My name is Abi Shitta-Bey and I am a second-year MBA student studying at the University of Maryland, College Park (UMCP) at the Universities at Shady Grove (USG) campus. As a Double Terp, I also studied at UMCP during undergrad, graduating with a double degree in Marketing and Supply Chain Management. I remember first learning about USG during a Smith school event during my freshman year in undergrad, and thought to myself how beautiful the campus was. Fast forward nearly 10 years, and here we are!

As an undergraduate, I was extremely involved, serving on various executive boards for both social and academic clubs, joining Greek life, serving as an ambassador for the Smith school, and even working as a Resident Assistant. Being involved on campus was important to me because I wanted to take advantage of the “college experience” — personal freedom, relationship-building, personal growth and trying as many new things as possible.

After graduation, life took a turn and I actually joined Teach For America (TFA), teaching in Texas for four years, which included an additional two years beyond my TFA commitment because I loved everything about teaching.

It’s interesting how we follow a path that makes us happy, but we also realize that there are other paths in life that may provide a different sense of happiness, hence why I decided to pursue an MBA. Through USG, I’ve been exposed to more than I could’ve imagined.

In the time I was teaching, I was so focused on working and my school community, so I vowed to myself that when I started my graduate program, I would be as involved as I could handle as a part-time student. That eventually led me to USG’s Graduate Student Association (GSA), which has been absolutely fantastic.

With USG’s nine associated universities, the GSA was created as a means to increase graduate student involvement, and foster connections with students at these different universities. Through the GSA, I’ve been able to attend women empowerment events, serve as a member of the Graduate Student Association Advisory Board, providing input and feedback on the USG campus, and being in spaces with other GSA leaders, serving as a voice for the students and possessing the ability to make change. One of my favorite experiences as a GSA member was serving as the liaison between the Diversity Learning Series and the GSA. The series provided us with an opportunity to have real conversations about our identities, where we come from and discuss hot topic issues in a safe and welcoming space.

Being on the GSA has connected me with wonderful students, amazing staff members, and a wide array of services that exist solely to support us as graduate students.

If what I’ve mentioned about the GSA sounds like it would be a great fit for you, definitely consider applying for the 2021-2022 academic school year — the priority deadline is May 31, and we’d love to have leaders on board who are looking to grow, connect and ultimately drive change!