What's Next? Designing Your Life After College
Students with at least 60 credits are eligible to enroll in UNIV362: Designing Your Life After College. This innovative course helps students plan their transition out of college and into early adulthood. Faculty and experts from around campus and the country come together to provide a hands-on learning experience. Students gain a grasp on important financial concepts such as budgeting, understanding the stock market, and managing a retirement account. The course faculty also coach students through career development, the steps to secure an apartment or mortgage, understanding benefit packages, and negotiating job offers.
Students are coached through developing a life plan that will help those who have no clear path after graduation and students who have a set vision for what they want to accomplish. We encourage any student interested in preparing for life after college to enroll in UNIV362.
UNIV362 Faculty & Speaker Biographies
Selah Thom (She/Her)
Selah Thom is the Coordinator of Transition in the Office of New Student Orientation and Transition at the University of Maryland. A proud UMD alum, Selah began her higher education journey as an Orientation Advisor and Teaching Assistant for UNIV100, experiences that sparked her passion for student success and transition work. In her current role, she oversees the Terp Family & Supporter Orientation Program, helps develop programming for transfer students, and contributes to the continued development of the UNIV100 course. Selah has taught UNIV362: Designing Your Life After College for three semesters and enjoys helping students reflect on their goals and plan for life beyond graduation. She is also in her final year of the Master of Social Work program at the University of Maryland, Baltimore, where she is focusing on supporting young adults through periods of transition. Outside of work, Selah enjoys traveling, cheering on the Terps, and exploring new music.
Richard Blackman, MBA (He/Him)
Richard Blackman is passionate about making training fun and memorable. This will be his 3rd semester as a UNIV362 instructor and he’s loving working with the students. He previously managed the budget at the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). He has co-led training sessions for Robert H. Smith MBA students on conducting meetings, networking and presentation skills and led classes and seminars, conducted mock interviews and reviewed resumes for the Smith School’s “Career Search Strategies in Business” course. For the “Dale Carnegie Course” he coached and guided students to become confident speakers. For the Montgomery County Workforce Program, he’s conducted 2-day training seminars on career development (a jobs bootcamp). For local communities, he's conducted seminars on Investing and on Keys For Success. For the federal government, he trained over 3,000 employees on various budget and career ladder topics. He also teaches budget and finance classes for the Graduate School USA. Training is Richard’s passion!
Laura Widener, M.Ed. (she/her)
Laura Widener is the Coordinator for Transfer and Off-Campus Student Life where she creates and implements programming for transfer and commuter students. Prior to her current role, she worked at the University Health Center's CARE to Stop Violence, as an Assistant Coordinator for Prevention Education. Throughout her time at UMD, she enjoys connecting with students in the classroom to support their wellbeing and academic success.
Kenneth Kokason, MPS (He/ Him)
Kenneth Kokason serves as an Assistant Program Director in the College of Behavioral and Social Sciences. A UMD alumnus trained in Clinical Psychological Science, Kenneth found his passion for teaching and helping undergraduate students through his work as an advisor and instructor for UNIV100 and BSOS361 for the past four years. He has been associated with the UNIV362 program since Spring 2021 and is committed to fostering growth and TerrapinStrong ideals in and outside of the classroom to equip students with the tools they will need to be successful in their careers and life endeavors.
Jarrell Slade, Ed.D (he/him)
Jarrell Slade is the Acting Executive Director of Pre-College Programs. Slade is also the Diversity Officer for Undergraduate Studies. Slade has recently received the 2025 MVP of Impact Award for Undergraduate Studies and UHR for his hard work, dedicated service, and commitment to advancing Pre-College Programs to new heights.
He manages two, federally-funded TRIO programs (Upward Bound I & II) and oversees the LIFT program and its logistics. Before occupying this position, Slade worked as the Program Manager for Pre-College Programs: Upward Bound II and was promoted to Acting Executive Director of Pre-College Programs due to his community engagement prowess, revenue-building initiatives, his knowledge of mental and social health, and his civic duty to enhance the program and department as a whole. Slade focuses on closing the achievement gap within the minority community and promoting all students to strive for their absolute highest!
Melissa Hyre, M.Ed. (she/her)
Melissa Hyre is the Coordinator of the Transitional Advising Program in the Office of Letters and Sciences at the University of Maryland. An alum of UMD’s College of Education, Melissa has been advising and teaching students in Letters and Sciences since 2014, where her primary focus is providing guidance to junior and senior students who are undeclared or changing majors. Melissa is passionate about helping students find their purpose and navigate transitions, both through one-on-one advising and by teaching courses such as UNIV100, UNIV106, and UNIV108. She joined the UNIV362 instructional team in Fall 2025 and is excited to support students in the course as they reflect on their goals and learn essential skills for life after college. When she’s not on campus, Melissa enjoys cooking, visiting National Parks, and board game/trivia nights with friends.