Fall 2017

Beyond Coding

/ 2 minutes of reading

The sun is pouring through the large windows in the Performing Arts & Humanities third floor dance studio. About 20 girls, 7th – 9th graders, are sprawled out on mats following the movements of the yoga instructor at the front of the room. They are learning about flexibility, how to “think outside the box, kind of like there’s no set answer to the question.” These girls are not at UMBC exclusively to learn yoga, however, but rather to challenge their computing skills. How Girls Code: Mind, Body, and Coding summer camp at UMBC is an extension of the after-school program… Continue Reading Beyond Coding

Broadcast Ready

/ 2 minutes of reading

For most in sports media, working for ESPN is a dream, but UMBC has made that dream a reality for several students. Through a partnership with the America East Conference, UMBC’s Department of Athletics streams many athletic events live on the online channel ESPN 3, and students make up a large part of the broadcast team. Starting in 2016, UMBC’s Director of Athletics Tim Hall and head of athletic communications Steve Levy ’85, interdisciplinary studies, reached out to UMBC alum Eli Eisenberg ’86, interdisciplinary studies, the president of VPC (a video production company based in Owings Mills, Md.), to create… Continue Reading Broadcast Ready

Space Station-Bound

/ 3 minutes of reading

A white box the size of a refrigerator, called Cosmic Ray Energetics and Mass (CREAM), headed to the International Space Station (ISS) in August, thanks to the work of UMBC astrophysicist Jason Link and colleagues. Inside, four scientific detectors will work together to detect cosmic rays coming from far flung regions of the universe. The instruments will transmit the data from the ISS to Earth, to scientists reckoning with the tantalizing question, “What is the universe made of?” Link, an astrophysicist with UMBC’s Center for Space Science and Technology, part of the recently-renewed Center for Research and Exploration in Space… Continue Reading Space Station-Bound

Bmore Engaged

/ 2 minutes of reading

The Lion Brothers Building, part of the southwest Baltimore landscape for over 130 years, was once used for sewing Girl Scout patches and screen printing. Now the former factory space is a physical tie between downtown and UMBC. The exposed brick walls and floor-to-ceiling windows house spaces to learn, create, exhibit, and connect to the culture that is unique to Baltimore. Academic programs in the arts, humanities, and social sciences now have a designated space to experience civic engagement, service learning, and cultural exploration outside of a traditional campus setting. Located just off MLK Boulevard, the building has provided unique… Continue Reading Bmore Engaged

A Magical Run

/ 3 minutes of reading

The story of Christos FC and its unlikely ascent into the national U.S. Open soccer tournament in June is truly the stuff of fairy tales – especially considering the fact that the amateur team lacks a home field, and does not practice. And yet, the team – a third of which played for UMBC as students – not only blasted into the fourth round of the tournament, but gave the professional players of D.C. United quite a scare before ultimately losing 4-1. “The players were good on the team, but it was a men’s league team that really just got… Continue Reading A Magical Run

Good Sport

/ 2 minutes of reading

UMBC Athletics Director Tim Hall has been named the new president of the Division I-AAA Athletics Directors Association (ADA) for the 2017–18 academic year. Hall, who recently entered his fifth year as the Retrievers’ athletics director, previously served as ADA 1st vice president in 2016 – 17. The organization serves more than 1,600 institutions. “There are so many critical issues that athletic directors face in today’s climate and this group has always put the studentathlete in the center of its bulls-eye,” said Hall. “I am anxious to get started guiding this committed group of leaders.” Hall currently serves on the… Continue Reading Good Sport

Service at the Highest Levels

/ 2 minutes of reading

Several alumni have recently taken top government positions, bringing their expertise to national groups overseeing health and justice, as well as Maryland’s top office. The U.S. Senate has formally confirmed Jerome Adams ’97, M4, biochemistry and molecular biology, for the position of U.S. surgeon general. He replaces Rear Admiral Sylvia Trent-Adams Ph.D. ’06, public policy, who served as acting U.S. surgeon general beginning in late April. Both alumni have prioritized serving vulnerable populations and maintaining connections with local communities throughout their careers. In the opening statement for his nomination hearing, Adams, who has served as a practicing anesthesiologist, associate professor… Continue Reading Service at the Highest Levels

Leaders in Transformation

/ 2 minutes of reading

The Association of American Colleges and Universities (AAC&U) has selected UMBC as one of 10 institutions nationwide to participate in a bold, new initiative designed to “educate, prepare, and inspire the next generation of leaders to advance justice and build equitable communities.” Participating colleges and universities will establish Truth, Racial Healing and Transformation (TRHT) Campus Centers to engage campus and community stakeholders around issues impacting racial equity, such as conscious and unconscious bias. AAC&U President Lynn Pasquerella shares that this is the first piece of a broader vision “to ensure that higher education is playing a leadership role in promoting… Continue Reading Leaders in Transformation

Ask the President – Fall 2017

/ 4 minutes of reading

UMBC President Freeman A. Hrabowski takes your questions. Q: A majority of our alumni live in Maryland. How does the university plan to leverage that population to expand UMBC’s community impact in the coming years? — Nicole Smith ’10, modern languages and linguistics, and president of the Chapter of Young Alumni A: The exciting news is that we already are working in a number of ways with thousands of alumni who live in the Baltimore-Washington corridor and across the State. We bring alumni back to give us advice on everything involving the university, from the academic side to the future… Continue Reading Ask the President – Fall 2017

To You – Fall 2017

/ 2 minutes of reading

Dear Retrievers, What do you remember about your first day of class at UMBC? Were you excited – or perhaps a little nervous – about a particular class? Did you get lost trying to locate your classroom? Or, maybe you were the one helping classmates find their way? I remember my first day of class at UMBC almost perfectly – because it just happened. Although I’ve worked here for more than a dozen years, enjoying the wit and expertise of many professor friends in an informal way, only recently did I make the decision to take on the role of… Continue Reading To You – Fall 2017

Slideshow: House of Grit

/ 1 minute of reading

Many of our earliest Retrievers remember fulfilling their physical education requirements in Gym I (above), while students looking for a place to lift weights from 1999 to the present spent that time in the Retriever Activities Center across from the Administration Building. Today, UMBC is mere months away from opening the new UMBC Event Center, a 172,000 square foot multi-purpose facility that will house men’s and women’s basketball and women’s volleyball, as well as provide a venue for a variety of events, such as concerts, featured speakers – and Commencement. Learn more about the new UMBC Event Center  — set to… Continue Reading Slideshow: House of Grit

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