"UMBC taught me basic skills in encapsulating who you are," says Kelly from her office in downtown Baltimore. "You have to read and stretch your brain continuously­continuous learning is critical in this industry where global and technological changes set the pace." Kelly works with healthcare clients such as long-term care, managed care, clinical research organizations and healthcare systems. "Companies could all learn something from taking an economics class at UMBC," says Kelly. "They would learn to be flexible, lean, mean and to use technology to deliver superior products."

Kelly cites Charles Peake, recently retired UMBC economics professor, as her greatest influence and mentor. As emcee at the economics department's annual honors banquet, she and many of her former classmates including her husband, Joe Kelly, economics '79, were able to honor him. "Dr. Peake was a driving force behind the students," Kelly remembers. "He inspired you to do great things."

One of Kelly's great accomplishments was entering the MBA program at Loyola College in 1981 already 12 credits ahead of other students thanks to the broad foundation in economics, statistics, finance and accounting she earned during her undergraduate career. She graduated from Loyola in 1983 with a specialty in finance, having worked as a full-time financial analyst for a predecessor of Bank of America while taking classes at night.

"I've seen a lot of change­many, many mergers," admits Kelly. "You have to learn to be very flexible, to be open-minded and a lifelong learner. Read constantly and realize that six-month-old information is dated today." Kelly feels UMBC now is an even stronger and more focused university than it was when she left in 1979. "I credit Freeman Hrabowski for his superb leadership­you can understand why the campus has done so well," she says. "I'd be privileged to get into UMBC today."

Joanna Raczynska is the program assistant for UMBC¹s Office of Arts Management.