Department of Resident Life Student Employee Scholarship Fund

Joy Reider

Joy Reider is a student at the UMD, passionate about healthcare and public health. She’s been actively involved with Public Health Beyond Borders, where she helps organize events and initiatives focused on global health and community outreach. It's been an amazing way to collaborate with others and make a real impact, especially for underserved communities, both locally and globally.

Alongside her academic journey, Joy has gained valuable experience through several on-campus roles. As an Employer Relations Assistant at the University Career Center, Joy supports employee relations and helps organize career events. She also works as a Community Assistant in the Department of Resident Life, where she manages crisis situations and fosters a positive environment for residents. Joy’s role as a Desk Specialist with Conferences and Visitor Services has also given her the chance to build connections within the residential community. All these experiences have shaped her path and reinforced her commitment to healthcare and public health. Looking back, Joy’s time at Maryland has truly felt like the right choice. Joy has found her community here, and she couldn't be more grateful for the opportunities and support she’s received.

Natalia Escalona

Natalia Escalona’s family calls her Nati Goretti. She is in her fourth semester at the University of Maryland and has been playing flute for almost 12 years.

Natalia likes to be involved in as many things as possible, she goes to activities, the movie and bingo nights and much more. She also likes to participate in the steel pan ensemble, the new music project, and the chamber groups. Natalia also has her own radio show at WMUC, which she loves to do every week.

Natalia also participated in the Freshman Welcome Crew on top of her work as a community assistant.

Saintania Myrtil

Santania Myrtil is a second year Neuroscience student at the University of Maryland. She hopes to obtain either her masters or to be a physician assistant or a PhD in Neuropsychology. She is a research assistant for the aphasia research center, a Desk Operations Supervisor for Hagerstown Hall, and a volunteer for UMD’s peer-to-peer anonymous line, Lean on Me. Santania is also on the e-board of Maryland’s Remote Area Medical (RAM) chapter and involved in Public Health Beyond Borders. With her degree, Santania hopes to either go to PA school or obtain a PhD in clinical neuropsychology.

Jessica Harden

Jessica Harden is a Journalism student minoring in Law and Society with a focus in Criminal Law. She currently works at the Annapolis Hall service desk, interns with the Washington Gardener magazine, and freelances for Stories Beneath the Shell and College Park Here & Now. She's a reporter with a passion for research and criminal justice. Jessica is currently on a pre-law track and hopes to pursue a career in criminal law working as a wrongful conviction lawyer. 

Alexa Rodriguez

Alexa Rodriguez is a sophomore majoring in Public Health Science on a Pre-Physician Assistant track. She has been a Community Assistant working at Easton Hall for almost two years. With this scholarship, she is able to focus more on academics and extracurricular activities. 

Maya Lane

Maya Lane is a sophomore Public Health Science major on the pre-PA track. She currently works as a Community Assistant in Oakland Hall and is also a Sports Medicine Intern for Maryland's wrestling team.

This scholarship made a great impact on Maya and her family. It opened doors for her financially and even opened doors for her younger sister. She is extremely thankful for the scholarship and is so grateful and proud to be a recipient. 

Edlawit Gorfu

Edlawit Gorfu is a junior Neurobiology & Physiology major with a minor in Disability Studies. She has lived in Ethiopia, Sweden, California, and Virginia before eventually landing in Maryland. Despite moving around a lot, her love for medicine remained constant. In the future, she hopes to use her knowledge to bring solutions to illnesses that disproportionately affect underserved communities. Throughout her academic career, she has been involved in medicine in many ways, through conducting HIV research at the National Institutes of Health, interning at University of Alabama's School of Medicine, and working as a Certified Nursing Assistant at a rehabilitation center. On campus, she works as a Community Assistant at Pyon-Chen Hall and is the Co-Director of Programming for UMD's Kidney Disease Screening and Awareness Program. She has also conducted research in the PSYC department and taught as an Undergraduate Learning Assistant for a genetics course.

Being a Community Assistant opened many doors for her, allowing her to develop her professional skills early on in her career. Due to the hardships that the COVID-19 pandemic brought, she deviated away from her expected four-year plan. However, receiving this scholarship alleviated a lot of the financial stress that came with trying to stay on track to graduate. Her academic progress is important to her; she highly values her education. She is fortunate enough to be able to attend a university such as UMD and be a part of the Department of Resident Life, a department that has worked to minimize her financial burdens, allowing her the opportunity to fully enjoy her college experience. 

Rachele Franceschi

Rachele Franceschi is a senior Animal Science major with a minor in Sustainability. She was born and raised in Maryland and has a passion for agriculture. She aspires to be a livestock animal veterinarian to ensure that livestock animals are the healthiest and safest animals in our food production environment while balancing agriculture and environmental sustainability. Rachele came into the Department of Resident Life as a Community Assistant and is leaving as supervisor; she loved every minute of it. During her time here, she was also active in the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources (AGNR) as a member of the Pre-Vet Society, a sister of Sigma Alpha, the professional Ag Sorority, and the AGNR representative in the SGA legislative body. She is also an alum of the College Park Scholars' Environment, Technology, & Economy program.