Nova Terps Board Member Spotlight - Jana Bowers, Board Secretary

Jana (Austin) Bowers, a 2017 graduate of UMD, fondly remembers her time in College Park, especially the Blizzard of 2016. This event delayed the start of the spring semester, sparked a massive snowball fight on campus, and provided a perfect opportunity to spend quality time with friends!

Jana moved to Northern Virginia shortly after graduation and sought out the NoVA Terps alumni network. She has been actively involved since 2019 and currently serves as the Board Secretary, taking meeting notes and assisting with event planning. As a self-proclaimed trivia fan, Jana has spearheaded and attended several trivia events for NOVATerps, most recently at Settle Down Easy Brewery in Oakton.

Jana finds working with the NOVATerps board rewarding because it keeps her connected to UMD and allows her to meet Terps of all ages (and across all majors and areas of work and study). Her career is somewhat nicheas an actuary so while she doesn’t expect to network with others in her profession, she finds it builds confidence to talk to people from other fields and connect easier with clients.

Here's a quick Q&A to get to know Jana!

What's the top item on your bucket list?

Visiting every state and continent

What's your favorite hobby?

I love history and reading books set in upcoming travel destinations. I also love nature and exploring new cultures and cuisines!

What's your favorite movie?

The Sound of Music (My honeymoon included Salzburg, Austria, and The Sound of Musictour…. see “Favorite Hobby”)

What's an interesting fun fact about you?

I met my husband in Hagerstown Hall, during our freshmen year. We are expecting our first baby (boy) at the end of June!

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