About Us
2018 Individual Studies Graduates
Crystal Agha
B.S., Environmental Health Science
Faculty Mentor: Marcia Shofner, Deparment
Crystal is excited to be graduating from the University of Maryland with a B.S. in Environmental Health Science. Her major sought to explore how different environments and environmental factors affect human health, namely in underserved and underrepresented communities. It incorporates three fundamental concentrations: health sciences, public health, and environmental health. Her senior capstone project, “The Anacostia River: From Contamination to Restoration”, explored the river health, aquatic organismal health, and human health implications from the contaminant pollution and how the restoration efforts from the community and environmental groups are working to achieve a swimmable, fishable Anacostia River.
Crystal worked with the Community Engagement, Environmental Justice & Health lab where she used research methods to assess disparities in environmental hazards and air quality in local communities experiencing environmental injustices. She also worked with different community environmental advocacy groups to advocate for and enact change.
After graduation, Crystal will to continue her education at the University of Maryland, where she will earn an M.S. in Environmental Health Science, while also doing research. She eventually wants to earn a doctoral degree in order to work in academia and research. She thanks her family, friends, her IVSP mentor (Dr. Marcia Shofner), other mentor (Dr. Sacoby Wilson), and her McNair family as well as the IVSP staff for all of the continued support and encouragement throughout the years.
Matthew Ambrogi
B.S., Product Engineering and Management
Faculty Mentor: Pamela Armstrong, Department of Decision, Operations and Information Technologies
Matt is excited to graduate with a major in Product Engineering and Management. Through his major, he studied the process of how to guide a product or business idea from conception to realization. His major combined engineering, design, and business analysis to understand the process of managing product development in the technology industry. For his capstone, Matt designed, developed, and tested a web application that helps users track their charitable giving.
While at UMD, Matt participated in the QUEST honors program, which inspired him to pursue Product Management. He was also a two-term executive board member of the Sigma Chi Fraternity, a Co-founder of enTERPreneur, and heavily involved in the UMD Skateboarding club. Matt was awarded the Bright Futures Scholarship, the Sigma Chi Bell Chapter Scholarship, and the Maryland Social Entrepreneur Corps Scholarship.
Matt took a year off to live and study in South and South East Asia. He spent summers working as a community consultant with Community Empowerment Solutions in Nicaragua, an Operations Intern at Atlas Lane, and a Product Management Intern at Alarm.com. All of these experiences helped guide his path and ultimately influence his major.
Matt would like to thank Dr. Armstrong for her support as his faculty mentor, and IVSP for the opportunity to pursue his passions through his own major.
B.A., Media Arts and Social Change
Faculty Mentor: Jason Farman, Department of American Studies
Liana Berlin-Fischler is extremely grateful to be graduating with a degree that conveys both her spirit and her interdisciplinary interests. After “running away” to see the world in her second semester, Liana returned to UMD and joined IVSP as a Media Arts and Social Change major when she was a sophomore. Her curriculum reflects her belief that art acts as a basis for education, innovation, and change, as well as a means for representing perceptions of interactions within and between cultures.
Liana’s college experience has taught her the importance of finding options that may lie outside scripted norms. She is endlessly appreciative of the opportunities and partnership IVSP has presented to her in pursuing her unconventional path. To better capture both her academic and personal interests in gaining cultural competence, Liana spent three semesters taking part in student exchanges in Costa Rica, Chile, and Israel.
Liana’s experience abroad solidified her drive to create human-inspired social change in an increasingly globalized world. Moving forward, she hopes to apply her dedication to sustainable and empathetic design to empower existing non-profit organizations and social enterprises, ultimately creating change through connection. After graduation, Liana is excited to begin her first professional experience as an Interactive Strategies intern at the Case Foundation in Washington, D.C.
She is a member of Phi Kappa Phi and UMD’s Honor College, and is an alumna of the College Park Arts Scholars Program. Liana is inspired by the human experience, moved by nature, and stimulated by creativity.
Alexander Devereux
B.A., Music History and Literature
Faculty Mentor: Richard King, School of Music
Alexander Devereux is graduating with a degree in Music History and Literature, which studies the ways in which the historical and cultural contexts that surround composers of Western classical music and their works present themselves in the composition, performance, reception, and criticism of the music. The coursework for this major drew upon music, art history, art theory, philosophy, and German. Through his major, Alexander developed a special research interest in twentieth-century classical music and his capstone research project is on the contemporary American composer Frederic Rzewksi [pronounced ZHEF-skee].
This fall, Alexander was able to attend the national meetings of the Society for Music Theory and the American Musicological Society, with the support of an IVSP scholarship. Alexander would have presented research from his thesis at the spring meeting of the Capital Chapter of the American Musicological Society had the power not gone out at the conference.
This coming fall, he will be, pursuing a master’s degree in Music History and Literature here at UMD. Alexander is deeply grateful to his faculty mentor Dr. Richard King and his thesis advisor Dr. Will Robin.
B.S., Product Design and Software Innovation
Faculty Mentor: Pamela Armstrong, Department of Decision, Operations & Information Technologies
Sam Drozdov is a Product Design and Software Innovation major. This major combines concepts from computer science, design thinking, and business and entrepreneurship. For his senior capstone, Sam researched ways to improve student motivation in educational settings that did not revolve around traditional grades.
Sam was a director of Startup Shell, a student-run incubator and co-working space on campus. There, he provided product, design, and strategy advising. He also organized talks and other events as well as helped Startup Shell raise funds. Sam was a student entrepreneur himself. He cofounded a startup with his older brother that provided commuters in NYC with an easy to use train schedule. Their product helps thousands of commuters a day.
Mandala "Kosi" Dunn
B.A., Transmedia Storytelling
Faculty Mentor: Zita Nunes, Department of English
Mandla 'Kosi' Dunn is a writer from PG County, Maryland. His major in Transmedia Storytelling explored elements of oral storytelling, fiction, poetry, screenwriting, and other narrative design modalities. For his senior capstone, Kosi employed the popular tabletop fantasy roleplaying game, Dungeons & Dragons, as a vehicle for researching and developing methods for decolonizing the imagination.
Throughout his university career, Kosi has traveled to Morocco to study the Beat Poets, hosted radio shows at WMUC where he spins original mixes under the moniker DJ Plotwist, and rocked the National Arboretum at a sold-out concert with the Hip Hop Orchestra. He helped founding the UMD Slam Poetry Team as well as the leadership and service organization Do Better UMD. Kosi was an intern in the Office of Multicultural Involvement and Community Advocacy, where he worked to implement more streamlined, cross-organizational communication among the Black Student Organization. In the spring 2017 semester, he was awarded a Creative Writing Competency Certificate by the Jimenez Porter Writers’ House.
Kosi is currently working as an ARTLAB+ Artist Mentor at the Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden where he develops arts programming for young emerging artists. He is passionate about the black speculative arts movement and plans to experiment with interactive design, sequential art, and cross-media publishing in his future artistic endeavors.
Having struggled to balance his creative inclinations with his academic obligations, Kosi wishes to express his sincerest gratitude to the patience, kindness, and generosity of Dr. Zita Nunes, Dr. Joan Burton, and Lori Praniewicz.
Zachary Elgort
B.S., Entertainment Business Law (IVSP)
B.M., Jazz Performance
Faculty Mentor: Dr. William Robin, School of Music
Zach crafted his major in Entertainment Business Law after realizing his passion to work in the music industry. This major provided him with the fundamental knowledge and skills in business, pre-law, communication, and entertainment-related subject matter that he will use in his future endeavors in the music/entertainment industry. It complements his Bachelor of Music degree in Jazz Performance.
Zach found his internship experiences throughout his four years of college to be instrumental in his music industry education. Through his work at Broadcast Music Inc., the Harry Fox Agency, Club Glow DC, and 300 Entertainment, Zach not only learned about the industry from various perspectives, but also formulated his senior thesis topic on how the Spotify and SoundCloud streaming platforms provide a place for electronic dance music artists to dominate the pop music space.
After graduation, Zach will be working at Warner Music Group’s Big Beat/Atlantic Records in their digital marketing department. Zach is grateful for his time with the Individual Studies Program, and would like to thank Dr. Joan Burton, Ms. Lori Praniewicz, Dr. William Robin, and all of his amazing industry mentors for their countless help and support throughout his journey.
Morgan Foery
B.S., Design and Merchandising
Faculty Mentor: Dr. Rosellina Ferraro, Department of Marketing
Morgan is thrilled to be graduating from the University of Maryland with a degree in Design & Merchandising. Through Individual Studies, Morgan was able to create a major that drew from courses in studio art, art history, business, marketing, advertising, and society studies.
As an undergraduate, Morgan has developed her portfolio as a freelance artist. Her work is sold on websites such as Redbubble, Casetify, Spoonflower, and Society6. In 2017, she was able to intern as a print design assistant with a local fashion company, Kaeli Smith. Through this internship, Morgan learned how to create prints for fabric, and she even designed her own print that was sold over summer 2018. In August of this year, Morgan launched a nautical dog boutique called Captain & Co, which sells dog bandanas and t-shirts for dog owners.
For her Capstone Project, Morgan studied why certain prints in the fashion industry are more popular than others. Morgan is interested in why particular prints, specifically from the women’s fashion company Lilly Pulitzer, re-sell for up to $600. She conducted a literature review, studied past trends as well as New York Fashion Week, and created six prints that would be successful based upon her research. After graduation, Morgan plans on continuing her freelance design work and running Captain & Co. In the future, she hopes to work as a graphic designer for an apparel company.
B.S., Bioinformatics and Computational Biology
Faculty Mentor: Daniel Butts, Department of Biology
Pranjal joined the Individual Studies Program in the spring of 2016 after several semesters of searching for a major that united his diverse interests. IVSP allowed Pranjal to combine his interests in biological research, computer science, and mathematics in a productive manner. He complemented his coursework in these areas by working as an undergraduate researcher in the UMD NeuroTheory Lab- a neuroscience lab seeking to understand mammalian visual systems through computer modeling. During his time at UMD, Pranjal was also a member of Public Health Without Borders, Citizen’s Climate Lobby, and Meditation Club. Following graduation, Pranjal will pursue a PhD in computational neuroscience at Duke University.
Pranjal would like to thank Dr. Burton, Lori, and his mentor, Dr. Daniel Butts, for all their help and support. He would also like to thank his friends for helping him believe in himself, his brother for encouraging him to think outside the box, and his mother and father for their never-ending wisdom and love.
Jessica Henningsen
B.S., Sustainable Real Estate Development
Faculty Mentor: Maria Day-Marshall, Esq. Colvin Institute of Real Estate Development
Jessica Henningsen is excited to be graduating from the University of Maryland, College Park, with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Sustainable Real Estate Development. This major focuses on real estate development, sustainability, and business management. Her capstone project is composed of a research paper and a development recommendation plan. Her research paper compares two of the top green building rating systems for communities: The Living Community Challenge and LEED-Neighborhood Development. Jessica analyses which rating system has the most promise in the United States. Her development proposal, entitled “Uptown 2021,” provides an in-depth analysis of a socially, economically, and environmentally sustainable redevelopment scenario involving an actual commercial office park in southern Frederick County, Maryland. This site and facilities have been vacant for several years following the relocation of the previous resident, a major tech company headquarters, to Northern Virginia. Redevelopment incorporating the principles of Jessica’s capstone project would allow this currently underutilized space to fulfill the needs and wants of the growing community, providing a successful asset scenario for the owners, occupants, and users of the proposed sustainable mixed-use development.
Jessica has been consistently employed in the hospitality industry, which has given her experience in various aspects of business and customer service. These experiences helped form her interest in impacting business and shaping a community. An avid outdoorswoman and equestrian, Jessica has an equal love of the natural and built environments. She looks forward to incorporating her degree, business savvy, and passion for the principles of sustainable development to create places that balance the needs of inhabitants with responsible custodianship of our global future.
Rachel Herman
B.S., Cognitive-Behavioral Neuroscience
Faculty Mentor: Matthew Roesch, Department of Psychology
Rachel (Rae) Herman is excited and grateful to graduate from the University of Maryland, College Park with a B.S. in Cognitive-Behavioral Neuroscience. Her IVSP major allowed her to explore neuroscience from a broad perspective with classes in psychology, biology, and everything in between.
During her time at Maryland, Rae was part of the Gemstone Honors Program and a Banneker-Key scholar. She enjoyed studying abroad for a semester at University College Dublin as well as volunteering with the America Counts program and WMUC student radio at Maryland. She had the opportunity to participate in research experiences like the UMD SoM Summer Scholars Program in addition to her work in the Roesch lab, for which she received an Howard Hughes Medical Institute Undergraduate Research Fellowship.
Rae has been awarded a Fulbright grant for a year-long project in the Netherlands investigating the neural basis of nicotine addiction after graduation. Once she has completed the grant, she plans to attend the University of Pennsylvania and work towards a Ph.D. in neuroscience.
Rae would like to thank Dr. Roesch, Dr. Burton, Lori Praniewicz, and her family for their support and guidance throughout the incredible experience she has had as part of IVSP.
Grace Jubert
B.A., Middle East Studies, Diplomacy, and Communication Media
Faculty Mentor: Sahar Khamis, Department of Communication
Grace is graduating with a degree in Middle East Studies, Public Diplomacy, and Communication Media; a minor in Israel Studies, and a citation in International Studies from the College Park Scholars program. Her capstone research paper examines the similarities, differences, and change over time between three cable news stations' Twitter feeds before, during, and after the Arab Spring, to see if the pro-democracy movement changed the way U.S. news outlets reported on the Middle East region.
Outside of her coursework, Grace has been involved on campus in a variety of ways. She worked for the Gildenhorn Institute for Israel Studies for the last four years. She also served as a member of the Maryland Women's Crew team, the co-president of J Street UMD, a teaching assistant, an ESOL conversation partner, and a tutor. Grace was also a 2017-2018 participant of the Global Fellows Program. She completed internships with the International Downtown Association, the Department of State, and the Sustained Dialogue Institute.
Grace would like to thank Lori and Dr. Burton for their endless support throughout the major, both during the process of creating her major and her time as an IVSP major. She would also like to thank her mentor, Dr. Sahar Khamis, for encouraging her throughout this process and providing her with opportunities to grow. Grace is forever grateful to her family and friends for providing support around not just academics but life itself.
Hyun Kim
B.A., Education in International Development
Faculty Mentor: Steven Klees, Department of Counseling, Higher Education and Special Education
Hyun Kim is a Maryland native who started at UMD as a special education major. After a semester abroad, Hyun discovered the potential for education in international development and joined IVSP to add international development to his studies. His capstone project was a research paper on the role of education for sustainable development in international development.
During his time at UMD, Hyun invested his time into both his academics and his professional experiences. Internships included Social Entrepreneurship Corp, H&H Management, Hope Church, and Montgomery County Public Schools. These internships allowed him opportunities to work in countries including Ecuador, Serbia, and Turkey. He also participated in the Global Fellows Program. In 2018, Hyun received a research grant to study the educational model of a tri-lingual pre-school in Belgrade, Serbia.
Hyun will continue his studies as a graduate student at the George Washington Elliott School of International Affairs, pursuing a degree in International Affairs and Development. He hopes to one day start his own educational non-profit.
Kara Kutchins
B.S., Public Health and Food Security
Faculty Mentor: Dr. Donna Howard, School of Public Health
Kara Kutchins is excited and grateful to be graduating with a major in Public Health and Food Security. Her major combined coursework in public health, agriculture and sustainability, and vulnerable populations in order to examine food security and hunger in the United States. Her major was inspired on a service learning trip to Navajo Nation, where she saw firsthand the disparities in food security and healthcare availability. Kara fell in love with the culture and made life-long friends on her first trip, leading her to return twice more to live in the community and learn.
Kara has also had a number of volunteer experiences, working for organizations such as The Food Project, Great Kids Farm, Moveable Feast, Mid-Maryland Mission of Mercy and Health, and Community Health Cafe. These organizations serve vulnerable youth, individuals with life-threatening illnesses, the uninsured, and the homeless.
After graduation, Kara plans on having a career focused on mitigating food inequity and closing the gap for vulnerable and underserved populations.
Vincent Levin
B.A., Global Crisis Management (IVSP)
B.A., Criminology and Criminal Justice
Faculty Mentor: Virginia Haufler, Department of Government & Politics
Vincent Levin is a double degree student in Global Crisis Management, and Criminology and Criminal Justice. His Individual Studies major is a multi-disciplinary approach to finding ways to respond to today’s biggest challenges in the areas of security, health and natural disasters. His capstone project analyzed how major sports stadiums in the United States prepare for incidents of terrorism versus incidents of infectious disease.
Outside of academics, Vincent has served in a variety of roles across campus. He currently works at the Department of Intercollegiate Athletics. He was Chair of the Appellate Board and member of the Executive Board for the University Student Judiciary; Logistics Director for Terp Thon; and a member of Images Tour Guides, WMUC Radio, and the Global Communities Living Learning Program. He also had the opportunity to use the skills from his IVSP major while interning in the Office of Public Safety at the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority last summer. There he developed new strategies to improve logistical planning and increase airport security. Vincent has traveled to 16 countries across 6 continents while in college and maintains to his mother that this was all for academic purposes.
Vincent hopes to combine his experiences to work in public safety and operations at a sports stadium after graduation, but should this not work out, he is content with moving to San Diego and picking up surfing until he returns to school to pursue a Master’s in Sports Management.
B.S., Global Communication, Business, and Engineering
Faculty Mentor: Jose Torero, Department of Fire Protection Engineering
Lily joined IVSP in 2017 with a degree inspired by her study abroad experiences in the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Spain, and the Netherlands through the international engineering program. Her degree was also influenced by her four-year internship with the engineering consulting firm DfR Solutions.
Lily is particularly interested in how culture could impact the execution of global engineering projects, and so she created a major with concentrations in fundamentals of engineering, business relationships, and cross-cultural and intercultural communication. Her capstone project combines these concentrations by examining the intersections of cultural competency and global leadership in engineering industries.
During her time at the University of Maryland, Lily served as the president of both the University of Maryland’s PRIDE Alliance and Theta Pi Sigma. She was also a member of the executive board for Theta Tau Co-ed Professional Engineering Fraternity and the ARTS Theater Company. After graduation, Lily will start her career as a technology analyst at Accenture in Arlington, VA.
Muhammad Mussadiq
B.S., Global Public Health and Gender Inequities
Faculty Mentor: Dr. Donna Howard, School of Public Health
Muhammad Mussadiq will be graduating with a major in Global Public Health and Gender Inequities. Under the guidance of Dr. Howard and Dr. Boekeloo, Muhammad examined the risk and social-behavioral factors and socioeconomic disparities that increase the vulnerabilities of transgender women in Pakistan. He focused on their exposure to HIV for the past two years. Muhammad also developed the mission, vision, and 2017-2018 objectives for “The Pakistan Transgender Empowerment Association: a Voice for Social Change and Empowerment.”
Muhammad was involved with the UMD Equity Center and served on the advisory committee of “Rainbow Terrapin Network.” He is a member of the Lavender Leadership Honor Society and a recipient of several scholarships and awards, including the Roodler/Wood, Equality Center, and Laura Nichols Award. Muhammad is the founder and president of CHEAR, which provides resources and opportunities to develop health education programs and research. He has provided technical and advisory support to NGOs in Pakistan. He was a McNair Scholar and Global Fellows in Washington, D.C. Fellow.
After graduation, Muhammad will continue his graduate studies at the John Hopkins University School of Nursing. Muhammad aspires to become a researcher and work in academia or other research-intensive environments.
Muhammad would like to thank the IVSP staff and his fellow IVSP students for providing support, encouragement, and inspiration. He also thanks his Faculty Mentor, Dr. Donna Howard, for her guidance, advice, and expertise, which has been crucial to his success and completion of his undergraduate degree.
B.S., Biomedical Global Health
Faculty Mentor: Justicia Opoku-Edusei, Department of Biology
Bree Osei is an out-of-state student from Las Vegas, Nevada, receiving her B.A. in Biomedical Global Health. Her major is a combination of biological and pre-medical sciences, public health science, and global health related issues. These three components were pertinent to the foundation of her senior capstone project, which analyzed the implications of global mental health initiatives and post-war mental health outcomes of child soldiers in Sierra Leone.
During her time in college, Bree has volunteered at Howard University Hospital and was actively involved on campus. She was a member of Charles R. Drew Pre-Health Society, the National Society of Collegiate Scholars, the Black Student Union’s Freshman Council, the Afrochique Dance team, the Students Towards Educational Philanthropy and Progress team, and the Echelon Fashion Society. She proudly served as the 2015-2016 Miss African Students Association and the Vice President of Administrative Affairs for the African Students Association and has been awarded with BSU’s Most Talented Senior Superlative, Iota Zeta’s First WCW, ASA's Talent of the Year, STEPP Teams 'Best Personality', BSU's 2016 Miss Apollo and Nyumburu Top 10 Future Black Leaders here at UMD. An avid voice, spoken word artist, and leader on the UMD campus, Bree has been invited to speak at over 85 events throughout her college career, using her platform to promote a message of self-love and health awareness.
After graduation, Bree plans to attending medical school and later start a private practice in the states as well as public community clinics in her home country, Ghana. Bree is proud to have created a curriculum so unique to her passion of science, medicine, culture, and health education for developing countries and vulnerable populations through the Individual Studies Program. She is extremely thankful to Dr. Burton, Lori, Dr. Opoku, and God for helping her achieve her IVSP vision.
Brianna Permenter
B.S., Real Estate Investment and Entrepreneurship
Faculty Mentor: Tanya Bansal, Department of Real Estate Development
Before coming to Maryland, Brianna received her Associate’s Degree in General Studies from Frederick Community College. This experience helped her develop the discipline and motivation to go further in her collegiate career. She had also fallen in love with the college atmosphere. But on coming to the University of Maryland, Brianna found no major that truly fit her career desires and so was excited to discover the Individual Studies Program. She is thrilled to be graduating with a major in Real Estate Investment and Entrepreneurship. Her major focused on the use of innovation and real estate techniques in developing and acquiring land. Brianna studied the process of identifying property investment opportunities based on customer needs and desires. For her capstone, she analyzed the concept of placemaking in College Park and created a mockup of a College Park Town Center.
To supplement her major, Brianna interned at RIFE International this past summer, which provides energy efficiency, construction services facilities management, and project management to public and private-sector property owners. She has also served as a Barista for Starbucks and as an Instructor for Engineering for Kids.
B.S., Food Security and Sustainability
Faculty Mentor: Virginia Haufler, Department of Government & Politics
Leah Prince is enthusiastic about graduating from the University of Maryland with a Bachelor of Science in Food Security and Sustainability. Her major combines elements of public health and health policy, nutritional sciences, and environmental sustainability to better understand the contributors and possible solutions to the complex, multifaceted issue of food security. For her senior Capstone, she is working with the Campus Pantry and Terps Against Hunger to provide more nutritious meals tailored for students, staff, and faculty who are experiencing food insecurity on Maryland’s campus.
During her years at Maryland, Leah has had the opportunity to participate in programs such as the Tzedek (Social Action and Justice) Fellowship, Federal Fellows, LAS Guided Study Sessions, and the HEALTH Works Peer Educator Program. Through these experiences, Leah has been able to learn more about the many factors which influence the ability to attain food security and full health potential. Furthermore, she has played an integral role in Terps Against Hunger including as a volunteer, as Director of Distribution, and as Co-President.
After college, Leah will volunteer for a year with AmeriCorps to continue to combat food insecurity. She then plans to utilize her knowledge and experiences gained through IVSP and her undergraduate career to pursue a dual MD/MPH. Leah aims to become the best clinician she can be, while simultaneously playing an active role in advocacy and public policy in order to better the lives of her individual patients and the health of the community at large.
Jonathan Spadafino
B.S., Sport Management and Communication
Faculty Mentors: Michael Friedman and David Andrews, Department of Kinesiology
Jonathan “Jon” Spadafino is graduating with a major in Sport Management and Communication. His major studied the numerous aspects of communication and business and how they relate to the sport industry. For his capstone, Jon completed a research paper that analyzed the factors that prevent Major League Soccer from competing with other American sport leagues. He specifically focused his paper on the recent expansion efforts of the league in order to determine if the league could sustain consistent growth over the next couple of years.
While at UMD, Jon was a Play-by-Play Broadcaster and a Radio Talk Show Host for WMUC, the University of Maryland Radio Station and Online Newspaper. He also interned at the CBRE Group, Inc and was the Sports Marketing Coordinator for Seaters. Jon was a member of the Sigma Alpha Epsilon Fraternity and earned a College Park Scholars citation for Business, Society, and the Economy.
Jon wishes to thank his family, girlfriend, and dogs for their support throughout all of his endeavors.
JT Stanley
B.A., Advocacy and Social Venture Management
Faculty Mentor: Dr. Michael Spivey, J.D. Department of Government and Politics
J.T. Stanley is graduating with a major in Advocacy and Venture Management. Through his major, J.T. studied how to make political change in unstructured situations to steward an organization from conception to self-sustainment, considering global warming. His capstone examined how citizens’ inability to pursue political change can lead citizens to resort to force (e.g. property destruction and violence) as a means of advocacy. His hypothesis is that Americans will increasingly turn to force because they have felt that their limited influence on the political class has eroded. J.T. also visited the Democratic Republic of Congo, where he conducted field research with civilians, civil leaders, former combatants, and active rebel commanders adjacent to and in the conflict zone of North Kivu.
J.T. Stanley is graduating with a major in Advocacy and Venture Management. Through his major, J.T. studied how to make political change in unstructured situations to steward an organization from conception to self-sustainment, considering global warming. His capstone examined how citizens’ inability to pursue political change can lead citizens to resort to force (e.g. property destruction and violence) as a means of advocacy. His hypothesis is that Americans will increasingly turn to force because they have felt that their limited influence on the political class has eroded. J.T. also visited the Democratic Republic of Congo, where he conducted field research with civilians, civil leaders, former combatants, and active rebel commanders adjacent to and in the conflict zone of North Kivu.
After graduation, J.T. plans to work for either an NGO or a think-tank that specializes in Sub-Saharan Africa.
David Steele
B.S., Innovation and Entrepreneurship
Faculty Mentors: Mark Wellman and David Kressler, Department of Management & Organization
David is graduating with his major: Innovation and Entrepreneurship. This major is the study of creating value for consumers and delivering it in the form of a new business. He created a capstone project examining the impact of an innovative menu design on a new restaurant concept named Innoplate. It focused on designing innovative touch-enabled table tops that allow the consumer to create, order, pay without the need of a waiter, and studied how that innovation impacts the rest of the restaurant.
He was a teaching assistant for two years for BMGT461-Entrepreneurship. He was also a part of the Hinman CEOs program, Innovo Scholars program, and Social Entrepreneur Corps summer program. In the Hinman CEOs living learning program, he learned about the impact of technology on entrepreneurship and was able to network with various other student entrepreneurs as well as seasoned entrepreneurs. In the Innovo scholars program, he worked with his current mentor, Dave Kressler, to develop recommendations about how to innovate BMGT495-Strategic Management to provide a more impactful education for the students. In the Social Entrepreneur Corps program, David spent two months in the Dominican Republic working with the community and leading an Innovation competition with the children of the Los Blanco community.
After graduation, David plans to continue on after graduation with Innoplate and making it become a reality. He currently has an internship with TasteLab in DC helping to provide local food start-ups a place to launch their businesses, where he is also developing experience for his own venture into food entrepreneurship.
B.S., Sustainable Business Development
Faculty Mentor: David Tilley, Department of Environmental Science & Technology
Nate designed his major, Innovation and Sustainability in Business, to prepare him for an entrepreneurial career, helping emerging and existing companies implement strategies that will lead them to success. The culmination of Nate’s education came through his experiences associated with his capstone project. Nate’s capstone examines Imusify, a startup that is using technological innovations to enhance the efficiency of the music industry and providing value to both creators and consumers of music-related content. He analyzed ways in which Imusify can disrupt the music industry while planning for and protecting a sustainable future.
The evolution of Nate’s studies during his time at the University of Maryland has allowed him to develop a true passion for learning, one he plans to carry with him throughout his life. Through his IVSP coursework, Nate studied hundreds of startups and business cases to better understand the complexities of today’s world and what is necessary for a business to grow and be sustained in such an environment.
While at the University of Maryland, Nate worked for Captital SUP. He also was a producer for Blueprint Motion Pictures, a strategist for WellPeer, as well as a director and project coordinator for Studio 858.
After graduation, Nate plans to continue his work with Imusify and will assume the position of Chief Operating Officer.
Ivey Tucker
B.A., Environmental Communications
Faculty Mentor: Ronald Yaros, Philip Merrill College of Journalism
Ivey Tucker is excited to be graduating from the University of Maryland, College Park, with a degree in Environmental Communications. Her major includes classes in Environmental Science and Policy, Sociology, Psychology, Art, Journalism, and English. By combining these classes, Ivey created a major that gives her the skillset to make social media content that teaches general audiences about environmental science in a way they can comprehend
During her four years at UMD, Ivey was a part of the Residence Hall Association, where she has chaired the Residential Facilities Advisory Board, and served as a Vice President of Sustainability and as a Senator. She has most recently acted as the Elections Chair for the 2018-2019 Residence Hall Association Presidential Election.
Ivey spent her summers at National Aquarium in Baltimore where she worked in various capacities, including volunteering as an exhibit guide and interning in the Education department.
Tori Tully
B.S., Global Health and Development; B.S. Anthropology
Faculty Mentor: Donna Howard, School of Public Health
Victoria “Tori” Tully created her major in Global Health and Development, which focuses on the multifaceted issues that contribute to health disparities worldwide through coursework in global public health, health sciences, and global context. For her capstone, Tori completed a research paper on the disproportionate impacts of climate change on women in Zambia, concentrating on reproductive and maternal health, food insecurity and malnutrition, and HIV/AIDS and gender-based violence.
Ever the traveler, Tori studied public health in India in 2015, igniting her passion for global public health. She also led an Alternative Breaks trip to Haiti, to learn about community development. Tori has interned at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Army Public Health Center, Catholic Relief Services, and The McCain Institute for International Leadership.
In her time at UMD, she served as president of Catholic Relief Services, vice president of Delta Epsilon Mu Pre-Health Fraternity, a member of Omicron Delta Kappa, a copy editor for The Diamondback, and a counselor at the Help Center peer counseling and crisis intervention hotline. She earned Honors College and Global Fellows Program citations.
After graduation, Tori plans to serve in the Peace Corps as a maternal-child health and HIV/AIDS volunteer in Zambia. She hopes to pursue a career in global public health and foreign affairs. Tori would like to thank Lori, Dr. Burton, and her mentor, Dr. Howard, for their continuous support throughout her years at the UMD.
Dino Zagami
B.S., Environmental Business (IVSP)
B.A., Spanish
Faculty Mentor: David Tilley, Department of Environmental Science & Technology
Dino is excited and grateful to be graduating Phi Beta Kappa from the University of Maryland with a double degree in Spanish and Environmental Business. Ever since he was little, Dino has been considered an excellent salesman, and he wants to apply those skills to better the world. Environmental Business is the study of the environment, how people interact with their environment, and the best practices to assess and advocate the most viable business solutions to critical environmental issues. All of Dino’s work culminated in his thesis which analyzes the electric grid and how it can be modernized for the 21st century.
During his four years at the University of Maryland, Dino had the opportunity of serving as an RA in Hagerstown Hall, the same building he lived in his freshmen year with the University Honors program. The summer after sophomore year, he worked with Rethink Water, a local startup company that produces eco-friendly water cartons. Dino then studied abroad in Argentina for a semester his junior year and later went on to intern at the United States Senate. There, he learned the ins and outs of the legislative process and lobbying.
After graduation, Dino will travel to China with the Peace Corps and serve as a professor of English at a university in central China. While there, he hopes to have a profound impact on his community, become fluent in Mandarin, and come back with some crazy stories to tell his friends and family, whom he will miss dearly. Dino would like to give a special thank you everyone at the IVSP office for their support during his tenure; he would not be here today without them.
B.S., Philosophy and Science of Mind (IVSP)
B.S., Biological Sciences: Physiology and Neurobiology
Faculty Mentor: Peter Carruthers, Department of Philosophy
Alice Zhou is a double major in Philosophy and Science of Mind as well as Biological Sciences: Physiology and Neurobiology. She decided to pursue IVSP when she realized that there was more to consciousness and cognition than she was learning in her neurobiology classes. Alice believes in a systems-level approach to healthcare, and is interested in the psychological, social, and cultural determinants of health, particularly mental health.
Alice has held research positions at the National Institutes of Health and Children’s National Medical Center. At the University of Maryland, she served as the National Liaison and Legislative Director for UMD’s American Medical Students Association; a recruitment ambassador for the College of Computer, Mathematical, and Natural Sciences; a photography director for Spoon University; and a DJ and radio host for WMUC Radio.
This year, she also cofounded a non-profit creative public health magazine, On Call Magazine, which serves to promote global health literacy through multimedia platforms.
Alice is also interested in health and wellness, and has worked as a meditation guide at a local nursing home and held a work/study position at Numi Yoga. She has also volunteered in coordinating wellness initiatives as a camp counselor for Brainy Camps, a summer camp for children with chronic health conditions.
After graduating, Alice plans to work in clinical research in a neurocognition/pathology lab at Columbia University Medical Center before applying to medical school.