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: Valerie Parks
Hometown: Millers MD
Q: How long have you been at UMBC?
A: This is my second year here.
Q: What is your current title (job or student organization position)?
A: Right now I'm working as a Senator in SGA.
Q: In 12 words or less, what role(s) do you play on campus?
A: I work to encourage civic engagement and vibrant student life.
Q: What aspect of your UMBC role(s) do you enjoy most?
A: I think that feeling of collaboration when I'm working with other students to accomplish a task is what I enjoy the most. When I can see the results of a combined effort it just reminds me how much more we can accomplish together than we could alone, and its a comforting feeling to know that I have other people in SGA who are always willing to help out.
Q: What is the most important or memorable thing you learned in college/have learned at UMBC?
A: Perhaps the most memorable thing I've learned is to be as open as possible to new ideas. More so now than ever in my life I am encountering a variety of different viewpoints and opinions, and I think being at UMBC has taught me to try to understand those different principles, and even embrace some as my own.
Q: Complete this sentence: "I am a big fan of __________"
A: Star Wars.
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: I love finding a quiet nook among the serials on the second floor of the library. Perhaps I'm a bit nerdy but the relative silence and the smell of old books makes me quite happy and at ease.
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.