Intern Showcase: Yumnah Khan

Introduction

 

Name: Yumnah Khan

School: University of Maryland, University Honors

Major: General Biological Sciences (Pre-Med)

 

I am a highly involved and driven individual who thrives on learning and making a difference. In high school, I held multiple leadership positions and was often the one staying after school to help organize events and make a difference. Volunteering is a big part of my life—I love dedicating my free time to causes that create real impact in my community. I’m constantly looking for ways to grow, lead, and inspire positive change, holding myself accountable to the values of integrity, curiosity, and compassion in everything I do. Whether through academics, service, or creative projects, I try my best to make a real difference in my community. 

Why I joined the Guild

I was nominated for the William J. Sacco Excellence in Applied Mathematics and Critical Thinking Award for Patterson Mill High School. At the award ceremony, I had the chance to meet John and Shelly. Shelly introduced me to the Transformation Guild and explained its focus, which perfectly aligned with my own values and interests. I asked her for more information, and that conversation led me here.

As someone passionate about STEM and medicine, I wanted to challenge myself in new ways, exploring writing, storytelling, and creative expression beyond the classroom. The Guild’s mission of innovation and service deeply resonated with me, and I saw it as a unique opportunity to learn from experienced mentors, contribute to impactful projects, and grow skills that will serve me well in the future.

Skills I Gained

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Communication

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Storytelling

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Interviewing

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Form Development

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Landing Pages

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Collaboration

My Projects

2025 Harford Experience Recap

Project Overview: This project involved creating a detailed recap page for the Baseball4Causes 2025 Harford Experience event. The goal was to showcase the impact of the event, highlight key moments, and engage the community by telling the story behind the experience. 

 

My Role: Alongside my fellow interns, Aleeza and Aleesha Khan, we created this landing page. We attended the event and interviewed different players. I worked on creating a compelling narrative that helped readers “see” the event through vivid descriptions, highlights, and photos. Additionally, we formatted and developed the landing page to ensure that the content was accessible, engaging, and visually appealing. The page combined visuals, storytelling, and clear presentation to bring the event’s spirit to life and encourage ongoing community support.

2025 Maryland Wiffleball Championship

Project Overview: The 2025 Maryland Wiffleball Championship took place on July 26th in Bel Air, Maryland. The day-long event featured nine competitive teams competing in spirited games, alongside family-friendly activities such as cornhole, ladder ball, and RC car racing. Live music from Remnant Sol and local food vendors like Crossroads Bistro and Double Groove Brewing created a vibrant, festive atmosphere. With free admission and a strong community turnout, the championship was a memorable summer celebration of sport, fun, and togetherness. The goal is to create a Recap Landing Page for this event. 

 

My Role: Alongside my fellow interns Aleeza and Aleesha Khan, we briefly attended the lively event. We designed and developed the landing page for the 2025 Maryland Wiffleball Championship Recap, organizing event details, tournament results, testimonials from interviews taken by Joseph Kutcher, and game highlights into a clear, engaging format. We crafted compelling, concise content to capture the excitement and community spirit of the event, ensuring visitors could easily follow the tournament flow and memorable moments.

 

Tee Up 4 Impact: Dabbco Construction Sponsor LP

Project Overview: Tee Up 4 Impact is a golf tournament hosted by Technology 4 Causes to support nonprofits, different causes, service missions, and legacy programs. Each sponsor recieved a landing page for their generous donation. 

 

My Role: I designed and developed the landing page for the drink cart sponsor, Dabbco Construction. I researched their company and created this page to highlight their work. I synthesized detailed information about the company’s expertise, projects, and values into clear, concise content that highlights their commitment to quality and community support.

Shocks 4 Jocks LP

Project Overview: Shocks 4 Jocks is designed to raise awareness about the importance of AEDs and CPR, especially within the local athletic communities. This initiative aims to bring preparedness and motivation to respond confidently to cardiac emergencies. We aim to ensure that no preventable death occurs at a recreational baseball game. We want to consolidate the resources for people to know what to do and have the courage to do it when a life lies in the balance.  The goal is to create an updated Landing Page for S4J. 

My Role: I developed and designed a landing page for Shocks 4 Jocks. This page includes the consolidation of several local and national resources. Along with an in-work AED Map in which people can use a form to submit known AED Locations to be added to the map to create an AED Directory, providing easy access to vital information for the community.

Shocks 4 Jocks: Chuck Gordy LP

Project Overview: The initiative was inspired by a real-life incident involving Chuck Gordy, who suffered a sudden cardiac arrest at a local baseball game. With no AED immediately available, the situation became dire—luckily, John Kutcher had an AED in his car, which was used to save Chuck’s life just in time. This powerful story sparked the creation of Shocks 4 Jocks, aiming to promote preparedness and empower people to respond confidently in cardiac emergencies. The overall goal is to create a story landing page that connects to the main Shocks 4 Jocks landing page.

 

My Role: I designed and developed a dedicated landing page telling Chuck Gordy’s story, bringing a personal and emotional connection to the initiative. This page features Chuck’s story in detail, accompanied by photos that visually capture his journey and the impact of timely AED intervention. I carefully structured the page to emphasize why AEDs are vital, combining compelling storytelling with clear educational elements.

Shocks 4 Jocks: Community Stars LP

Project Overview: The Community Stars initiative celebrates real-life AED heroes — individuals whose quick thinking and decisive action made a life-saving difference. Whether they used an AED to save someone, had their own life saved by one, or witnessed an AED in action, these stories show the power of preparedness and inspire others to step up in emergencies. The Hall of Heroes serves as a central space to showcase these extraordinary moments, encouraging others to learn how to use AEDs and act when every second counts. The goal of this landing page is to invite community members to share their experiences, honor their courage, and build a collection of real-life examples that highlight the vital role AEDs play in saving lives.

 

My Role: I designed and developed a dedicated landing page for Community Stars, crafting an inviting and empowering space that encourages visitors to contribute their own AED stories. The page blends an inspiring call-to-action with clear steps for submitting a story, making it easy for anyone to participate. Sections like “This Could Be You” and “Your Story Could Be Next” create a sense of personal connection, while the Hall of Heroes framework provides a prominent showcase for featured stories. The design balances emotional impact with accessibility, ensuring that each story stands out while reinforcing the overall mission: to inspire quick, confident action in life-or-death situations.

Shocks 4 Jocks: AED Map

Project Overview: The AED Map is a central feature of the Shocks 4 Jocks initiative, providing a visual, interactive way to locate Automated External Defibrillators (AEDs) in the community. By displaying submitted AED locations on a live map, the project ensures that athletes, coaches, event organizers, and community members can quickly identify the nearest AED in an emergency. The map enhances accessibility to life-saving devices and promotes preparedness across the community.

My Role: I designed and developed the AED Map, with the help of Guy Thompson, integrating submitted AED location data into an intuitive, interactive interface. I focused on creating a user-friendly map that clearly displays location information, accessibility details, and other critical data, ensuring that users can quickly find and navigate to nearby AEDs. The map works in tandem with the AED Mapping Form, translating submitted data into a real-time, easily accessible visual resource for the community.

Shocks 4 Jocks: AED Mapping Form

Project Overview: The AED Mapping Form is a crucial part of the Shocks 4 Jocks initiative, designed to crowdsource the locations of Automated External Defibrillators (AEDs) in the community. By enabling users to submit known AED locations through an easy-to-use form, the project aims to build a comprehensive, up-to-date AED Directory. This directory helps athletes, coaches, event organizers, and community members quickly find nearby AEDs in case of emergencies, improving response times and potentially saving lives.

 

My Role: I led the development and design of the AED Mapping Form, under the guidance of Maggie Pajerowski, creating an intuitive interface that allows users to easily submit details about AED locations. I structured the form to include essential fields for accurate data collection, such as location address, accessibility information, and contact details.

TG Showcase Interest Form Creation

Project Overview: To develop an Anvilor Transformation Guild Showcase Interest Form. This includes several fields like the "Contact Name", "Contact Information", "Connection to the Transformation Guild", "Attendance", and "In Person or Virtual". 

 

My Role: Alongside my fellow intern Aleeza Khan, we developed this form from scratch, under the guidance of Maggie Pajerowski. Following intern, Sylvia Woosley's "Intern Showcase Attendance Form Request", we designed and built the form layout to effectively track attendance for the showcase.

Social Media Videos

Project Overview: The goal was to create a series of engaging videos to showcase the intern experience and share glimpses of daily life during the Transformation Guild summer program. These videos included my personal intern spotlight, outfit-of-the-day (OOTD) clips, a “Day in the Life” vlog-style video, and an “Office Tour” to give viewers a behind-the-scenes look. These pieces were designed to boost engagement on social media, highlight the human side of the internship, and inspire others to join or support the Guild.

 

My Role: I took on multiple responsibilities for this project, including filming, editing, and starring in the videos. I planned and executed each video segment, ensuring the content was clear, engaging, and aligned with the Guild’s brand. I handled the technical aspects of video production, from setting up shots and managing lighting to using editing software to create polished final products.

Acknowledgements & Thank Yous

I want to take a moment to express my gratitude. First, I sincerely thank Shelly Yurechko and Sue Kutcher for this incredible opportunity and your consistent support. I’ve learned so much under your guidance. I also want to thank everyone who has taken the time to help me learn, offer advice, or provide support along the way, including Julie Violante, Guy Thompson, Maggie Pajerowski, Harrison Swartz, and, of course, John Kutcher. A special thank you goes to my mentor, Jarret Cassaniti, for his constant guidance and encouragement throughout this experience.

This summer has been an incredible journey of growth, learning, and discovery. The skills I’ve gained here are ones I will carry forward and continue to build upon. Beyond that, I truly enjoyed working alongside my amazing coworkers and interns and learning from everyone around me. I am deeply grateful for the opportunity to contribute, grow, and be inspired by such a talented and supportive team.