1. Matthew Fabian, Ph.D., FDA Biologist
2. Joe Blasic, Ph.D., Senior Manager at Meso Scale Discovery
3. Sarah Luttrell, Ph.D., Research Assistant at the Smithsonian Institution Feather Identification Lab, based in the National Museum of Natural History
4. Lucy Brown, Ph.D., Research Division, PinnacleCare/SunLife, Medical Writer and Technical editor
5. Chong Zhang, Ph.D., Data and Analytics Manager/Tech, Freddie Mac
6. Jong Park, Ph.D., Postdoctoral Research Associate Training (PRAT) fellow in the laboratory of Dr. Brant Weinstein at the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human, Development (NICHD)
7. James T. Melton III, Ph.D., SEA Program Officer, Howard Hughes Medical Institute
8. Max Bangs, Ph.D., Technical Application Scientist | Next Generation, Sequencing, GENEWIZ Multiomics & Synthesis Solutions
9. Linda Huynh, Ph.D., Lead Research Editor, The Michael J. Fox Foundation For Parkinson's Research
10. Ryan Weeks-Rutan, Ph.D., Sr. Sustainability Specialist, Green Labs & Zero Waste, Office of Climate & Sustainability, Johns Hopkins University

Career fairs can feel overwhelming — crowded rooms, long lines, and dozens of employers all competing for your attention. But the students who get the most out of a career fair don't just show up and hope for the best. They arrive with a plan.

Here's a step-by-step strategy to help you approach the Spring Career & Internship Fair on February 18 with intention and confidence.

1. Review the Fair Directory in Advance

Before the fair, take time to explore the list of attending employers. This helps you avoid wandering aimlessly and allows you to prioritize companies that genuinely align with your interests and experience.

2. Match Your Skills to Employer Needs

As you review the directory, ask yourself: Which employers are seeking skills I already have — or want to develop? Highlight organizations whose roles match your background, coursework, or transferable skills. Choose 3-5 priority employers and 2 backup options.

3. Visit the Employer's Career Site

Next, go directly to the company's career page. Look for open roles, internships, or entry-level positions that interest you. Having a specific job in mind makes your conversation more focused and memorable.

4. Identify a Role You'd Apply For

Choose one or two positions that feel like a strong fit. Take note of the job title and basic qualifications so you can reference them confidently during your conversation at the fair. Prepare a quick 20-30 second introduction connecting your skills to the role.

5. Go to the Booth with Purpose

When you approach the employer's booth, introduce yourself and mention the role you're interested in. For example:

"I'm really interested in the [XYZ position] I saw on your website. Is there someone on your team I could speak with about it?"

This shows preparation, initiative, and genuine interest — qualities recruiters appreciate.

6. Make the Connection Personal

If you speak with a recruiter or team member, ask thoughtful questions about the role and the team. Take notes if you can, and be sure to ask for their contact information or the best way to follow up.

7. Follow Up with a Targeted Message

After the fair, send a brief follow-up email or LinkedIn message with the following:

• That you met [name of recruiter] at the UMBC Career Fair
• The specific role you discussed
• Thank them for their time

This follow-up turns a quick conversation into a warm lead.

8. Build Momentum

While nothing is guaranteed, this strategy increases your chances of being remembered, referred, or encouraged to apply. Career fairs aren't about instant offers — they're about starting relationships that move your job search forward. And if you don't hear back, that doesn't mean you failed. Use this experience as an opportunity to refine your approach for the next fair or career-related event.

Put the Strategy into Action

Ready to try this approach for yourself? Join us at the Spring Career & Internship Fair on February 18 and put your strategy to work. Preparation plus follow-through can turn one conversation into your next opportunity.

1. The American Safety Net: Work, Poverty, and Opportunity with Dr. Angela Rachidi.
   
   
2. More Than a Paycheck: Work and Dignity in a Rapidly Changing Economy with Brent Orrell.

A strong sense of belonging is one of the key predictors of student success and employee satisfaction. On the other hand, loneliness (not to be confused with solitude) is linked to a number of detrimental psychological and physical health outcomes. 

As a faculty member I published widely on the course and outcomes of loneliness in middle childhood and adolescence. It was very meaningful work to me as I wanted to do my part to inform how we create a world where everyone feels they belong and are included. 

These days as a provost, I feel deeply responsible that everyone in our campus community feels welcome and that they belong. It saddens me deeply when I learn that someone in our community does not feel they belong or even worse has been harmed or feels unsafe. 

I ask you to be kind and welcoming to others around you. As an institute of higher education we also have an opportunity to educate the future of Maryland, the U.S., and the world. What do we want that world to look like? I have asked the re-envisioning general education committee what we want all UMBC students to learn and leave with to go into our community. I don't see how being kind and caring is not part of that equation. 

Thank You for the Feedback

Thank you to everyone who has provided feedback this semester. The Provost's Perspective is a work in progress and will continue to evolve to more fully serve you, UMBC's faculty and academic staff. If there is a subject or topic that you feel should be covered (or have general feedback on the content), drop me a note here. Your feedback and input matters! 

Mark your calendar

Advancing Social Science Research: A Workshop Series on AI, LLMs, and Computational Methods

Registration open for the February workshops 

Join the Center for Social Science Scholarship (CS3) for a faculty-led and faculty-driven series to learn how best to transform your research using AI and generative AI tools. Through seven workshops and trainings, participants will explore how researchers use social network analysis to understand crime; how to make sense of, evaluate, and use new Large Language Models (LLMs) in their own research; and how advances in machine learning models can even help us infer causality. Finally, the sessions will consider the equity implications of these generative AI tools. The training will be conducted in the R and Python environments, but we will work with participants who are new to these programming languages. Participants in the series will also have the opportunity to earn UMBC experiential and proficiency badges.

This series, which is supported through the Elkins Professorship, features several new speakers this spring. 

• Social Network Analysis: Building Web-Based Applications for Experiential Learning

• February 20, noon to 1:30 p.m., PUP 438 

• Led by:  Dr. Steve McDonald, Professor of Sociology, NC State University

• A City in Motion: How Everyday Routines Channel and Control Crime in Baltimore

• February 27, noon to 1:30 p.m., PUP 438

• Led by: Dr. Brian Soller, Associate Professor of Sociology (SAPH), UMBC 

Register here.

Arts+

Lynda Barry — What It Is: A Talk on Creativity

Thursday, February 19, 7 p.m.

Fine Arts Recital Hall

Join us for a talk on creativity by award-winning author, artist, and cartoonist Lynda Barry. Author of 21 books, Barry was the creator of the seminal comic strip Ernie Pook's Comeek, and in 2019 received a MacArthur "genius" grant.

Learn more.

absolute alternatives

2026 Arts+ UMBC Faculty Exhibition

Through February 28

Center for Art, Design, and Visual Culture

The Center for Art, Design, and Visual Culture presents "absolute alternatives," the 2026 Arts+ UMBC Faculty Exhibition. Organized by guest curator Maleke Glee, "absolute alternatives" presents faculty from across UMBC whose interdisciplinary research is a form of creative practice. Inspired by the boundary-pushing spirit of the Arts+ initiative, the exhibition proposes alternatives to defining research through absolute disciplinary categories.

Public Programs

• On Saturday, February 28, at 2 p.m., conductor Philip Mann and curator Maleke Glee will be featured in Creative Convergence: A Conversation with a Conductor and Curator.

Visitor Information

Admission to the exhibition and all public programs is free. The CADVC is open Wednesday and Thursday from noon to 5 p.m., and on Friday and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Help Make this Newsletter Better

The goal each week of this message is to deepen our connection to UMBC, whether that is learning about an upcoming event, a divisional accomplishment, an innovative program, or an  update from the Office of the Provost. If you know of a program or event that should be highlighted, please share it here.

Until next week, 

Manfred van Dulmen