Every year, swarms of talented people move to Los Angeles for a chance at stardom. A meager few actually do it. Many more fail, finding the road too difficult. Then there's former UMBC tennis standout Josef Novotny '04. Using his skills on the courts to network and secure odd jobs on the sets of movies like Eli Roth's "Hostel: Part II," he has begun the long climb to fulfilling his dream of becoming a filmmaker.  Posted January 2007.

The next time someone teases you about your hidden passion for philately, Hummel figurines or sudoku, consider the successes of UMBC's own Dr. Arnold T. Blumberg. An avid comic book reader and collector since early childhood, Blumberg '93, English, has managed to weave his love of super heroes, monsters and robots into a career as an author, professor and –  most recently – curator of the brand-new Geppi's Entertainment museum.  Posted December 2006.

Stephanie Cole Hill '86 sometimes feels like a woman in a man's world. However, she learned early not to let that feeling get her down. Posted November 2006.

Eric Conn doesn't exactly have a traditional career. Then again, he was never a traditional student. In fact, it's Conn's adventurous edge that has allowed the 1985 computer science major to prosper as an inventor and entrepreneur. Posted October 2006.

Jason Chamberlain first learned the value of investment as a kindergartner. Urged by his parents to deposit his allowance into a savings account, the youngster learned that with a little patience, his pennies would grow to nickels, his quarters to dollars. Today, as vice president for wealth management for Smith Barney and incoming president of the UMBC Alumni Association Board of directors, Chamberlain takes a similar approach to life, his career and his role as an alumnus. Posted September 2006.

Only four short years have passed since Rithy Chhay graduated from UMBC, but he is already on the fast track to success. At just 26 years old, Chhay is a senior software engineer with Red Arch Solutions, a software and systems engineering firm in Columbia, Md. Posted August 2006.