Persistent. Innovative. Determined. These are the words UMBC’s commencement speakers returned to again and again to describe the Class of 2021. And despite a year of challenges—missing family and friends, technological frustrations, life lived through the computer screen—one of the resounding themes of this year’s Commencement ceremonies was gratitude. Continue Reading Graduating with gratitude: UMBC welcomes a new class of alumni
“I had never been part of a university whose work was centered around social justice,” says Nicholas Nguyen ‘21, M.A. sociology. “The Peace Corps showed me how political systems work at an international level. UMBC’s Peaceworker Program is giving me an understanding from a social justice and antiracist perspective.” Continue Reading UMBC grads share what inspires them: family, Baltimore communities, international experiences
“I was able to access excellent research opportunities in the humanities that I never thought would be available at the undergraduate level,” says Emily Rose Paul ‘21, global studies. “UMBC is known as a STEM school, but I have received the most amazing humanities education as a global studies student. You will be surprised at all that you can find here.” Continue Reading Graduating Retrievers find joy and career inspiration in supporting K-12 students and families
Students from across all three UMBC colleges are graduating this week having taken advantage of the unique undergraduate research opportunities and supportive mentorship UMBC offers. They’re poised to take their research to the next level and move on to new challenges through graduate school and careers. Continue Reading UMBC’s 2021 grads advance research with public impact—from disaster response to assistive tech
The past pandemic year saw arts communities unable to connect with audiences in traditional ways. Usually reliant on people gathering together to experience their work, creators and performers were thrust online. Some artistic experiences were rendered impossible, but the challenging situation didn’t slow the creative efforts of visual and performing artists of UMBC’s Class of 2021. Continue Reading UMBC’s latest graduates in the arts forge new creative paths despite a challenging year
While juggling their academic work and co-curricular activities, these graduating Retrievers also completed multiple internships to help prepare them for their future. They share how putting their knowledge into practice is a classic UMBC experience. Continue Reading Doing their homework: Graduating Retrievers use internships to jumpstart their careers
On the back of every UMBC black and gold ID card is a guide to essential emergency resources, including numbers for health, counseling, sexual assault, and suicide prevention helplines. The new card design was the result of student advocacy through UMBC’s Retriever Courage initiative, seeking to better prevent and respond to sexual assault and violence. And the person who suggested that change is Autumn Cook, graduating this week, a tireless advocate for fellow UMBC students. Continue Reading UMBC’s newest grads leave a legacy of advocacy, inclusion, and support for fellow students
Six members of UMBC’s Class of 2021 share how they’ve been able to impact issues and communities that matter to them through strong relationships and an entrepreneurial approach to their UMBC experience. Continue Reading New UMBC grads find entrepreneurial ways to positively impact communities
When listeners tune in to the Retriever Tales podcast hosted by Tirzah Khan ‘21, information systems, who is graduating this week, they’ll hear UMBC voices sharing their journeys of finding and creating community. Moving, inspiring, funny, and thought-provoking, the show is a testament to Khan’s own UMBC experience and a broader culture of co-creating community at UMBC. Continue Reading UMBC together: Graduating Retrievers reflect on building community through conversations
Due to the pandemic, the NCAA has offered senior college athletes around the country a waiver to compete for an extra year. Many fourth-year student-athletes at UMBC and around the country will take advantage of this opportunity, but others decided to press forward with making the most of an unusual senior year before shifting gears to the next phase of their lives. Continue Reading Strong finish: UMBC student-athletes discuss support and resilience in “one of the toughest years”
“Transfer students bring a wealth of knowledge and experiences to our campus,” says UMBC’s Chloe Terrell. “Without them, we wouldn’t be the vibrant community we are.” Continue Reading Retrievers buck ‘traditional’ timelines and redefine success
At UMBC, says Jordan Troutman, he’s had space to develop his authentic self and build confidence that he can do impactful work. “I think that’s the beauty of this school,” Troutman shares. “You can be whoever you want.” Now, he’s heading to Stanford for a Ph.D. in computer science. Continue Reading UMBC’s Jordan Troutman to continue algorithmic fairness research as Knight-Hennessy Scholar at Stanford
