Meet Kayla Thomas
INDS Spring 2022 Graduate Highlight Series
B.A. INDS: Natural Disaster Management
Minor: Health Administration and Public Policy
Degree Mentors
- Dr. Jeffrey Halverson, Geography and Environmental Sciences
- Dr. Sara Poggio, Modern Languages, Linguistics, and Intercultural Communication
- Eric Brown, Individualized Study
I chose to major in INDS for a number of reasons. Firstly, I have a passion for all things w eather relat ed, especially natural disasters. The science behind natural disasters and their ability to destroy cities within seconds , fascinates me. Secondly, ever since I toured The R. Adams Cowley Shock Trauma Cent er in the tenth gr ade, I have found a love for trauma informed care and the fast pace nature of all things emer gency r elated. Lastly, I have always been interested in the inner workings of various social groups and how those groups int eract, live, and work within society, mor e specifically, low-income groups. When I came to UMBC, I did not find my three passions within my first chosen major and minor. However, when I t alked to Professor Brown about the INDS department, I knew I could combine my passions into one and bridge the gap between my disciplines . Then, I became excited about pursing education and w as finally able to claim my education at UMBC.
What are your plans for after graduation, and how do you see using your INDS degree?
My ultimate goal is to become a disaster specialist for FEMA; however, that career path requires years of preliminary job experience. In the mean time, I hope to work for either a non-profit that services minority groups, low-income communities, or veterans or work for a local or state government under their emergency management department. Wherever I end up working, I hope to combine my disciplines to bring an interdisciplinary perspective to the workplace. Furthermore, I want to expand my understanding and collaborate with the perspectives of my colleagues to broaden my knowledge. Eventually, I plan to get my PhD in Emergency Management.
EXTRACURRICULAR
I completed an internship at the non-profit organization, The Samaritan Women where I created a comprehensive, 50+ paged crisis response plan that is currently being implemented in sex trafficking shelters across the United States. I also am in the progress of an independent study with Dr. Halverson where we are creating a timeline of hurricanes that have hit low-income areas in the United States and exploring how the negative impacts could have been avoided and/or reduced.
For more information on Kayla's INDS journey please click here:
Posted: March 15, 2022, 9:51 AM
