Spotlight on future leaders: A look at some of UDC’s Spring 2022 graduates

UDC is proud to showcase some of our outstanding graduates, each showing tremendous adaptability, flexibility and steadfast determination. We celebrate them as future leaders and share their stories about who they are and what their time at UDC has meant to them in their own words.

Rahel Gizaw

Hometown: Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

Major/Degree: Bachelor of Science in Computer Science

Favorite Professors/Staff: Ann Lankford, Dr. Lily Liang, Dr. Dong H. Jeong, Dr. JiaJin Xu, Dr. Briana Wellman, Dr. Byunggu Yu, Dr. Anteneh Girma, Dr. Thabet Kacem, Dr. Junwhan Kimand and many others.

Plans after graduation: Ph.D. in computer science and engineering at UDC.

What will you miss most about UDC? The Center for Advanced Manufacturing in Space Technology & Applied Research (CAM-STAR) student club is funded by NASA. As a NASA engineer student ambassador, I will miss the fantastic people, including Dr. Xu and the rest of all NASA student ambassadors, researchers and engineers. Special thanks to Dr. Xu for allowing me to lead the club. As a Black women student ambassador, the trust and confidence in me made me feel special. I will miss the Ethiopian & Eritrean family group I created at UDC. I want to thank the Computer Science and Engineering Department, especially Dean Shetty and many others.

How has UDC prepared you for your future? UDC has made me proud in many ways and prepared me for the best future. I have learned about my abilities, solved problems and found patterns that will help me be successful in life.

Samantha Stewart

Hometown: Portland, Jamaica

Major/Degree: Bachelor of Science in Computer Science

Favorite Professor: Dr. Anteneh Girma. His dedication to students’ understanding of the course material was phenomenal and inspiring at the same time. He encourages students to acquire knowledge rather than focus primarily on grades and the fact that a course is required to complete our degrees. His teaching style is highly interactive, allowing students to engage better and understand the material being taught.

Plans after graduation: My post-grad plans are to acquire adequate knowledge and skills within core engineering as an engineering analyst at Goldman Sachs and then venture into the unlimited possibilities of making a difference in cyberspace. It is also within my intentions to continue higher education as I see the potential of being a cloud architecture engineer during my career.

What will you miss most about UDC? The sense of belonging I felt being amongst a diverse community. My relationships with other international students and students from different cultures were precious and unique. I will also miss my friends and professors, as they all played a significant role in ensuring UDC always felt like home.

How has UDC prepared you for your future? UDC has provided me with the ability to gain practical knowledge to start building a career. Ranging from leadership seminars to career development opportunities and several scholarships, UDC has prepared me with the tools and exposure necessary to invest in a successful future.

Roxana Castillo

Hometown: Venezuela/Washington, D.C.

Major/Degree: Bachelor of Science in Hospitality Management & Tourism

Favorite Professor/Class: Dr. Scott King, Introduction to Hospitality Management & Tourism

Plans after graduation: I will be searching for remote work opportunities and researching graduate degree programs.

What will you miss most about UDC? I will miss being a student and the bitter-sweet feeling of academic assignments.

How has UDC prepared you for your future? UDC has been excellent! I cannot wait to navigate academic opportunities.

Monique Wright

Hometown: Louisville, Kentucky

Major/Degree: Bachelor of Science in Psychology

Favorite Professor: Dr. Afiya Fredericks

Plans after graduation: I will attend the University of Maryland for the Master of Professional Studies in Industrial/Organizational Psychology program. I also accepted a position with a non-profit organization, DCTMI, which focuses on civic engagement, and leadership and provides a pool of volunteers to serve as tutors and mentors to students ranging from second grade through college.

What will you miss most about UDC? I will miss my professors the most. They served as excellent sources of knowledge, insightful navigators and endearing mentors.

How has UDC prepared you for your future? UDC has inspired me to look at how I can contribute my skills and expertise to better my community and the world.

Justin An

Hometown: Portland, Jamaica

Major/Degree: Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering

Favorite Professor: Dr. Max Denis

Plans after graduation: Pursue a master’s degree in mechanical engineering at UDC with a concentration in advanced manufacturing.

What will you miss most about UDC? The ability to speak with professors and mentors almost like a family member, discuss the best course decisions, and receive advice.

How has UDC prepared you for your future? Before attending UDC, I never thought of myself as a leader.  Since my first year, during my Introduction to Engineering class, I have grown in that area by stepping up as my team leader and have been in many leadership roles since then. I learned the value of keeping a team together and designating tasks for the group’s success. I also learned valuable skills and received irreplaceable training in machines and software valued in the professional society.

Meri Zakaryan

Hometown: Armenia/Reston, Virginia

Major/Degree: B.B.A in Accounting and Finance, Logistics and International Trade Analytics Concentration

Favorite Professors: Dr. Viet Nguyen, Dr. Alex Tan, Instructor Debra Robinson- Foster

Plans after graduation? My main concentration immediately after graduation will be studying for the CPA exam. I am grateful and fortunate enough to have received a couple of full-time job offers at the beginning of my senior year; thus, I will start a new job after graduation.

What will you miss most about UDC? I will miss professors who were one of the critical parts of my journey at UDC. They inspired, motivated and helped us reach our full potential.

How has UDC prepared you for your future? At UDC, we did not only learn and acquire the knowledge required for a specific profession, but we were also taught critical soft skills such as resilience, hard work, integrity and collaboration. As a result, my friends and I felt confident while interviewing with employers for internships and full-time job opportunities.

Herman Knight III

Hometown: Cleveland, Ohio

Major/Degree: Professional Science Master’s in Water Resources Management

Favorite Class: Stream Restoration

Favorite Professor: I could not pick just one – Dr. Tolessa Deksissa, Dr. Pradeep Behera, & Dr. Tamrat Bedane

Plans after graduation: Employment at the D.C. Department of Energy and Environment (DOEE). I completed a “Green Fellowship” with DOEE. In April, I was hired as a full-time employee in the Inspection and Enforcement Branch. The Green fellowship helped influence my decision to apply for jobs with DOEE.

What will you miss most about UDC? My teachers and my classmates.

How has UDC prepared you for your future? Dr. Deksissa has taught me what is essential, to look at the bigger picture and be engaged.

Andrea Timmons

Hometown: Washington, D.C.

Major/Degree: B.A./ Early Childhood Education

Favorite Professors: Professor Jacqueline Hayden, Professor Lamont Geddis

Plans after graduation? I plan to continue my journey with D.C. Public Schools with a teaching position. I will enroll in a master’s program in the fall.

What will you miss most about UDC? I will miss gaining knowledge from my professors and hearing their stories from when they started in the school system as teachers—also being able to take the classroom topics and implement them in real-time in my classroom.

How has UDC prepared you for your future? UDC has provided me with the knowledge and skills to achieve my dream of being an educator. I have gained new partnerships through collaboration in our classroom projects.

Diana Atenco- Gonzalez

Hometown: Salisbury, Maryland

Major/Degree: Bachelor of Science in Psychology

Favorite Professor or Class: Dr. Afiya Fredericks

Plans after graduation: I will work for UDC admissions.

What will you miss most about UDC? I’ll miss being a part of the psychology department family.

How has UDC prepared you for your future? By teaching me how to become a better leader.