We're asking some of the people you might encounter on the UMBC campus, including students, faculty, staff and alumni, to answer a few questions about themselves and their experiences. These are their responses.
Name: Alonté Cross
Hometown: I'm from Fort Washington, MD but recently moved to Laurel, MD
Major: I'm currently a Media and Communication Studies major but I'm submitting a portfolio to be a Visual Arts major.
Hometown: I'm from Fort Washington, MD but recently moved to Laurel, MD
Major: I'm currently a Media and Communication Studies major but I'm submitting a portfolio to be a Visual Arts major.
Q: How long have you been at UMBC?
A: This is my second semester at UMBC. (I transferred from Regent University).
Q: What is your current title (job or student organization position)?
A: I am an Office Assistant and Veteran Diversity Educator Intern for the Office of Student Life's Mosaic Center for Culture and Diversity; President of the Community Action Board in Patapsco Hall, Member of the Leadership Advisory Committee; Photographer for The Retriever Weekly (Features Section), and I will be a Resident Assistant in Patapsco Hall starting in the Fall of 2013.
Q: In 12 words or less, what role(s) do you play on campus?
A: I'm a dedicated student leader, student staff member, & friend to the community.
Q: What aspect of your UMBC role(s) do you enjoy most?
A: I love that my roles on campus are like plants that help each other grow. Being a dedicated student leader is essentially what helped me to become a student staff member. Being both a student leader and student staff member puts me in the path of more students than just going to class and going to my dorm ever could. That translates to a great deal of thriving friendships and unshakable bonds with others.
Q: What is the most important or memorable thing you learned in college/have learned at UMBC?
A: Again, I transferred to this school and before ever attending a class or moving into my residence hall, I learned that UMBC has so many opportunities to get involved and make a difference in the community at our disposal, but we have to go after them.
I was hired as a Diversity Educator Intern a few weeks after I officially enrolled here, I was hired at The Retriever Weekly a week after that, all before ever experiencing campus life at the school.
Everything that I've joined or gotten involved in led to my involvement in the next thing, like a ladder. If I can do that as a new student, I challenge students that have been here for a little while, yearning to get involved to just go for it.
I was hired as a Diversity Educator Intern a few weeks after I officially enrolled here, I was hired at The Retriever Weekly a week after that, all before ever experiencing campus life at the school.
Everything that I've joined or gotten involved in led to my involvement in the next thing, like a ladder. If I can do that as a new student, I challenge students that have been here for a little while, yearning to get involved to just go for it.
Q: Complete this sentence: "I am a big fan of __________"
A: Positive social change...and Michael Jackson.
Q: Do you have any UMBC stories, little-known facts about UMBC, favorite spots on campus, or anything else you’d like to share?
A: If you read that I work in the Mosaic Center and asked yourself, "What is the Mosaic Center?," this is for you: COME TO THE MOSAIC CENTER! It's not just a reservable space (for meetings, programs, etc.) but when not in use, it's an open space, to enjoy lunch, a nap and/or learn about our events and resources. I bet $1 you didn't know that!
The center is located in The Commons on the second floor, between the Student Involvement Center and the Student Orgs Space (near the Game Room).
BONUS VIDEO QUESTION: What else would you like to share? Ask yourself a question and answer it.
Co-Create UMBC is a blog for and about UMBC, written by David Hoffman and Craig Berger from the Office of Student Life. Join the Co-Create UMBC group on MyUMBC. Like Co-Create UMBC on Facebook. And follow David and Craig on Twitter.
