Hey Booya, 

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/

On October 23, The Hilltop Institute celebrated 20 years of service with “A Look Ahead: the Next 20 Years in Federal and State Health Policy,” an event featuring talks by national and regional health policy experts and a well-attended reception.

Keynote speaker Bruce Vladeck drew on his experiences as the Senior Advisor for Nexera and former Administrator of the Health Care Financing Administration (now the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services) to provide an overview of how the next 20 years of health policy could impact the nation.

David Salkever, public policy, spoke about the availability of information and how it could impact consumer choice and physician recommendations, while Judah Ronch, Erickson School, discussed the impact of Alzheimer’s disease on the health care delivery system. Jonathan Weiner, professor of health policy and management at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and professor of health informatics at the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, examined the use of electronic health records and how health information technology can improve care and efficiency.

Click here to read more about the event and watch a video of the program.

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.