Class of 2024

Hi! My name is Sophia Possidente and I’m a junior majoring in Media & Communication Studies. Although I’m not 100% sure what my long-term career goals are, that hasn’t stopped me from getting involved on campus however I can. I’m currently a production assistant for the UMBC-based research podcast Retrieving the Social Sciences, where I edit a lot and talk sometimes. I’m also a marketing intern for the Division of Professional Studies, where I write blog posts and produce content for our digital platforms. Finally, I’m an office assistant at commonvision, UMBC’s design and print center, where I print most of the flyers you see around campus!

Hiyo, it’s me, Sydnee Conigland! And this is my third year of still being a Computer Science and English double major! Now, I know what you’re thinking… “What a weird combination!” and “Three years?!” I know! Crazy? But hold your horses for I have a grandiose plan of becoming a video game designer and writer (or editor). Therefore, besides simply growing in these passions, I believe these two majors will bring me closer to achieving that dream. In terms of my on-campus extracurriculars, I am a member of the Tabletop Gaming Club, Bartleby, Anime Society, and Game Developer’s Club. Though, being specific, I was the Vice President of the Tabletop Gaming Club last year, and for this coming year, I will be the Secretary. And as for Bartleby, I’m the Lead Copyeditor. But! When I’m not doing school or clubs, you can find me engrossed in reading (predominantly fiction) novels, writing stories, and/or playing video games. I cannot wait for another great year at UMBC as a Humanities Scholar! I hope there will be many more excursions, especially to plays, with my fellow cohorts in the new year.

Hi all! My name is Natalie Guingrich and I am going into my final year at UMBC. I am a MLLI major with a concentration in Russian. Over the past two years, I have been able to be a part of some really cool opportunities. In Spring 2021, I presented an academic paper on Mikhail Bulgakov’s The Master and Margarita at the Richard Macksey Undergraduate Research Symposium and at the Midwest Slavic Conference. In Spring 2022, I did a digitization internship with UMBC’s Special Collections in the Library working with the East Baltimore Documentary Photography Project. I worked primarily with oral history transcripts from the 1970s. Over the summer I interned with Maryland State Archives as a conservation intern. Through that internship, I was able to work hands-on with financial, personal, government, and land records from the late 1600s through the late 1800s. I will be continuing to work at the archives throughout the fall semester as a volunteer in conservation. I will be graduating in December 2022. After graduation, I plan to pursue a Masters in Library Science and hope to have a career in archives or conservation.

Hi! My name is Isabel Taylor and I’m in my junior year of the Humanities Scholars Program here at UMBC. I use she/her/hers pronouns. I’m currently pursuing a major in English Literature and two extended minors in Creative Writing and Journalism. I’ve been part of the student-led university newspaper, The Retriever, since my freshman year when I first started working as a Columnist for the Opinions Section. Since then, I’ve worked my way to Head Opinions Editor and now, Editor-In-Chief. Working and writing within the structure of a student-led publication on campus has been invaluable; it’s become the core of my growth at UMBC. Besides working in a journalistic setting, in the past two years I’ve come to know a love for creative writing. Amazing courses in historical literature and workshop-style classes in poetry and creative nonfiction have been my favorites. Heading into my junior year, I’m excited to dive further into both these worlds of writing. I’m looking forward to planning a study abroad experience this year as well, hoping to find an immersion opportunity in the French language. Outside of school, I’ve been teaching myself to play the guitar. I unwind with anything artistic, music and painting and cooking. I love to stay active outdoors, playing sports with friends and running on my own. I feel most grounded staying connected to Baltimore, my hometown city. Druid Hill Park is one of my favorite spots to visit when I’m back home. Ready for a great year!

Hey, everyone! My name is Sarah Nove, and I am entering my third year at UMBC. As anyone who knows me will attest, I adore all things related to stories and storytelling. I am a strong believer in the power of stories as a tool to promote empathy and social change, which is why I am majoring in English and minoring in Critical Sexuality Studies. For most of my life, I wanted to be an archaeologist, as I love how archaeology provides pieces of the past that establish a larger story. I spent summer after summer attending, and later working at, a local archaeology camp, where I made many lifelong friends and formed much of my identity. However, a few years ago, I realized that archaeology was no longer my dream. Around the same time, I took a Journalism class and joined my school newspaper. Soon enough, the newspaper classroom became my home away from home, and I spent every possible minute there, writing and editing articles. My love for writing and editing has blossomed ever since, and I plan to pursue a career in the publishing industry.

Hey guys, my name is Dillon Nesteruk, but I also go by Dilldawg. I am Ukrainian and also a part of the Men’s soccer team at UMBC. I am a media and communications major with minors in finance as well as entrepreneurship and innovation. My dream is to become a professional soccer player. If that doesn’t work out, I desire to become a marketer for some sort of club or team that way I can still be connected to my passion: sports and competition. My free time is spent being active or helping out with my church. I particularly enjoy being a counselor during vacation bible school. That position provides a sense of leadership and responsibility, and on top of that you’re dealing with a bunch of little kids which is a struggle on its own, for many reasons.  Something I would like to flex is all the opportunities to travel that I’ve been able to experience throughout my youth soccer career. I was able to travel to a variety of countries including Ukraine, Brazil, and England. And through these opportunities, I observed very different and unique cultures which not many can say they have done. I look forward to the Humanities program because of the travel abroad experience. I hope to visit a new country and observe a new culture to develop my understanding of different groups of people that exist on this beautiful planet.

Hello! My name is Gina Khan. I am currently planning to be a Global Studies and Psych double major with a minor in Korean language. I have always been a curious person, and I love to study subjects where there is always more and more you can learn and observe. I like to think of it like I stretched my curiosity as far as it could go and it encompassed both the earth and the rest of the universe. The inestimable benefits of understanding others are why I have chosen to study these areas. I am extremely passionate about linguistics because I believe in the rewarding qualities that understanding a foreign language has on the individual. Through learning language, one may come to understand a new culture and further consider their own; this allows one to relate and connect with a more diverse group of people and themselves on a deeper level!