Mark Benham, ‘21

Our featured alumnus is Mark Benham, ‘21, a former English major who is now pursuing a career in archives and digital curation. Read more about his experience at UMBC and his journey to graduate school below:

When I entered UMBC, I enrolled as an English major with a focus on Communication and Technology. While I planned on becoming an editor, that career choice was not definite. I entered college with the awareness that my end goal could be different from what I initially thought it would be. After finding interest in Literature track classes, especially ones with topics situated in medieval to 17th-and-18th-century periods, I did have a change of mind. I got to know the professors in these classes, and, thanks to their guidance, I am now pursuing a career as an archivist.

I am currently studying in the University of Maryland’s Master of Library and Information Science (MLIS) program, where I am focusing on Archives and Digital Curation. As I have progressed in my studies, I have developed an interest in government archives. So, my upcoming plans involve seeking an internship in that field and if possible, pursuing a career where I have done the internship.