Dr. Anita Tam joined UMGC in Asia in 2020 and quickly connected with students both inside and outside the classroom. This year, in a new role as Director of Student Services, she is bringing that same commitment to a broader mission.
First based in Okinawa, Tam taught psychology and statistics in hybrid formats, meeting and interacting with learners from a broad range of military and civilian backgrounds. It was an experience she treasured.
“I invest in their academic careers, but also in their professional goals and life paths,” she said.
That investment has had profound and lasting effects.
Ariana Cavitt was a junior at Kubasaki High School on Camp Foster, in Okinawa, when she met Tam in 2020. Tam helped guide Cavitt through the Junior Science and Humanities Symposium, where Cavitt won first place for a research project comparing the effectiveness of bees and alternative pollinators in crop production. Tam then coached Cavitt through the college application process, earning admission to Columbia University, where Cavitt will graduate this spring.
Dweller Georges—a former psychology student at UMGC—sought Tam’s support in applying to the McNair Scholars Program at Morehouse College, which will help him further pursue graduate studies in psychology.
And Tam helped encourage another student—retired Marine Corps Master Sergeant Alexander Abel—to apply to the University System of Maryland’s Langenberg Legacy Fellowship program. In 2024, Abel became the first UMGC student to receive the prestigious award, earning recognition for his project, Sprouting Sustainability, that drives environmental awareness and best practices among UMGC in Asia employees and students alike. Tam served as faculty advisor.
These are just a few highlights of Tam’s mentoring experience. Now, as she transitions into leadership, Tam continues to find inspiration in the learners she serves.
“My favorite part of working at UMGC,” Tam said, “has always been the opportunity to work so closely with students whom I respect and admire because of their service to our country.”