Wednesday, October 9th / 12-1:30pm / UC 310
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?
We will finish off this year’s Major Event with Success Stories for You 2 Know (Y2K) and gain alumni perspectives on navigating college and beyond. Join our keynote speaker Frank Spellman 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
Frank Spellman – Keynote Speaker
Frank Spellman, Class of 2020, is the Program Analyst for the NASA Innovative Advanced Concepts Program at NASA Headquarters in Washington D.C. As a technologist, he identifies and funds the development of transformative space technologies that could help shape the future. Before his career in space technology and while he was a student at UMBC, Frank was a bartender and oyster shucker. Frank is an avid gamer, a bacon cheeseburger enthusiast and enjoys forced cuddles with his dog Ajax. Frank is originally from Chevy Chase, MD and was an Economics major at UMBC.
2024 Alumni Panelists
Casey Hanley, PhD, Class of 2024
Hometown: Spring Hill, Florida
UMBC Major: B.S. Computer Science
Current Employment: Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory
Biography: Casey Hanley began her career as a Mechanical Engineer supporting medical device research, development and evaluation. After performing research at the National Institutes of Health, she worked at the Food and Drug Administration performing pre-market and post-market evaluations, largely focused on orthopedic medical devices. She then transitioned to the Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory (JHU/APL) where she has supported many government agencies by performing policy and data analysis. Her passion for data analysis, the increasing role of Artificial Intelligence in medical care, and the rising impact of cybersecurity on medical systems, led her to pursue a computer science degree at UMBC which she completed in May of 2024. She currently is a section supervisor for cybersecurity in the Space Systems Sector at JHU/APL, which has a lot more relevance to the health care sector than you might think!
Jeanette Gibbs, Class of 1997
Hometown: Baltimore, MD
UMBC Major: B.A. Psychology
Current Employment: University of Maryland Medical Center (UMMC)
Biography: Jeanette Gibbs currently serves as the Senior Vice President of Ambulatory Services and Value Based Care at the University of Maryland Medical Center (UMMC). She provides leadership over all UMMC-operated, hospital-based outpatient clinics. She oversees the efforts in the areas of population health and improving health equity, the portfolio of Health Services Cost Review Commission (HSCRC) Pay For Performance programs, care transformation initiatives and other programs focused on screening for and addressing patients’ health-related social needs. Jeanette has more than 25 years of experience and a proven track record in health care operations and administration. Her background includes the successful implementation of projects and programs for referral and care alignment, optimizing provider productivity and patient access through operational and workflow changes, improving employee and patient satisfaction, and supporting the improvement of quality care and patient outcomes. After UMBC, Jeanette earned an MS in Health Care Administration and Management from University of Maryland Global Campus (UMGC).
Basil Udo, Class of 2022
Hometown: Washington, D.C.
UMBC Major: B.S. Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Current Employment: Xeddy
Biography: Basil Udo is the driving force behind Xeddy, a platform that provides college students with rewards and discounts at local eateries. With his strong ties to UMBC and business acumen, Basil has been pivotal in developing Xeddy into a community-focused app that combines digital innovation with the unique needs of students. His leadership has helped grow the platform’s presence, making a notable impact in the Catonsville community by building partnerships with local restaurants and integrating efficient payment systems to improve the user experience. Basil’s vision for Xeddy emphasizes creating practical, tech-driven solutions that benefit both students and local businesses.
Sheetal George, Class of 2021
Hometown: Beltsville, MD
UMBC Major: B.S. Information Systems
Current Employment: Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory
Biography: During Sheetal’s undergraduate years, she worked part-time at the UMBC Student Disability Services Office and served on the board of the Information Systems Council of Majors. In 2018, Sheetal began her volunteer position at the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services in the Department of Program Management, where she expanded her knowledge in different tools such as Microsoft Project and SharePoint. This helped lead Sheetal to her internship at The Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory (JHU/APL) in 2019 for the Information Technology Services Department on the SharePoint team. Sheetal joined the SharePoint Team at JHU/APL full time in 2021, where she is currently a SharePoint Collaboration and Web Specialist. Sheetal pursued her Master’s Degree in Health IT as a part of the Accelerated Bachelor’s/Master’s Program at UMBC as she had an interest in both healthcare and IT.
Nana Omole, Class of 1994
UMBC Major: B.A. Psychology
Current Employment: Towson University
Biography: Raised in PG County as a first-generation college student, Nana’s Psychology degree helped her fulfill the dream of becoming a Registered Nurse. With 27 years of experiences as an RN, Nana is currently a Professor at Towson University.