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Profile: Jennifer Edelston,
OIT Student Communications Assistant

While thousands of her peers folded T-shirts, served up burgers, or baby-sat last summer for a paycheck, sophomore Jennifer Edelston set her sights on something sure to come in handy after graduation: professional experience.

In June, the 19-year-old communication and Jewish studies major landed a part-time position as OIT Communications’ new student communications assistant. Already, she feels more prepared for a career in public relations.

“I’m so lucky to have found this job,” says Edelston, a Washington, D.C. native who was raised in Atlanta. “It’s as flexible as I want it to be [since it is on campus], and I’m learning everything I need to be ready for a job after college.”

So far, “everything” includes how to create press lists, generate publicity ideas, compile statistics, monitor local media, write and edit articles, and work as part of a team. It also includes, as most student workers have come to expect, doing her share of filing, faxing, and photocopying.

“I know I’m starting at the bottom, so I have to do the standard office tasks,” she says. “But I know that if I work hard, I’ll eventually have someone to do those things for me.”

If all goes well, Edelston will have that assistance at either a large corporation or a nonprofit organization in a big city, preferably Boston or Manhattan.

“I just want to do something that matters in an exciting place,” explains the admitted Facebook addict and Atlanta Braves fan.

One thing is certain: whatever route she takes, Edelston believes she will be well prepared – thanks largely in part to her supervisor, Phyllis Dickerson Johnson.

“Phyllis has been great – she is teaching me how to work with the media and how to deal with office bureaucracy,” she says. “This experience is so much more important than just getting good grades.”

That said, Edelston urges any student who wants a good job down the road to start padding his or her resume now – not with just a high GPA, but with real-world experience similar to her own.

“Find a job or internship where you have a good rapport with your boss, and get interview experience early,” she says. “Those things can make all the difference.”

Are You at Risk on Facebook or MySpace?

By Jennifer Edelston

We’ve all heard the stories – there’s the girl who flew all the way to the Middle East to meet a man who befriended her on MySpace.com, the people whose e-mail addresses were taken from Facebook profiles and targeted with spam, and the guy who was not hired for his dream job because his potential employer had seen his controversial MySpace profile. Yet as college students, we simply put these stories out of our minds because we know – or think we know – that nothing like this could ever happen to us. Luckily, nothing has ever happened to me, and I would like it to stay that way. And I’m pretty sure I’m not alone.

In 2005, when I was first accepted to the University of Maryland, I couldn’t wait to put up my Facebook page. I immediately provided everything I could about myself, including my home address, my telephone numbers, my interests, and pictures of me and my friends, and I became obsessed with updating and maintaining my profile, just like many other college students. I didn’t give a single thought to my personal security until I began working for the Office of Information Technology last summer. It was there that I realized that the possibilities for technological advancements are endless – meaning it is getting easier and easier for technologically adept people to hack into systems and steal people’s information. I thought, “Why make it easier for them by posting it all on one easy-to-access Web site?” I began updating all my security settings on my Facebook page and took down information that I didn’t think strangers needed to

know – like my location. I don’t need to post my home address for the world to see.

Needless to say, I’ve learned quite a bit since that summer – and I now realize that being safe on the Internet, specifically on social networking sites, is becoming more and more important every day. So here is my advice to my fellow students: First, limit who can see your phone numbers, screen names, and school address; the fewer personal details you have on your profile, the better. Second, make sure you know who all your friends on Facebook and MySpace are – don’t friend or add anyone you don’t know. Third, be aware that although it is becoming easier and easier to communicate with friends and family through technology, it is also becoming easier and easier for people to steal your e-mail addresses, personal information, and, worse, your identity. Finally, and perhaps most importantly, understand it is not just your friends who have access to Facebook and MySpace – professors, police officers, employers, and many others are gaining access to these Web sites, too. If you’re in doubt, just ask yourself this one question: “Am I posting anything on my Web site or profile that I wouldn’t want my teacher, my grandmother, a potential employer, or a complete stranger to see?”

So remember, protect yourself now so that you don’t have one of those horrific experiences I previously mentioned. Putting yourself at risk just isn’t worth it!

More Secure Wireless Access Now Available

OIT is taking new steps to improve the security of the wireless network.
The university community can now use the “umd-secure” wireless network
to ensure that their wireless communications are encrypted and are sent only to legitimate university wireless access points. Users who opt to use “umd-secure” can also say goodbye to the Web browser authentication page. Instead, they will be prompted with a pop-up login box when authentication is necessary. Devices that support WPA2/WPA technology (the latest methods to secure wireless traffic and network access) can take advantage of this new service. WPA2 offers the highest level of security and should be available on most wireless devices purchased in the last year. WPA also provides state-of-the-art security and is supported on most wireless devices purchased in the last few years. Details on how to configure WPA2/WPA can be found at www.oit.umd.edu/wireless.