile cart. Special Collections librarian Lindsey Loeper and DiCuirci built the shop with support from a Hrabowski Innovation Grant.

Hoping for a sequel to BookFest? The next iteration is already in the works, DiCuirci says, along with ideas for smaller pop-up events throughout the year to amplify the creative work of UMBC students. 

By Kayla Logue ’27

Ten minutes south of True Grits, food is also being prepared for the local community. It’s 8:30 on a Wednesday morning in the parking lot of Arbutus United Methodist Church. To the right of the church building is the Southwest Emergency Services (SWES) office, where the clanking of canned goods on metal shelves and the rustling of brown paper bags echo in the back warehouse. Legacy volunteers, a UMBC Shriver Peaceworker Fellow, and Shriver Center undergraduate student volunteers quickly stock shelves and prepare to fill grocery bags with donated goods for families in the surrounding 21227 or 21229 zip codes in need of food assistance. 

Rosmery De Jesus Dinzey Santana, a senior psychology student, pops out of the dried goods room to check the first order. She writes the number three on a sticky note and sticks it to a grocery cart that gets passed around from volunteer to volunteer, until it gets all the way to the back to Joan Birmingham. She is clad in a long-sleeved flannel, baseball cap, and plastic gloves to keep somewhat warm as she moves in and out of freezers—one for chicken, one for beef, one for pastries. Birmingham, a volunteer of 20+ years, quickly spins the cart back around, pushing it down the long hallway, the wobbly wheel hitting the metal, making a ding sound like it’s announcing it’s ready to check out. 

While UMBC and SWES have been in close proximity for decades, it’s relatively new that an intentional cohort of Retrievers regularly volunteers there. This shift was led by a UMBC Peaceworker Fellow, Megan Hamilton, who began working with SWES for 20 hours a week in fall 2025. The Peaceworker Fellows Program, based in UMBC’s Shriver Center, offers a master’s degree in social change leadership for returning Peace Corps Volunteers. Fellows are required to complete 20 hours a week of service with community partner non-profits, government agencies, or campus-based service-learning for the entirety of the program, says Charlotte Keniston, Ph.D. ’24, language, literacy, and culture, an alum and current director of the program. “We now have weekly undergraduate volunteers working with the legacy volunteers, UMBC staff supporting grant writing, and a team of graduate students creating a data management system for them,” Keniston says. 

A call to serve

For Hamilton, the experience has been deeply fulfilling. “Community service is one of the happiest things I can do with my life,” she says. “I think in this particular time, people have lost track of the joy of service a little bit.” The Retrievers at SWES are working to bring that back.

Back at SWES on Wednesday morning, it’s getting close to 9:00 a.m., and a stream of cars fills the parking lot. Hamilton greets each client with a genuine ear-to-ear smile as they walk in the door.  When Hamilton sees Birmingham, she grabs the cart, calls on the family of three, and helps them get the cart out of the narrow doorway into the parking lot. Diane Moberg, a church volunteer and SWES board member, steps into the dried goods room to help unfold grocery bags while she waits for the next financial services client to arrive.

Hamilton has a booming, happy voice and laugh. She has deep roots in Baltimore’s grassroots organizing and co-founded the Creative Alliance in 1994, a performance and art community space in the city. Her big heart has also taken her around the world in the service of others, including her Peace Corps service in Albania. 

Hamilton was beaming this morning because the Maryland Foodbank, which donates food to SWES, had just conducted a site visit and was impressed with how SWES is committed to shifting to a choice food pantry—a labor of love for Hamilton. Choice food pantries function similarly to a grocery store, where clients select the food they take, increasing agency and reducing waste. 

“The loving energy catalyzed when the students meet, learn from, work with, and teach their elders is awe-inspiring,” says Hamilton. “It has meant worlds to the elders and the students, and those friendships are laying the groundwork for SWES’ long-term sustainability.

In the future, SWES is also looking to evolve its financial assistance program, where families receive partial funding to prevent evictions, utility shut-offs, and prescription costs. SWES covers part of the bill, and the family covers the rest. SWES hopes to leverage the renewed partnership with UMBC’s Peaceworkers and Shriver Center volunteers to develop a financial literacy skills program to help families become economically stable and prosperous, and pass those skills to future generations. 

Powered by volunteers inspired by the community

Hamilton says part of what’s making the relationship between SWES and UMBC work so well is the physical proximity, as well as a shared commitment to service in the Baltimore area.  

Dinzey Santana, the only Spanish-speaking volunteer, provides language support for Spanish-speaking families, helping to translate their needs to the rest of the team. She is quiet but fierce in her service, consistent, a master of organization, and overall just awesome, Birmingham says. 

“I went to high school in Silver Springs with a lot of Latinos. Coming to UMBC, I learned so much about what is possible, and yet there is still so much that I have to learn. I want to go back and work with other Latinos to show them that it’s possible to go to college and give to your community at the same time,” says Dinzey Santana, almost at a whisper, smiling, and gliding between carts, bags, and shelves without stopping or looking—muscle memory. While she started UMBC on a pre-med track, after taking some psychology and social work classes, she was drawn to community-engaged work. Birmingham, Moberg, and Hamilton can feel her resolve. “I want students not to get frustrated if their path is unclear. Sometimes, the best path for you is not the one you set your heart on. There isn’t one path, and there is help. Everyone deserves help.”

Working on a prayer

The UMBC volunteers serve alongside legacy volunteers from the community and surrounding areas who have, in some cases, been volunteering for decades. Star legacy volunteer Naomi Morris is ninety-two and has volunteered at SWES for thirty-years. Birmingham says that although SWES has seen its share of challenges, she is continually touched by the people she meets and the way they make it work.

Before becoming part of the SWES volunteer team, Birmingham worked in warehouses for 36 years, stocking and organizing shelves. “I wasn’t quite sure what I wanted to do after I retired,” she says. “I found out that [SWES] needed help through my church. I thought I would give it a try.” She started hanging clothes for their clothing donation shop for a day or two. “But I saw everything that SWES was doing, and it was unbelievable. It touched my heart. The people I have met here are just unbelievable.” 

Moberg, who is a certified public accountant, joined the board and became a volunteer to support the financial assistance program. “I recognize things are really hard. Let’s face it, expenses have gone up exponentially. Gas, everything. Low to mid-range wages are not keeping pace. So, it’s really disheartening, which is why the finance mission is an extremely important one for me. “

Sometimes, when the pantry and the financial assistance dwindle, and there doesn’t seem to be an answer to how SWES will serve its community, Birmingham throws out a request to the heavens. “I learned it from my friend who volunteers with me. She just calls it out, ‘We need more of whatever it is,’ and sure enough, the next day someone walks in with what we need. Last week it was pasta, this year it was volunteers—both came in abundance, and Megan, Rosmery, and all the UMBC volunteers are now helping us legacy volunteers to keep it all going.”

Read more Alumni Magazine stories.

Major: Engineering Management (M.S.)
Hometown: Gujarat, India
High School: St. Xaviers High School, India

Turning experience into impact

Over his two years of graduate study at UMBC, Yash Bhatt has given back as much as he’s gained, contributing meaningfully to both the university and the greater Baltimore community. As a graduate student, Bhatt arrived at UMBC with an undergraduate degree and professional experience, but he says he was not yet the confident leader he is today. Over his two years as an engineering management graduate student, Bhatt developed his leadership skills through hands-on learning, collaboration, and real-world application.

Learning through experience

Bhatt credits his advanced project management course—which he says every engineering management student should take—as one of the most impactful parts of his academic experience. Through the Maryland New Venture Program at bwtech@UMBC, Bhatt contributed as a project manager for SphereHub, an AI-driven platform designed to help international students navigate housing and logistical challenges while studying in the U.S. Not only did Bhatt gain valuable practical experience and the satisfaction of providing tangible assistance to the project, but the opportunity also led to a meaningful summer internship.

Giving back to the community

Bhatt also served as a graduate assistant for both the Division of Professional Studies (DPS) and the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program. He credits his experience with VITA, where he was trained alongside other volunteers to help low-income Marylanders prepare their taxes, with giving him the confidence to talk to anyone and the sense of purpose that comes from making a real difference in people’s lives. The experience also deepened his understanding of life in the United States and in Maryland specifically, as community members welcomed him into their lives and trusted him with their financial situations, sometimes simply appreciating that someone cared enough to listen. Through his work with DPS, Bhatt is also involved in the Baltimore Waterfront Re-Imagining Project, in which UMBC is serving as a coalition partner in creating an Inner Harbor that better serves the needs of Baltimore residents.

Contributing to campus life

Outside of the classroom, Bhatt dedicated himself to enhancing student life. As a member of the Indian Graduate Student Association and the Black and Gold Student Advisory Board, he advocated for international students and contributed to university decision-making. Bhatt also joined two Alternative Spring Break experiences. Starting as a participant and returning as a program leader, Bhatt immersed himself in what he considers a genuine “American student experience,” building local friendships and making connections within local government and community organizations, in addition to the service the participants provided to the community.

A legacy of service

In finishing his two years of graduate studies, Bhatt leaves UMBC not just with a master’s degree in engineering management, but with a supportive local community and a wealth of experience spanning high-level project management, community advocacy, and campus leadership. While Bhatt arrived seeking to grow as a professional, he will graduate as a confident leader who has enriched the community as much as it has enriched him.

“The best part of my UMBC experience has been the people and the sense of community. UMBC has this unique balance—it’s diverse and full of opportunity like a larger university, yet still close-knit enough that you truly feel seen and supported,” he says.

All photos courtesy of Bhatt. Story by Sharon Brown, international recruitment coordinator in the Center for Global Engagement.

Emily Riggs came to UMBC from Lancaster, Pennsylvania, to study mechanical engineering while playing for UMBC’s championship-level softball team. She was rewarded for her decision early on—in her first year, she was named to the America East All-Rookie team and helped the Retrievers win their fourth-straight America East championship. In the following NCAA Tournament game against Nebraska, Riggs hit UMBC’s first home run in an NCAA Tournament game in 21 years, and the program’s second ever overall. She’s a two-time Academic All-District Honoree and was named to the 2025 America East All-Conference First team after she batted .343 with 11 homers in 49 games.

Q: What’s your experience at UMBC been like, balancing academics and athletics?

A: It’s busy and it means a lot of time management because my days are pretty booked. Usually this means classes in the morning, then practice, and then come home. Maybe I take an hour or two break and then do a bunch of homework. It’s tough but manageable.

Q: What difficulty does your major add because of the technical course load?

A: In my junior and senior years, I’ve had quite a few intensive projects. I’m in a capstone class right now, and we’re making an intelligent convoy system. So it’s coordinating team meetings, extra work, making requirement documentation, and more. 

Q: What would you say your favorite class has been here and why?

A: My mechanical engineering capstone class. We’re part of actually making the intelligent convoy vehicles, and then there’s two other teams that are focusing on software design. It’s been really cool to see all the stuff that I’ve been learning in school kind of all come together and apply to this one project.

Q: What do you plan to do after you graduate?

A: Get a job in the field of engineering, specifically mechanical engineering. Luckily, there are a lot of options around here! They range anywhere from aerospace to design to construction. So I’m just trying to find somewhere that fits me right now.

Q: How has UMBC helped you get ready for that job after college?

A: Many of our major courses, especially at the 400 level, are structured like a corporation. For example, you’ll have documents that you have to present. It’s still graded, but the professors will have a conversation with you: “Hey, here are the standards that we’re seeing in the real world right now, and here’s how you can meet it.”

Q: What would you say your favorite athletic moment has been?

A: Winning the America East softball championship my freshman year, and playing in the NCAA Tournament at Oklahoma State

Q: Do you have a mentor who has helped you while at UMBC

A: This year, I’m with my capstone professor—Dr. E.F. Charles LaBerge—the whole year around, and he’s been really helpful and has focused on preparing us for the real world. He’s there to answer questions, whether they’re about school or not about school.

Q: What opportunities stand out to you from your four years at UMBC? 

A: I’ve learned a lot. I’ve had opportunities working here in the Athletics Department helping keep in-game statistics for soccer, volleyball and basketball. I didn’t think that I was going to do that. I got an internship last year through UMBC, I worked in field service engineering with Beckman Culture Life Sciences. It allowed me to travel around the region and work on a bunch of automation systems. I definitely feel grateful for the academic opportunities I’ve had here.

Visit UMBC Athletics for more information on what our athletes are getting up to.

All photos courtesy of Riggs. Story by Zach Seidel ’12, media and communication studies, director of digital media for UMBC athletics.

In February 2020, Carter Gerhardt visited the UMBC campus as a newly admitted student. Six years later, he attended the same event, this time as a senior computer engineering student answering questions about his experience. During his time at UMBC Gerhardt faced the challenge of virtual learning during the COVID pandemic and doubt over whether his math skills were strong enough to pursue a major he was interested in. Supportive friends and faculty encouraged him and this May he will walk across the stage with a degree he was close to giving up on. “I’m getting a degree that I originally thought that I couldn’t do,” he says. “I’m proud of that.” 

Q: Why did you choose UMBC?

A: I picked UMBC because I knew the class sizes were smaller. The financial aid was also generous, and that was certainly a big factor. I wasn’t 100 percent sure what major I wanted to do—I was considering mechanical engineering, computer science, and computer engineering. When I looked at companies and organizations in the area that I might want to work for, I saw that a lot of UMBC graduates ended up at those places. 

Q: What are some of the challenges you faced during your college experience?

A: My entire first year of college was virtual because of COVID. My math grades were not as high as I was used to them being in high school. So you could say that college was a wake-up call. It was partly for that reason that I first chose computer science as a major—it was less intimidating than computer engineering. 

But I still enjoyed working with hardware and working with my hands. 

So about two years later, I revisited that decision, encouraged by my friends in the computer engineering major. I talked to my advisor about what changing majors would involve and he walked me through it. Classes were back in person, and that was helpful. I decided I could do it.

Q: What do you like most about the computer engineering degree?

A: Computer engineers have to be good at a lot of things. You learn about electrical signals and power distribution on the hardware side. And you also need to understand software and algorithms. The breadth of topics you get exposed to is really fun to explore.

The sense of community within the major itself is also very strong, especially as you get into upper-level computer engineering courses and your class sizes get a lot smaller. Last fall, I took a communication engineering class with Dr. Seung-Jun Kim and there were five undergraduates in the entire class. (It was cross-listed as a graduate course.) 

The depth of material that you can dive into and the level of instructor support here is fantastic. 

Q: What are your next steps after graduation?

A: I’m part of a scholarship program here at UMBC called Scholarship for Service. It’s a cybersecurity focused scholarship, and for every year of support you receive, you commit to a year of working in the government on cybersecurity. Most of the scholars in that program go into federal service, but you can also work at the state, local, or tribal level, or you can be a cyber educator. I’ll fulfill that commitment, and then see what happens. 

My interests are mainly in wireless/hardware security and radio-frequency engineering, and I would be interested in making medical devices secure. Whether it’s in government service, or in the private sector, the idea of developing products that make people’s lives safer is very appealing to me.

Q: What are some of the student activities you were involved with during your time at UMBC?

A: Since May of 2021, I’ve been a student worker in the Division of Information Technology (DoIT). My supervisor, Courtney Burkett, has been a great mentor and it has been a great experience. It’s taught me job skills and time management, and also it’s been a fun way to learn about the campus and make friends. I’ve been part of the Tau Beta Pi Engineering Honors Society, the UMBC CyberDawgs, and part of the Baja Racing Team. 

Currently, a few other students and I have been working with Dr. Kim to develop a computer engineering Council of Majors. As a student organization, it would link students and faculty in the major. We [envision the organization growing to be able to] plan social events, networking events, and try to educate students about the opportunities available to them, such as working on research in faculty members’ labs.

Q: Has there been a piece of advice that someone at UMBC has given you that has really stuck out in your mind?

A: I’d say the advice that’s stuck the most would be to take the path less traveled. I am currently taking the Computer Engineering capstone engineering class with Dr. E. F. Charles LaBerge [Ph.D. ’03]. When it came time to decide on our project, my teammates and I were leaning toward a flashy project building a vehicle and its sensor systems. But Dr. LaBerge encouraged us to take on a project focusing on an error detecting and correcting algorithm called Reed-Solomon. It’s the same algorithm that helps your phone read QR codes, even if you’re not lining everything up perfectly. It was a topic none of us were really familiar with and it has pushed us out of our comfort zone in a great way. I’ve seen how things I’ve learned across my classes are really coming together in this project and it has been super interesting. 

Q: Looking back, how do you think you’ve changed the most since senior year of high school?

A: Overall, I guess you can say I’ve matured. I would say my ability to look at a problem and break it down into manageable pieces is much better. I’ve come to realize no matter how big a problem you’re presented with, you can tackle it with the right tools.

And the other thing that I’ve learned, especially after having my first year be virtual, is the importance of taking care of yourself, both physically and mentally. It can be easy with the rush of assignments and deadlines to let everything else fall to the side. Some of the things that I’ve incorporated are that I make my bed every morning. That’s definitely not something I did when I was in high school! I exercise regularly and try to get a good night’s sleep every night. I’ve learned I need to take care of myself so I can take care of other people and put my best work forward.