With interests in both technology and business, Johan Lopez-Ortega decided to pursue management information systems in the Labovitz School of Business & Economics. He would like to find a job in business analytics after graduating, but holds a deeper interest in community development and philanthropy, which inspired him to pursue an internship with Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC).
Through his internship, Lopez-Ortega has gained experience with issuing grants for community development projects, and has used the technical skills he learned in the classroom to analyze demographic data in the city of Duluth in order to identify community needs. “I think the work that I’ve done with LISC has been very meaningful in terms of career goals and skills,” he said.
Lopez-Ortega was born in Acapulco, Mexico, and as a DACA recipient, said he’s grateful for programs like the DREAM Act that made it possible for him to pursue higher education. Armed with that gratitude, he hopes to apply his degree toward more community development and philanthropy work in the future. “With my major, as well as my current internship, my experience here at UMD has been very great for me,” he said.
To learn more about internships at UMD, visit Career Services.