Stephanie Núñez exemplified excellence while at UMBC, as evidenced by her scholarship support from the Meyerhoff, Goldwater, MARC U*STAR, Howard Hughes Medical Institute and Maryland Distinguished Scholar programs. She also served as the community service officer for the Golden Key International Honor Society and won the 2006 UMBC Alumni Association Award for outstanding student in biochemistry. Núñez developed an interest in the science of teeth after a childhood softball accident led to several dental surgeries. She gained hands-on laboratory experience through UMBC research partnerships with the University of Maryland, Baltimore Dental School and Stanford University. While at Stanford she worked with Habla la Noche (Ôø‡Ôø‡Ôø‡The Night SpeaksÔø‡Ôø‡Ôø‡), a student organization dedicated to teaching English to StanfordÔø‡Ôø‡Ôø‡s hourly staff workers. Núñez played bass clarinet in the UMBC Chamber Players and hopes to join the Life Sciences Orchestra at the University of Michigan, where she will begin her doctoral studies and pursue a career teaching professional dentistry.

Ôø‡Ôø‡Ôø‡One of UMBC's greatest strengths is the diverse background of its faculty and student body. Not only is it something that enriches both the academic and social experiences of everyone that becomes part of UMBC, but it also strengthens us as an academic community.Ôø‡Ôø‡Ôø‡