Giovanni Chen

What made you decide to enroll at the University of Maryland?
Being born and raised in Maryland, I have always had a dream of enrolling and studying at the University of Maryland. UMD is one of the best universities in not only the state, but the entire nation, so it was always a long term goal of mine to attend since I was a kid. I also wanted to make my parents proud of me, as I was the first person in my family to go to college here in the U.S. I heard about the diverse population and wide area of fields to go into here on campus and was eager to make new friends and of course obtain new experiences.

What major/career path do you plan on pursuing and how did you select that path?
I decided to major in information science because I have been interested in and involved with computers since my first year of high school. In my opinion, computers and the fields around them are the future, and I want to get involved so I can later get a good job with my degree.

Activities I do outside of class or community service/volunteer activities I'm involved with:
On campus, I am involved with the Maryland Promise Program and attend every required meeting. Outside of school, I sometimes get involved with the Anacostia Watershed Society to help clean the Anacostia River in the summers.

Aside from academics, what else do you hope to take away from your time at Maryland?
I definitely hope to meet new people and make new relationships by acquiring internships or getting advice from professors here on campus.

What are your future goals after graduation?
I would like to get a high-paying job somewhere in D.C. or anywhere that will pay well for my respective field. I know there are many high-tier companies that hire employees with information science degrees in their tech fields, and I hope to start making connections with internships.