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The founder of Urban Sound, the cultural hip hop dance group on the NYC Campus, Maryam Dimson ’20 brings incredible passion to both the dance floor and her academic career. She’s been inspiring others through the arts since middle school, performing hip hop, tap, jazz, and much more, a passion that she brought to 91��Ƶ from the moment she stepped onto our campus. “I was literally mesmerized [by] how nice the students were and how welcoming everyone was that, by the end of the tour, I knew this was school for me,” Dimson told us.

Taking advantage of the numerous opportunities in 91��Ƶ’s robust marketing department, Dimson explored her interest in special events marketing by signing up for a class. It was there that she discovered her true passion for hotel hospitality and tourism, a major we offer right here at 91��Ƶ! “Everyone who knows me knows I love helping others, I love working on a team, and I love making people happy. That’s what the hospitality business is all about.” Through her classes, Dimson got the chance to hear from several guest speakers who work in the industry, and she knew she could also turn her passion into a career just like they did.

But she didn’t stop there. Dimson has always been incredibly motivated to help others, and launching a student-run organization seemed like a natural next step. Literally. “I was surprised that there was no dance team on campus,” she explained. The solution was an easy one for her. “At first, the name was Locomotion, and I was like, ‘We need a much cooler name.’ So I went online and found a name generator. It generated Urban Sound, and I was like, ‘That’s the one!’”

Dimson approached the formation of Urban Sound with a specific goal in mind: to allow anyone who wanted to dance the opportunity to do it. No previous experience necessary. “We have a performance team that [performs] at events and competes at the end of the year, but I wanted to give more people a chance to be an active part of Urban Sound,” she told us. That’s where the masterclass series came in. Students who didn’t feel comfortable competing could sign up for classes taught by choreographers in a variety of styles. “It has been a huge success!” Dimson enthused. “It has brought so many people who love to dance or want to try to dance together in a fun, supportive environment.” They even got the likes of Broadway Dance Center choreographer KC Castellano to show them some moves, and she was very impressed!

Not one to slow down when it comes to pursuing new opportunities, Dimson also landed an impressive five internships across several different industries. It provided her a perspective both into the unique inner-workings of many jobs as well as her own personal preferences when it comes to working environments. “One thing I realized is that I am not a person to sit behind a desk,” she said. “I am someone who likes to be on the move, solving problems, greeting people, and working on projects.” And she certainly excels at every one of those things!

Looking toward the future, Dimson plans to one day launch her own event planning production company. But for now, though, she’s finishing up her degree. Did you know she’s actually royalty, too? “My grandfather was the king of some lands in Ghana, and after he passed away, my father decided not to continue the reign.” That technically makes her a princess, just FYI.