Profile

In recent years, the UMBC Instructional Systems Development - Training Systems program has attracted more and more students from across the country and around the globe. The development of the online master's program in Instructional Systems Development has helped create a diverse learning environment in which students of all nationalities can participate and pursue their individual interests. Although many international students enroll in the online master's, others like Samir Morankar continue to go the distance to earn a graduate degree from UMBC.

In July 2002, Morankar graduated from the University of Pune, India with an undergraduate degree in Electronics and Telecommunication Engineering. His technical background, coupled with a strong desire to teach, caused Samir to seek a graduate program that incorporated both instructional design and technology. "The ISD program was the right fit," Morankar says, "I was very interested in the computer/web-based training concentration offered by the program. The project and internship requirements were also important aspects, because I believed that they would provide me with the hands-on experience needed for solving real-world problems."

After being accepted at UMBC, Morankar made the long journey from India to his new home in Baltimore. "It was a little tough in the beginning," Morankar admits, "but I soon got used to the American system of education." But Morankar did more than simply adapt to his new environment, he became intensely involved in it. Throughout his studies at UMBC, Morankar became very active in professional associations. He worked on a strategic research project with the Potomac chapter of ISPI (International Society of Performance Improvement), which was conducted to better understand the needs of performance improvement professionals in the mid-Atlantic region. Samir also participated in five different internships at organizations such as Novations VMS, Verizon Workforce Development and Aerotek.

For Morankar, it wasn't long before his hard work and dedication paid off. Shortly before graduation, Morankar heard through a fellow classmate about a great opportunity at C2 Technologies, a Virginia-based company specializing in performance improvement. Today, he works at C2 Technologies as a Knowledge Engineer, and claims to use the skills he learned in the ISD program every day on the job. "I feel that professional education provides you with the foundation necessary to succeed," Morankar says, "It's important to know the theories and processes related to your work. It ultimately helps you understand the why's and how's of your job, and makes you better at doing it."