Real People Profiles: Debòrah F. Kadiri

Wed, 03 Oct 2012 14:26:00 -0400
real-people-profiles

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: Debòrah F. Kadiri

Hometown: Silver Spring, Maryland

Q: How long have you been at UMBC?

A: Since September of 2009.

Q: What is your current title (job or student organization position)?

A: I am the President and Chaplain of UMBC's Gospel Choir and I also work with UMBC's Residential Life.

Q: In 12 words or less, what role(s) do you play on campus?

A: Seeker of and advocate for fundamental, internal, absolute and indisputable Truth.

Q: What aspect of your UMBC role(s) do you enjoy most?

A: I most enjoy meeting and getting to know so many different people. Everyone has unique ideas, opinions, and beliefs and I ABSOLUTELY LOVE being challenged to think in defense of my beliefs just as much and as often as from the perspectives of other people.

Q: What is the most important or memorable thing you learned in college/have learned at UMBC?

A: Throughout my time here at UMBC, I've learned lifelong lessons, met lifelong friends, made lifelong commitments...all that good stuff.

But what always comes to the forefront of my mind in trying to sum up my experience at UMBC is a specific version of a quote that President Hrabowski is notorious for repeating at annual convocations:

"Watch your thoughts, for they become words.
Choose your words, for they become actions.
Understand your actions, for they become habits.
Study your habits, for they will become your character.
Develop your character, for it becomes your destiny.""

Q: Complete this sentence: "I am a big fan of __________"

A: Wisdom, Shakespeare, The Theatre, Traveling, Indian Food, Falling Asleep under the Stars, Innovative Thinkers, The New Performing Arts and Humanities Building...

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: There are at least three different rooftop courtyards on this campus that I frequent. They're all open to everyone and I really like reading, thinking, sleeping or sometimes even just people watching (not in a creepy way) on a rooftop.

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.