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.
Kruse (right) speaks during this spring’s Tri-Alpha induction ceremony. Kruse is the vice president of the UMBC chapter of this honor society for first-generation college students. Cenia Sims (left) is the president. (Photo courtesy of Kruse)
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?
Kruse tackles a rope course during a Commuter Connections event in 2024. (Photo courtesy of Kruse)
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.