College Success Scholars was the first thing I knew about at Maryland. I came in not knowing what a bachelor’s degree was, what I wanted to study, or even how to get a degree. All I knew was that I wanted to succeed and work as hard as I could to be the first in my family to get a college degree. Through CSS, I not only was able to learn about how to succeed in college, but most importantly, make friends in order for my experience to not be as daunting. Through Dr. Lester’s unconditional mentorship and support, even when I did not have a dollar for textbooks, I double majored, minored, came out with a full-time job and in the evenings am in the Public Policy Master’s Program. I like to measure my success not by what I have been able to acquire through my education, but the number of lives I am now able to serve as an example for, as well as the students I now mentor based on my past experiences. Thank you CSS and Dr. Lester for believing in me.
Juan Roa
Minor in International
Development and
Conflict Management
2016 MPP Candidate
Education Policy and
International Development
University of Maryland,
School of Public Policy
Head of Development
and Communications
Spanish Education
Development (SED)
Center, Washington, DC
Hello CSS Community: My name is Calvin Parker and I am currently a junior earning a Bachelor of Science degree in Civil Engineering. This past summer, I interned with the Maryland State Highway Administration (MDSHA) under the Remedial Structures division. I found this experience to be truly rewarding because it provided me with a plethora of new knowledge on the ...READ MORE »
Hello CSS Community: My name is Brandon Estime and I graduated from the University of Maryland (Fall 2018) with a Bachelor of Science degree in Community Health. During the Fall 2018 semester, I had the opportunity to intern with the National Cancer Institute. During my internship, I was apart of the Health Behaviors Research Branch under the Division of Cancer ...READ MORE »
Hello CSS Community! My name is Manny Garcia. I am a junior in the Computer Science major at the University of Maryland. I have interned at Northrop Grumman as a Software Engineer for the past two summers. I’m grateful for my internship experience at Northrup Grumman; I have gained invaluable experience over two-10 months periods through this professional development opportunity. I look ...READ MORE »
Hi CSS family, My name is Mufaro Shumba. I am a sophomore at the University of Maryland. My major is Computer Science. This past summer, I worked as a REU Fellow in Cybersecurity in the Research Experience for Undergraduates program at Bowie State University. I worked with two faculty mentors and two fellow undergraduate students on a project funded by the ...READ MORE »
Hello CSS Community, This summer I had the pleasure of interning with Protiviti, a subsidiary of Robert Half. During my internship I was apart of the Internal Audit Financial Advisory – Technology Solution. My internship provided me with 10-day training in Florida for the position. In my position, I conducted audits of IT systems. I had the pleasure of meeting professionals ...READ MORE »
Hello CSS Community, My name is Steven Tra, and I am a senior majoring in Computer Science with an intended minor in Mathematics. This past summer I interned at the Engineering Research and Development Center’s Geospatial Research Laboratory (ERDC-GRL) in Alexandria, VA. This internship was offered to me in association with the SMART Scholarship, a DoD scholarship that provides full tuition ...READ MORE »
My name is Edem Yevoo. I am a senior pursuing a Bachelor of Science degree in Environmental Science & Technology with a minor in Geographic Information Science (GIS). I intend to enroll in an advanced degree program in Sustainable Environmental Development. I plan to successfully complete a doctoral problem after my undergraduate career. Throughout my undergraduate career, I have pursued ...READ MORE »
My name is Andrew Tawiah. I am a senior and I am currently pursuing a Bachelor of Arts degree in Government & Politics major with a minor in General Business. I plan to pursue law school upon graduation. I also have an interest in politics. During my freshman year I interned for the Chris Van Hollen’s campaign for Senate. I ...READ MORE »
Hello CSS Community! My name is Hamid Aina. I am a junior pursuing a Bachelor of Science degree in Computer Science with a minor in Mathematics. This past summer, I worked as an undergraduate researcher at Bowie State University in Bowie, MD. My research work at Bowie State University has provided me with technical experience in the area of cybersecurity for ...READ MORE »
We are very proud of 2nd year scholar Marcelo McAndrew. He has consistently shown a commitment to excellence. His speech at the Gala was absolutely fantastic. Below is a link highlighting Marcelo’s business Gladius. Marcelo is a co-founder of the company. http://www.mtech.umd.edu/company-profiles/mtech-ventures-company-profile-gladius.html