All posts by: Magazine Editor

UMBC’s donors support the university for many reasons, and for that we are grateful. One such donor is Jean Rittermann, President of Conveyor Handling Company, Inc., who along with her sister, Nancy Carey, established the Anthony Alvarez Award for Outstanding Students in Engineering in honor of their father.

Q: How did you become involved with UMBC?

A: Education and hard work have always been a priority in our family. So as our business prospered, and we [Rittermann, her sister and their spouses] realized the importance of giving back to the community, it seemed only logical to think about creating a scholarship. By doing so, we would be able to establish a lasting tribute and thank you to my father for starting this company and for providing us with the opportunities that have so positively impacted our lives.

As a material handling distributor, engineering is a very integral part of our business, so we wanted to choose a university with an engineering program that was strong, dynamic and of the highest quality. We also wanted it to be located in our community. It seemed that UMBC was the perfect fit.

A: The Alvarez Scholarship is for a full-time engineering student who has completed his or her sophomore year and has demonstrated academic success by achieving a GPA of at least 3.0 and who also has a demonstrated record of leadership and/or community service.

A: When I reflect back over the years, I realize how fortunate I am to have a father who cares so deeply about the welfare of his family. Establishing this scholarship was our way of thanking him for his many years of guidance and support and the hard work and dedication he put into to his career. We realized that by endowing an engineering scholarship at such an outstanding university, we would be acknowledging what is important to him.

A: As I read the essays written by the students on the scholarship applications, I am amazed at the goals that they have set for themselves and at the tremendous drive and fervor that they possess to reach them. They recognize the need for their skills regionally, nationally and internationally. These students definitely realize that without this financial help, they may not be able to fulfill their goals and that is a great disappointment to them. I’m so impressed by their commitment and drive. Not only are they taking a full course load every semester, many of them have part-time jobs where they work 20 or 30 hours a week. You don’t always see that in young adults.

The students who have received our scholarship are so, so grateful. The award has given them a chance to focus on and enjoy what they are studying and not have to worry about juggling a part-time job and their coursework.

UMBC’s donors support the university for many reasons, and for that we are grateful. One such donor is Jean Rittermann, President of Conveyor Handling Company, Inc., who along with her sister, Nancy Carey, established the Anthony Alvarez Award for Outstanding Students in Engineering in honor of their father.
Q: How did you become involved with UMBC?
A: Education and hard work have always been a priority in our family. So as our business prospered, and we [Rittermann, her sister and their spouses] realized the importance of giving back to the community, it seemed only logical to think about creating a scholarship. By doing so, we would be able to establish a lasting tribute and thank you to my father for starting this company and for providing us with the opportunities that have so positively impacted our lives.
As a material handling distributor, engineering is a very integral part of our business, so we wanted to choose a university with an engineering program that was strong, dynamic and of the highest quality. We also wanted it to be located in our community. It seemed that UMBC was the perfect fit.
Q: Who is the Alvarez Scholarship for?
A: The Alvarez Scholarship is for a full-time engineering student who has completed his or her sophomore year and has demonstrated academic success by achieving a GPA of at least 3.0 and who also has a demonstrated record of leadership and/or community service.
Q: The scholarship is named for your father, who is still living. Why was it important for you to give back to UMBC in this particular way and in his name?
A: When I reflect back over the years, I realize how fortunate I am to have a father who cares so deeply about the welfare of his family. Establishing this scholarship was our way of thanking him for his many years of guidance and support and the hard work and dedication he put into to his career. We realized that by endowing an engineering scholarship at such an outstanding university, we would be acknowledging what is important to him.
Q: How do you feel when you think about the students who are helped by the scholarship you provide?
A: As I read the essays written by the students on the scholarship applications, I am amazed at the goals that they have set for themselves and at the tremendous drive and fervor that they possess to reach them. They recognize the need for their skills regionally, nationally and internationally. These students definitely realize that without this financial help, they may not be able to fulfill their goals and that is a great disappointment to them. I’m so impressed by their commitment and drive. Not only are they taking a full course load every semester, many of them have part-time jobs where they work 20 or 30 hours a week. You don’t always see that in young adults.
The students who have received our scholarship are so, so grateful. The award has given them a chance to focus on and enjoy what they are studying and not have to worry about juggling a part-time job and their coursework.

Each year, the Alumni Association Scholarship program helps amazing students succeed at UMBC. Over the next few weeks, we’ll be sharing some of their stories with you. This week, meet scholarship recipient Gift Jayakar ’12.

A famous English poet/playwright once asked: What’s in a name?

For new grad Gift Jayakar ’12, his first name is so much more than a moniker. To him, “gift” is the way of life he lead as a student at UMBC — and it’s a philosophy that will follow him into medical school and beyond.

“As a son of a pastor and a public school teacher, I could have chosen a career in education or religion,” said Jayakar, who has family and friends in India. “My friend’s death in the 2004 Asian tsunami gave me a direction. I decided to pursue a career in helping people as a doctor.”

Jayakar, who majored in biological sciences and minored in sociology and emergency health services, will start medical school in India this fall, with the hope of becoming a cardiothoracic surgeon. Uncertain about what he wanted to study at UMBC early on, he found his roots after stumbling into an EHS class his second semester.

“I just wanted to try it out. And I loved it,” said Jayakar, who jumped at the chance to participate in research at the University of Maryland, Baltimore department of immunology, and volunteer with Maryland Shock Trauma and the emergency room of St. Agnes Hospital through a partnership with the Shriver Center.

He was also incredibly active in numerous activities on campus, including serving as a senator in the Student Government Association and assistant speaker of the SGA Senate; serving as president of the Interdisciplinary Studies Council of Majors; and playing an active role in UMBC’s pre-med society, the Relay for Life, tennis club and other groups.

“Of all the leadership and community service positions I’ve held, I value my experience with UMBC Student Government Association the most. It helped me gain a lot of confidence and realize that I can make changes to the community,” he said.

“I learn a lot when I’m involved in service. I’ve learned patience, responsibility, commitment, and punctuality after being involved in service. To me these are life-time lessons that classroom alone can never teach.”

After the 2004 tsunami in India, Jayakar and his father volunteered as missionaries to help the victims, but he left wishing he could have done more. After med school, he hopes to someday build a hospital there where people can be treated for free.

“It’s so simple,” he says of his philanthropic philosophy. “Society gives you so many opportunities to live the life you want to live. It our responsibility — 0ur duty — to give back.”

Each year, the Alumni Association Scholarship program helps amazing students succeed at UMBC. Over the next few weeks, we’ll be sharing some of their stories with you. This week, meet scholarship recipient Gift Jayakar ’12.
A famous English poet/playwright once asked: What’s in a name?
For new grad Gift Jayakar ’12, his first name is so much more than a moniker. To him, “gift” is the way of life he lead as a student at UMBC — and it’s a philosophy that will follow him into medical school and beyond.
“As a son of a pastor and a public school teacher, I could have chosen a career in education or religion,” said Jayakar, who has family and friends in India. “My friend’s death in the 2004 Asian tsunami gave me a direction. I decided to pursue a career in helping people as a doctor.”
Jayakar, who majored in biological sciences and minored in sociology and emergency health services, will start medical school in India this fall, with the hope of becoming a cardiothoracic surgeon. Uncertain about what he wanted to study at UMBC early on, he found his roots after stumbling into an EHS class his second semester.
“I just wanted to try it out. And I loved it,” said Jayakar, who jumped at the chance to participate in research at the University of Maryland, Baltimore department of immunology, and volunteer with Maryland Shock Trauma and the emergency room of St. Agnes Hospital through a partnership with the Shriver Center.
He was also incredibly active in numerous activities on campus, including serving as a senator in the Student Government Association and assistant speaker of the SGA Senate; serving as president of the Interdisciplinary Studies Council of Majors; and playing an active role in UMBC’s pre-med society, the Relay for Life, tennis club and other groups.
“Of all the leadership and community service positions I’ve held, I value my experience with UMBC Student Government Association the most. It helped me gain a lot of confidence and realize that I can make changes to the community,” he said.
“I learn a lot when I’m involved in service. I’ve learned patience, responsibility, commitment, and punctuality after being involved in service. To me these are life-time lessons that classroom alone can never teach.”
After the 2004 tsunami in India, Jayakar and his father volunteered as missionaries to help the victims, but he left wishing he could have done more. After med school, he hopes to someday build a hospital there where people can be treated for free.
“It’s so simple,” he says of his philanthropic philosophy. “Society gives you so many opportunities to live the life you want to live. It our responsibility — 0ur duty — to give back.”

Click on the image above to watch Deanna’s winning video.

UMBC recently asked its students a simple question: How does UMBC inspire you? But, instead of essay response customary for scholarship competitions, students were challenged to answer in video form.

As you might imagine, our students truly delivered. Twenty-seven students entered the UMBC Change the World Video Contest, which was sponsored by the Office of Undergraduate Admissions in conjunction with their award-winning Super Heroes campaign.

The winner, incoming sophomore Deanna Zare, submitted a video that picked up on the super hero theme and highlighted ways UMBC has helped her become a student leader:

“Everyone knows that UMBC is ranked the number one up and coming university, but not everyone realizes how this inspires underdogs or Retrievers just like me,” she explains in the intro.

Zare won a $3,000 scholarship for her efforts. Two runners-up won $1,000 scholarships, and four honorable mention winners took home prize packs from the UMBC Book Store. Great job, everyone!

Watch all of the submitted videos here.