University of Maryland Black Alumni (UMBA)

Read about UMD alumnae Sydney Parker '16, Imani Rickerby '17 and Jasmine Snead Ferguson '18, MBA/MPP '21, who founded Aurora Tights out of a need to see athletes and performers compete in tights that matched their skin tone.

Welcome to Mentor Monday, where we highlight impressive alumni who have been recognized as standout mentors to fellow Terps on UMD’s mentorship and networking platform, Terrapins Connect. Today we highlight graduate Michaela Taylor '18.

Hallie Williams '95, founder of Right Next Door, discusses his advice for starting a journey in entrepreneurship. With vast experience working with new and seasoned entrepreneurs, he consults what it takes to grow successful businesses.

While most of us go through life trying to figure out our place in the world, it’s the people that look to inspire positive change in others that we remember most fondly.

As kids growing up in Baltimore in the 80’s, both Ali Smith ’01 and Atman Smith ’02 were taught that in order to bring about positive change in the world, they first had to start by becoming masters of their domain. And that meant becoming their own boss in a world where that isn’t always the easiest path.

For the last five years, Olivia Owens did it all at IFundWomen, a funding platform for women-owned businesses and the people who want to support them with access to capital, coaching and connections. Owens worked in marketing, business development and partnership, leading to 2020 when she launched IFundWomen of Color to address disparities.

Over more than 15 years in engineering, Vionna Adams’ career has kept her plenty busy — just not exactly in the ways she had hoped.

Mohammed Sillah ’03 is the owner of Happy Monday Vice Cream. He is a class of 2003 Communications graduate of the University of Maryland College Park and was inspired to start making ice cream by his younger brother, who challenged him to make Monday the happiest day of the week.

At age 12, Nefretiti Nassar ’10, M.S. ’12 accepted a challenge that would forever change her life.

When he walked across the stage at graduation 26 years ago, Bert Williams ’96 received two items: a certificate for his criminal justice degree and a University of Maryland Alumni Association key chain.