Jonathan Werner
B.S., Bioinformatics and Computational Biology
Summa Cum Laude
Hometown: Glen Burnie, Maryland
Plans: Ph.D., Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory

The Meyerhoff program taught me how to be a scholar and a life-long learner, and the professors and staff here at UMBC taught me how to use my natural curiosity and intellect to be successful in my chosen career path.

Jonathan Werner, M26, has been conducting research with Rachel Brewster, professor of biological sciences, since his freshman year. By studying zebrafish development, “we aim to provide the basic research necessary for the future clinical treatment of neural tube birth defects, the most common birth defects in humans,” he says.

Werner has co-authored two papers based on research in Brewster’s lab and is currently working on his first first-author publication. The College of Natural and Mathematical Sciences recognized his efforts with the Faculty Award for Excellence. He is also a member of the academic honor society Phi Beta Kappa.

Werner was recently selected as a National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellow. The fellowship provides three years of funding for his graduate studies, which he will pursue at the Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory in New York state. Werner intends to blend his interests in experimental and computational biology in his Ph.D. work, a goal the fellowship will facilitate.

As a Meyerhoff Scholar and the Meyerhoff Student Council President, Werner is grateful to the Meyerhoff community for supporting his success and connecting him with exciting opportunities. “While here at UMBC, I have received phenomenal support in both my academic and research pursuits,” he says.

Portrait by Marlayna Demond ’11 for UMBC.

Joshua Massey
B.S., Computer Engineering
Hometown: Upper Marlboro, Maryland
Plans: Master’s in teaching, UMBC

UMBC’s values and commitments to diversity, education, and social justice allowed me to grow into the interdisciplinary thinker, problem-solver, and leader I am today.

Joshua Massey, president of UMBC’s Student Government Association (SGA), has been recognized across campus and by university partners for his leadership, his enthusiasm for community connections, and his passion for technology in education. 

Massey was one of the first recipients of the Northrop Grumman Scholarship for increasing the number of undergraduate and graduate students in the United States pursuing degrees in computer engineering and electrical engineering. Through the program, Massey had the opportunity to connect with industry leaders and attend mentoring events. Massey is a member of the Meyerhoff Scholars Program, and also received the Meyerhoff National Security Administration Scholarship, which enabled him to connect with industry mentors regularly and to participate in monthly seminars.

In addition to receiving mentorship from faculty and professionals in technical fields, Massey also provided support to others as a peer mentor and a teaching fellow for a course in computational thinking and design.

On campus, Massey is known for his enthusiasm for the UMBC community. He served as a “Woolie”—a Welcome Week student leader—in addition to serving as SGA senator and chief of staff, before being elected SGA president.

One of Massey’s most memorable SGA moments was the 2017 SGA summer retreat, which he attended as incoming president. “At our annual summer retreat, new and returning students involved in SGA learn about the history and values of UMBC and the SGA, work cooperatively on plans for an upcoming year of campus change, and build relationships with one another as we continually create the story of SGA at UMBC,” Massey explains. He enjoyed facilitating sessions on the important role of students in UMBC governance.

Massey will continue on at UMBC after graduation, pursuing a master’s degree in teaching, with a focus on educating students in tech fields. “Looking forward to a future career in education and advocacy, I am reminded of the strong sense of community and shared ownership that is present at UMBC,” he says. “I look forward to carrying that forward in life.”

Portrait by Marlayna Demond ‘11 for UMBC.

Adaku Uchendu
B.S., Mathematics
Cum Laude
Hometown: Beltsville, Maryland
Plans: Ph.D., Penn State University

A famous saying goes, ‘The sparkle depends on the flaws in a diamond.’ This means all my flaws and strengths make me who I am. Therefore, I can only shine brightly when I accept all of me. I learned this at UMBC.

Adaku Uchendu has had great success as a math major at UMBC, but she actually came to UMBC with the intention of studying biology. “Changing my major took a lot of courage,” she shares, because her love of mathematics did not always translate to high marks in her high school math courses. But her family and professors provided the support she needed to set challenging goals and achieve them, she says, including pursuing high-level mathematics research and competitive internships.

Uchendu joined the UMBC community after graduating from high school in Nigeria. She is a McNair Scholar and received an Undergraduate Research Award to pursue work with Bedrich Sousedik, associate professor of mathematics. She expanded on her research with Sousedik through an internship with the Federal Reserve Board, the central banking system of the United States. She has also joined Pi Mu Epsilon, the mathematics honor society.

“My UMBC journey has been a success due to the support of my parents, the excellent math professors I had, the McNair program, and most of all God, who always has my back,” Uchendu says. She shares her gratitude for that support by paying it forward — tutoring in UMBC’s Math Lab and volunteering with REACH, a student-led group that encourages high school girls in Baltimore City to pursue STEM-related careers by providing mentorship and other resources.

Next fall, Uchendu will begin a Ph.D. in information science and technology at Penn State University, pursuing interests in machine learning, data science, and cybersecurity.

Portrait by Marlayna Demond ’11 for UMBC.

Katherine Dillon
B.S., Computer Science
Magna Cum Laude
Hometown: Ellicott City, Maryland
Plans: Software Engineer, Google; M.S., computer science, UMBC

The CWIT program has prepared me to be a professional and take on leadership roles, and ultimately helped me get my jobs and internships. The friends I’ve made in CWIT served as such a great support system, and I couldn’t have done it without them.

Katherine Dillon came to UMBC with interest, but not much experience, in computer science, but through the Center for Women in Technology (CWIT) was able to rapidly grow her knowledge of the field. Before long, she was conducting computer science research, taking graduate-level courses in artificial intelligence and machine learning, serving as a teaching assistant in computer science and interactive media, and volunteering through outreach opportunities, to inspire and support future computing students.

Dillon says the support she received from the faculty and staff at UMBC, particularly in CWIT and the Honors College, has been instrumental in enabling her to achieve her goals and continuously set the bar higher for what she would achieve next. Dillon conducted data visualization research under Penny Rheingans, professor of computer science and director of CWIT, and attended the Grace Hopper Celebration of Women in Computing as an Anita Borg Scholar. After the Grace Hopper Celebration, Dillon was offered an internship opportunity at Google in Boston. The following summer she completed another Google internship, this time in Germany.

After graduation, Dillon will work as a software engineer at Google in San Francisco, while also completing her master’s degree in computer science online through UMBC.

Portrait by Marlayna Demond ’11 for UMBC.