Getting career ready on TU’s campus
Students are getting real world experience by working in the Division of Strategic Partnerships and Applied Research
By Towson University on July 24, 2018
Since its inception, Towson University has had a goal to provide its students with opportunities to work directly with faculty and staff who have the highest level of training in their field.
One division that provides student internships and research opportunities has been the Division of Strategic Partnerships and Applied Research.
The Division of Strategic Partnerships and Applied Research provides mentorship to TU students while they work alongside the division’s skilled professionals. Through the work of its centers, the Division:
- Helps solve pressing problems
- Furthers community collaboration
- Expands learning opportunities in the community
- Generates economic development
Here are six Towson University students and alumni who spent the 2018 spring academic term working in the Division of Strategic Partnerships and Applied Research.
Regional Economic Studies Institute
Mark Fahmy ‘19 and Ulyana Romanyuk ‘19 provided research support for the Regional Economic Studies Institute (RESI). With
over 25 years of experience, RESI provides a vast array of economic and policy analysis
services.
Fahmy is a junior from Ellicott City, Md., studying business administration and economics at Towson University. He spent the spring academic term working as a research intern at RESI where he was tasked with data collection and analysis. He also provided written and edited reports to clients and integrated economic research into statewide projects to effectively assess and identify areas of job growth.
“One of the most interesting projects I have worked on was for the Maryland Association of Counties,” Fahmy said. “The task was to evaluate how the physical and mental health benefits provided by parks and recreational facilities contribute to economic growth. It was fascinating to quantify how the two benefits impacted the value of regional real estate and job growth.”
Romanyuk is a junior from Chervonograd, Ukraine, who is studying economics with an international studies minor. Romanyuk worked as a research assistant and was tasked with gathering data and research, and drafting literature reviews for a variety of projects.
“The most interesting project that I have worked on was for the YMCA of Central Maryland. This is a project that assesses how students in different preschools compare to one another and I actually received an opportunity to go to one of the preschools to administer the test to the students,” said Romanyuk.
Center for GIS
Since its inception over 25 years ago, Towson University’s Center for GIS (CGIS) has worked to make GIS technology accessible to government, business, and non-profit sectors through innovative geospatial solutions. Jaroslav Candler ‘19 and Tyler Dibastiani ’18 worked as GIS specialists, providing support to the Maryland State Highway Administration.
Candler is a junior from Cumberland, Md., who is studying geography and anthropology at TU. While at CGIS, he worked alongside other specialists geo-referencing various
plats to develop a complete picture of the highway systems in Maryland.
Throughout his time at Towson University, Jaroslav has worked on various projects,
both at CGIS and in class. “The most interesting project that I have ever worked on
was for my geomorphology class. We were able to create a whirlpool in a bucket that
demonstrated how the Coriolis Effect worked,” said Jaroslav.
Dibastiani is a senior from Joppatowne, Md., studying geography and environmental planning with a geospatial information systems minor. Dibastiani also collaborated with the State Highway Administration to update Maryland Department of Transportation’s online applications.
“I have learned many marketable skills while working alongside the employees of CGIS, but the biggest thing I’ve learned is how effective collaboration between a team can make projects go much smoother. An effective team allows for a friendly work environment and increased productivity which ultimately produces a much higher quality of work,” said Tyler.
TU Incubator [BROKEN LINK]
TU Incubator, Towson University’s business incubator, supports over 40 startup companies with business and network support. Mohammad Alothman ‘18, a senior from Riyad, Saudi Arabia, spent the spring term working as a finance analyst for TU Incubator.
Alothman, who is studying business administration and finance, provided financial advice and assistance to incubator member companies helping them to create their financial statements and understand how to use them.
“I’ve enjoyed working on a variety of projects that were interesting in the education industry, but the less financial information they have the more interesting and the harder the project is,” Alothman said.
Office of Partnerships & Outreach
The Office of Partnerships & Outreach, in collaboration with other departments, manages BTU—Partnerships at Work for Greater Baltimore. The team also provides communications and convening support to faculty, staff, and external partners. Zach Runge ‘19 works as a marketing assistant for the team.
Runge, a junior from Abingdon, Md., is studying communication studies[BROKEN LINK] and political science. As a marketing assistant, he collaborates with team members to write social media posts and email marketing campaigns. He also does research and data collection for the Coalition of Urban and Metropolitan Universities, a national organization hosted at Towson University and managed by the Office of Partnerships & Outreach.
“This position has enhanced my communication skills,” Runge said. “That may seem unexpected being that I am a communication studies major, but working in this office has allowed me to have ability to write more email communications and have even more face-to-face time with coworkers than I’ve had in previous jobs. I also feel that creating social media posts has helped me to become a more effective and concise writer.”