On January 16th, the Association of American Colleges and Universities (AAC&U) called “on colleges and universities across the country to engage in activities, events, or strategies that promote healing and foster engagement around the issues of racism, bias, inequity, and injustice in our society” for a National Day of Racial Healing.

As a new member of AAC&U’s  Truth, Racial Healing, and Transformation (TRHT) Campus Center network, UMBC students, faculty, and staff will show their commitment to building community and breaking down racial hierarchies through the spirit of service. Did you volunteer at one of the many service sites hosting volunteers on Martin Luther King, Jr. Day (Monday, Jan. 15), or by hosting your own service event on Jan. 15th or 16th?  If so, share your work by creating a social media post for twitter, facebook, or instagram, and use the hashtag #Bmore4TRHT and DiversityandInclusion. Feel free to tag the Shriver Center, the Mosaic Center, and the Choice Program. If your post receives the most likes within one week, lunch for you and four other members of your group is on us! If you have a group larger than 5 participating in service, consider creating multiple teams of five to submit multiple posts. The deadline to post was 1/17 at 12pm.  To be considered for the lunch, let us know that you posted on your platform by sending an email to afrank3@umbc.edu so your post can be considered.

UMBC’s Truth, Racial, Healing, and Transformation Campus Center is in its early stage of development, but already students are convening, planning, and doing great work. Student organization representatives from the Charm City Connection, Amnesty International, Hillel, Black Lives Matter, the Black Student Union; as well as representatives from the Choice Program, the Peaceworker Program, Service-Learning, and College JUMP are actively thinking about what Truth, Racial Healing, and Transformation means for our campus and for community engagement. This winter, student representatives will attend AAC&U’s “inaugural TRHT Institute in Washington, DC, where TRHT Campus Center teams will come together to discuss and refine their visionary plans to engage and empower campus and community stakeholders to uproot the conscious and unconscious biases and misbeliefs that have exacerbated racial violence and tension in American society.” 

Stay tuned for more updates as the work progresses, and for opportunities to get involved!

Moms and parents who plan on using the Women's Center lactation room throughout the spring semester are encouraged to reserve their preferred reservation times. 

All parents who reserve times will be added to the lactation room google calendar and a group email list in order to support communication and best navigate multiple people using the space. 

Reservations are not required but are highly recommend for parents who plan on using the lactation room on a regular basis throughout the spring semester.

For questions and concerns, stop by the Women's Center during our hours of operation, give us a ring at 410-455-2714, or send us an email at womenscenter@umbc.edu.  Parents are also encouraged to join the myUMBC Moms + Parents group. 

The BEYA STEM Conference sponsored by Career Communications Group will be held February 8-10, 2018 as part of this large annual conference, representatives from several major corporations and universities will be on hand to meet with students pursuing careers in the STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) fields as well as Business, Finance, and Marketing.  Why you should attend:

• FREE Career Fair
• Career exhibits
• 50 + seminars and workshops
• On the spot job offers
• Networking with recruiters
• Job readiness certification for college students.

The Career Fair portion of the conference, on Saturday, is free of charge for UMBC students and alumni with an active UMBC email address. All students are welcome to attend. Dress to impress and bring plenty of updated resumes!

Registration is required.

To register and for additional information, go to:

http://careers2.umbc.edu/calendar/fairs/beya2018.php

Deadline to pre-register is Feb. 5 (Career Fair) and Feb. 2 for the entire Conference

Contact Diane Crump-Fogle (crump@umbc.edu) or Chrisi Giannakaris (chrisig@umbc.edu) of the UMBC Career Center for additional information.

Free Shuttle Bus

There will be a free shuttle bus to transport students to and from the career fair on Saturday. If you will need transportation, be sure to complete the shuttle bus registration form at the bottom of the BEYA registration page: http://careers2.umbc.edu/calendar/fairs/beyabus.php. Please note that the free shuttle bus is available on a first-come, first-serve basis. The free shuttle will run only on Saturday between 8:30 a.m.-4:00 p.m. Transportation to and from other conference events (such as the BEYA Gala held Saturday evening) is on your own.

The Women's Center is excited to announce that the Returning Women Students Scholarships Application for 2017-2018 is now available. The deadline for submission is Friday, March 30, 2018.

This common application enables eligible students to apply for more than one of the Returning Women Students Scholarships using the same application. The four available scholarships are:

• Charlotte W. Newcombe Scholarship & The UMBC Scholarship for Mature Students
• AEGON Scholarship
• The Richard & Roselyn Bryson Neville Memorial Fund for Returning Women Scholarship
• The Rosalie Tydings Business and Professional Women’s Scholarship

All undergraduate students over the age of 25 and with at least 60 credits may be eligible. You must be completing your first undergraduate degree. Each scholarship has additional eligibility requirements which can be found on the common application instructions. 

The application is attached to this announcement. Please be sure to read over the eligibility requirements before applying. 

If you have any questions concerning the application process or the scholars program requirements, please contact the Women's Center director, Jess Myers, at womenscenter@umbc.edu. 

We will also be hosting 3 different information sessions related to the application process and scholars program requirements on: 

• Wednesday, February 21st from 4-4:45pm in the Women's Center
• Tuesday, February 27th from 2:30-3:30pm at Universities of Shady Grove in Building III- 4156
• Thursday, March 15th from 4-4:45pm in the Women's Center  

Each year, applicants submit applications with errors that often impact their consideration for a scholarship. We highly encourage all applicants to attend an info session before submitting their application. 

Applications are due Friday, March 30, 2018.