The UMBC Connection | Career Connections, Community Events, and Campus Highlights

Dear UMBC Faculty and Staff,

With the fall semester underway, this edition of The UMBC Connection brings together opportunities to connect with the UMBC community, support student success, and engage in the weeks ahead.

You’ll find information on Gathering on the Green, the Fall Career & Internship Fair, professional development opportunities, upcoming academic deadlines, student research, athletics, arts, and more from across UMBC.

Opportunities & Events

Ways to connect and engage across UMBC.

• Gathering on the Green Returns September 12
  Join the UMBC community and our local neighbors for Gathering on the Green on Saturday, September 12, from 4 to 7 p.m. Enjoy a free cookout, live music, games, and activities for all ages on the green space at the corner of Linden Avenue and Shelbourne Road. Faculty, staff, students, families, and community members are welcome.

• USM Learning & Talent Development Conference Begins September 14
  Faculty and staff are invited to join colleagues from across the University System of Maryland for a week of professional development from September 14–18. Sessions will explore leadership, artificial intelligence, workplace effectiveness, well-being, career growth, and more. President Valerie Sheares Ashby will also co-lead a keynote conversation on leadership, trust, change, and successful workplaces in higher education.

• Help Students Prepare for the Fall Career & Internship Fair
  UMBC’s Fall Career & Internship Fair will bring more than 130 employers to the Retriever Activities Center on Wednesday, September 16, from 11:30 a.m.–3:30 p.m. Students and alumni from all majors and academic levels can connect with corporate, nonprofit, and government employers recruiting for internships and full-time opportunities. Faculty and staff are encouraged to share the opportunity with students who may benefit.

Campus Updates

Important information for the UMBC community.

• Academic Dates and Deadlines to Keep in Mind
  Several academic deadlines are approaching this month. September 15 is the deadline for students to apply to graduate in the current term, and September 25 is the last day for undergraduates to add internships, independent studies, or research experiences for credit. Faculty and staff who work with students are encouraged to keep these dates in mind.

• New Center for Religion, Spirituality, and Pluralism Celebrates Its Launch
  UMBC’s Center for Religion, Spirituality, and Pluralism will celebrate its launch on Wednesday, September 16, from 5–7 p.m. on Erickson Field. Building on the work of The Gathering Space for Spiritual Well-Being, the new center will support religious, secular, and spiritual identities and bring community members together around this year’s theme, “centering community.”

University Milestones

Major achievements and milestones across UMBC.

• UMBC to Host 34th Annual McNair & Undergraduate Research National Conference
  Scholars and higher education professionals from across the country will gather in Baltimore September 16–19 for UMBC’s 34th annual McNair & Undergraduate Research National Conference. This year’s program will feature undergraduate research presentations, scholarly and cultural programming, and a graduate school fair connecting students with representatives from institutions across the country.

• New Computing for Social Good Award Supports Student Research
  Alumnus Akshay Java, M.S. ’03, Ph.D. ’08, computer science, has established an endowed Computing for Social Good Award to recognize COEIT students whose research uses technology to create positive social change. The inaugural recipients were recognized for projects focused on affordable smartphone-based blood pressure monitoring and accessible route guidance for wheelchair users.

More from Across UMBC

Additional updates and opportunities.

• Retriever Athletics Returns Home This Weekend
  The defending America East champion volleyball team returns to The Peake for three home matches in three days, beginning Friday, September 11, against George Mason. The homestand concludes Sunday against Georgetown with the unveiling of the 2025 America East Championship banner and a T-shirt giveaway. Men’s soccer also returns home to face Howard on Tuesday, September 15, at 7 p.m. View upcoming schedules and ticket information.

• Explore Fall Art Exhibitions Across Campus
  Two exhibitions are now on view at UMBC. Lewis Hine in Maryland explores the influential documentary photographer’s work and its role in child labor reform and will be on display in the Albin O. Kuhn Library Gallery through December 18, with an opening reception on September 17. At the Center for Art, Design, and Visual Culture, Somewhere Over the Rainbow of Row Homes, We Fly brings together artists based in or connected to Baltimore to explore the city’s cultural landscape through November 24.

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.

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