Q: I was wondering if you had any advice for a finance student?

— Godwin Okoro, senior financial economics student

A: I think it’s really important that students work with our Career Center, where the staff members do a superb job of giving advice to students about opportunities. We have many employer partnerships. And I hope that you participated in the recent Career Fair where we had over 100 employers. It’s critical that students apply for internships beginning after their freshman year, because practical experience will give them increasing opportunities.

For a senior, the most important advice is to listen to the experts in the Career Center and talk with professors for general advice. It’s important not to be too specific in what you’re looking for. The most important tip to new graduates is to get broad experience that can shape their vision for the future.

Broad education always helps. And students need to understand the different tracks or paths one can take in financial institutions, from technology, data science, and cyber security to becoming analysts. I also recommend talking with the Career Center about connecting with UMBC alumni in those fields who can give specific advice to students.

Q: As we see expressions of hate and racism on college campuses around the country, how is UMBC addressing these issues?

— Maceo Thomas ’93, biochemistry and molecular biology, and a member of the Meyerhoff Scholars Program’s first cohort

A: UMBC regularly communicates our values and our support for all of our residents, students, faculty, and staff, and the larger community. We speak to the need to not accept prejudice of any kind, whether it’s racism, or homophobia, or religious intolerance, or sexism.

We have a number of forums sponsored by the College of Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences and by student groups that provide opportunities to hear different perspectives on the divisive issues in our society. And I would say many of our courses across the disciplines address issues of prejudice at UMBC. We encourage open dialogue, and we encourage people to keep an open mind and listen to other perspectives.

If you look at social media and talk with our students, they appreciate our speaking out against these types of prejudice. And they want to know that we are prepared when acts of intolerance arise, whether involving sexism or racism or other issues. And we have a number of people on campus who are focused on giving our students support during these times. In my talks and a number of the talks of other administrators, we encourage students to get beyond their comfort zone and to get to know people different from themselves. While it’s important for each group to appreciate its own cultural roots, strengths, and challenges, we need as a society to encourage more robust dialogue across different groups. UMBC is constantly working to support that idea.

Click here to read UMBC’s statement after the unrest in Charlottesville, August 2017.

Do you have a question for UMBC President Freeman Hrabowski? Send it to magazine@umbc.edu, and it may appear in a future issue of UMBC Magazine.

Purpose: To coordinate outreach and volunteers for all Intersection of Change programs.

Ariana  is a double major in Biology (BA) and Psychology (BA), who will graduate in 2019. She is a member of the Honors College and 2018-19 URA Scholar.

Title of your research project:  Rat Prostate Cancer Model

Describe your project: To create a floxed P53 rat, for prostate specific P53 loss.

Who is your mentor(s) for your project? My mentors are Michael Rubenstein and Dr. Bieberich from the Biology Department. I found my mentor by talking to my bio 141 TA, who advised me to email specific professors at UMBC that encompassed my interests in genetic research, cancer research, and working with animal models. 

How did you become interested in this project? I became interested in this project because I had a passion for cancer treatment and research, and have a strong interest in how genetics influence disease initiation and progression. I also was excited to work closely with rats and mice given I had previously worked in animal care. Another aspect of my research that caught my interest is that I would conduct different surgical procedures on rats and mice. Given that I want to become a physician, this is exciting because I am able to learn and practice some skills I will later learn in medical school.

What has been the hardest part about your research/what was the most unexpected thing about being a researcher? The hardest part about research is that a seemingly simple experiment can fail countless times before it will work. Often, these experiments are composed of dozens of steps that take up anywhere from several hours to several days. It can get disheartening, but it’s important to not give up. From watching my mentor, I have found that resiliency is an important quality of a strong researcher.

What has been the most rewarding part?  The most rewarding part about my research is that I am able to contribute to the progress of cancer research, even though my role is small. By being a part of the research community, I am able to see all the progress cancer research has already made, and this inspires me to work hard.

How will you disseminate your research? I presented at the UMSOM 9th Annual Cancer Biology Research Retreat on April 30th. I have also presented at URCAD in the spring of 2017, and will again next spring (2019).

What is your advice to other students about getting involved in research?  My advice is to not delay. The sooner you can get started in research, the better understanding you will have about what your passions are, and the more time you will have to contribute to your lab.

What are your career goals? My career goals are to become a Pediatric Oncologist and to integrate research into my daily working life. 

[Article originally posted on Undergraduate Research's myUMBC group]