Kick off Graduate Student Appreciation Week by finding your competitive rhythm.

Join us and the Military and Veterans Office for a night of board games, video games, and community.

You deserve a break from the research—come hang out!.

HAPPENING NOW FROM 3-6PM

COMMONS GAMEROOM

Dear UMBC Community,

On behalf of the Strategic Plan Steering Committee, I write to remind you to share your ideas for strengthening UMBC’s strategic plan and pillars via this survey. The survey deadline has been extended from Tuesday, April 7, to Friday, April 17, to ensure as many responses as possible. You can choose which sections to complete based on your interests and experiences. Please note that each section takes approximately 10 – 15 minutes, and all responses are anonymous and confidential.

Our pillar subgroups have started posting engagement events in the myUMBC Strategic Planning group. The Transform Teaching and Learning pillar subgroup is inviting UMBC faculty to two events next week. On Tuesday, April 7, a Virtual Town Hall will be held at 4 p.m., which faculty can register for here. On Wednesday, April 8, an In-Person Town Hall for faculty will take place in Engineering 027 from noon to 1 p.m.

Finally, please visit the strategic planning website for current information, which includes a feedback form on the homepage.

Thank you in advance for sharing your thoughts and feedback; your voice is essential to ensuring a strong UMBC Strategic Plan. We appreciate your support.

Regards,

Charissa S. L. Cheah
Professor, Psychology and Asian Studies Affiliate Faculty
Chair, Strategic Plan Steering Committee

The Graduate Academic Affairs Committee (GAAC) elections are now open. We encourage you to vote. Please take a few minutes to review the GAAC candidate information and their speeches to make an informed decision before voting.
Links: Nominee Information   GAAC Nominee Speeches
How to Vote:
Please use the Google form to cast your vote:GAAC Voting Form 2026-2027

Important:

• Please vote for onlyone candidateas per the voting guidelines.
• Voting is open now and willclose on Tuesday, April 7, at 5:00 PM
• This voting is exclusively for graduate students holdingGA, TA, RA, or Graderpositions. Only eligible graduate assistants may cast a vote for GAAC candidates.

Your vote plays an important role in shaping academic initiatives and graduate student representation at UMBC. We strongly encourage your participation.

I&T members! Here is our Information flier for our upcoming M&M event!!

Peerada Phoomsiri will present her resarch at URCAD on Wednesday, April 22 from 9:40-9:55am in RAC 230.

Title: Rewarding Relationships: An Ethnographic Study of Volunteers with the Special Olympics

Mentor: Bambi Chapin, Anthropology

Abstract:

Giving those with intellectual disabilities a chance to shine in athletic settings is exactly what the Special Olympics aims to do. But what about the volunteers who help make these events possible? Volunteer work with the Special Olympics is described by the organization as “rewarding for all” and “about creating lifelong friendships.” This research aimed to study these friendships created in an athletic setting by engaging in participant observation through the role of a volunteer. Volunteering at Special Olympics basketball games in Maryland afforded a glimpse of the interaction’s volunteers have with others in the program. The observed interactions show that volunteers contribute towards a positive environment through the relationships they form. As facilitators of events and fans of athletics, volunteers both contribute to and benefit from their role in the Special Olympics. By better understanding the significance of relationship-building in motivating volunteer engagement and what facilitates that, this research offers organizations useful information in supporting the volunteer labor on which they rely.

For the full schedule of URCAD events see: URCAD.umbc.edu

Kick off Graduate Student Appreciation Week by finding your competitive rhythm.

Join us and the Military and Veterans Office for a night of board games, video games, and community.

You deserve a break from the research—come hang out!.

HAPPENING NOW FROM 3-6PM

COMMONS GAMEROOM

To all our hardworking graduate students: we see the late nights in the lab, the endless research, and the dedication you pour into your work every single day. You are a vital part of what makes UMBC move.

Graduate Student Appreciation Week (GSAW) is our way of hitting "pause" on the grind so you can take up space, find your rhythm, and be celebrated for the incredible impact you have on this campus. From wellness sessions to game nights and a formal prom, this week is all about you. You’ve earned the right to relax, connect, and enjoy the community you help build.

FOLLOW OGSL ON myUMBC FOR ALL GSAW INFO!

Pre-GSAW Kickoff Events

TODAY - Game Night with Military and Veterans

• Friday, April 3 | 3–6 p.m.
• Gameroom, The Commons

TOMORROW - Grad Outing to Dave & Busters

• Saturday, April 4 | 11 a.m.–1 p.m.
• Off Campus

GSAW Event Schedule

Grad Wellness Day | Monday, April 6

• Wellness Tabling 
• 1–3 p.m.
• The Commons, Main Street

• Candle Making 
• 3–5 p.m.
• The Commons, Room 329

• Break the Mold (Pottery & Networking)
• 4–6 p.m. 
• The Commons, Fireside Lounge (with The Office of Health Promotion)

GEARS Research Symposium & 3MT

• Tuesday, April 7 | 9 a.m.–5 p.m.
• UC Ballroom

Grad Bingo Night

•  Wednesday, April 8 | 4–7 p.m.
•  UC Ballroom
• RSVP & FOLLOW OGSL ON myUMBC

Grad Cultural Day

• Thursday, April 9 | 12–4 p.m
• UC Ballroom

Career Paths by The Graduate School

• Thursday, April 9 | 5–8:30 p.m.
• Fireside Lounge, The Commons

Grad Prom & Awards

• Friday, April 10 | 5–8 p.m.
• UC Ballroom
• RSVP & FOLLOW OGSL ON myUMBC

Note:All programs and events are open to full participation by all individuals, regardless of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, or any other protected category.

Effective immediately, travelers seeking an exceptions due to a religious, medical, or other accommodation must submit documentation to the designated office PRIOR to travel. 

Religious accommodation documentation must be sent to the Office of Equity and Civil Rights. Begin the online accommodation request here.

Medical or other accommodation must be submitted to the Office of Accessibility and Disability Services (OADS)  here.  No confidental information is included on the documentation included in Concur.

Where to include in Concur? Copy of approved accommodation must be included with travel request and the expense report as support documentation.  No confidental information is included on the documentation included in Concur.

When to get approval? All accommodations must be approved in writing by the relevant office prior to booking travel, to be considered during the travel approval process.

For questions concerning the accommodation process please contact:

Office of Accessibility and Disability Services: adasupport@umbc.edu

Perfect housing opportunity for an incoming professor, post-doc or doctoral student. The house is in Catonsville on a quiet street, 5 minutes from campus, in a family oriented neighborhood (ie. lots of kids.) 
Available starting August 1 for a 1-year lease.

Rent Includes:

• 2 bedrooms
• 1 + 1/2 bath
• Fully Furnished
• Utilities are included
• High Speed Internet
• Central Heat and A/C
• Washing Machine
• Dish Washer
• Electric Car Plugin

Contact me atbisbell1@umbc.edu

We are delighted to announce the Community Builder Award, the first-ever award created to recognize outstanding members of AAAFSC .

Over the past four years, AAAFSC has experienced tremendous growth, reflected in a significant increase in membership and strong engagement across the community - especially among junior members. Today, we are proud to be one of the strongest affinity groups on campus. This success would not have been possible without the members who consistently contribute their time, ideas, and energy to support one another and strengthen our community.

The Community Builder Award was established to honor and celebrate individuals who exemplify our core values of peer support, informal mentoring, and community building. 

Based on their exceptional engagement and contributions, the AAAFSC leadership team is pleased to recognize the following inaugural recipients:

• Lili Cui,  Physics
• Tejas Gokhale,  Computer Science and Electrical Engineering
• Yi Huang,  Mathematics and Statistics
• Riadul Islam,  Computer Science and Electrical Engineering
• Prasanna Joeg,  Computer Science and Electrical Engineering
• Dong Li,  Computer Science and Electrical Engineering
• Weihong Lin,  Biology
• Neha Raikar,  Chemical, Biochemical and Environmental Engineering
• Mario Sto. Domingo,  The Meyerhoff Scholars Program
• Rowena Winkler, Career Center
• Fan Yang,  Media and Communication Studies
• Kyung-Eun Yoon, Modern Languages, Linguistics and Intercultural Communication
• Lira Yoon,  Psychology
• Lei Zhang,  Information Systems

Congratulations to all of our recipients on this well-deserved recognition! 

We are also planning an end-of-year celebration in May. Stay tuned for more details.