Fall 2022

I voted stickers lay next to a board that says Voting Day

Finding Joy in the Democratic Process

/ 3 minutes of reading

On a Tuesday evening in early November, Main Street in The Commons was uncommonly crowded. Hundreds of democratically-minded students eagerly—and perhaps, anxiously—milled around watching the 2022 mid-term election returns. Dilnaz Hasim ’25, economics, found the scene fitting, saying, “Election Night Extravaganza is supposed to be experienced as a community, rather than as a single person, because when you make a vote, you’re making it for the whole community.” Jointly hosted by the Center for Democracy and Civic Life, the Student Government Association (SGA), and the Graduate Student Association, the campus-based election event has been around since 2004. Students from every… Continue Reading Finding Joy in the Democratic Process

two men stand next to a surf board at the beach

Hang Ten with New Friends

/ 3 minutes of reading

When UMBC’s volleyball team headed to the University of Southern California (USC) for a tournament, Athletics reached out and invited West Coast Retrievers to an LA happy hour before the game. Eager to reconnect with their alma mater and meet other alumni in the area, folks gathered together and new friendships were formed.  Despite the decades between their UMBC experiences, Matt Sheriff ’00, political science, and Nathenael Dereb ’21, computer science, bonded over a quintessential California connection—surfing. Specifically, Dereb, a recent relocator, wanted to learn how and Sheriff, who’s been on the West Coast for years, had the skills to… Continue Reading Hang Ten with New Friends

In an office hour set up, two people sit facing each other, engaged in conversation. the student wears a headscarf and president Sheares Ashby wears a bright gold dress.

Office Hours

/ 3 minutes of reading

President Valerie Sheares Ashby is a people person. You can see her eyes light up while she talks with folks.  On her very first day as president of UMBC, Sheares Ashby made it clear that she wants to be available to students. Right off the bat, in true professor form, she set up weekly student office hours to do just that.  As you might expect, her office hours are already very popular, so we decided to reflect her friendly open-door philosophy in this regular president’s column. Sheares Ashby is also engaging in a listening tour to hear from faculty, staff,… Continue Reading Office Hours

People talk at an art opening at CADVC, Sandra Abbott is center with a purple scarf and shoulder length brown hair

Meet a Retriever—Sandra Abbott, curator of art and outreach at CADVC

/ 2 minutes of reading

Meet Sandra Abbott, who has been working in UMBC’s art world for 14 years. Whether it’s through setting up world-class exhibitions or coordinating educational programs, Sandra combines her work as curator of collections and outreach at the Center for Art, Design, and Visual Culture (CADVC) and affiliate faculty in the visual arts department. Sandra thrives in her role of introducing Retrievers and community members to great art. Q: What part of your job do you enjoy the most and why? A: I love working with students who are exploring my profession. They keep me on my toes and ask the… Continue Reading Meet a Retriever—Sandra Abbott, curator of art and outreach at CADVC

Elle Kreiner sits and talks while Chicken, an amazon parrot, preens himself

Bird Brainiac

/ 1 minute of reading

At UMBC, we welcome Retrievers of all stripes… and feathers. Spotted on campus recently enjoying student life is an 87-year-old yellow crowned amazon parrot named Chicken. Yes, you read that right, Chicken.  Elle Kreiner ’20, anthropology, a current master’s student in applied sociology, rescued the bird in 2017 after his long-term caretaker passed away and the family wasn’t able to keep him. Despite coming to campus to spread his wings (metaphorically—Chicken doesn’t enjoy flying), Kreiner doesn’t believe their parrot would make a great student, although he does speak three languages.  Prior to his time with Kreiner, Chicken lived in pre–World… Continue Reading Bird Brainiac

A volleyball player prepares to hit a ball back over the net

Then & Now—Band of Sisters

/ 2 minutes of reading

At the 2022 Homecoming alumnae volleyball scrimmage, Kasey Crider, who joined UMBC as head volleyball coach earlier this year, got a firsthand view of the connections the program has forged over the last 50 years—connections that he considers the foundation of the team’s success. “I exist in that ecosystem of this legacy, which hit me like a ton of bricks. I’m walking out of there going, ‘Man, this is why you do it. You have these incredible people.’” The volleyball players over the years would tell you that common values and hard work unite a team that comes from all… Continue Reading Then & Now—Band of Sisters

This color composite of Centaurus A, an elliptical galaxy located about 13 million light-years from Earth, reveals the lobes and jets emanating from the active galaxy’s central black hole.

A Space of One’s Own

/ 12 minutes of reading

On a chilly morning in early spring 2022, Eileen Meyer, Roy Prouty, and Erik Crowe were on the roof of the UMBC Physics Building. They were inside the observatory dome, trying to figure out what had gone wrong with the 32-inch telescope installed when the building was constructed in 1999. They had already determined that the shutters designed to keep dust off the mirrors were jammed, rendering the telescope temporarily unusable. “So we’re up there with flashlights and ladders that are not quite tall enough,” Meyer recalls, “trying to figure out what is happening and realizing that some of the… Continue Reading A Space of One’s Own

Embroidered napkins sewn together with a hand touching the fabric.

Unstuck in Time—Peeling Back Layers Through Art

/ 5 minutes of reading

As a visual artist, Monique Crabb, M.F.A. ’22, intermedia and digital arts, draws from her environment quite literally—producing textile-based artworks colored with the rich hues of plants and objects around her. This fall, she spent a month in residency at the Baltimore County Public Library, teaching workshops and engaging with library users as she created new work inspired by her surroundings. These are her reflections from that experience.  One of the most calming places to be in is a public library surrounded by people’s research, stories, and history of every place and culture from almost every perspective imaginable. At times,… Continue Reading Unstuck in Time—Peeling Back Layers Through Art

Coach David Bobb '97 and his daughter Caitlyn Bobb '24 smile on the track

Think Fast

/ 3 minutes of reading

The only things faster than David and Caitlyn Bobb themselves, perhaps, are the zingers they toss at one another.  As Caitlyn, a rookie running star now in her sophomore year, describes what it’s like to have a father as head coach of track and field at UMBC, her dad dryly turns it into a bit.  “My dad has many sides to him, okay?” Caitlyn laughs as Coach Bobb literally acts out everything she’s saying while seated beside her.  “There’s the coach side, where he’s stern, and he’s got the stopwatch in his hand, arms crossed, hat on, and ‘GO!’…And then… Continue Reading Think Fast

A colorfully illustrated design in bright teals, yellows, and pinks, that show interconnected gears and pulleys leading to a lightbulb.

When We Work Together

/ 14 minutes of reading

On the eve of UMBC’s 50th anniversary in 2016, when the institution put forth a goal to raise $150 million— money that goes directly to student scholarships, graduate fellowships, professorial awards, and so much more— we didn’t question if we would succeed, we just wondered how we’d be able to capture the magnitude of the collective campaign when it came to a close. Continue Reading When We Work Together

A picture of President Valerie Sheares Ashby petting the statue of True Grit.

Getting to Know U

/ 5 minutes of reading

It’s only been a few months since she took the helm, but it feels like President Valerie Sheares Ashby has been at UMBC for years. She can often be seen engaged in lively conversation as she makes her way across campus, treating each new face not as a stranger, but simply as a friend she hasn’t met yet. She’s already a familiar face at sporting events, cheering on #RetrieverNation as a fan in the stands. And her first Homecoming felt just like that–coming home. You already know she’s a chemist, a former dean, and now a president, but we’re going… Continue Reading Getting to Know U

Colorful bubbles and circular photos of various headshots

Connecting the Dots

/ 15 minutes of reading

For students pursuing experiential learning through internships, campus jobs, research, and community engagement, it’s not just about learning how to do the thing they want to do. It’s about connecting the work to the passions that brought them to UMBC in the first place. These students and alumni working in their chosen fields tell the whole picture—what hands-on learning looks like when it comes full circle. Continue Reading Connecting the Dots

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