Student Services

Our Undergraduate Peer Advisors are the face of our College to prospective students and their families, new incoming students and current UMD students. The College of Education Peer Advisor Program is run through the Office of Student Services and is a yearlong leadership internship offering undergraduate students the opportunity to become student leaders within the College and University and earn experience working with the advising department. During the first semester, students will participate in a course designed to establish leadership skills, train Peer Advisors on the College’s undergraduate programs and policies, and prepare students to  participate actively and knowledgeably at recruitment events, such as the annual Fall Open House, Admitted Student Open Houses and the First Look Fair, College of Education Orientation and paraprofessional activities within the College. The peer advisors are given the opportunity to gain experience working to help advise fellow peers, giving advice about programs and opportunities.

In the Spring semester, students will participate in a course designed to reinforce skills, concepts and practice gained in the first semester through active involvement in Open Houses, Workshops, Recruitment Events, Office Hours, the COE Newsletter and capstone projects. 

Are you looking to be an EdTerp Student Ambassador instead of a Peer Advisor for the College of Education? Click here to learn more! EdTerp Ambassadors have the opportunity to become involved in the College of Education as they represent the college at multiple recruitment events to communicate with prospective students.

Upcoming Events:

• Major Exploration Workshops: Peer Advisors assist with the Office of Student Services in the College of Education to host MEWs, or Major Exploration Workshops, for individuals interested in switching their Major within the College of Education. There are multiple MEWs throughout the semester, and they are hosted via Zoom.
  
  RSVP for a MEW to learn about our Majors that lead to Initial Teacher Certification Recommendation HERE. RSVP for a MEW to learn about our Human Development Major HERE.

Meet Your Peer Advisors! 

Melia Brown (she/her)

Fall 2025 Office Hours:  Wednesdays 2pm-4pm, Thursdays 2:30pm-4:30pm, Fridays 11am - 12pm

Hi! My name is Melia Brown and I'm a junior Elementary Education major from Berwyn, PA. My favorite spot on campus is Washington Quad when the weather is nice (and especially at sunset) to hang out with friends! A fun fact about me is that I've been to 4/7 continents.

Arleen Galarza (she/her)

Fall 2025 Office Hours: Mondays 11am-1:30pm, Wednesdays 11am-1:30pm

Hi everyone! My name is Arleen Galarza. I'm currently a sophomore originally from Severn, MD but am now living in Salisbury, MD. I'm majoring in Secondary Education, World Language-Spanish. On campus, I love walking around McKeldin Mall because it has beautiful scenery. A fun fact about me is that I'm also a water instructor at the RecWell! If you ever pass the office, don't be afraid to say hi!

Sarai Hudson (she/her)

Fall 2025 Office Hours: Mondays 12:30pm-1:15pm, Tuesdays 12:30pm-3:30pm, Wednesdays 12:30pm-1:30pm

Hi! My name is Sarai, and I’m a junior Elementary Education major. I’m from Sewell, NJ. One of my favorite spots to study on campus is the Clarice, because I really like the outdoor garden. My favorite class at UMD that I’ve taken is SOCY230 because I enjoyed learning about how people socialize and applying it to my own life. A fun fact about me is that I can play the trombone and piano!

Erin Patterson (she/her)

Fall 2025 Office Hours: Mondays 2pm-4:30pm, Thursdays 2pm-4:30pm

Hello!! My name is Erin and I am a junior majoring in Elementary Education. I am from Towson, Maryland. My favorite spot on campus is the 4th floor McKeldin Library reading room. It is such a beautiful room and a great place to focus on studying. My favorite class I have taken at UMD was BSCI145 which was a class all about insects! A fun fact about myself is that I love to play board games!

Isabel Polanco (she/her)

Fall 2025 Office Hours: Tuesdays 9am-11am, 2pm-4:30pm, Thursdays 9am-11am

Hi everyone! My name is Isabel and I’m majoring in Human Development! I’m from Montgomery County, MD, specifically Gaithersburg! I love hanging out on McKeldin Mall with my friends when the weather is permitting. I’m 1 of 9 siblings and I’m so excited to be a Peer Advisor this year! Feel free to come during my office hours if you need anything or stop by just to chat!

NaShaun Sheffield (he/him)

Fall 2025 Office Hours: Mondays 9am-10:30am, Tuesdays 2:30pm-3:30pm, Wednesdays 12:30pm-1:45pm, Thursdays 11am-12:15pm

My Name is NaShaun. I am a senior Human Development Major with a minor in Education, Policy, Equity, and Justice. Of all my 4 years being on this campus, my favorite spot on campus is still the animal science courtyard. It feels very secluded from the rest of campus, so it allows me to get some work done with minimal distractions. Plus, in my opinion, it's so beautiful at all times of the year. My favorite class that I have taken so far would have to be TLPL102. Even though I am not a teaching education major, I still loved the opportunity to be able to work with middle schoolers for a little bit of time! One of my fun facts is that I have 17 piercings. I started getting them in the summer coming into college, and then from there, got 1+ every semester. 

Mary Stockschlaeder (she/her)

Fall 2025 Office Hours: Tuesdays 12:30pm-1:30pm, Thursdays 12:30pm-2:30pm, Fridays, 1:30pm-3:30pm

Hi! My name is Mary Stockschlaeder. I am a junior Elementary Education major with a minor in Human Development.  I am from Potomac, Maryland. A fun fact is that I have been diving since I was 11, and I coach during the summers! My favorite spot to study on campus is floor two in McKeldin! I love being able to talk to my friends, but also focus on doing work when needed. Right now, my favorite class is EDHD 201 (Learning About Learning). This class format is new, and I love the content and professor!

Ana Sans (she/her)

Fall 2025 Office Hours: Mondays 2pm-4:30pm, Wednesdays 2pm-4:30pm

My name is Ana Sans. I am a junior from Abingdon, MD majoring in elementary education with an emphasis in literature. My favorite spot on campus is the UMD farm (visit and meet Bean the farm cat!) My favorite course is TLPL 360: Foundations of Education. The subject material is incredibly interesting, the format is unlike any other college course I've taken, and the professor is really passionate about what he does and it shows in every single class. A fun fact about me is that I am a dual citizen of Spain and the U.S. and I am multilingual!

Rachael Wolfson (she/her)

Fall 2025 Office Hours: Mondays 9am-10am, Wednesdays 11am-1pm, Fridays 11am-1pm

Hi, my name is Rachael Wolfson and I am from Kensington, Maryland. I am a sophomore, majoring in Secondary Education and History. A few fun facts about me is that I love to run and bake. My favorite spot on campus is McKeldin Mall because it is so pretty and I love studying and reading at the library there as well. One of my favorite classes that I’ve taken is HIST355. The class covers American history from 1860-1900, and as an aspiring U.S. history teacher, I’ve found the class so interesting!
 

To speak with your College of Education Peer Advisors, please email  educpeeradvisors@umd.edu, or stop by the Office of Student Services (Benjamin Building 1204) during one of the Peer Advisor’s office hours.

The College of Education Peer Advisor Program requires students to have at least a 3.5 GPA. The Peer Advisor Program application can be accessed via this link:  https://umdsurvey.umd.edu/jfe/form/SV_cC3wRseqIMStRtA. The application is open now and closes Tuesday, July 1st, 2025.

Eligibility Requirements:

• Students must have by the end of the Spring 2025 semester:
  • At least a minimum  of a 3.5 GPA
  • A major in the College of Education
  • A positive demeanor, a desire to learn, and an ability to work well with others