Student Profile Archives

Carmen Rossi
"From Venezuela to UMBC"

Carmen Rossi, an M.A. student in UMBC’s ISD (Instructional Systems Development) Training and Development Program, came to the United States to improve her English skills and pursue a graduate program in education and training. Last year, Rossi arrived at UMBC eager to do both. She found a program that focuses on practical knowledge, innovative approaches and cutting-edge practices.

Holding a Bachelor’s degree in Education and a Master’s degree in Learning Processes from the Universidad Católica Andrés Bello in Venezuela, Rossi sought to continue her studies in the field of training and development.

“I was looking for a program that would give me the practical knowledge I needed to continue my career in training. The concentrations in Computer/Web-based Training and Distance Education are in high demand within the training field, both in the United States and abroad,” says Rossi.

Looking over employment advertisements within the field of training, Rossi found that the courses offered through the ISD program fit exactly with the skills demanded by the workforce. “I thought that I needed specific, practical tools such as how to design instructional materials in web format instead of a more generalist approach offered by other programs, and I was right,” says Rossi.

Focusing solely on her studies and English skills, Rossi is able combine her interests in distance education and technology. Excited about class projects, she is now designing a distance training program for a “real” client. “What I enjoy most about this project is simply the opportunity to put into practice the theoretical information and knowledge we learn on a weekly basis,” says Rossi.