Peer Advisors

Welcome College of Education Students!

The College of Education Peer Advisors are excited to see all of you back on campus. Your presence is a meaningful contribution to our close-knit COE community.

The Peer Advisors are working hard to create opportunities where students can engage with their peers in the college. To achieve this goal, Peer Advisors organize events in order for education majors to connect here on campus, and hold office hours in the Student Services office of the College of Education to assist with any questions about the College of Education and student life! The Peer Advisors each have 5 hours of drop-in office hours a week, and all questions are welcome!

Throughout the year, please contact the Peer Advisors with questions, ideas, and feedback! You can email educpeeradvisors@umd.edu to quickly connect with a Peer Advisor.

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? 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:

COE Peer Advisor Position:
Each Spring the College of Education Peer Advisor Program seeks motivated students to participate the following year. Our peer advisors are committed to leadership, service, and student success!
Please see the linked document for the position description. If you have any questions, feel free to contact us at educpeeradvisors@umd.edu!
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 by clicking here. Or, RSVP for a MEW to learn about our Human Development Major by clicking here.

Meet Your Peer Advisors!

Maddie Dean (she/her)

Fall 2026 Office Hours: Thursdays 9am-10am & 2pm-4pm, and Fridays 12pm-2pm

Hello! My name is Maddie Dean and I am a Sophomore Elementary Education major with a minor in Spanish. I am from Columbia, Maryland. My favorite spot on campus would have to be The Clarice, the library specifically! I am currently on the club cheerleading team here at Maryland and I have been cheering for six years. I am so excited to be a Peer Advisor this year and happy to support. Please stop by my office hours anytime you’d like!

Arleen Galarza (she/her)

Fall 2026 Office Hours: Tuesdays 11am-1pm, Wednesdays 12:45pm-1:45pm, and Thursdays 11am-1pm

Hi everyone! My name is Arleen Galarza. I'm currently a junior 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 2026 Office Hours: Mondays 3pm-4:30pm

Hi! My name is Sarai, and I’m a senior 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!

Ana Sans (she/her)

Fall 2026 Office Hours: Mondays 3pm-4:30pm, and Tuesdays 3pm-4:30pm

My name is Ana Sans. I am a senior 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 2026 Office Hours: Tuesdays 2pm-4pm, Thursdays 9am-10:30am, and Fridays 9am-10:30am

Hi, my name is Rachael Wolfson and I am from Kensington, Maryland. I am a junior, 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!

Naomi Yamada (she/her)

Fall 2026 Office Hours: Mondays 1pm-3pm, Wednesdays 1pm-3pm, and Thursdays 2pm-3pm

Hi! I'm Naomi and I'm a Junior Human Development major with a Sociology minor and I'm from Sarasota, Florida. One fun fact about me is that there is a small amish village in my home town. My favorite spot on campus is Lake Artemesia because I love to take walks and see the beautiful scenery.

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

COE Peer Advisor Position:
Each Spring the College of Education Peer Advisor Program seeks motivated students to participate the following year. Our peer advisors are committed to leadership, service, and student success!
Please see the linked document for the position description. If you have any questions, feel free to contact us at educpeeradvisors@umd.edu!

Eligibility Requirements:

Students must have by the end of the Spring 2026 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