Calling all UMBC Heroes! Get ready to join us for this year’s annual Major Event! Let us help you quest for the pathway you want and level up your UMBC journey!
Majors Fair: Choose Your Path
Monday, October 5th
11:30am-1pm UC Ballroom
Kick off the Major Event with our signature Majors Fair! Enjoy a lively atmosphere that includes food, music and prize opportunities as you chat with enthusiastic faculty and staff from all of UMBC’s academic departments, as well as student support offices. During this drop-in program, you can learn about the diverse undergraduate programs UMBC offers, including majors, minors, certificates, combined bachelor’s/masters programs and co-curricular opportunities.
Already decided on a major? Connect with your department and discuss opportunities like internships, research or study abroad.
Note: This is the first of two programs offered in this year’s fantasy RPG-themed Major Event! Be among the first group of students to receive the new edition of the Major Event T-shirt!
You may be interested in this program if…
- you are still unsure of what you want to major in
- you are considering a second major, minor or certificate and want more information
- you have questions related to your major and would like to discuss with a department representative
- you enjoy a lively atmosphere with music, food, and a chance to win a prize pack!
Keynote & Alumni Panel: Level Up, Life After UMBC
Wednesday, October 7th
12-1:30pm UC Ballroom Lounge
Interested in a major, but unsure about career prospects post-graduation? Did you know that some academic pathways can lead to a wide variety of career opportunities?
Finish off this year’s Major Event by gaining alumni perspectives on navigating college and beyond! Join our keynote speaker and a panel of alumni as they share how they blended their passions/interests to get the careers they hold today.
You may be interested in this program if…
- you want to commit to a major, but are concerned it will limit your career opportunities
- you’d like insight into how to navigate the career world post graduation
- you want to learn about how to pursue a career in business
- you want to hear from and connect with Baltimore-based alumni
Keynote Speaker: Michael Paskiewicz
B.A. Economics, B.S. Kinesiology, University of Maryland
Michael Paszkiewicz is the Director of Administration at Rita Rossi Colwell Center and the Institute of Marine and Environmental Technology (IMET) by day, and a lifelong gamer and Dungeon Master by night. Having spent decades navigating everything from complex multi-institution budgets to high-stakes tabletop boss fights, Michael believes building a high-performing team isn’t that different from assembling a balanced raid party. In his keynote, he translates classic gaming archetypes, from tanks and damage dealers to healers and support classes, into a practical framework for team synergy, load balancing, and collaborative problem-solving. When he’s not min-maxing organizational workflows, you can usually find him either outside enjoying nature, inside perfecting a sourdough loaf, or at the circus hanging from a flying trapeze.
Check out this year’s panelists!
Evan is a multidisciplinary game developer, musician, and software engineer based in Maryland. Alongside his Computer Science major at UMBC, he pursued an Individualized Studies degree in Game Soundtrack Design, integrating his game development studies with electronic music composition/production techniques to score interactive media. As the former Vice President of the UMBC Game Developers Club, Evan developed and managed club projects and events, working alongside fellow club officers to foster an inclusive, productive, collaborative working environment and learning opportunities for student game developers from all levels of experience. In his senior year, Evan and his Group Game Development Capstone classmates began production on King Scribble, an artistic puzzle platformer game where you draw the platforms; King Scribble has since taken on a life of its own under a startup indie game studio, continuing active development while being featured at large local showcases such as Super MAGFest, Awesome Con, and Indie Game Fest. Evan is also a co-creator of Phantom Feline, a spooky puzzle game inspired by classic Game Boy titles about controlling lights and turning into shadows, which was first developed in a game jam at UMBC and is now available to play for free on Steam. At the Imaging Research Center, Evan implements software solutions and integrates auditory components to facilitate immersive digital experiences and interactive data visualizations, while also providing mentorship to student software developers. In his free time, Evan writes songs, plays tennis with his friends, participates in game jams, and makes minigames for Minecraft Java Edition.
Sivalesh Ramu is a first-generation American whose parents immigrated from Malaysia, and that background shapes how she works with people. She holds a bachelor’s degree in Management of Aging Services from the University of Maryland, Baltimore County and a Master of Social Work from the University of Maryland, Baltimore. She previously worked as an Economic Mobility Coach at LIFT-DC, where she helped families take practical steps toward the lives they want. She is now building DeepThought Wellness, a virtual holistic wellness coaching practice for people of any age who want to set wellness goals and stay consistent, especially through life transitions, and for family caregivers who need their own space to process caregiver fatigue and grief. This October, she joins Bay Area Counseling and Consultation as an LMSW therapist, supporting clients with anxiety, depression, ADHD, trauma, and life transitions. Her approach draws on CBT, DBT, and solution-focused therapy, with a focus on helping people see their own strengths and turn their goals into clear, manageable steps. Outside of work, she loves dancing, pottery, baking and cake decorating, and she speaks English and Tamil.
Miriam Rendon-Ponce, LMSW is a dedicated mental health professional with experience across diverse clinical settings, including hospice care, long-term care, outpatient mental health, and school-based services. Her diverse background provides her with a comprehensive understanding of mental health needs across the lifespan.
Her practice is rooted in a strength-based, person-centered approach that recognizes each client’s unique experiences, strengths, and goals. She integrates evidence-based and trauma-informed approaches, including Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Motivational Interviewing, narrative therapy, play therapy, psychodynamic approaches, and social skills training. Miriam has experience supporting individuals experiencing ADHD, anxiety, depression, family conflict, trauma, grief, and stress.
As a native Spanish speaker, Miriam is passionate about serving Spanish-speaking individuals and families and improving access to culturally responsive mental health care. She has a particular interest in supporting individuals and families navigating migration-related experiences, including acculturation stress, separation from loved ones, grief, and adjustment to significant life changes. Miriam currently provides in-person mental health services to students within Prince George’s County Public Schools.
Outside of her professional work, Miriam enjoys reading, traveling and experiencing different cultures, and spending quality time with her family.
Chris Thoms studied Economics at UMBC where he also competed in Cross Country & Track. After graduating, he decided to dedicate himself to public service and now works in Legislative Affairs for the State of Maryland. Chris is currently a Candidate for City Council in Gaithersburg, Maryland, where he is committed to improving the safety, economy and affordability for Gaithersburg residents.