Communicate With An Intergalactic Panel of Alumni
Wednesday, October 8th / 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?
Finish off this year’s Major Event by gaining alumni perspectives on navigating college and beyond! Join our keynote speaker Sofia Thompson 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
Sofia Thompson – Keynote Speaker
Sofia Thompson graduated from UMBC with her degree in Africana Studies in 2015. With extensive experience in Fashion and Beauty PR, Sofia Maame Thompson specializes in
brand storytelling, media relations, and strategic campaign development. Through her agency
SMTPR, She has worked with both emerging and established brands, creating compelling
narratives that drive engagement and cultural relevance.
As PR Director at Buttah Skin, she leads media outreach, experiential events, and product launch
campaigns, ensuring cohesive, authentic messaging across all platforms. Passionate about global
brands, she is dedicated to amplifying brand visibility and fostering meaningful connections. With
a proven track record of securing top-tier partnerships and media placements, she continues to
shape impactful PR strategies in the ever-evolving beauty and lifestyle industries.
2025 Alumni Panelists
Dominique Givens, Class of 2024
Hometown: Windsor Mill, MD
UMBC Major: Management of Aging Services with a Minor in Entrepreneurship
Current Employment: LifeSpan Network
Biography: Dominique Givens is a 27 year old, black woman who grew up in and around Baltimore County and City. She graduated High School in 2016, headed off to Boston University, transferred and graduated from UMBC in 2024. If you think about those years, you may think that is a long time, and yes it is, but for her, it was the path she needed to take and it was nowhere near the typical experience. However, she considered it one of the most satisfying accomplishments to walk across the stage to accept her Bachelor’s Degree in Management of Aging Services with a minor in Entrepreneurship and then, landed 2 excellent jobs in her career path right after college. If you are interested in what you’re reading, please take some time to listen to her story.
Jennie Hardman, Class of 2023
Hometown: Ellicott City, MD
UMBC Major: Theatre Studies and Environmental Studies with minor in Writing and Honors Certificate
Current Employment: Echoes of Nature
Biography: Jennie graduated in December of 2023 with dual BA degrees in Theatre and Environmental Studies, a Writing minor, and an Honors certificate. While at UMBC, she was in the Honors College, worked with wardrobe and costumes with theatre department productions, and was treasurer for Sign of Life, the ASL club on campus. Since graduating, she has interned with the Smithsonian Environmental Research Center (SERC) as an education intern, and currently work with Echoes of Nature as an instructor doing live animal enrichment programs. Jennie has also worked on several productions with the Vagabond Players theatre in Fells Point as an assistant stage manager.
Courtney Cavin, Class of 2022
Hometown: Pasadena, Maryland
UMBC Major: Chemical Engineering B.S. with a minor in Biology; Biochemical Engineering M.S.
Current Employment: Astek Diagnostics
Biography: Courtney Cavin is the COO of Astek Diagnostics, leading product development and day-to-day operations on the company’s 1-hour UTI and antibiotic-susceptibility test. She works with investors and KOLs, engages clinicians nationwide, meets regularly with the FDA, and is a named inventor on a 2025 patent. Outside work, she mentors with UMBC’s Center for Women in Technology and serves on the executive committee of Women in Bio – Capital Region.
Jen Wachtel Litwin, Class of 2015
Hometown: Bridgewater, New Jersey
UMBC Major: History with Minors in Judaic Studies, Art History and Museum Studies, and German and Honors Certificate
Current Employment: National Archives and Records Administration
Biography: Jen Wachtel Litwin is an archivist at the National Archives and Records Administration, where she processes vice presidential records from 1993 through the previous presidential administration. She specializes in email and textual collections as well as the application of the Presidential Records Act and Freedom of Information Act to the release of administrative records documenting U.S. history. Previously as an archivist at History Associates, Inc., she arranged and described archival collections for government and private clients. She also has experience working in academic archives at the University of Maryland, College Park and UMBC. She earned her B.A. in History from UMBC in 2015, her M.A. in History and Master of Library and Information Science from UMD in 2021, and is a Certified Archivist.