Kathleen and Megan McCrory are best friends and twin sisters. Not surprisingly, they do everything together. Both joined the track team their freshman year; both volunteer at College Gardens Community Center tutoring and organizing group activities. They share the same major, chemical engineering, and the same dream to pursue a career in the bio-medical field. They even obtained the same University Scholarship to attend UMBC.

"We're from out of state so tuition would have been very expensive for two of us," says Megan. Kathleen chimes in that it would have been unaffordable. "Being University Scholars has definitely given us a great opportunity that we wouldnít have had."

While at UMBC this dynamic duo has thrown the power of two into everything they do. They've masterminded events for students through the Student Events Board, helping to foster a sense of campus community. And they've taken on leadership roles in the engineering field, reaching out to faculty and business leaders alike through the Engineering Council of Majors. They brush these involvements off lightly, explaining that UMBC is brimming with opportunities for students to stimulate change and get involved as leaders. "I am most proud of UMBC for all the opportunities it offers to students," says Kathleen. "It really opens doors to your future."

Did You Know?
This past year the Department of Chemical and Biochemical Engineering welcomed Dr. Jennie Leach as its first Clare Booth Luce Assistant Professor. UMBC was one of only five U.S. institutions to receive an award to establish a Luce Professorship, one of the most significant sources of private support for women in science, engineering and mathematics in the U.S.