Beatriz Soriano Luna

Degree: B.S., Social Work
Hometown: Montgomery County, MD
Post-grad plans: M.S.W., University of Maryland School of Social Work

A Universities of Shady Grove (USG) Kendall Scholar, Beatriz Soriano Luna has worked to develop the knowledge, skills, and network needed to serve as a successful clinical social worker and a leader in her field.

Soriano Luna came to UMBC ready to pursue a career in service after earning her associate’s degree at Montgomery College in American Sign Language. She found clinical social work the ideal path to meet her interests in child and family psychology and human rights. During her senior year, Soriano Luna earned a highly competitive internship for senior social work students at the Title IV-E Education for Public Child Welfare Program, a partnership the Maryland Department of Human Resources that prepares social work students for public child welfare practice. She will continue the internship as a graduate student.

While making the dean’s list every semester, working as a caretaker, and completing a field placement with the Prince George’s County Family Preservation Unit, Soriano Luna also supported fellow students. She mentored more than two dozen current students as a member of the UMBC at USG’s Peer Advisory Team. She has also helped organize and facilitate events to connect incoming students with resources offered at USG.

In the summer of 2022, she led the Social Work in Action summer program in collaboration with Katie Morris, Ph.D. ’21, language, literacy, and culture, and director of the social work undergraduate program at USG. She also volunteered in UMBC’s Volunteer Income Tax Assistance program which offers free tax return preparation assistance to low income households.

Has there been a mentor or fellow student who influenced your time at UMBC?

“M. Nicole Belfiore, clinical instructor of social work, has been an amazing Kendall Scholar mentor and teacher. I had to write a lot of research papers and Dr. Belfiore gave me a lot of feedback to improve my writing for a professional audience. Now I get a lot of compliments about my writing. She was also my research and policy instructor and introduced me to legislative action. I had no idea that social workers could have such an important role in influencing national policy. This realization was really crucial for me because there are a lot of legislative changes that I would like to see, particularly to protect children and adolescents.”

What has been the best part of your UMBC experience?

“The best part of my UMBC experience has been the social aspect of being a student. Since the minute I started, I’ve noticed that USG students are close knit. Everyone is friendly and knows each other. I really do appreciate that. I think that was extremely important coming out of the pandemic and switching from being online to being in person. As a result, I have made invaluable personal and professional networks and relationships with the UMBC faculty, professors, and peers.”

Victoria Joya Euceda

Degree: B.A., Geography and Environmental Studies
Hometown: Gaithersburg, MD
Post-grad plans: Ph.D. in geography, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

McNair Scholar Victoria Joya Euceda feels honored to be in the first in family to earn a college degree, as well as a sense of responsibility to her family and Latinx community. Her parents, who are immigrants from Central America, never had the opportunity to prioritize academics. As she crosses the stage, she will be thinking particularly of her dad, who was deported to Central America during COVID-19.

Beyond excelling academically, Joya Euceda has participated in UMBC’s STRiVE Program and Multicultural Leadership Experience, served on the leadership of Moot Court, and completed research with faculty at UMBC, the BIG 10 Alliance, and the Ohio State University. She has also worked as a legal assistant and has volunteered with Baltimore’s Esperanza Center.

Joya Euceda has faced substantial challenges as a first-generation immigrant student, from financial challenges and housing insecurity to not feeling a sense of belonging (recently shared with The Chronicle of Higher Education).

She believes that succeeding despite these challenges offers a reassuring example for her younger family members and others, showing that taking the leap to attend college can be a risk, but it’s worthwhile.

Has there been a mentor or fellow student who influenced your time at UMBC?

“The person who has had the most direct impact on me is Yolanda Valencia, assistant professor of geography and environmental studies. I met her my first semester after I transferred to UMBC from American University. It was the first time in my entire college experience that I knew someone understood my story and all the challenges I have been through. Professor Valencia is also a McNair Scholars Program alum and was the first professor who encouraged me to apply to the program, to do research, and to keep going. My relationship with Dr. Valencia has inspired me to want to be a professor one day and inspire many other Latinx and first-generation students to complete their higher education.”

What has been the best part of your UMBC experience?

“Becoming an environmental justice intern for the White House Council on Environmental Quality was a big moment. I believe getting this internship allowed me to reflect on my full potential of what I bring to the table as a first-generation college student and Latina. It made me realize that if I set my mind to something, I should not be afraid to take risks as long as I am honest and demonstrate how passionate I am about my goal of supporting my community.”

Introducing the individuals running for a position on the Public Health Council of Majors Executive Board for the 23/24 academic year! View the candidates' bios for more information. Vote online on May 3th and 4th. The ballot link is available on the candidate bio page.

President:

• Iqra Fatima
• Taiwo Sanni-Ojikuto

• Amina Aslam
• Taylor Bease
• Syed Ali Raza Jafri
• Ladun Ogbara
• Emmanuella Osei
• Maitri Patel
• Taiwo Sanni-Ojikuto
• Reya Shah
• Kina Soberano
• Halima Thomas
• Hafssa Zgidou

• Maitri Patel

• Amina Aslam
• Taylor Bease
• Ngozi Emezienna
• Titilope Ibiwoye
• Maitri Patel
• Kina Soberano
• Halima Thomas
• Edlam Woldermariam
• Hafssa Zgidou

• Amina Aslam
• Taylor Bease
• Emmanuella Osei
• Maitri Patel
• Reya Shah
• Kina Soberano
• Halima Thomas
• Hafssa Zgidou

Name:  Tahereh Hematian

Internship, Co-op, or Research Site: Maryland Department of Health

Position Title: Data Analyst

Major or Program: Data Science

Current Class Level: Graduate Student

Work Term: Spring 2022

Tell us about your internship, co-op, or research opportunity, including your day-to-day responsibilities. 

My day-to-day job is utilizing machine learning algorithms for two specific areas: time series analysis and natural language processing. Via these experiences I have gained intuitions as to which machine learning model is the most effective one for the problems assigned to me. Exposure to time series data helped me build a foundation of how to visual and analyze past data and predictions using Python. Also, my day-to-day job begins with a scrum meeting where we review past challenges and plan for the upcoming day. These meetings have provided me with a bird's-eye view of the project landscape, as I have had the opportunity to listen to other team members who work on different tasks.

Describe the process of obtaining your position. When did you hear of the position and submit your application? 

Finding my internship is an interesting story, as I was able to get the position after my first interview in the US. I should note that Mrs. Diane Crump-Fogle played a significant role in introducing me to the position and guiding me through the application process.

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

UMBC Career Center

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

I enjoyed many aspects of my internship, including the opportunity to learn new things and work on projects that allowed for exploration and growth. The joy of my work was amplified by the pleasure of working with two exceptional mentors, Dr. Sharmin Hossain and Dr. Som Mukherjee. They were both understandable, supportive, and insightful, and provided me with the space to explore while encouraging me to build my confidence. Their belief in my potential and guidance in developing the necessary skills and knowledge for success was invaluable.

How do you believe you have made an impact through your work?

I have developed a pipeline that includes a machine learning time series model for predicting the number of daily crashes across the state of Maryland. My hope is that this model will assist other departments, such as the police department, in allocating their resources more efficiently.

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

Believe in yourselves and your abilities, and take action - take it soon.

Please provide a short reflection or quote about what you liked most about your position / earning internship credit / working with the Career Center.

My mentors provided a peaceful environment in which I could work without stress. This helped me to reach my full potential and push myself to achieve even more. I must acknowledge that it would not have been possible without the assistance of the Career Center, who introduced me to this position.

Check out this post on our social media platforms!

Follow us on Twitter and Instagram andLinkedIn 

#UMBCintern 

Good morning and happy Monday everyone!

Todays meeting will be about music. We will ask questions about how we define and categorize music and its various aspects. 

Some guiding questions include:

What is music?

How do we know when something is music?

When does something start/stop being music?

Is music a natural phenomenon or something constructed?

Where can music be found?

What influence does intention have on our perception of music?

Why does music even influence us at all?

In addition to the guiding questions, audio will be played to help foster conversation and encourage further discussion questions.

Stop by today in PAHB 229 from 4-5 pm.

Olivia