Division of Student Affairs
Research Assistantship: Graduate assistantship (Master’s or PhD level) will be available starting as early as July 1, 2025 (dependent on student availability) to work with Student Belonging & the Gathering Space for Spiritual Well-Being in the Division of Student Affairs at UMBC. With the support of the Director of the Center for Religion, Spirituality, & Pluralism who oversees the Gathering Space for Spiritual Well-Being, the Graduate Assistant will help design systems to collect and interpret data, co-manage marketing and social media, provide logistical support for the Center, and help supervise student interns.
As one of the identity-based centers within Student Belonging, The Gathering Space for Spiritual Well-Being serves as a spiritually-centered space where students and UMBC community members can gather at the intersection of religion, faith, spirituality, and other lived experiences. The Gathering Space prioritizes individual religious practice, opportunities to explore holistic well-being connected to religion and spirituality, and creating spaces to engage across differences, by centering the importance of interfaith work and dialogue. Within the Gathering Space, three core themes are emphasized: radical love & belonging, spiritual well-being, and energetic pluralism.
The duties of the assistantship will fall into the following areas:
Potential Opportunities:
Required Qualifications:
Preferred Qualifications:
Stipend: The graduate assistantship comes with a competitive stipend and is designed for up to 20 hours weekly. For more information regarding assistantships visit https://gradschool.umbc.edu/funding/assistantships/
Application: Please apply via Handshake (https://app.joinhandshake.com/stu/jobs/9798066?ref=preview-header-click&search_id=8d0cc551-049f-40af-ac5a-64f1bf2639dd) You will need to provide a cover letter about your interest, CV/Resume, and a list of three references with contact information via Handshake (at least one faculty member).
Any other major, minor, certificate, and/or honors that will be on your graduation records
Degree Mentors
Why did you choose to major in INDS?
I entered UMBC as an undecided major, participating in the STEM Living Learning Community. I was interested in both forensic science and biology, and decided to major in Biological Sciences, along with minoring in Sociology. However, I always had a more dedicated interest in forensic science than biology, and after realizing that I did not enjoy UMBC’s biology track as much as I desired, I decided to look into INDS. I have found that INDS allowed me to utilize my established background in Biology, and enthusiasm for Forensic Science to create a customized forensics major that has a biological focus, aka Bio-Forensic Science.
What are your plans for after graduation, and how do you see using your INDS degree?
I was offered a job with the federal government in December of 2024, so after graduation I am planning to work as a forensic scientist or generally in the STEM field with the government. Different from other Forensic Science degrees offered at various universities, my Bio-Forensic Science degree strongly incorporates specific Biology, Sociology and Political Science courses. I believe that the courses that I selected to make my degree (ex. human genetics, international relations, ethics in scientific research, etc.) will all prepare me to be a well-rounded, ethical scientist that works on analyzing evidence from cases across the U.S. or around the world.
Were you involved in any clubs or organizations? Did you hold any leadership positions? URCAD? URA? Off-campus internships? On-campus research experiences?
I am graduating as the President of Curl P.W.R., the natural hair care club on campus that teaches African, African-American, and any other students with curly and coily hair textures how to maintain, care for, and style their hair. I've previously served as the Vice President, Treasurer, and Co-Treasurer of the club. Additionally, from sophomore to senior year I worked as a Peer Leader for the STEM Living Learning Community, where I supported 2-4 students per year, helping them adjust to college life and learn organizational and time-management skills. Finally, I worked as a science and technology intern for the federal government for two consecutive summers, which is what solidified my interest in working in the bioforensics field on a more expansive scale than just one police station.
For More information on Sara's INDS journey please click here:
Ada Glaser ’25, social work and individualized study (INDS), is following in her mother’s footsteps with career pursuits in social work. Growing up, Glaser’s family supported children who were placed into foster care, an experience that informed her passion for helping children and families who’re navigating challenging circumstances. Upon completing her undergraduate studies a year early, the Sondheim Public Affairs Scholar is excited to continue her social work education with a goal of one day supporting young children in their development.
A: As a Baltimore County native, I wanted to stay close to my family. When I went through the college selection process, I didn’t know much about UMBC, but as I looked more into the school, I came across the Sondheim Public Affairs Scholars program, which seemed awesome. I applied and ended up getting into the program. As the oldest of six, the program’s financial support made it really realistic for me to go to college. It was great to see all of the different angles for approaching the general idea of public service as a Sondheim scholar.
My mom is a social worker and has her own private practice. When I was in high school, my family started supporting children in foster care. Getting to see all the work that social workers were doing with foster families opened my eyes to the profession. I started doing research on my own and thought social work seemed like a great field for me. My time in the Baccalaureate Social Work program reaffirmed that decision for me because I loved the classes, the professors, and my peers. I know it’s the right field for me.
A: I always knew I wanted to work with kids. It’s something I’ve loved for a really long time. As a social work major, you need a second area of concentration. I originally came to UMBC wanting to study psychology, and I realized after my first year that there was so much else that I wanted to learn and do beyond the scope of psychology. I reached out to INDS advisor Holly Cudzilo and she explained the process of creating your own major. Cudzilo was instrumental in helping me develop my INDS concentration and making sure I stayed on track. The program allows you to put together the areas of concentration you want to do, define what the overall focus of the course is, and how to put the threads together that connect everything. That process helped me refine what I care about and what I’m passionate about.
A: I met Jayshree Jani, associate professor of social work, during my first year when she was my advisor. During our first advising appointment, she was aware of my plan of wanting to graduate early and wrote out the three-year plan that I’ve followed. She’s shown me how much she cares and how much she wants me to succeed. She’s given me good advice about how to make my senior capstone project come to life and gave me good ideas to try. She encouraged me to feel confident to do difficult things.
Glaser presenting the findings from her senior capstone project, titled “Goals and Motivations of Baltimore Early Intervention Providers,” at UMBC’s 2025 Undergraduate Research and Creative Achievement Day (URCAD) event. (Photo by Adriana Fraser)
A: My senior year social work field placement was at the Furman Templeton Preparatory Academy elementary school in West Baltimore as a social work intern. I worked with the kids on things like emotional awareness and regulation and goal setting. Some of the students are experiencing a lot of interpersonal conflicts, so I helped them think about how they can address those conflicts. I’ve done lessons in the classroom, such as working with kindergarteners on how to be a good friend. I also worked with my supervisor on school-wide initiatives such as managing testing anxiety for fifth graders and attendance initiatives. It’s been a very intense and emotional experience, but also a great learning experience.
A: I learned just how much there is that I don’t know and sometimes you don’t always know how you’re going to react to something until you’re in the moment. In some of the more intense situations, I thought I would be okay handling them and then I realized those moments affected me a lot more than I thought it would. That’s one of the benefits of why social work has this practicum element to it because you have to practice these skills and get used to being in intense situations. I’ve built up my resilience and learned about my own style as a social worker.
A: I’m big on journaling—I’ve been that way since middle school. It’s such a good way to dump all of my feelings and sort through them. I feel lucky to have good friends in my circle so when I’m going through something I talk it through with them and my sister as well. In the last year and a half, because of UMBC, I’ve gotten more into yoga. I took a lot of the free yoga classes at the Retrievers Activities Center, and now I do it at least three times a week. With that physical motion, I can get out of my head a little bit.
Glaser (left) with fellow UMBC classmates and friends in Summer 2024.
A: The Social Work Student Association (SWSA) has been such a big part of my time at UMBC. I was worried about being in a human services field at a more STEM-focused school, but I have found so much support, inspiring people, and encouragement through that group. Getting to be on the SWSA’s executive board and seeing this community develop has been so special. I’m also a part of UMBC’s Symphony Orchestra, which I’ve been involved in since my sophomore year. I play the upright bass. I started playing the bass in the fifth grade and continued through middle and high school. I love playing, growing my skills, and being able to connect with other people outside of my major. I love the end of the semester concerts that we do.
Glaser (in gray, second to last on the right) with fellow members of the Social Work Student Association during a volunteering event with UMBC’s Retriever Essentials program in Spring 2025.
A: The people that I’ve met and the friends I’ve made have been highlights for me. Studying abroad in Cape Town, South Africa, in 2023 was also monumental. It was something I didn’t initially think I would have been able to do, but thanks to the Sondheim program, I got to experience community-engaged learning in South Africa as well as learning about the history of the country, the Apartheid movement, and a lot of the political movements that are happening now and how South Africa is dealing with that history. My college experience would have been so different had I not been at UMBC. I credit the university for a lot, and I’m glad that I went here.
(left) Glaser in Cape Town, South Africa. (right) Glaser (left, second row) and fellow Sondheim Public Affairs scholars during the program’s study abroad trip to Cape Town in 2023.
A: After graduation, my plan is to pursue a master’s degree in social work that focuses on working with children and families. I’m hoping to be placed in a Head Start program for my master’s because I learned during my internship that I love working with kids within the preschool age range. I also learned that I have a passion for working with kids with disabilities and I’m interested in exploring more of that.
Read more Commencement 2025 stories.
]]>Samuel Barnett ’25, biochemistry, is on his way to the Ph.D. program in cellular and molecular biology at the University of Pennsylvania this fall, after seizing opportunities to conduct research at Howard Community College and then at UMBC. Always mindful of how others have supported him and wanting to pay it forward, Barnett has served in leadership roles in UMBC student organizations and created resources to help his classmates land their own opportunities.
A: My high school biology teacher was adamant about getting high school students involved in STEM. Even though the course was online because of the pandemic, she was still able to enrapture people in the wonders of biological sciences. I added the chemistry aspect because I wanted to dive a little bit deeper into how everything works from a basic science perspective. The interdisciplinary nature of biochemistry can sometimes make things a little more challenging, but also fun. Actually, if what I’m doing isn’t challenging, it’s not going to be as fun, I don’t think.
My research mentor at Howard Community College, Joseph Sparenberg, nominated me for the BUILD a BRIDGE to STEM (BBS) Internship at UMBC, part of the STEM BUILD program, after my sophomore year. I can confidently say that BBS was the most crucial turning point of my undergraduate career, making the shift from HCC to the “bigger pond” of UMBC much smoother. The mission of the BBS internship was to give transfer students a sense of belonging while immersing them in biological research. While I had research experience from Howard Community College, BBS made me feel like a researcher at UMBC.
The BBS mentors gave us a lot of autonomy and intellectual freedom to create our own projects, and I acquired experience that was relevant for my lab at UMBC and a later internship at the University of Pennsylvania. I also connected with a diverse network of mentors, familiarized myself with unique scholarship and scientific presentation opportunities, and met fellow community college transfers who helped inspire me to become the scientist I am today.
Sam Barnett with the research poster he presented to conclude his internship at the University of Pennsylvania. (Courtesy of Barnett)
A: It’s a funny story, actually—Dr. Vonhoff grew up in Mexico and is fluent in Spanish, and one day he stepped in for my UMBC Spanish teacher. I talked to him after the Spanish class about his work and later visited him in his office to learn more. Even though his lab is mostly focused on behavioral neuroscience, I was up front about the fact that I’m interested in molecular biology. Dr. Vonhoff could have said I wasn’t a good fit, but he gave me a chance and connected me with one of his Ph.D. students, Zach Smith, who does a lot of the molecular work in the lab. Gaining those molecular skills has opened up doors for me when it comes to getting research experience.
I started in the lab in January 2024. Initially, I worked with Zach to master skills like qPCR and later Western blotting—foundational research techniques for identifying and quantifying genetic material and proteins in a sample. This semester I’ve been trusted to do Western blotting completely on my own.
Dr. Vonhoff’s lab works with fruit flies, a common model system for lots of kinds of studies. I’m trying to figure out a better way to identify the presence of a specific very tiny protein in the flies. Because it’s so small, it’s hard to visualize using traditional Western blotting. We tried a procedure that added a larger, fluorescent protein to the small protein to make it easier to see on the blots. It didn’t pan out, but that happens! So now we’re trying to go back to the basics and find new ways to observe the really small protein, but it’s really difficult.
That was definitely disappointing, but I think at the end of the day that’s just how the scientific process works. Progress ebbs and flows. We’re always asking, what can we do beyond this?
Samuel Barnett
That was definitely disappointing, but I think at the end of the day that’s just how the scientific process works. Progress ebbs and flows. We’re always asking, what can we do beyond this? Maybe another type of test or approach will work. I think the best way to approach those challenges is just optimism and to engage your curiosity and expose yourself to alternative solutions.
A: I first met Dr. Maria Cambraia, assistant director for research and international affairs in CNMS, through the BUILD a BRIDGE to STEM internship, and she has since been one of the most influential people on my undergraduate journey. She advised me on what pathways to take when I transferred to UMBC, gave me opportunities to present at national conferences, wrote letters of recommendation for anything and everything under the sun, and has been an overwhelming source of support throughout my undergraduate career. It is genuinely difficult to quantify the impact she has had on me and my fellow undergraduates.
Dr. April Householder, director of undergraduate research and prestigious scholarships, has also been essential in making sure that my place at UMBC was seen and heard. She helped me apply for the prestigious Goldwater and Knight-Hennessy Scholarships, and was always there to lend an ear. She worked overtime with the Goldwater representative at HCC, Cheryl Campo, to help me get my application submitted.
Sam Barnett, right, with April Householder, director of undergraduate research and prestigious scholarships.
A: I am most proud of winning the Barry Goldwater Scholarship. According to the Barry Goldwater Scholarship website it is “the most prestigious undergraduate scholarship in the natural sciences, mathematics, and engineering in America.” An academic institution can select up to five students to apply for the scholarship, including one slot for transfer students. Originally, I competed for the transfer slot at UMBC, but wasn’t selected. However, at a national conference I attended, I met the president of the Goldwater foundation, who told me about a policy change that allowed transfer students to reapply at their previous institution. That led to Dr. Householder and Dr. Campo rushing to help me get my application submitted as a nominee from HCC. In April 2024, I got the email that I had won the scholarship. At the moment I won, I could hardly believe it; I was quite literally shaking and overjoyed.
A: In addition to research, I’ve served in leadership roles as the vice president of the American Chemical Society’s (ACS) UMBC chapter and secretary of the UMBC chapter of the Tau Sigma National Honor Society, an honor society specifically for transfer students. I’ve also been a tutor for analytical chemistry on campus and volunteered regularly at Grassroots Crisis Intervention.
Sam Barnett presents at a general body meeting of the UMBC chapter of the American Chemical Society in 2024. (Courtesy of Barnett)
The biggest surprise was my position within the ACS chapter here. It turned out to be a bigger job than I expected. I compiled a list of 200+ active internships to help out other students. Recently, I leveraged one of my connections at the Institute of Marine and Environmental Technology to invite a guest speaker to campus. A lot of my work for the ACS chapter was self-driven, but I’m grateful to the group’s advisor, Dr. Maria van Staveren, who really supported my ambitions to make the position into more than the minimum required.
A: This fall, I’ll begin a Ph.D. in cellular and molecular biology with a concentration in cancer biology at the University of Pennsylvania. I was an intern at Penn’s Center for Cellular Immunotherapies in summer 2024, and I had a really good time there. The rigorous research environment was just enthralling to me. I was able to focus completely on being a researcher for the first time. I had my own independent project, under guidance from a postdoc. It was really intimidating at first. At Penn, you’re able to work through the entire research process and bring new things to the table.
Sam Barnett, far right, with STEM BUILD Trainees at UMBC’s Summer Undergraduate Research Fest in 2023.
A: The best part of my UMBC experience has been the opportunity to meet mentors that have defined my career. I’ve been given a lot of opportunities, and sure, I’ve taken initiative and put in effort, but at every step of my undergraduate journey, I’ve had a mentor in my corner who’s been willing to lend me a hand and give me a chance.
UMBC offers many opportunities for undergraduates to get connected to administrators and research faculty. In my experience, faculty have always been friendly and open to connecting with undergraduates. I am extremely grateful to both UMBC and my mentors for the continued support throughout my career, and all that support has inspired me to try to give back, through efforts like the ACS internship database.
A: Don’t feel afraid to reach out to everyone—faculty members, classmates, staff. They can all help you. And if they don’t respond via email, you can go to their office to introduce yourself. Even in a period of uncertainty, move forward anyway—research is still necessary and important. Stay ambitious, and stay involved in science.
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]]>Math is Julie Granruth’s love language. It has bookmarked her life, starting as a student at Towson High School, where her master tutoring skills made what sometimes looked like a labyrinth of numbers accessible and fun for other students. This caught the attention of Donatella Spigarelli, a mom of one of the students—and a certified public accountant and an audit and accounting principal at Baltimore-based accounting firm Ellin & Tucker. Spigarelli was so impressed with Granruth that she encouraged her to apply to the firm’s college internship program. After three years and an accounting internship, Julie is graduating with a degree in financial economics, a 4.0 GPA, and a job as a tax and audit associate at Ellin & Tucker.
A: My journey to UMBC, I would say, was a little bit different. When I was about 10 or 12, my middle brother was very interested in chess and played in many tournaments at UMBC. I came with him throughout middle school and high school, experiencing UMBC at a very young age. When I applied to colleges, I discovered that UMBC had a great financial economics program. Combined with my experience of UMBC’s community as a kid, it became one of my top picks.
Granruth with her brother. (Image courtesy of Granruth)
A: Growing up, our parents always taught us to save all of our money and only buy what we needed. I took that to heart and became interested in math, especially in the global impact of the actions of individuals on the economy. There was a direct application to the real world.
I chose financial economics because the passion with which my economics professors taught and how they applied it to their research made me passionate about it, too. I enjoyed watching them express their enjoyment of economics. It helped me better understand my enjoyment of it as well.
A: I’m a very technical and analytical person. I now love working in Excel, especially for my accounting classes. In my first accounting class, I was assigned a group project to create a company and work out its financial statements. That’s when I learned the most about how to work in Excel. I developed the skills and cool tricks that made spreadsheets work fast and efficiently. Last semester, in advanced accounting, I analyzed the financial ratios of different companies and used the Excel skills I learned to compare their performance.
I visualized everything and organized things in a way that made sense to me and then explained it to someone else in a way that they understood it. That’s why, after graduation, I want to continue my education and become a Certified Public Accountant. I’ve always been interested in it, but I wasn’t always 100 percent sure until last summer during my accounting internship. Helping people save money on their company taxes or their personal taxes is something I’m really interested in doing.
A: I have frequently heard students say that a lack of confidence in math is the main reason they don’t pursue either of these paths. My advice is to take advantage of all the opportunities you have. Never be afraid to ask for help. The professors are very welcoming and kind and will be able to help you in any way they can. A big part of economics is relating it to the real world. If you’re interested in talking about theories and policies, which is why I chose economics, math is just one piece of the equation. I don’t think there’s a ceiling, even if numbers aren’t your best friend!
A: I have had a passion for economics since high school and was eager to join a group of people with similar passions. The Economics Council of Majors was a community that welcomed me during my freshman year. I came to love this community, and as treasurer and then as president, I helped shape and lead the future of this group I loved.
I also enjoyed the Student Events Board (seb). I was grateful to have so many amazing friends who inspired me to put myself out there and join this community. I became the vice president of internal programming; I had never taken on such a large role in my community—I was intimidated. However, once I realized the impact I could have, I never felt more comfortable surrounded by peers who shared my interests.
Granruth (second from right) with (seb) welcoming new students at the fall 2024 Retriever Fest. (Image courtesy of Granruth)
During events, when I spoke with attendees about our related hobbies, watched groups of strangers become friends over a shared interest, and collaborated with other campus organizations, I was inspired to pursue new passions. These experiences revealed something I hadn’t originally considered. While the events we created were intended to form the UMBC community that we wished to see, I have also felt the warmth of this community as those around me expressed their heartfelt enjoyment of my programs. I felt so welcomed by the leaders of seb in my freshman year, and I felt honored that I had a role in the way new and returning students experienced UMBC and its beautiful community.
(l-r): Granruth with True Grit at the 2023 Homecoming puppy parade, serving pizza at the 2024 Pack the RAC event, and in Pittsburgh at the 2024 National Association for Campus Activities conference with UMBC (seb) members. (Images courtesy of Granruth)
A: Despite new classes that seemed impossibly difficult, changes in my social sphere and goals, and my peers seeming farther ahead than I was, one thing that has never changed is my persistence and passion.
When I first faced defeat, I felt not only the fear of that defeat but also the fear of future defeats. However, through my persistence, defeat became somewhat of a friend, someone I turned to as I reclaimed my footing and approached the problem time and time again, unafraid to ask for help to do my best. I take my defeats as starting points for future growth. I now hold onto them as fond memories and stories of strength.
This is why, since the spring of my freshman year, I worked hard every semester as a teaching assistant. I understood how easy it was to let academic troubles envelop me and how it seemed easier to seal this envelope than to change the script and deliver a new message. Having gone through this myself, I became passionate about helping students bring out the best in themselves. I showed them that one defeat was not just a defeat. It was an opportunity for greater future success.
A: One of the students I tutored at Catonsville Elementary School was very numbers-oriented. The first question she asked me when I met her was, ‘What’s six times six?’ Talking about our love of numbers opened a way for me to communicate with her during the mentoring process.
Since my freshman year, I have volunteered as a Shriver Living Learning Community mentor at Catonsville Elementary School. I acted as someone between a friend and an adult they could look up to, yet also relate to. I encouraged my students to take pride in who they were and reminded them that they only had one chance in life to be who they are, so they might as well own it.
As the student leader for this site, I supervised the registration, onboarding, evaluation, and weekly attendance of 20 UMBC student volunteers throughout the year. This meant staying organized—it always came back to spreadsheets!
The best part of my UMBC experience was the privilege of engaging with so many communities and giving back to them with my time. I believe that service to those beyond ourselves is part of what makes our lives so fulfilling, and I can not imagine a life without it.
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]]>Cookout Celebration of Graduates
Join us for a fun and festive cookout as we celebrate the incredible achievements of our graduates! This laid-back gathering is a chance to honor all of your hard work, dedication, and accomplishments. Bring your appetite and your best celebratory vibes—we’ll have delicious food, music, and plenty of great company. All are welcome. Let’s give our grads the send-off and encouragement they deserve!
Date: Friday, May 2nd
Time: 2 - 1:50 PM lunch and 2:00 PM Picture
Location: Commons 329
Who's Invited: Graduates, friends, and the community!
