On the surface, Kennedy Lamb ‘20, English, and Jethro Ssengonzi ‘20, mechanical engineering, didn’t have much in common when they arrived on campus. Today, these two accomplished scholar-athletes are coping with the challenges of graduating during a pandemic by drawing on stores of resilience and communities of support. Continue reading Scholar-athlete grads draw on resilience forged in challenging times
Times Higher Education has just named UMBC one of the top universities worldwide for social and economic impact. UMBC is one of only 31 universities recognized from the United States. UMBC is also the only university in Maryland represented on the list. Continue reading New Times Higher Ed ranking names UMBC a global leader in social and economic impact
UMBC students are no strangers to ingenuity. This year, due to COVID-19, the 24th annual iteration of URCAD calls for creative dexterity at a whole new level. URCAD has transitioned to a week-long online symposium, April 22 – 29. Continue reading URCAD 2020 showcases UMBC student researchers and artists in a new, interactive online format
A community of support welcomed Maygers to UMBC before she started classes freshman year. She thoughtfully grew that community during her time as a Retriever. Now, she’ll carry it with her to the next stage of her life and career. Continue reading CWIT Scholar Sammie Maygers ’20 finds, and builds, a community of support at UMBC
UMBC is again one of the top 500 universities in the world, according to the QS World University Rankings. Continue reading Latest global and national rankings name UMBC a leading university, from engineering and biology to public policy
At a time when information and misinformation are coming at us from all directions, and everyone is looking for answers, UMBC researchers are stepping up. They’re working hard to answer pressing questions about COVID-19 and sharing their expertise to help the public stay healthy and make informed decisions. Continue reading UMBC researchers offer knowledge, innovation during the time of COVID-19
UMBC senior Ilia Rattsev swept the freestyle sprints (50, 100, 200 yards). In doing so, he became the first-ever swimmer in America East history to sweep the freestyle sprints in three consecutive years. He earned the league’s David Alexander Coaches’ Award (most points accrued in a meet) and Elite 18 Award (highest academic achievement). While excelling in the pool, Rattsev is also maintaining a 3.97 GPA in bioinformatics and computational biology. Continue reading UMBC men’s swimming and diving named America East champions, women’s team captures 2nd place
“Carnegie’s definition of community engagement emphasizes the importance of reciprocity and mutual benefits in the partnerships that are created,” explains Michele Wolff, director of the Shriver Center. “Shriver Center programs ask us to think about how we can make our partnerships more authentic, to effectively meet the needs of all involved. In this way, the longstanding approach of the Shriver Center also reflects the Carnegie Foundation’s principles of reciprocity and mutuality.” Continue reading The Carnegie Foundation honors UMBC as a leading community-engaged university
UMBC is ranked #12 among all large employers in the area, and is the only university and only government institution featured on the list. New this year, the Sun named UMBC President Freeman A. Hrabowski the top leader among the region’s large employers. He shared, “While we have collective and individual goals, and we are committed to moving toward them, we also understand the fundamental truth that nothing is more important than the people who make up the organization.” Continue reading Baltimore Sun names UMBC a top place to work and Pres. Hrabowski #1 in leadership
As UMBC welcomes 2020, we celebrate the student successes, athletic achievements, research breakthroughs, and community news that made 2019 a year to remember. Continue reading UMBC’s Top Highlights of 2019
The UMBC Chess A team earned victories over the A team from the University of Pennsylvania as well as the B teams from the University of Toronto, University of Texas at Austin, and University of Pennsylvania. UMBC finished the competition ahead of Harvard, Princeton, and MIT. Continue reading UMBC places ninth at 2019 Pan-Am Team Chess Championship
Cindy Chelius, Miranda Marvel, Naqiya Ghulamali, and Ryan Oliver study very different things, but they are all driven to contribute to positive change through their research. They also hope to carry forward the support they found at UMBC as mentors to a future generation of researchers. Continue reading Preparing for impact: Four new UMBC grads share what drives their research
Each graduating student’s path looks different. For many Retrievers, UMBC offers an opportunity to develop not just knowledge and skills, but also self-awareness that enables them to pursue personal passions. That self-awareness often means understanding what kinds of support made an impact on their experiences, and how they can lend support to those coming up behind them. Excellence for these seniors is about more than accolades; it is about succeeding together. Continue reading UMBC graduates create their own paths to excellence, focused on succeeding together
Ahead of graduation, Hania Moro and fellow Retrievers Randy Deinlein and Collin David have shared their UMBC stories—unique paths and exceptional achievements thanks to a combination of personal grit and supportive community. Continue reading Swimmer, engineer, composer: Three Retrievers share their unique paths to graduation day
Students come to UMBC with a variety of experiences and in different stages of life. The unique perspectives of transfer students enrich the University, particularly as students connect with and support each other. Continue reading “We need people just like you”: Transfer students find, and build, supportive communities at UMBC
UMBC has named Brian Barrio the director of athletics, physical education, and recreation, effective January 2020. He will direct UMBC’s 17-sport NCAA Division I intercollegiate athletics program, all campus recreational programs (including intramurals, club sports, and recreational activities), and the physical education program. Continue reading UMBC welcomes Brian Barrio as director of athletics
The London-based Times Higher Education (THE) has released subject-area listings for its World University Rankings 2020, recognizing UMBC as among the best in the life sciences, physical sciences, and psychology. Continue reading Times Higher Education names UMBC a leader in life sciences, physical sciences, psychology
Leading up to UMBC’s Idea Competition, participants spend hours refining their presentations and receiving feedback from their mentors, as well as faculty, staff, family, and friends. Their goal: to gain the funding and professional advice needed to make their ideas a reality. Continue reading In 2019 Idea Competition, UMBC students focus on inclusion
Two years ago, local business and community groups asked a UMBC entrepreneurship class for ideas on how to better connect the University and its surrounding communities. The idea for OCA Mocha was born. After more than two years of planning, construction, relationship-building, and first-hand experience with the ups and downs of starting a business from scratch, the coffee shop and community gathering space in downtown Arbutus has officially opened its doors. Continue reading UMBC celebrates opening of student venture OCA Mocha, “where coffee meets community”
U.S. News & World Report has again named UMBC one of the best universities worldwide, with UMBC appearing as one of the top 150 U.S. institutions on the 2020 global list. The ranking highlights UMBC’s international leadership in geosciences and space science. Continue reading 2020 U.S. News global ranking names UMBC a top university, a leader in geosciences and space science
A new read on UMBC’s story is now hitting bookstores across the country. The Empowered University details how the UMBC community has come together to tackle some of higher education’s most intractable challenges, and has become a national model for inclusive excellence along the way. It’s a story of how leaders across administration, faculty, staff, and students have worked to get a full, honest view of UMBC’s strengths and weaknesses, and move the university forward. Continue reading “The Empowered University” brings UMBC’s story to readers nationwide
From November 1 through 10, UMBC will again join in two of Baltimore’s signature events — Light City and the Baltimore Book Festival — which will be held together in 2019 under the theme of Brilliant Baltimore. UMBC’s contributions include a talk by President Freeman Hrabowski, a UMBC-Light Ekphrastic panel discussion, a panel discussion on Baltimore Revisited, and the SPARK gallery. Continue reading UMBC shines at Brilliant Baltimore with artwork, talks, performances, a reception, and more
The newest ACE Fellow to arrive on campus is a two-time UMBC alumna who is shadowing UMBC leaders for the year. Kate Tracy M.A. ‘01, Ph.D. ‘03, psychology, was one of 39 people from across the country to be named ACE Fellows for the 2019-2020 academic year. Tracy is a professor of epidemiology and public health at the University of Maryland School of Medicine. Continue reading UMBC supports emerging higher ed leaders through ACE Fellows program
“Already there are research teams working in this building on such complex issues as age-related disease, environmental degradation, and health disparities,” says Dean Bill LaCourse. Solutions to our most complex challenges “are found through a convergence of talent and effort,” bringing together the perspectives of people from different fields and backgrounds. This is what the new building is designed to achieve. Continue reading UMBC spotlights the power of collaboration and community in opening of new science building, GRIT-X talks
Jordan Troutman has been selected to be the student commissioner for the Maryland Higher Education Commission (MHEC). He’s a computer science and mathematics major passionate about applying his work at the intersection of technology and policy to improve society. Continue reading MHEC selects UMBC’s Jordan Troutman, who bridges technology and policy, as student commissioner
One year ago, the UMBC community spoke out about experiences, urgent concerns, and hopes for change related to sexual and gender-based harassment and violence. This September 18, student, faculty, staff, and administrative leaders of the Retriever Courage initiative hosted an open gathering to update the campus on early progress and next steps toward fostering a campus climate in which all feel a sense of belonging, safety, and support. Continue reading Retriever Courage one year later: UMBC community listens, learns, and acts
Decades after the start of the internship boom, internships continue to be invaluable for both undergraduate and graduate students. As UMBC students demonstrate, gaining real-world experience and networking within an area of interest can have a lasting impact when it comes time to search for a full-time position. Continue reading Meet six Retrievers who went from internship to career success with UMBC Career Center support
Just days after U.S. News again recognized UMBC as one of the nation’s top universities for teaching and innovation, the Times Higher Education (THE) World University Rankings have named UMBC a top global university. UMBC is listed as among the top 800 universities worldwide, and #130 among U.S. universities on the global list. UMBC performs particularly well on an important measure that reflects the visibility of UMBC faculty research on a global stage. Continue reading Times Higher Ed and Wall Street Journal again name UMBC a leading global and U.S. university
U.S. News & World Report rankings announced today affirm that UMBC’s strength in teaching and innovation go hand in hand. UMBC is once again a leader on two closely-watched lists, ranked the #9 most innovative university and #12 top university for undergraduate teaching in the nation. Continue reading U.S. News again names UMBC a national leader in teaching and innovation
Maryland PARCC test results, released last week, reveal that Baltimore City schools partnering with UMBC have seen dramatic growth in student math performance. The Baltimore Sun has called this trend one of the “bright spots” at a challenging moment, when many schools across the state are struggling to move the needle on student learning in math. Continue reading Six Baltimore City Schools in UMBC Math Project partnership see math test score gains
The start of the school year is invigorating for the whole university community, whether you’re starting your first year in college, transferring from a different institution, or gearing up to teach for the tenth year. And UMBC is channeling all that energy in classic Retriever ways. Continue reading Retriever Nation welcomes another class to its ranks
“When you share a kitchenette with a biologist, a chemist, an engineer and somebody from public policy, it’s inevitable that new things will brew,” says Greg Szeto, who is moving in to the ILSB with the new Translational Center for Age-Related Disease and Disparities. The ILSB “is a total game-changer for me,” adds Chris Hawn. With its state-of-the-art instrumentation, “There are protocols where I can get ‘level unlocked.’ It just opens things up for me and my students.” Continue reading Open spaces nurture open minds in UMBC’s new Interdisciplinary Life Sciences Building
UMBC is once again featured in the Princeton Review guide, The Best 385 Colleges, for 2020. This is widely considered one of the leading guides for prospective undergraduate students in North America. Continue reading Princeton Review lauds UMBC as one of the best colleges in the nation
UMBC has again been named one of the top universities in the world for 2019-2020. Rankings released this week by the Center for World University Rankings (CWUR) place UMBC in the top 3.3% of universities worldwide, as well as among … Continue reading UMBC ranks in top 3.3% of universities worldwide
“When I visited UMBC, I felt like everyone knows each other and supports each other in the physics department,” Song remembers. “That’s why I chose here.” Now, she’s rising to become a leader in the field of dust aerosols, which play a role in climate change. Continue reading UMBC’s Qianqian Song receives FINESST Fellowship from NASA for research on dust clouds and climate
According to the recent QS World University Rankings 2020, UMBC is one of the top 500 universities in the world overall and among the best of the best in a key measure of faculty scholarship. Continue reading New ranking names UMBC among world’s top universities for faculty research
Wayman and Dasgupta are the first members of the UMBC community to be selected since the program’s inception in 1990, an indication of UMBC’s growing presence in Montgomery County through the Universities at Shady Grove. Christopher Steele shares, “These two remarkable leaders perfectly reflect the fact that UMBC offers its very best to Montgomery County.” Continue reading Leadership Montgomery recognizes UMBC’s Annica Wayman and Sunil Dasgupta
“The college has laid the foundation, and now is really in a strong position for growth,” says Dean Bill LaCourse. “It’s all about paying attention to the people and their needs,” he explains, so faculty, staff, and students can do their best work and create a thriving community together. Continue reading CNMS celebrates a year of growth in partnerships to support student success
UMBC’s communications team has earned an Excellence in News Writing Award for research, medicine, and science news writing from the Council for Advancement and Support of Education. UMBC was one of just two universities to receive the award in the mid-Atlantic, CASE’s largest district, representing 700 U.S. and Canadian colleges and independent schools. Continue reading UMBC communications team wins CASE writing award for research news coverage
The COEIT Celebration has quickly become a defining annual event for the community of faculty, staff, and students in UMBC’s College of Engineering and Information Technology (COEIT). The celebration showcases the achievements of COEIT’s numerous highly active student organizations. It’s also an opportunity for community members to reflect on the year and to honor those whose work has been essential to the College’s impact and growth. Continue reading Festive COEIT Celebration honors achievement, service, and community
At UMBC’s upcoming commencement ceremonies, students and their families and supporters will hear from three distinguished speakers recognized as leaders in their different fields. They include a UMBC alumnus recently elected county executive, the first woman conductor of a major American orchestra, and one of the world’s top addiction researchers. Continue reading Leaders in public service, music, and addiction research to address UMBC’s Class of 2019
“My goal is to be a part of the change that I’d like to see,” says Vanessa Gonzalez ’19, American studies, sharing the vision of so many UMBC students graduating alongside her. “I want to be part of helping lift up a community that deserves more.” Continue reading From dream to drive to degree: Five UMBC journeys
