UBalt Alumna Staying Engaged in a Unique Way
Upon graduating from the University of Baltimore, students join a community of more than 50,000 alumni. Through events and volunteer opportunities, it's easy to stay connected. But, this UBalt alumna decided to stay engaged in a unique way.
Lydia Munz, B.A. '17, knew choosing not to stay engaged with her alma mater wasn't an option. "Being super involved in the life of the University as a student gave me connections that I still value, and those connections are what inspired me to stay involved as an alumna."
Soon after graduation, Munz landed a grants coordinator position with Young Audiences, a Baltimore-based non-profit providing educational and culturally-diverse arts programs to youth across Maryland. Recently, Munz was responsible for hiring a fall semester intern.
"When we hire interns, we usually put a posting on every job site in the area," Munz said. "But because of my involvement at UBalt, I remembered Roger Hartley, the dean of the College of Public Affairs, would email various internship opportunities to students. I decided to send it to him hoping he would share it with current students, and he did."
On the other end of that email – Kimberley Corner, a student majoring in Government and Public Policy.
Through her coursework, Corner developed a passion for non-profit management and public administration.
"At the beginning of my time at UBalt, I saw myself doing something different with my career," says Corner. "But being in the classroom has completely transformed that."
"One of my professors and good mentors, John Willis, teaches his students to care about the community, in particularly, the Baltimore community," describes Corner. "I think that's why I was so interested in this internship because the professors at UBalt are so connected with Baltimore."
As an intern, Corner assists Munz with researching and prospecting new grant funders. Munz has also helped Corner develop her writing and administrative skills.
"As a student, I had the opportunity to work in the Office of Early College Initiatives with John Brenner," says Munz. "He was very supportive of getting me out of the office to attend meetings with him. Those opportunities helped balance the strong writing skills I gained through my degree program with the administrative skills expected of young professionals, which made me a really strong job applicant when I graduated. My experiences outside the classroom made the difference in my education, and I know they will for Kimberley."
That's why hiring a UBalt student for her internship position made sense.
"Lydia understood why I wanted this internship, and she has taught me so much," says Corner. "She includes me in meetings so that I am exposed to the whole organization and so that I can build those must-have administrative skills to pair with my degree."
Interning with a UBalt alumna has created a comfortable and supportive atmosphere for Corner, too.
"She understands the UBalt experience," Corner says. "When I have to rearrange my schedule because of classes or something as simple as asking a question, I always feel supported, which is something you hear a lot of people say about UBalt."
Learn more about how you can support UBalt students through an internship through the Career and Internship Center.