Announcements - Faculty and Staff
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The UMBC Connection | Welcoming Students Back and Supporting Their Success

Connecting the people and work shaping UMBC

Announcements - Faculty and Staff August 12, 2026 at 10:34 AM

Dear UMBC Faculty and Staff,

As students prepare to return to campus, this edition of The UMBC Connection highlights ways faculty and staff can help create a welcoming and supportive start to the academic year.

You’ll find key dates for the weeks ahead, opportunities to participate in Welcome, Retrievers, resources for connecting students with support, and stories celebrating student achievement across research, global engagement, career-connected learning, and athletics. With this edition, The UMBC Connection returns to its regular twice-monthly schedule, with editions published twice per month. 

Opportunities & Events

Opportunities to attend, participate in, or engage with across the UMBC community.

Campus Updates

Important updates, planning efforts, operational information, and community news affecting UMBC.

  • Federal Updates Affecting International Students, Travel, and Research
    UMBC’s Federal Orders and Actions Core Team has shared several important updates related to immigration, travel, visa processing, and federal research policy. Of particular note as the semester approaches, some admitted international students are experiencing visa processing delays and may be unable to arrive before the first day of classes. Faculty and staff are encouraged to be understanding of students navigating these challenges. The update also includes information about new immigration requirements for F-1 students and J-1 exchange visitors, recent ICE activity at U.S. airports, travel restrictions, and potential changes affecting federal research funding.

  • Know Where to Connect Students for Care and Support
    Faculty and staff can help students access support by becoming familiar with UMBC’s resources for health and well-being, basic needs, personal concerns, and belonging and engagement. If you are concerned about a student’s well-being, you may also consult with or submit a referral to Retriever CARE.

  • New M.S. in Artificial Intelligence Launches This Fall
    UMBC is launching a new Master of Science in Artificial Intelligence program, with its first cohort beginning classes this fall. The program provides a focused pathway into AI research, development, and deployment and prepares students to apply core AI principles across a wide range of fields and industries.

University Milestones

Major achievements, recognitions, funding, and institutional accomplishments across UMBC.

  • UMBC Student Fulbright Recipients Take Their Research Global
    UMBC’s 2026–27 Fulbright recipients are taking community-driven research from Baltimore to the Dominican Republic, India, and Mexico. They join a distinguished group of Fulbright alumni whose achievements have helped make UMBC a three-time Fulbright Top Producing Institution.

  • Four Retrievers Selected for Key Bridge Rebuilding Internship
    Four UMBC students earned four of the ten positions in this summer’s Key Bridge Internship Program, a partnership between the Maryland Transportation Authority and the Maryland Higher Education Commission. The students are gaining hands-on experience in project management, environmental analysis, construction oversight, community outreach, and other areas connected to the rebuilding effort.

  • UMBC Researcher Receives NIAID Grant to Advance HIV Prevention
    Herana Kamal Seneviratne, assistant professor of chemistry and biochemistry, has received an approximately $440,000, two-year award from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases to study how key HIV-prevention drugs work inside the body. Graduate researchers will take leading roles in the project, with additional opportunities for undergraduate students.

More from Across UMBC

Additional updates, resources, and community opportunities from across the university.

  • Fall Athletics Seasons Get Underway
    Support UMBC’s student-athletes as fall competition begins. Women’s soccer opens its regular season at home on August 13, followed by the men’s soccer home opener on August 20. The defending America East champion volleyball team begins competition on August 29. Season packages and individual game tickets are now available.

  • UMBC Magazine Now Available Across Campus
    The latest issue of UMBC Magazine is now available at select campus locations, including The Commons, the Administration Building, and the Performing Arts and Humanities Building. As UMBC moves away from mailing individual copies to faculty and staff, community members can pick up a print issue on campus or explore the expanded digital magazine, which now includes additional stories, web-only features, and multimedia content. If you notice a magazine stand running low, please contact magazine@umbc.edu.

Help Shape The UMBC Connection

As this effort continues to take shape, your feedback will help guide how we strengthen internal communications across the university. We welcome your input and invite you to share your feedback on The UMBC Connection.

If you would prefer, you are also welcome to reach out directly to Jessica McGroarty, Director of Internal Communications, at jmcgro@umbc.edu.

University Communications and Marketing

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