***reposted from UMBC AI***

As part of the 2nd Annual HDR Machine Learning Challenge, UMBC's iHARP project, along with other NSF HDR Institutes, is hosting a kick-off virtual hackathon on December 18th (2 - 5 PM EST) that will take palce in Gathertown.

They invite students, researchers, and practitioners of ALL levels to join in. See flyer here. Interested students and faculty can register here to receive participant details. Teams/Groups are welcome! 

UMBC's IHARP team looks forward to seeing you in Gathertown for the virtual hackathon on December 18.

Dear International Students and Scholars,

As the fall semester comes to a close, the Center for Global Engagement recognizes that many members of our community may have travel plans that include travel outside of the United States. We understand that travel is a personal decision and we are writing today to equip you with information to help guide your planning. 

Important Travel Considerations

We strongly encourage careful review of potential risks before finalizing international travel plans, and monitoring for changes that may impact your plans. New immigration policies may decrease travel flexibility and increase the risk of travel and reentry delays for foreign nationals. Understanding your immigration status within the changing policy landscape can help you prepare and plan for the upcoming travel season. We strongly recommend that you consider:

• Monitoring existing or prospective travel bans. Travel bans for 19 countries were announced June 4, 2025 and are still in effect. This may make it impossible for citizens of impacted countries to obtain a visa or return to the United States. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem recently indicated that additional travel bans will be added, although no additional information about those plans has been published as of the date of this announcement. If additional travel restrictions are implemented, they may be put into effect swiftly and without advance notice. We strongly encourage you not to travel internationally if you are from one of the 19 countries with a current travel ban or if you are from a country that was previously reported to be included in a future travel ban.

• Appointment availability and potential delays if you must renew your visa. Traveling for the sole purpose of renewing your F, H or J visa is not necessary. However, if you absolutely must travel and also need a new visa, delays in visa processing are expected. We strongly recommend that you schedule your appointment at the U.S. consulate or embassy before you depart the United States. If you encounter any delays or difficulties in returning to the U.S. by your required return date, please notify UMBC's Office of International Students and Scholars (OISS) as soon as possible.

• Enhanced social media screening and vetting. During a visa application, social media screening is now in effect for all F and J visa applicants. Social media screening will be implemented for all H visa applicants beginning December 15, 2025. There are reports that a number of H-1B and H-4 visa appointments scheduled on or after December 15, 2025 have been canceled and rescheduled for March 2026. H visa applicants should carefully consider their travel plans in anticipation that their visa appointment may be rescheduled, and they will be prohibited from returning to the U.S. until a valid visa is issued.

• Enhanced screening at U.S. ports of entry. If you decide to travel abroad, be prepared for enhanced screening by the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) upon your return to the U.S. You may be asked to present your electronic devices and passwords for access. You may find information from ACLU about your rights at the airport to be helpful.

• Your own tolerance for risk and uncertainty. Consider whether your personal risk assessment indicates a high likelihood of travel complications, if you will be unable to afford the possibility of a visa denial or delayed re-entry, or if the prospect of increased questioning at consulates or ports of entry causes significant anxiety. If any of these are the case, it may be advisable to postpone your travel plans.

Documentation to prepare in advance of your travel

If you do decide to travel outside of the U.S., it is important to prepare all documentation before you depart the United States and check the validity of all documentation. If you are in F-1 or J-1 status, a travel signature is required on the form I-20 or DS-2019. Travel within the U.S. does not require updated travel signatures; however, you must carry your proof of immigration status with you.

Please review the following requirements based on your visa type:

• F-1 currently enrolled students or on OPT/STEM: Be sure to check that you have a travel endorsement on page 2 of your form I-20 that will still be valid on the date that you return to the U.S. Check your passport validity and the expiration date of your F-1 visa to make sure it will be valid on the date you plan to return. For other recommended documentation, please follow the guidance for enrolled F-1 students and students pursuing post-graduation OPT or STEM OPT. For enrolled students, ensure that you are registered for Spring 2026 classes and that you will return to the U.S. prior to the start of the semester on Monday, January 26, 2026.

• J-1 Exchange Visitors: Be sure to check that you have a travel endorsement on the bottom right corner of page 1 of your DS-2019 that will still be valid on the date you return to the U.S. Check your passport validity and the expiration date of your J-1 visa to make sure it will be valid on the date of your return. For J-1 scholars or researchers, it is recommended that you take a copy of your signed appointment letter with you. For enrolled J-1 students, ensure that you are registered for Spring 2026 classes and that you will return to the U.S. prior to the start of the semester on Monday, January 26, 2026.

• H-1B employees: Be sure to check that your passport will be valid for six months beyond the entire period of your H-1B approved stay (see dates on form I-797 approval notice) in the U.S. and confirm that the visa in your passport is unexpired and reflects your current H-1B classification. Take your notice of approval (form I-797), your latest appointment letter, and a copy of the full petition (located in your box folder).

• If you have a pending change of status to H-1B, you should not travel until the change of status is approved. Departing the U.S. while it is pending is considered an abandonment of the request. If the petition is later denied, you may become subject to the $100,000 fee.

• Traveling while an H-1B petition and extension of stay or amendment of stay is pending should not trigger the fee, though caution is still advised.

What to do during and after your return to the United States

If you have questions in advance of your return to the U.S., please contact OISS. If you encounter any difficulties while attempting to enter the United States, please contact UMBC Police at +1-410-455-5555 and they will get in touch with someone from our team.

After your successful re-entry to the U.S., please download and review your electronic I-94 immediately to make sure that entry in the correct visa status is reflected. If you notice any discrepancies, please contact OISS.

We wish safe travels to those choosing to travel during the winter break, and we hope that all members of our community have a chance to rest and recharge before the start of the Spring 2026 semester.

Sincerely,

Katrina Knudsen

Director, Office of International Students and Scholars

In an email to the campus community, UMBC President Valerie Sheares Ashby has announced that D. Paul Monteiro, Jr., will join the university as vice president for government relations and community affairs. The letter follows in full:

Dear UMBC Community,

I am delighted to announce the appointment of D. Paul Monteiro, Jr., as our new vice president for government relations and community affairs. Paul is an experienced administrator and lifelong public servant who has held leadership roles in local, state, and federal government and in higher education. He served most recently as the inaugural secretary of the Maryland Department of Service and Civic Innovation.

Prior to his appointment to Governor Wes Moore’s cabinet in 2023, Paul was nominated by U.S. President Joe Biden and confirmed by the Senate in 2022 as director of the U.S. Department of Justice Community Relations Service (CRS). Created by the Civil Rights Act of 1964, CRS works to mitigate community tensions based on race, color, national origin, sexual orientation, religion, or disability. Paul had served as acting director of CRS from 2015 to 2017, before taking on a role as chief of staff to the president and assistant vice president of external affairs at Howard University.

Paul’s public service goes back many years. He served from 2009 to 2013 in the Obama administration as an associate director in the Office of Public Engagement, and he was appointed by President Barack Obama as national director of AmeriCorps Volunteers in Service to America (VISTA). During his time on the White House staff, Paul coordinated the My Brother’s Keeper mentorship program for young men and served as a liaison to numerous religious, secular, and ethnic communities, including Arab American and Afghan American groups.

A former ex-officio member of the National Counterterrorism Center’s Heritage Council, Paul was awarded a citation from the National Security Council in 2013 for his work on international priorities, including the Global Entrepreneurship Summit, refugee resettlement, and other humanitarian efforts.

Locally, he has served as a member of the Prince George’s County Public Schools Board of Education, the Emerging Leaders Impact Fund in Prince George’s County, the Board of Governors of Wesley Theological Seminary in Washington, D.C., and the Board of Advisors of the Madison House Autism Foundation, based in Rockville.

Raised in Hyattsville, Maryland, Paul is the proud son of immigrants and was the first in his family to attend college. He earned a bachelor’s degree in history from the University of Maryland and a law degree from the Howard University School of Law. In law school, he served as a fellow in the Marshall-Brennan Constitutional Literacy Project, where he spent a year teaching middle and high school students about the U.S. Constitution.

The depth and breadth of Paul’s service to communities locally and globally speak volumes about his commitment to making a meaningful difference. We are fortunate to have in Paul not only someone whose knowledge and expertise in policy, governance, and advocacy will serve us well, but also someone whose personal values align so beautifully with UMBC’s.

He has expressed to me his admiration for UMBC and its public mission, and I know he looks forward to continuing to strengthen our engagement with government officials and our collaboration with UMBC’s neighbors.

Paul will hit the ground running; I am grateful that he is able to begin in the role next week, in preparation for the start of the Maryland General Assembly’s regular session in January, and at a time when our advocacy with local, state, and federal government is more demanding and more consequential than ever.

Please join me in welcoming Paul to UMBC!

Sincerely,

President Valerie Sheares Ashby

In an email to the campus community, UMBC President Valerie Sheares Ashby has announced that D. Paul Monteiro, Jr., will join the university as vice president for government relations and community affairs. The letter follows in full:

Dear UMBC Community,

I am delighted to announce the appointment of D. Paul Monteiro, Jr., as our new vice president for government relations and community affairs. Paul is an experienced administrator and lifelong public servant who has held leadership roles in local, state, and federal government and in higher education. He served most recently as the inaugural secretary of the Maryland Department of Service and Civic Innovation.

Prior to his appointment to Governor Wes Moore’s cabinet in 2023, Paul was nominated by U.S. President Joe Biden and confirmed by the Senate in 2022 as director of the U.S. Department of Justice Community Relations Service (CRS). Created by the Civil Rights Act of 1964, CRS works to mitigate community tensions based on race, color, national origin, sexual orientation, religion, or disability. Paul had served as acting director of CRS from 2015 to 2017, before taking on a role as chief of staff to the president and assistant vice president of external affairs at Howard University.

Paul’s public service goes back many years. He served from 2009 to 2013 in the Obama administration as an associate director in the Office of Public Engagement, and he was appointed by President Barack Obama as national director of AmeriCorps Volunteers in Service to America (VISTA). During his time on the White House staff, Paul coordinated the My Brother’s Keeper mentorship program for young men and served as a liaison to numerous religious, secular, and ethnic communities, including Arab American and Afghan American groups.

A former ex-officio member of the National Counterterrorism Center’s Heritage Council, Paul was awarded a citation from the National Security Council in 2013 for his work on international priorities, including the Global Entrepreneurship Summit, refugee resettlement, and other humanitarian efforts.

Locally, he has served as a member of the Prince George’s County Public Schools Board of Education, the Emerging Leaders Impact Fund in Prince George’s County, the Board of Governors of Wesley Theological Seminary in Washington, D.C., and the Board of Advisors of the Madison House Autism Foundation, based in Rockville.

Raised in Hyattsville, Maryland, Paul is the proud son of immigrants and was the first in his family to attend college. He earned a bachelor’s degree in history from the University of Maryland and a law degree from the Howard University School of Law. In law school, he served as a fellow in the Marshall-Brennan Constitutional Literacy Project, where he spent a year teaching middle and high school students about the U.S. Constitution.

The depth and breadth of Paul’s service to communities locally and globally speak volumes about his commitment to making a meaningful difference. We are fortunate to have in Paul not only someone whose knowledge and expertise in policy, governance, and advocacy will serve us well, but also someone whose personal values align so beautifully with UMBC’s.

He has expressed to me his admiration for UMBC and its public mission, and I know he looks forward to continuing to strengthen our engagement with government officials and our collaboration with UMBC’s neighbors.

Paul will hit the ground running; I am grateful that he is able to begin in the role next week, in preparation for the start of the Maryland General Assembly’s regular session in January, and at a time when our advocacy with local, state, and federal government is more demanding and more consequential than ever.

Please join me in welcoming Paul to UMBC!

Sincerely,

President Valerie Sheares Ashby

By: Margot Anthony, WGEC Student Staff Member and Social Work Student

Main theme: Letting yourself be vulnerable again in a relationship after gender-based harm. 

Trauma from gender-based harm and healing from that trauma is a topic that is discussed a lot at the Women’s, Gender, and Equity Center (WGEC); we even have a weekly discussion group about it called “We Believe You.” It is through this group that I have been thinking about the healing process, and how in all of the books that I have read about healing from gender-based harm it is never discussed how to navigate beginning a new relationship and letting yourself be vulnerable again. 

Since I had experienced my trauma, when I was 17 and 19, I had never been in a relationship after that. I am 23 years old now. The thought of letting myself become that vulnerable again was terrifying, and right now it still is. I had a decision to make, I could live in a world of fear and what if’s or I could take small steps into letting myself fully live my life again, on my own terms. 

That’s what I decided to do. I began slowly. I was hanging out with some of my friends and we had the great idea to make an account for me on a dating app. Let’s just say there were some highs and many lows. It took me almost three years to even be comfortable with the idea of seeing if I wanted to go out on dates with people. It took me almost four years to actually go on a date with someone. It took 13 first dates going wrong in some way to find someone that seemed like they understood and respected boundaries. 

After some self-care and some journaling I decided that it was time to try again, and that I would give this person a chance; and so far I am really glad that I did. The fear is still there, and will continue to be there for a long time, but he seems to understand that. He encourages me to assert my own boundaries and does not take silence as a yes. Will this last forever? I don’t know and right now that is okay for me. Through this I am learning that there are people who do understand that setting boundaries isn’t presenting a challenge or saying ask me again. There are people that will understand some of your boundaries and limits without you having to say anything and without you having to explain anything to them. 

This was a difficult step for me to take because I was putting myself into a situation where I did not know what the outcome would be. I still don’t know what the outcome will be, and I’m beginning to realize that that is okay. 

Healing and starting to trust people and be vulnerable again is not a linear process, there are ups and downs. I wish that I could say that there were concrete steps that I took to get to this point.  I wish I could say that I’m not scared anymore, but that would be a complete lie. I’m still scared. That is something I don’t think will change. What I am learning is that fear does not have to control everything. 

Making sure fear does not control your life and keep you from experiencing new things is easier said than done. Some steps that I take include: 

1. Sharing my location when I go on dates. 
2. Giving trusted people the name of the person that I am going on a date with and a picture. 
3. Meeting someone at a location for a date and not being picked up by them. 
4. Telling people what the plan for the date is, and informing them if anything changes.
   1. What time and where we are meeting. 
   2. What time the date is likely to end. 
   3. Places we may be going other than the place that we meet. 
5. Being clear about boundaries when needed.
   1. This is one of the hardest things to do. It’s scary. But it’s important. If you get invited to do something you don’t want to do or don’t feel comfortable doing, SAY NO. YOU DO NOT HAVE TO EXPLAIN YOURSELF! NO IS A COMPLETE SENTENCE! 
6. Trust your gut! – If you feel uncomfortable, leave. Even if it is something small. 

Your journey is yours and yours alone. There is no specific timeline. Dating is hard and scary. One thing that I have learned is that while first dates are scary, the dates after can be even more nerve wracking. The important thing to remember is to make decisions that are good for you, and be willing to communicate your needs with people. The biggest thing that I have learned and that I will leave you all with is the fact that you do not have to be perfect to be in a relationship you just have to be trying. 

Dear UMBC Community,

I am delighted to announce the appointment of D. Paul Monteiro, Jr., as our new vice president for government relations and community affairs. Paul is an experienced administrator and lifelong public servant who has held leadership roles in local, state, and federal government and in higher education. He served most recently as the inaugural secretary of the Maryland Department of Service and Civic Innovation.

Prior to his appointment to Governor Wes Moore's cabinet in 2023, Paul was nominated by U.S. President Joe Biden and confirmed by the Senate in 2022 as director of the U.S. Department of Justice Community Relations Service (CRS). Created by the Civil Rights Act of 1964, CRS works to mitigate community tensions based on race, color, national origin, sexual orientation, religion, or disability. Paul had served as acting director of CRS from 2015 to 2017, before taking on a role as chief of staff to the president and assistant vice president of external affairs at Howard University.

Paul's public service goes back many years. He served from 2009 to 2013 in the Obama administration as an associate director in the Office of Public Engagement, and he was appointed by President Barack Obama as national director of AmeriCorps Volunteers in Service to America (VISTA). During his time on the White House staff, Paul coordinated the My Brother's Keeper mentorship program for young men and served as a liaison to numerous religious, secular, and ethnic communities, including Arab American and Afghan American groups.

A former ex-officio member of the National Counterterrorism Center's Heritage Council, Paul was awarded a citation from the National Security Council in 2013 for his work on international priorities, including the Global Entrepreneurship Summit, refugee resettlement, and other humanitarian efforts.

Locally, he has served as a member of the Prince George's County Public Schools Board of Education, the Emerging Leaders Impact Fund in Prince George's County, the Board of Governors of Wesley Theological Seminary in Washington, D.C., and the Board of Advisors of the Madison House Autism Foundation, based in Rockville.

Raised in Hyattsville, Maryland, Paul is the proud son of immigrants and was the first in his family to attend college. He earned a bachelor's degree in history from the University of Maryland and a law degree from the Howard University School of Law. In law school, he served as a fellow in the Marshall-Brennan Constitutional Literacy Project, where he spent a year teaching middle and high school students about the U.S. Constitution.

The depth and breadth of Paul's service to communities locally and globally speak volumes about his commitment to making a meaningful difference. We are fortunate to have in Paul not only someone whose knowledge and expertise in policy, governance, and advocacy will serve us well, but also someone whose personal values align so beautifully with UMBC's.

He has expressed to me his admiration for UMBC and its public mission, and I know he looks forward to continuing to strengthen our engagement with government officials and our collaboration with UMBC's neighbors.

Paul will hit the ground running; I am grateful that he is able to begin in the role next week, in preparation for the start of the Maryland General Assembly's regular session in January, and at a time when our advocacy with local, state, and federal government is more demanding and more consequential than ever.

Please join me in welcoming Paul to UMBC!

Sincerely,

President Valerie Sheares Ashby