TOGETHER BIG OPPORTUNITY REACHING FOR

CREATING SPACE FOR REAL-WORLD EXPERIENCE

Poojan Shah knew that the key to an amazing college experience was opportunity from day one. And he found it in spades at UMBC. As a Meyerhoff Scholar and engineering student, he’s been able to dive into his chosen field with guidance from professors like Dr. Soobum Lee .

“Dr. Lee puts us on real-life projects and publishes us,” says Poojan. “If we ever need anything, he’s always there for us.” That experience, plus internships each summer, starting with BGE and ending with Boston Scientific, led to a job with Northrop Grumman.

Students Supporting Students

As a teaching fellow in the engineering department, Poojan’s also been able to give back to other students by helping them navigate college.

“The amount of support we provide in the first year is awesome, especially compared to other schools,” he explains. “And it comes from a student—we’ve been there, so we know what you need to do.”

Connecting In And Out Of The Classroom

But Poojan also understands the importance of balancing the academic and social, and he says that some of the most important connections you’ll make are the friends you’ll find outside the classroom.

For him, that meant everything from acting as a Welcome Week leader (or WOOLIE) to pick-up basketball games at the RAC or countless hours hanging out in D-Hall. His advice to new students?

“Put yourself in uncomfortable situations. You might hate it at first, but you’ll have a lot more fun than you anticipate.”

HEALTHY BODIES, HEALTHY MINDS

UMBC Recreation creates space for our students to have fun and be active outside the classroom. These are just a few of our Recreation offerings:

— A newly renovated facility with weight rooms, cardio spaces, outdoor and indoor pools, courts, and more

— Online and in-person fitness classes in everything from zumba to meditation

— Walking and jogging trails

— Club sports teams in crew, ultimate frisbee, and more

— Intramural events like Fortnite tournaments and flag football games