(L-R) Provost Manfred van Dulmen, Michael Hunt '06, Ph.D. '25, Erwin Cabrera '10, Emily Brown '14, M.S. '14, Jamie Gurganus '04, M.S. '11, Ph.D. '20, Jacqueline Smith '06, Johnny Olszewski, Jr., Ph.D. '17, Courtney Culp '20, Mark Benesch '08, Cameron Slayden '99, President Valerie Sheares Ashby

Dear UMBC Community,

Every time I step into a UMBC gathering, I am reminded that the spirit of this place does not live in our buildings or traditions alone—it lives in each of us. It lives in the way we challenge and nurture each other, the way we lead with integrity of mind and generosity of heart, the way we see and honor each other's worth.

That truth came to life again in our recent 2025 Alumni Awards Ceremony. One recipient noted that he had won many awards for his work, but that until receiving this honor, "Never once in my life has somebody pointed to me and said, 'This man is worth it.' So…thank you."

Another said that as a student she found support at UMBC in a community that was both nurturing and challenging—support she said was "absolutely instrumental to my success at UMBC and in my career since."

That is UMBC: rigorous and kind, brilliant and humble, connected and courageous. These stories remind me that our greatest achievement is not only what we know, but who we become—together.

With pride and gratitude,

President Valerie Sheares Ashby