When Elan Schnitzer first came to UMBC, he wasn't sure he'd made the right choice. Then suddenly he realized that he had unknowingly become involved in the campus and was having a good time. Now he is a champion for the school in very visible ways, including his role as vice-president of the Student Government Association (SGA), and behind the scenes in his job with Commons Operations, the department that oversees the set-up, maintenance and running of events and equipment in the facility. Schnitzer is also proud of his membership in Pi Kappa Phi, a fraternity that emphasizes leadership development. It is his role as a leader that caught the eye of the Alumni Association's scholarship committee, which awarded Schnitzer one of its annual prizes.

While the monetary award was certainly appreciated, that's not what has made the greatest impact on this native New Yorker. Instead, he'll remember the fundamental life lessons learned between classes. "UMBC has taught me how to look at everything around me differently. My experiences here put me in situations where it was very easy to grow and to learn," he explains. Having built his confidence running events for Commons Operations and coordinating efforts between students and the administration for SGA, Schnitzer is no longer content to tread the well-worn path to law school he once thought he wanted. His dreams have changed and he hopes to join the Peace Corps before pursuing a graduate degree in public policy, continuing a new path into the future that began at UMBC.

Did You Know?
At UMBC there is an active student club culture, with more than 190 from which to choose. From campus radio station WMBC and The Retriever Weekly to intramural sports and cultural and ethnic groups to activism and service organizations, there are opportunities for students to explore just about any interest.