Joan Allen

Role at the UMBC Career Center: I coordinate employer recruiting activities.

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

A: Business.  I enjoyed detailed work.

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

A: I participated in a work study program in which I had the opportunity to work at an insurance company in Baltimore.  I was able to not learn many business and administrative processes but was also able to realize that I thrived in this type of environment.

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

A: It is your attitude, not your aptitude.

Q: Why should students visit the Career Center?

A: There are a hundred reasons the least of which is to receive the service or advice personalized for you.

Q: What is your favorite aspect about UMBC?

A: Supportive, positive, community vibe. 

Q: What is one item on your bucket list?

A: Castle tour in Europe.

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

A: Downtown Baltimore restaurants and DC museums.

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

The Washington Center offers the Federal Diversity Internship Initiative (formerly known as the Competitive Government Program) to help students from a wide variety of backgrounds access opportunities with selected government agencies. Positions are located in the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area as well as in other regions across the United States. 

Review this resource to determine if the Federal Diversity Internship Initiative is the best way for you to participate in The Washington Center.

Goals of the Initiative

This initiative is designed to assist the federal government with hiring and training the next generation of leaders. It is focused on supporting federal agencies so that they can meet the priorities of:

• Promoting diversity in the federal workforce
• Increasing the number of veterans hired by the government
• Increasing the representation of people with disabilities

The Federal Diversity Internship Initiative is open to all qualified candidates without regard to their race, gender, color, religion, sexual orientation, national origin, age, physical or mental disability, veteran status, or any other characteristic prohibited by state or local law.

Program Components

• Internship: Students are immersed in a work environment full-time (40 hours/week) and receive direction from a mentor at the federal agency.
• Professional Development: In addition to the internship experience, students have an academic program advisor who organizes workshops on various topics (conducted as webinars for students placed outside of the D.C. area) and provides feedback on written assignments.

Benefits of Participation

• Gain professional experience within the U.S. government
• Learn how to navigate USAJobs.gov
• Build a federal resume
• Conduct informational interviews
• Create an individual development plan and enhance goal setting skills

Contact Info

Federal Agencies

Please contact Nick Catanzaro at Nick.Catanzaro@twc.edu or 202-238-7995 for more information.

Prospective Students

Please contact Lyndsy Horn at Lyndsy.Horn@twc.edu or 202-238-7917 for more information.

How to Write a Personal Statement for Summer Research

The Purpose of a Personal Statement 

First Steps

The Basics

Experience in the Field

Your Proposed Contributions to the Program

When you have finished drafting your statement, ask yourself:

Some common mistakes to avoid:

CSEE’S Dr. Marc Olano, Director of the Computer Science Game Development Track and Co-director of the VANGOGH Lab, talked with the Baltimore Sun’s Scott Dance about fluctuations in the local video game industry.

In recent years, the local gaming industry has been subject to major upheavals, resulting in the closure of several well-known gaming companies. Fortunately, the local gaming industry finally seems to be on the uptick, with announcements of new titles from two studios. Firaxis released “Civilization: Beyond Earth” on October 24th, and the newly resurrected Big Huge Games will be launching “DomiNations” in 2015. These announcements signal a rebirth of sorts for the Maryland gaming industry.

The Baltimore Sun article can be found here.

Channel your ideas, passions, and interests into creating a research project!

You'll develop professional skills, relationships with peers and faculty, and a better resume'. You might even get an opportunity to travel and/or present your work!

Check out some of the things other students in your field have done and get involved today!

Also, there is a How To Get Started in Research Workshop  THIS FRIDAY, November 7, 2014 at 12 pm in SONDHEIM 103. Come out and learn more about becoming a student researcher!!!

Halloween was this Friday (as if you didn’t already know that– I know, I’m still recovering from my candy coma, too) and I’ve been doing a lot of self reflection on the past year. Most people do their reflecting in January at the start of the new year, but Halloween is my “new year.” I started my medical transition on October 31, 2013, so as Friday rolled around I began thinking about all the things that have happened and who I’ve become since last Halloween.

guhhh…This Halloween definitely paid for my dentist’s vacation.

I am so much happier than I was 18 months ago. I have a group of very dear friends who care about me. I have made my own family and my own home here in Baltimore, and my family’s house back in Frostburg feels much more welcoming. I feel joy again. I’m doing well in school. I feel validated in my work and I feel like I have the ability to make change not just at UMBC, but in the larger community.

If you had told me all of this before I went on testosterone, I would have said, “Wow! It’s amazing all the things testosterone can do for me!” Now, I’ve realized that the testosterone had nothing to do with it. It wasn’t some magical elixir like a Felix Felicis potion. It didn’t fix something that was broken. It didn’t give me friends or make people like me more. All of that was me. I did that.

“Bottled good fortune. Brewed correctly the drinker of this potion will be lucky in all their endeavors…” –J.K. Rowling, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince

It’s amazing the things you can discover about who you are and what you’re capable of once you stop putting all your energy into hating yourself. Being on testosterone didn’t make me hate myself less– just like losing 20 pounds isn’t going to make your body image issues go away. It removed the thing I was using as an excuse for hating myself. It’s easy to say, “I’ll love myself once I’m on testosterone,” but I realized that self love doesn’t come in a 10mL vial. You can’t diet your way to self love, either. You have to work towards it and it’s hard, but it’s totally worth it.

What I’ve learned in the past twelve months is that I am worthy of my love unconditionally and let me tell you, that Halloween candy tastes so much sweeter now.

Name: Stephen Moore

Internship, Co-op or Research Site: GE Oil & Gas

Major(s)/Minor(s): Computer Engineering, Mathematics

Expected Graduation Year: May 2015

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

As an ITLP intern, I was tasked with managing my own goals for the summer. Examples include developing a new project methodology to use as a standard, contributing to staff meetings and developing new websites, applications and tools for the office.

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

My interview with General Electric was set up through UMBCworks. That single, in-depth interview was followed up immediately with an official offer.

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

UMBCworks

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

Working at GE has been a very diverse experience. I was entrusted with tasks that made a significant impact on the office I was involved with. Being able to gain real experience in project management and product development was a fantastic part of my internship.

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

The trust GE places in us interns was astounding. I was treated as a fellow manager instead of "The Intern." This unique atmosphere was something I have not experienced anywhere else. As such, it allowed me to gain experience working in a high-risk position with actual responsibilities - something that most internships do not offer.

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

If you are interested in joining the ITLP program, enter it with an open and inquisitive mind. There are no set tasks for you to perform, no standard job responsibilities to fulfill; this is a position wherein you define what you want to take away from GE.

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

I received an email about an interview that I "may find interesting," and decided to follow up. That surprise interview turned into my most rewarding summer yet and changed my entire job outlook for when I graduate. So yeah, that was pretty cool.