Salaam, my name is Mastewal Hunde and I am commuter assistants at Off-Campus Student Services. 

I am currently a Mechanical Engineering major with a minor in Africana Studies. Besides being a CA, I also work as Desk Receptionist at Harbor Hall. I became part of the OCSS family as of January 2019, and have been loving my position since. I love getting to meet new people so please do not be afraid to contact me or came to the desk to have a chat. Thank you and I look forward to meeting you soon!

My name is Uche Anaeto, I’m majoring in biology. 

I commute from Gwynn Oak which is about 15 mins from campus. I’m really excited to be a part of the OCSS team to share my creative ideas on how to bring about interactions with students who live off-campus.

Hello, my name is Reina and I am a Commuter Assistant at Off-Campus Student Services. 

I am currently studying Financial Economics with a minor in Mathematics. When campus is open, I commute from Howard County. I am excited to be a CA and be a part of an amazing team. I joined OCSS because I want all commuters to get the resources they need and feel involved with the UMBC community. Being a commuter is great!

Hello! My name is Kayleigh Nelson and I am a Commuter Assistant for OCSS. I am a Senior studying Global Studies, and I also have minors in Public Health and Spanish. I live on-campus and I started working with OCSS in January of 2020. I'm a CA because I want to make sure that commuter students have the same opportunities and resources as students living on-campus. So if you have any questions or suggestions, please stop by!

1. Get to know YOU: Be known as someone who seeks out, and is open to, feedback. Exist in a continuous state of reflection.

2. Seek out challenge and support: Associate with people who challenge and support you. Seek out environments that will help you grow and that help you become your best self.

3. Nurture your relationships: Once you create a connection, you must continue to nurture the relationship so that it strengthens. The best way to do this is by listening and being present.

4. Communication is key: Consider the ways you communicate within a group or team. Do you voice your ideas? Do you build on or add to others? Do you take time to listen? Are you comfortable with silence?

5. Know that we all have a part in the leadership process: Active group members are committed to the organization and its purpose. Not only do they do what is expected of them, but are proactive and willing to fill gaps.

6. You have the capacity to be an agent of change: It requires embracing creative problem solving, risk taking and courage. Facilitating change requires all that you do, think, feel and believe.

This is a repost on behalf of the Office of Student Disability Services. 

Thanks to Stephanie Lazarus, UMBC's Accessibility Manager & ADA Coordinator, for this important message about the 31st anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act.

https://my3.my.umbc.edu/groups/accessibility/posts/111379

The anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities reminds us, as a campus, to  celebrate all persons with visible and invisible disabilities, and remain committed to their equitable inclusion.

 Since its enactment on July 26, 1990, the Americans with Disabilities Act, as amended, and its state-based equivalent statutory protections have provided protections for disability access and inclusion, prohibiting discrimination on the basis of disability in employment, in public accommodation, in public services, in transportation, and in telecommunications. Former President George H. W. Bush called the Act “a new birth of freedom” for Americans who identify as having a disability. This landmark civil rights law has changed society from benevolence towards disability to acceptance. While our campus, both by accessible design and accommodation, endeavors to provide equal access and inclusion for faculty, staff, students and visitors with disabilities, copious work remains, especially within external communities.

 Maryland protects people with disabilities both in Title 20, State Government Article, and in Sections 7-701 to 7-710, Human Services Title. While these laws provide protections, they must be enforced and awareness must continue to be raised to promote equitable access and acceptance of persons with disabilities - on campus, on the job, and in the classroom.

 Recently litigation in Baltimore City brought an assertion about a lack of curb ramps - raising awareness about federal accessibility requirements and  the ongoing need for diligence.  On campus, curb cuts are and accessible grading are described on UMBC's Accessible Route Map.  All construction and renovation on campus is designed to meet current accessibility requirements.  That being said, repair conditions and maintenance needs arise and should be reported to Facilities Maintenance via Work Control (410-455-2550, workorder@umbc.edu) or via a department's AIM request.  Accessibility concerns may be reported at any time via this linked online form. The replacement of elevators in the Sondheim and Fine Arts buildings in 2021 will be a boost to campus navigation, especially for people with disabilities.  UMBC's Web Accessibility page (link), including information for reporting difficulty about digital content accessibility is also shared via the footer of UMBC's websites.

 Additionally, all students with disabilities  - graduate, undergraduate, part-time, full-time -  may seek academic accommodation via Student Disability Services.  Similarly, employees  - faculty, staff, graduate assistants, student workers, work-study - may seek work-related accommodations via Accessibility and Disability Services.

Accessibility and Disability Services looks forward to working in partnership with UMBC's diverse and inclusive community to support equitable access to education,  and employment as we reflect on the growth of campus accessibility over the past 31 years. 

P.S. UMBC's support of accessibility pre-dates the ADA-read more about the designer Guy Chisholm who was honored for his 1965 accessible design elements at UMBC by Governor Mandel in 1982 via this link.