Check Out Aissatou's Experience @ NSBE!   

How long have you been a member of NSBE?

I've been with the UMBC chapter since I transferred in the fall of 2023. They have provided me with guidance, a mentor, opportunities to volunteer, and to be a part of a community that wants to see me succeed.

What opportunities did the NSBE convention provide?

I had an amazing opportunity to represent: UMBC and the Region. This convention went better than I expected. I went from 1 interview last year to 4 this year, with 2 job offers. I also had the opportunity to connect/ network with companies and multiple people from different schools. I went to multiple events, including the Golden Torch Awards, where I got to see people win awards for their accomplishments, plus schools, (a dress to impress event). 

Any other comments about the conference you would like to share?

The event would forever leave a special place in my heart. In an environment with about 16,000 people, I stood out and walked proudly as an INDS major. I thank the INDS program for everything. It's a degree that got me through so many things and shows that it's ok to want something different in college. Passion will get you a long way. 

Click here to learn more about Aissatou's INDS Degree!

Professor  Amber Spry from Brandeis University and a UMBC Alumna (BA, Political Science, '10), will talk about "The Technological Future: Shifting the Focus from What We Build to Who We Build it For" in the UMBC AOK Library Gallery on 4-5:30 pm this Wednesday.

Dr. Spry is an Assistant Professor of African and African American Studies and Affiliate Faculty in the Department of Politics at Brandeis University. She is a thought leader bridging social scientific insights with application in the tech industry, most recently as Meta's Academic Collaborator for Social Impact Research, where she led the creation of measurement systems to understand social outcomes across Instagram, Facebook, AR, and VR applications, and artificial intelligence. She is a founding member of Meta's Co-Design Lab, a central organization that brings everyday people alongside engineers and designers to create new technologies with, not just for, the communities who use them. She also convened the recent  Responsible Innovation in AI Workshop in collaboration with the New York Academy of Science and Arizona State University, which gathered technologists, academics, and civil society to create actionable frameworks and guidelines for solving pressing technological challenges.

Read more here

Undergraduate Research and Creative Achievement Day (URCAD)

Come out and support our researchers at URCAD 2026!

Visit the RAC on Wednesday, April 22, to see our students and your peers in action. Be sure to stop by their poster sessions and presentations to engage with their work and show your support.

ANTHROPOLOGY

• Preston McMillian
  Tourism in Tiny Towns: An Ethnographic Study of Old Ellicott City
  Mentor: Nicholas Welcome
  RAC 106 | 3:15–3:30 PM
• Peerada Phoomsiri
  Rewarding Relationships: An Ethnographic Study of Volunteers with the Special Olympics
  Mentor: Bambi Chapin
  RAC 230 | 9:40–9:55 AM

PUBLIC HEALTH

• Jesslyn Annan
  "An Outsider in The Place That's Become Your Home": Stories of Navigating Identity as a 1.5 Generation Asian Immigrant
  Mentor: Chulwoo Park
  RAC Arena | 10:00–11:00 AM | Poster #11
• Nicholas Denton
  Quantifying Misinformation: Vaccine Hesitancy and its Reverberations
  Mentor: Kathryn Monzo
  RAC Arena | 2:00–3:00 PM | Poster #15
• Muskaan Hammad
  Centralizing Community Health Access & Resource Module with a Focus on Food Resources During the Federal Shutdown
  Mentor: Katie Birger
  RAC Arena | 10:00–11:00 AM | Poster #45
• Tiffany Nguyen
  Understanding Severe Psychological Distress Among Older Veterans: A Population-Level Analysis
  Mentor: Cristina Miller
  RAC 230 | 10:00–10:15 AM
• Deven Patel, Fathima Hafsa Abdul Gaffoor, Ephrata Mangesha
  Environment Control and Health Burdens: An International Comparative Study of Preventive Risks from Urban Pollution
  Mentor: Christine Mair
  RAC Arena | 10:00–11:00 AM | Poster #75
• Letu Reggasa
  Maryland College Basic Needs Community of Practice
  Mentor: Andrea Kalfoglou
  RAC 106 | 12:00–12:15 PM
• Anelsy Valencia
  Immigration Vulnerability and Self-Rated Oral Health Among Latin Adults: A Pilot Study*
  Mentor: Dina Garcia
  RAC Arena | 2:00–3:00 PM | Poster #70

For the full schedule see: urcad.umbc.edu

As part of Graduate Student Appreciation Week (GSAW), OGSL and Library Services invite you to take a well-deserved break and connect with your graduate community at our Grad Lounge Open House.

📍 Location: Graduate Student Study Lounge, AOK Library 765
📅 Date: Wednesday, April 8
⏰ Time: 1–3 PM (drop in anytime!)

Stop by to:

• Enjoy free snacks
• Pick up library swag
• Grab a mini “Grad School Survival Kit”
• Add a note to our gratitude wall
• Create a card for a peer who is defending or graduating

This pop-up is designed to create a moment of pause, appreciation, and connection during a busy point in the semester—centering care, community, and recognition for all that our graduate students contribute to UMBC.

Whether you stay for a few minutes or the full time, we hope you’ll join us in celebrating our rhythm, our way.

Get ready for the most exciting night of Graduate Student Appreciation Week! Join us for Grad Bingo Night on Wednesday, April 8 from 5–8 p.m. in the UC Ballroom. 

This is your chance to take a break from the books and compete for some MASSIVE prizes. If you win BINGO then go home with a coffee machine, a TV, and even BIGGER prizes!

Make sure you GRAB YOUR TICKET now for a chance to win big and enjoy a night of fun with your fellow graduate students. See you there!

Name: Gunner Sudol

Pronouns: Any/All

Title: Coordinator for Desk Services, Residential Life

Years in Student Affairs: 5

UMBC alum: I received both my undergraduate and graduate degrees at UMBC in biological sciences with a focus in neuroscience. 

What is something you do as part of your position that people may not be aware of?
Most might be able to assume from my title that I do a lot with customer service and addressing concerns, but I am also responsible for co chairing our recruitment committee which markets, hires, and onboards a massive student staff team to support the department of Residential Life. One of my favorite new projects this year has been the amount of assessment I have been conducting throughout our process sourcing feedback and reviewing our processes' accessibility to make it as effective as possible in preparing and selecting excellent students to join our teams.  

What is one of the most important things you’ve learned during your time here?
An important thing I learned in my time at UMBC is that change is a constant. Every year I think ‘This will be the year that I will be able to copy and paste what I did last year!’ And every year I’m wrong! I’m not mad about it. New things happen and strange developments beyond my control keep me on my toes and drive me to improve every time and refine processes as much as I can. 

What do you like to do for fun and/or is something you are passionate about outside of work? 
One of the things I enjoy most is cosplay! For those that don’t know what it is, basically I never grew out of playing dress up. I love it because there are so many artistic skills needed for the hobby. I have learned how to sew, paint, do make up, hair style, 3D print and so much more all for one hobby. I get to flex my creativity and craftiness in a variety of ways and get to look cool at the end of it. 

1:30- 2:00pm, RAC Stage

Come rock with us, 90s style with the Down and Dirty Dawg Band!

Founded in 1998, DDDB is UMBC’s pep band. The name was given to the band by the members to reflect the music and attitude of the group. DDDB plays popular and jazz funk tunes and has grown into a core membership of highly motivated performers led by a student organization. They support the Retrievers Men’s and Women’s Basketball teams and perform at other spirit events. They will be playing a selection of 90s tunes to celebrate URCAD's 30th anniversary! Band members: Jamie Bates, Charlie Blocher, Rose Bodie, Aidan Cohen, Jean Diaz, Julieta Marin, Daniel Pellerano, Michael Riddle, Anastasia Sartain, Ben Yoder.

Director: Bentley Corbett-Wilson

URCAD is Wednesday, April 22 in the RAC:

URCAD.umbc.edu

Lama Mohamed's exhibit of illustrations explores how using creative methods can inspire greater thought and wonder in younger viewers’ first exposure to elementary science.

Special Exhibit, 10 – 11 a.m., RAC Upper Track, First Floor

Title: Imagining Science

Mentor: Chung-Wei Huang, Media and Communication Studies

Abstract:

Art has not been utilized nearly enough to visualize the complex relationships that exist within the broad disciplines of life sciences. The separation of creativity from science, and the rigidity of science within the arts has minimized the future possibilities of both fields. These illustrations explored how using more creative methods can inspire greater thought and wonder in younger viewers’ first exposure to elementary science. This was attempted through use of experimental art techniques such as collage, mixed media, and a focus on artistic appeal rather than strict accuracy of anatomy or scale. There are a total of three pieces: Scale, Unity, and Balance; all created with the intention of centering young audiences, but also the innate curiosity present in all people, regardless of age. Each illustration is centered around that inborn desire to understand and make meaning of the vast yet intricate world around us, and how it manifests in everyday life.

URCAD is Wednesday, April 22 in the RAC:

URCAD.umbc.edu

Interested in becoming a Peer Health Educator? Apply for the 2026-2027 academic year! The Peer Health Educator program allows students to serve as leaders on campus and promote health/well-being, and there's a stipend! 
Application is live! Applications must be submitted by Friday, April 10.  2026- 2027 Peer Health Educator Application

UMBC instructors are invited to "enroll" in the self-paced, online Course Roadmap to Equity (CoRE) Foundations training, which provides practical tools to achieve the ‘Strive for 85’ digital accessibility goal -- an overall Ally course score of 85% or better by the end of 2026. 

In March 2026, UMBC’s Digital Accessibility Steering Committee launched Strive for 85 -- an institutional goal to achieve an overall Ally course accessibility score of 85% or better across all Blackboard courses by the end of 2026. This initiative represents a commitment to digital accessibility and inclusive excellence in course design. CoRE Foundations gives instructors practical tools to apply accessibility improvements in their own courses to make progress toward that goal.

How it Works

CoRE Foundations is flexible and self-paced. Begin with Module 1 (Strive for 85), then choose additional modules based on the type of content you teach. You can also earn an optional microcredential, recognizing your expertise in implementing digital accessibility best practices.

Getting Started

CoRE Foundations is available now on Blackboard. Instructors may self-enroll in CoRE Foundations to get started today. Department chairs may submit an RT request to have Instructional Technology enroll their faculty.

Join UMBC's campus-wide commitment to inclusive excellence!

Connect with Instructional Technology

As always, if you have any questions about teaching, learning, and technology at UMBC, please consider the following options:

• Check our extensive FAQ collection 
  • What's new in Ultra? | Known Issues 
• Open a ticket via RT
• Follow theInstructional Technology & DoIT myUMBC groups
• Request a consult with instructional technology staff
• UMBC Digital Accessibility| Ally FAQs | Ally Demo | Ally Report (VPN required)
• PIVOT | Academic Continuity |Keep On Teaching |Student Technology Resources