UMBC is always full of hard-working people who aspire to do great things, and the class of 2014 is no exception. Today, we wanted to share with you what some of our recent graduates are planning to do with their Retriever education.

Tabitha Haverkamp, information
systems, quickly made her mark at
UMBC by  co-founding UMBC’s Industry Certification Training Group and and serving on the executive board of the Information Systems Council of Majors. She also completed undergraduate research in geographic information systems, was a member of the Center for Women in Technology (CWIT), and won the 2014 Student Leadership Award from the Department of Information Systems. Haverkamp now plans to work with the Department of Defense.

After only being enrolled for a year in the Language, Literacy, and Culture program, Heather Linville, Ph.D. language, literacy, and culture, was offered a faculty position at American University. She has taught English teachers in Indonesia, Mexico, and Panama through working abroad. In addition to her Ph.D., Linville has also earned a master’s degree in instructional systems design at UMBC. She was chosen as an English Language Specialist for the U.S. State Department plans to continue her work there while working towards a tenure-track faculty position.

A Meyerhoff Scholar, Janice Antoine Lumpkin Scholar, Howard Hughes Medical Institute Scholar, and a MARC U*Star Scholar, Dalton Hughes, chemical engineering, has earned many Undergraduate Research Awards. Hughes has also worked in leadership in UMBC’s Engineers Without Borders to attempt to create sources of clean water for a community in Isongo, Kenya. He also spoke about his experiences at UMBC at the U.S. News Stem Solutions conference, and now plans to earn his M.D./Ph.D. at Duke University.

Read more about the Class of 2014!

Stroll near The Commons on most weekdays and you’ll see tables piled high with tasty baked goods. The students at these tables are asking for help – spare change, really – to fund their clubs’ latest and greatest pursuits in a way that hasn’t changed much since the university opened in 1966.

But now these passionate student appeals are getting a boost from the power of the people . . . and the internet. UMBC recently unveiled a new crowdfunding website that allows students to harness their personal relationships to bring in support for their own projects on campus. The site – which focuses on university needs as well as student causes – gives students a way to easily use social media to publicize, track and aggregate philanthropic campaigns.

“We are incredibly excited to work with student groups to help them understand the ins and outs of philanthropy through crowdfunding,” says Dayna Carpenter, UMBC’s director of annual giving. “Our students are very motivated to do good in this world, and this is an important element of their education.”

UMBC’s crowdfunding site already boasts colorful channels to help student causes. Visitors can help the SAE Mini Baja team get to their next competition, help the Down and Dirty Dawg Band produce their next CD, or even send students from Engineers Without Borders to Kenya to dig wells.

“Without the help and support of things like our fundraising page, we wouldn’t be able to receive stipends, buy new equipment, pay for instrument repairs, or put out CDs,” says Drew Ballantine, a UMBC senior and member of the Down and Dirty Dawg Band. “These donations allow us to continuously grow by doing more things each year, like adding more performances or playing new music.”

Donors can also support university giving that directly benefits current students, including LGBTQ initiatives on campus or the Stay Black and Gold Fund for those who have emergency financial needs.

“I love the crowdfunding model because it gives us the chance to give back to what we really care about,” says Chris Magaha ’03, information systems management. “And you can see exactly where the money is going to go.”

And that’s exactly why UMBC made the venture into crowdfunding. It gives students a chance to share their projects with the world and get the support they need, while donors can find projects they’re passionate about and see their gifts have an immediate impact.

“The crowdfunding site really is the best of all worlds,” says Dayna. “Even though it’s still new, people have responded very positively. We’re eager to see how this effort continues to grow.”

Check out our featured crowd funding initiatives.

We’re less than a week away from #GivingTuesday, a national day of giving on December 3rd. UMBC’s students and alumni are working to change the world, and on #GivingTuesday, you can be a part of it.

Throughout the last month, the UMBC Annual Fund has shared stories of how our students, faculty, staff, and alumni are working to change the world. We’ve gotten a peek at how the Engineers Without Borders group will bring clean water to Isongo, Kenya. We’ve learned about UMBC’s mission to create a more inclusive campus through LGBTQ programs and initiatives. And we’ve tapped our feet to songs that will be on the Down and Dirty Dawg Band’s new CD.

Here are just a few things the people involved with those projects had to say:

“Engineers Without Borders-UMBC relies on gifts to fulfill our mission of implementing environmentally and economically sustainable engineering projects, while developing globally aware and internationally responsible students and engineers. We especially appreciate gifts from alumni because we believe that EWB-UMBC not only promotes projects in the developing world, but also transformative experiences for UMBC students.”

~Lee Blaney, assistant professor and advisor for EWB

“[Your support] means the world to the band. If you’re an alumni of the band and had a great experience, your donation will help ensure that the next generation of students have the same positive experience.”

~Matt Basch ’08,  ’10, Director, Down and Dirty Dawg Band

“To support UMBC as an alum is a no-brainer. As a student, I felt the positive impact [of donor support], and I want to live up to Dr. Hrabowski’s motto that of those to whom much is given, much is expected.”

~Chris Magaha ’03, donor to LGBTQ programs & initiatives

They’ve had their say. Now it’s your turn.
Will you join us in making a difference on #GivingTuesday?