What was your background before entering the HCC program?
BA in Graphic Design from UMBC
What was your favorite class and why?
It’s difficult to pick one class, but my favorite project was from HCC 742, Developing Interfaces for Rehabilitation. My partner and I worked with the Kennedy Krieger Institute in Baltimore to design an emotion regulation app for young students on the autism spectrum. It was exciting to work with a real client, solving real needs, to create an app that could make a real difference.
What are you doing now?
I currently work at Onyx Point as the only UI/UX designer on a small team developing an enterprise tool for automated cybersecurity compliance. I also teach part-time for the Visual Arts department at UMBC, introducing UX design to undergraduate graphic design students.
What did you like best about the HCC program at UMBC?
I loved how interdisciplinary the program was. Students came from visual design, computer science, psychology, etc., not just from information systems. With so many backgrounds and strengths, there were so many different perspectives to share and learn from each other.
I also loved all the professors, who were always supportive and really motivated us. They continue to inspire me in both my work in the industry and in teaching.