Remembering Teresa Lupinek

Wed, 07 Aug 2019 10:34:36 -0400

Teresa Lupinek, who retired this past March from her position as Executive Administrative Assistant to the President, passed away on Friday, Aug. 2, 2019. Ms. Lupinek was a wonderful colleague and friend whose warmth, generosity, and dedication inspired so many of us during a UMBC career of more than 35 years. We are strengthened by her example even as we are saddened by her passing. Our thoughts are with Ms. Lupinek’s family.

Throughout her career at UMBC, Ms. Lupinek approached each of her roles with great professionalism, integrity, and poise. She began work in the Biology Department in 1984 and then moved to the Career Center. An integral member of the Career Center team, Ms. Lupinek was responsible for all business services and office manager duties for the growing department, including management and training of student workers and support staff. Her attention to detail and strong background in art and design led to the expansion of her role to include handling the design and print production of invitations and marketing materials for high-profile Career Center events and job fairs.

In 2012, she served as interim executive administrative assistant to the Provost’s Office before taking on a new role as Executive Administrative Assistant to the President. Using her extensive experience in office management and strong business acumen, Ms. Lupinek excelled in supporting the President's Office with scheduling and the preparation of briefing materials and agendas in a fast-paced environment. In collaboration with colleagues, she helped introduce several technologies to streamline elements of the office, making it more efficient and organized.

Ms. Lupinek also was very active in supporting and representing the campus community. She worked with campus leaders to recognize non-exempt staff as part of the UMBC Plan of Organization, resulting in the creation of the Non-Exempt Staff Senate shared governance group. In addition, she served as a member of the University Staff Development Committee, where she helped shape professional development programs for community members. She also served on the Financial Advisory Board and was an important voice in the implementation of PeopleSoft.

Outside of UMBC, Ms. Lupinek continually practiced her passion for art. She taught calligraphy and exhibited mixed media art in juried art shows through the Baltimore Women's Art Community. Her work was included in the "Her Hands" art exhibition and displayed in UMBC’s Library Gallery. A gifted calligrapher, she hand-lettered invitations for President Ronald Reagan's second inauguration through her involvement in the Howard County Calligraphers' Guild.

Over the past seven years, I had the distinct pleasure of working with Ms. Lupinek each day. Her kindness and collaborative spirit inspired us all and reflected the values and culture of the UMBC community. Ms. Lupinek spoke movingly about her experiences at UMBC in a video prepared for the University’s service awards ceremony. She will be greatly missed as a colleague and a friend.

A memorial service for Ms. Lupinek will be held in Catonsville at St. Mark Church, 30 Melvin Ave., on Friday, August 16, at 11 a.m. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to the UMBC Foundation by mail or online. Please designate the Teresa Lupinek Endowment.

President Freeman Hrabowski