Evan Avila

As an Economics and Political Science double major, Evan is engaged in several activities that combine his academic interests and his desire to serve. Since he started at UMBC as a Sondheim Scholar, Evan has served weekly as an ESL tutor for adult immigrants at the Esperanza Center in Baltimore City, where he currently serves as the Service-Learning Coordinator. Additionally, for the past two tax seasons, he has volunteered with the UMBC Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program. Next tax season, Evan will be the manager of the site.

Evan has explored his interests in economics, law and government through interning with the Economic Indicators Division of the U.S. Census Bureau and the UMBC Office of the General Counsel, competing as a member of the UMBC Mock Trial Team, serving on the Election Board for SGA, and serving as an Election Judge in his home county. This summer, Evan will intern in Washington, D.C. with the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency, a bureau of the U.S. Department of the Treasury that is responsible for regulating and chartering the national banking system. Evan recently completed and presented his research project, “Settling (Down) For Less: How Housing Values and Rent Affect Latino Population Growth in America’s Most Populous Cities” at UMBC’s Undergraduate Research and Creative Achievement Day (URCAD).

Evan recognizes the Sondheim Scholars Program for helping him acquire professional experience in the public sector and providing him with opportunities to think deeply about service and how he can give back. After graduating from UMBC, Evan plans to attend law school and pursue a career that allows him to continue serving marginalized communities by influencing economic policy and advocating for a more equitable tax code.