The 2014 Shriver Center Public Service Scholars Programs have all been launched within the last several weeks. This year’s programs, The Governor’s Summer Internship Program (GSIP), the Sondheim Maryland Nonprofit Leadership Program and MDOT Fellows Program have a total of 50 participants from institutions across the state of Maryland, as well as some out of state institutions. With all of the programs, students are placed with senior-level officials in government agencies and nonprofits across the state.

The Governor’s Summer Internship Program introduces college students to the unique challenges and rewards of working within Maryland state government. Interns work for ten weeks during the summer in state government agencies doing substantive tasks ranging from drafting speeches and correspondence to researching policy options and assisting with constituent case work. Students develop policy papers on a significant issue facing Maryland and present their findings to Governor O’Malley in person. The program is led by the Shriver Center in partnership with the Office of the Governor.

The Maryland Nonprofit Leadership Program offers summer internship opportunities in the nonprofit sector to college juniors, seniors and graduate students attending Maryland institutions. Interns work for ten weeks during the summer and participate in bi-weekly seminars in non-profit management. The Shriver Center coordinates the program in conjunction with the Maryland Association of Nonprofit Organizations and the Office of the Governor.

The Maryland Department of Transportation (MDOT) Fellows Program introduces college students to working within Maryland’s integrated transportation system. Interns work in policy development, engineering, planning and financing, neighborhood conservation, and computer networking, among other areas. The Shriver Center leads the program in conjunction with Office of the Secretary of Transportation.

Several UMBC students are participants in this year’s programs. The complete list is below, along with the intern’s mentors. You can learn more about the Shriver Center Scholars Programs by clicking here.

Governor’s Summer Internship Program

Colby Conley
Major: Political Science
Mentor: Mary Gable/Danielle Susskind
Assistant State Superintendent/Education Policy Specialist
Division of Academic Policy and Innovation
Maryland State Department of Education

Walter Sondheim Jr. Maryland Nonprofit Leadership Program

Katharine Evans
Major: Psychology, Sociology
Mentor: Kim Sauer
Legal & Medical Coordinator
Baltimore Child Abuse Center

Katia Fortune
Major: Psychology
Mentor: Dionne Waldron
Program Manager
Operation HOPE

Ibitoye “Kathy” Tokunbo
Major: Economics
Mentor: Joe Brown
Site Coordinator
College Gardens

Rachel Thomas
Major: Political Science, Psychology
Mentor: Michelle Sardone
Legalization Program Director
Catholic Legal Immigration Network, Inc.

MDOT Fellows Program

Jordan Weddington
Major: History, Asian Studies
Mentor: Michele Gardner
Title VI/ADA Coordinator
Maryland Transit Administration

Jeanie Lai
Major: Environmental Science
Mentor: Benjamin Chin
Director, Office of Design and Construction
Maryland Aviation Administration

Benjamin Loeb
Major: Mechanical Engineering
Mentor: Kevin Pippin
Manager, Division of Utilities
Maryland Aviation Administration

Every so often, we highlight the importance of student scholarships by introducing you to the very students they help to succeed. Today, we’re featuring Kristine Galli, health administration and policy, who is a Barbara E. Burkman Health Administration and Policy Program Scholarship recipient. This scholarship is given to a student who has demonstrated academic stature and scholarly/creative activity in their chosen discipline.

Name: Kristine Galli ’14
Major(s): health administration policy
Scholarship(s): Barbara Burkman Scholarship Award

Q: Why did you decide to attend UMBC?

A: The school has a great reputation and I love the diversity of our campus community. I knew I could learn from experts in my field while cultivating relationships that have enriched my life more than ever expected. I will be graduating with an amazing degree and incredible friends.

Q: What’s been the most amazing discovery you’ve made so far as a student here?

A: Definitely learning about other students has lead to the most amazing discoveries. People are amazing and everyone has a story, so take the time to listen because both of your lives are enhanced through that connection.

Q: Tell us about a class or club that has really opened your mind.

A: Being a Peer Health Educator through University Health Services for two years was a fun and influential way to empower myself and benefit the campus community. This position helped me learn about health issues that are most pertinent to college students and engage many different subcultures to help empower them through knowledge, as well.

Q: How important is it to you as a student to get scholarship support?

A: It was extremely important for me to receive scholarship support for multiple reasons. Having your hard work acknowledged is always fulfilling, but more than that I am very grateful that this support takes some of the financial burden off of myself and my family. There are many areas of life to manage in university, so when someone helps you in such a significant way it allows you to focus more energy on succeeding in school versus worrying about how to pay for it.

Q: What are you most proud of accomplishing in your time at UMBC?

A: Thankfully I have been able to do a lot with my time at UMBC including founding a mental health awareness student organization, Active Minds. I am very happy I was able to bring this organization to campus and am extremely impressed by the students who have taken over its management. They are definitely making a powerful and positive impact on the well being of UMBC students.

Q: What would you say to the people who provided your scholarship?

A: Thank you so much!  It means a lot that people like you invest their hard-earned money to help students succeed.

Q: What do you hope to do after graduation?

A: I was accepted into the University of Manchester to earn a Master’s in International Disaster Management. While this is awesome, I have deferred for a year to explore other interests before committing to this path. We will see what life has in store!

Support the Barbara E. Burkman Scholarship!

Co-Lab(oration): Front Stoop/Back Yard, organized by the School 33 Art Center, will hold an opening celebration this month for the collaborative installation including work by Kelley Bell, visual arts. The pieces presented, by Bell, Melissa Webb and Linda DePalma, are “highly detailed birdhouses that are scale replicas of iconic Baltimore buildings – Penn Station, the Patterson Park Pagoda, the “Painted Ladies” of Charles Village and Form Stone row homes.”

Download the flyer to learn more about the celebration and Co-Lab(oration).

The opening celebration, scheduled for June 21 from 3-6 p.m. at the School 33 Art Center, will be held in connection with School 33’s 35th Annual Exhibition, 35 [33] 35, featuring the work of other prominent Baltimore artists, including Tim Nohe, Visual Arts. Co-Lab(oration): Front Stoop/Back Yard will be on display through the Summer 2015.

Every so often, we highlight the importance of student scholarships by introducing you to the very students they help to succeed. Today, we’re featuring Kristine Galli, health administration and policy, who is a Barbara E. Burkman Health Administration and Policy Program Scholarship recipient. This scholarship is given to a student who has demonstrated academic stature and scholarly/creative activity in their chosen discipline.

Name: Kristine Galli ’14
Major(s): health administration policy
Scholarship(s): Barbara Burkman Scholarship Award

Q: Why did you decide to attend UMBC?

A: The school has a great reputation and I love the diversity of our campus community. I knew I could learn from experts in my field while cultivating relationships that have enriched my life more than ever expected. I will be graduating with an amazing degree and incredible friends.

Q: What’s been the most amazing discovery you’ve made so far as a student here?

A: Definitely learning about other students has lead to the most amazing discoveries. People are amazing and everyone has a story, so take the time to listen because both of your lives are enhanced through that connection.

Q: Tell us about a class or club that has really opened your mind.

A: Being a Peer Health Educator through University Health Services for two years was a fun and influential way to empower myself and benefit the campus community. This position helped me learn about health issues that are most pertinent to college students and engage many different subcultures to help empower them through knowledge, as well.

Q: How important is it to you as a student to get scholarship support?

A: It was extremely important for me to receive scholarship support for multiple reasons. Having your hard work acknowledged is always fulfilling, but more than that I am very grateful that this support takes some of the financial burden off of myself and my family. There are many areas of life to manage in university, so when someone helps you in such a significant way it allows you to focus more energy on succeeding in school versus worrying about how to pay for it.

Q: What are you most proud of accomplishing in your time at UMBC?

A: Thankfully I have been able to do a lot with my time at UMBC including founding a mental health awareness student organization, Active Minds. I am very happy I was able to bring this organization to campus and am extremely impressed by the students who have taken over its management. They are definitely making a powerful and positive impact on the well being of UMBC students.

Q: What would you say to the people who provided your scholarship?

A: Thank you so much!  It means a lot that people like you invest their hard-earned money to help students succeed.

Q: What do you hope to do after graduation?

A: I was accepted into the University of Manchester to earn a Master’s in International Disaster Management. While this is awesome, I have deferred for a year to explore other interests before committing to this path. We will see what life has in store!

Support the Barbara E. Burkman Scholarship!

Here in the Office of Alumni Relations, we spend a lot of time telling stories about and talking with our wonderfully supportive alums. However, we’ve decided to turn the tables and take time to get to know the people behind the scenes – the  advancement and alumni relations staff members who are hard at work on behalf of our alumni. Today we’ll be hearing from Meredith Purvis, the Assistant Director of Marketing.

Name: Meredith Purvis
Job Title: Assistant Director of Marketing
Focus Area: I help alumni and donors stay in touch with the university.
Years at UMBC: 4

Q: Where are you from originally?

A: Shamrock, Missouri

Q: What do you love most about UMBC?

A: I love my co-workers – they are unbelievably creative and smart. My second love, of course, is True Grit. Retriever Fever forever!

Q: What’s your favorite thing about your job?

A: I love meeting our alumni and donors and getting to tell their stories. And, despite my degree in English, I am also a huge data nerd – crunch all the numbers!

Q: What’s the most recent book you’ve read?

A: I recently finished up The No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency and I’m currently working my way through Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell. I love to read, but I’ve also trained myself to fall asleep while doing so, so I tend to be a little slow to finish books these days.

Q: Who do you admire and why?

A: I really admire my siblings. My little sister, Rosie, is crazy smart and she’s one of the nicest people I know. Also, she’s studying engineering, and math gives me a headache, so that has always impressed me. My little brother, Lincoln, is incredibly creative and always off having adventures and making cool movies and taking amazing photos. I can’t wait to see what he does next.

Q: If you could be a superhero, who would you pick and why?

A: I’d definitely be Thor – great costume, magical hammer, Asgard. What’s not to like?