Our Team
Name: Camila Alvarado
Camila is graduating from the College of Chemical and Life Sciences with a B.S. in biological sciences. During her time at Maryland, Camila has been actively involved in the Summer and Medical Education Program (SMDEP), served as Section leader for GEMS100, and volunteered at local elementary schools. In her free time, she enjoys traveling, scrapbooking, listening to music, and attending all Maryland basketball games. Upon graduating, Camila hopes to work with Teach for America and will be then be applying to medical school to one day work with Doctors Without Borders.
Name: Cal Burton
Cal Burton is a general biology and business Spanish double major who will be attending medical school in the fall at Northwestern University. He is currently serving as international representative for the Kiwanis sponsored service organization, Circle K International. Outside of class, Cal has completed other research in a phylogenetics lab, working to identify viruses that infect charophytic algae through a genetics-based assay. In his spare time, Cal enjoys volunteering, staying active, playing sports, spending time at the beach or on the water, and the outdoors.
Name: Vivey Chen
Vivey is graduating with a Bachelor of Arts in Economics and Geography. Her multi-disciplinary undergraduate education in the social sciences has enabled her to study a range of different topics, from demography to behavioral economics to climate change. Besides her academic studies, she has worked actively for the last two years as a peer mentor at the UMD Education Abroad. After graduation, Vivey will be working for comScore, an online marketing research company in Reston, Virginia.
Name: Jessica Cutler
Jessica will be graduating with a major in Physiology and Neurobiology, as well as a minor in Education and Human Development. She has been an active participant in Global Medical Brigades, a service organization dedicated to global health and sustainable development, throughout college. In her free time Jess enjoys tennis, sailing, and doing crossword puzzles. She will be attending medical school starting this fall.
Name: Luciana Debenedetti
Luciana will be graduating with a double degree (B.A.) in Government and Politics, and French Language and Literature. She has held a research assistantship with the Center for International Development and Conflict Management, and has served as the Assistant for the Government Honors Program for three years. During her time at Maryland, she has been an active participant in the Language House (Spanish and French), the Help Center, and the Ashoka U Campus Changemakers Consortium. Luciana will travel before starting work in the D.C. area, and plans to pursue graduate studies in political science and/or law.
Name: Aleksandra Derkacheva
Aleksandra (Sasha) Derkacheva is graduating from the Robert H. Smith School of Business with a B.S. in Finance and Operations Management, in addition to extra coursework through the Business Honors Fellows Program. During her time at Maryland, Sasha has been actively involved with Alpha Kappa Psi, a co-ed business fraternity, and also served as a Section Leader for both GEMS102 and GEMS202. In her free time, she enjoys cooking, traveling, and fashion. Upon graduating, Sasha will be working as a Consultant in IBM's Business Analytics and Optimization group as part of its Global Business Services practice for the public sector.
Name: Valentina Lopez
Valentina Lopez is graduating with a double degree in psychology and communication, with a concentration in public relations. During her time at Maryland, Valentina has been involved with Honors Ambassadors, the OMSE Academic Excellence Society, and the Public Relations Student Society of America. She enjoys reading and writing, photography, fashion, Disney, and social media. After graduation, she hopes to move to New York City to work in consumer and/or lifestyle Public Relations.
Name: Stephanie von Numers
Stephanie von Numers is graduating with a double degree in psychology and Spanish, as well as a certificate in Latin American studies. She is currently a member of the Language House Immersion Program in the Spanish Apartment, as well as a volunteer speaking partner in the Maryland English Institute program for foreign exchange students. After graduation, Stephanie plans to travel and continue studying social psychology in graduate school.
Our Mentors
Name: Dr. Charles Wellford
Dr. Wellford is a graduate of the University of Maryland and the University of Pennsylvania, and is currently a professor of Criminology and Criminal Justice at the University of Maryland. He is a past President and a Fellow of the American Society of Criminology, and the first criminologist selected as a Lifetime National Associate of the National Academies of Science. His research interests include sentencing, crime prevention and homicide investigations.
Resume: Available here
Name: Lt. Steven Kowa, Ph.D.
Lt. Kowa is a graduate of the Southern Illinois University, Carbondale and the University of Maryland, College Park. He is currently assigned to the Technology Services Bureau of the University of Maryland Department of Public Safety where he writes and manages grants and major technology projects, including the Department’s Forensic Video Analysis Lab. Lt. Kowa served for nine years as Commander of the Security Operations Center, where personnel actively monitor 500+ CCTV cameras, and also Commander of the Emergency Communications/911 Center, which handles emergency and non- emergency calls for service. Lt. Kowa’s undergraduate studies included Spanish and French languages and literatures and his graduate work revolved around counseling and consultation. Lt. Kowa is also a National Certified Counselor (NCC).
Our Team Librarian
Barbara Lay
