In 1977, Ricardo Zwaig was nine credits away from completing his degree in Spanish at UMBC. Instead of working toward graduation, he had dropped out and was working at a pharmacy near campus, trying to decide what his next move would be.

That next move came in the form of Louis Kaplan, then interim Chancellor of UMBC, walking up to the counter waiting to be rung up. Zwaig couldn’t have known at that moment that the trajectory of his life was about to irrevocably shift.

“I immediately recognized who he was and asked how things were going at UMBC,” says the Honorable Zwaig, now a judge for the District Court of Maryland in Howard County. “After learning that I had been a student at UMBC, Dr. Kaplan found it inconceivable that I was so close to graduating just to throw in the towel.”

Zwaig was a 2013 UMBC Alumni Award recipient.

Economic hardships had made it nearly impossible for Zwaig to pay for his final semester. In his mind, he was already in work mode. Just one day prior he had interviewed for a job at a lumber yard, having already completed orientation there. Whatever he needed to do next, he thought to himself, it had to produce enough money to live off.

However, speaking with Kaplan about his circumstances as a former student stirred something in Zwaig. “After some more small talk about my situation, Dr. Kaplan told me to call him if I needed help finishing school,” he remembers.

By week’s end, Zwaig was face-to-face with Kaplan’s secretary asking to see him.

Good luck, good karma, whatever you want to call it, Zwaig says, he found himself on the receiving end of generosity and good faith that set him on a whirlwind path to a remarkable career. His meeting with Kaplan instantly became the cornerstone of his time at UMBC—to which he always comes back all these decades later.

Kaplan handed over a check that covered Zwaig’s last semester’s tuition and put Zwaig in touch with a scholarship service in Baltimore. In 1981, in recognition of Kaplan’s contributions to UMBC during his tenure, the Student Government Association established the Louis L. Kaplan Scholarship Fund—an endowment that offers financial support to academically gifted students close to finishing their degrees.

“He covered my tuition, my books, everything,” says Zwaig. “I don’t know why I deserved such kindness and generosity from Dr. Kaplan, but it’s something I have never forgotten and it’s something I’ve always tried to repay in some way.”

Zwaig, along with his brother Michael Zwaig ’81, history—also a lawyer—have been key donors and vocal supporters of the Esperanza Scholarship Fund, established by a group of alumni in 2010. Awarded to full-time undergraduate or graduate students of Hispanic or Latine/x/a/o descent—or those committed to the advancement of minority students—the scholarship provides students with the kind of financial support they need to continue their studies and not feel the economic pressure of having to drop out. Since its launch, the Esperanza Fund has been awarded to 15 students.

“The scholarship may not exactly level the playing field, but it sets the stage for equitable opportunities,” says Zwaig. “It was important for me to be a part of its success after experiencing firsthand the difference someone’s generosity can make.”

Kaplan’s unexpected mentorship and financial support opened doorways for Zwaig to pursue his passion for law—a passion that was admittedly tinged with a bit of romanticism.

“I wanted to practice civil rights law,” he says with a hint of a smile in his voice.

Zwaig earned his J.D. from the University of Maryland in 1982. In 1983, he was admitted to the Maryland Bar.

Civil rights law wasn’t exactly where Zwaig ended up, but he thrived in trial work. After practicing law for 27 years, he applied for judgeship and won it in August 2010, making him the first Latino male judge in the history of the state.

“UMBC has always been positioned to produce great future leaders,” says Zwaig, and the proof is in his life’s trajectory. “My ongoing contributions to the Esperanza Fund are just a small way to ensure those leadership opportunities are just as readily available for minority students.”

— Nikoletta Gjoni ’09

Esperanza Scholarship Fund
Established: 2010
Scholars Served: 15
Committee Members: Jessica Contreras ’98, Roxanna Goodwin ’01, Shivonne Laird ’99, Gustavo Matheus ’90, Joseph Morales ’00, Alfredo Santiago ’08, Michael Zwaig ’81, and Ricardo Zwaig ’77

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Header image: Zwaig outside the Ellicott City courthouse, by Marlayna Demond ’11.

Most of us while away election night in our homes, nervously tapping away at our laptops, anxiously consulting cable TV pundits, and (possibly) eating a pint of ice cream along the way. For students away from home, UMBC has since 2004 created a much more exciting and communal way to spend the evening—an Election Night Extravaganza, to be precise—filling large sections of The Commons with balloons, streamers, and activities to celebrate democratic engagement. 

Thanks to COVID, this year’s celebration was reenvisioned via the online chat platform Discord, complete with chat rooms to match the community found in the #skylight-room, #sports-zone, and other physical spaces everyone was missing this semester. 

Glimpses of this year’s virtual Election Extravaganza.

Never has coming together been more important, wrote David Hoffman, director of UMBC’s Center for Democracy and Civic Life, at the start of this year’s event which drew almost 200 people. “We are a community, and will continue to be a community after the election.”

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Header image from the 2016 Election Night Extravaganza, courtesy of SGA.

We knew this before 2020, but can see even more clearly now, that Retrievers don’t shy away from hard tasks—we’re a community defined by grit. Students continue to redefine success, through scholarships and research. Faculty and staff prove again and again how adept they are when needing to navigate new online norms. Alumni give generously to students in need while many also volunteer time and resources to assist those on the front lines of the pandemic with food or PPE.

We asked the UMBC community to tell us what they wished for the coming year. We look forward to 2021 and beyond, we share a common hope, to once again be in community with one another. 

Designed by Jim Lord ’99.

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Header image by Marlayna Demond ’11, taken in 2019.

When UMBC women’s lacrosse coach Amy Slade received a phone call several months ago but did not recognize the number, she didn’t initially answer. Slade later called back, and it proved to be a good move. 

The caller told Slade she was one of eight people being inducted into the 2020 class of the National Lacrosse Hall of Fame. This ceremony was originally scheduled for October but has been postponed until mid-to-late 2021 due to COVID-19.

Slade during her time playing as a University of Virginia Cavalier. Photo provided by Amy Slade.

Slade is the fourth person—and the first woman—inducted into the Hall of Fame with Retriever ties. Former men’s lacrosse coach Don Zimmerman, player George McGeeney ’82 and contributor Dick Watts are the others.

Slade will start her 12th season as a coach for UMBC in 2021, including three years as assistant coach. She said this honor means a great deal to her. 

“In the midst of a pandemic, it was really cool to find out,” Slade said. “The fact that the lacrosse world is recognizing me…that’s a cool feeling. It feels really special to be remembered.”

Slade was already well known in the lacrosse world due to her accomplishments while an attacker at the University of Virginia. There, she captured the prestigious Tewaaraton Award—given to the nation’s top player—in 2004. Slade (then Amy Appelt) scored a Virginia-record 90 goals and 121 points as the Cavaliers captured the Atlantic Coast Conference crown and then the national championship. The ACC also picked her as the player of the year. 

Slade left Virginia with the record for goals (258), points (373) and consecutive games scored in (66). 

UMBC director of athletics Brian Barrio believes that some of the success Slade found as a player has helped her as a coach because she reached such high levels. 

“She knows the path up that mountain to being an elite athlete,” Barrio said. “She can show them that. I thought it’s important and that our athletes know. Not all of us have what it takes to get to the top of the mountain…Amy clearly does. She’s unbelievable in a lot of ways.”

Right now, Slade is focused on the 2021 season. She wants good players who also are good people, something she thinks will give the team a strong foundation. Slade feels the 2021 team will have just that.

The Retrievers graduated just one player from the 2020 team that played just six games before the pandemic shut down everything, but they are bringing in 10 new players that Slade is excited about having on the team. Although the schedule for the spring is still being determined, she is hoping this new team can make some noise in the America East.

UMBC women’s lacrosse coach Amy Slade received various awards, including an induction into the 2020 class of the National Lacrosse Hall of Fame.

“I’m thrilled with the types of kids we’re getting,” Slade said. “They’re fast. They’re coachable. From an ability point, the sky’s the limit for them.”

Now, Slade is glad she returned the phone call she didn’t answer, and is looking forward to the Hall of Fame induction.

“I would also like to thank UMBC for the amazing opportunity to continue my passion,” Slade said in a statement. “Six years ago, when the program was at a crossroads, the athletic department and deputy athletics director Jessica Hammond-Graf trusted in my leadership to get this program back on track. UMBC has allowed me to take my love of this game to the next level.”

— Jeff Seidel ’85

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Header image: UMBC women’s lacrosse players huddle around Slade during a timeout. Photo by Jack Miller.

As travel has come to a standstill for many students worldwide, it’s never been quite so crucial to have someone like Adwoa Hanson-Hall on the job. In her work as an international student advisor for the Office of International Education Services (IES), Hanson-Hall knows first-hand how important it can be to have someone who knows the ins-and-outs of immigration and international travel on your side.

Headshot provided by Hanson-Hall.

UMBC Magazine: What is your favorite thing about the work you do at UMBC, and why? 

Adwoa Hanson-Hall: Advising international students often consists of addressing non-immigration concerns like culture shock, interpersonal relationships, and more. I immigrated to the U.S. as a child and have also studied and lived outside the U.S. before my time at UMBC. I really enjoy being able to connect with students through shared experiences to help them navigate any frustrations related to adjusting to and studying in a new culture. 

UMBC Magazine: Can you tell us a little bit about the work you do in the International Education Services office?

Hanson-Hall: Of course! I work mainly with new and current international students at UMBC. This includes immigration advising related to F-1 visa requirements, general support for our international student population regarding cultural adjustment, and outreach to newly admitted international students who are still abroad. I also coordinate our You Are Welcome Here (#YAWH) Scholarship program.

UMBC Magazine: Why do you feel that service is so important, especially now?

Hanson-Hall: As I mentioned above, moving to a new country can be very jarring. Additionally, adjusting to an academically rigorous university like UMBC while navigating cultural nuances has its challenges. Our work mitigates the stress related to following immigration rules and provides support services so our students can focus on thriving academically and personally while engaging meaningfully as part of the UMBC community. In the current climate, this support is even more necessary.  Our students are juggling academic and personal responsibilities, COVID-19-related anxiety as well as increased unpredictability regarding the state of immigration rules.

For example, a recent proposal by the Department of Homeland Security would mean a dramatic shift in the length of time a student can remain in the U.S. to complete their academic program. This is on the heels of another proposal that was struck down in July which would have barred international students from attending classes virtually and jeopardize their immigration status if their schools decided to switch to a remote learning model during COVID-19. In addition to our day-to-day advising, the outreach and education efforts of the IES office has been instrumental in keeping our students informed of their rights and responsibilities and planning next steps that impact their academic and career goals.

UMBC Magazine: What are you missing most about the office during the pandemic?

Hanson-Hall: That’s a tough one. I usually rode UMBC Transit to and from work—it was a nice time to relax or chat with other members of the UMBC community. That was also my unofficial way of keeping up with what was happening on campus outside of my work area so I do miss that a lot.

UMBC Magazine: Who would you want to thank for making a difference in your life at UMBC?

Hanson-Hall: My team! I’m thankful to have people that share my passion and commitment to our work and who also encourage me to explore professional goals and interests without sacrificing my personal life.

UMBC Magazine: What else would you like people to know about your work?

Hanson-Hall: I mentioned earlier that over the past six months international students are facing some uncertainty. In the midst of all these changes, UMBC has really rallied to support international students in our community. From President Hrabowski and the University leadership, to colleagues at the graduate and undergraduate levels, individual professors, and student organizations like the SGA and GSA, each facet of our UMBC community has shown care and concern in some way. It’s been encouraging to see this level of support from all facets of the campus community especially considering everyone is adjusting to new work and study structures during COVID-19. Thank you everyone!

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Header image of The Forum in 2018 by Marlayna Demond ’11.

When Ashwag Alasmari, M.S. ’15, Ph.D. ’21, information systems, was pursuing her undergraduate degree in Saudi Arabia, she was breaking new ground in many ways. The computer science department at King Khalid University had just opened to women. Alasmari herself was one of the first women in her family to seek a degree. 

Two things stuck out to Alasmari as she blazed this path: she noticed how few opportunities existed for her to connect with her peers outside of the classroom and she realized that as “the first” in so many of her endeavours, she would have a hard time finding like-minded mentors.

Alasmari attended a Google student retreat where she was part of the “Women Techmakers Scholars” group.

Now only a few months away from finishing her Ph.D. at UMBC, Alasmari says her experience as a student in Saudi Arabia inspired her to build an online community for women pursuing computer science degrees as a way to facilitate connections and hopefully build paths to mentorship.

In October 2020, the American Association of University Women—one of the world’s oldest leading supporters of graduate women’s education—awarded Alasmari an international fellowship for her work in leading innovative community projects to empower women and girls.

Connections and community

As a master’s student at UMBC, Alasmari found that an important element of the academic experience was being a part of the community and making connections with her peers and instructors. 

Alasmari was drawn to UMBC not only for its geographic location near Baltimore and Washington D.C., but also because of the range of courses in computer science, health informatics, and human-centered computing that she could take as a student. UMBC’s proximity to many regional hospitals, federal agencies, and prominent research organizations was also appealing to Alasmari, who was eager to conduct research related to patient care and use of technology. 

In 2013 and 2016, Alasmari attended the Grace Hopper Celebration, an annual conference that brings women in tech together for presentations, panels, and professional development events that highlight the contributions of women to computing. She was struck by how valuable the networking opportunities were at these events. Most importantly, it was there that Alasmari learned the organization was looking to expand and establish chapters around the world, including in the Middle East. With her interest piqued, she was inspired to get involved and make a difference where she grew up.

ArabWIC leaders at the 6th ArabWIC conference in Morocco.

Today, Alasmari manages the online Women in Computing in Saudi Arabia community, which is now 3,000 members strong. “I appreciate that I am part of this work,” she says, adding, “I’ve been growing with the community.” 

The Women in Computing in Saudi Arabia chapter officially launched in December 2015 with a one-day event at Badir Technology Incubators at King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The event, which Alasmari organized, featured women from academia and industries who shared their experiences and knowledge with attendees. 

“Our organization helped to bridge the gap between local context and the international community,” she says, noting that the community provides support to members through funding to attend conferences, and annual meetings highlight the important work being done by women in computing in Saudi Arabia. 

Passion for human computer interaction

While Alasmari continues to brainstorm ways to connect women in tech, her dissertation focuses on how people with multiple chronic conditions share information in online health information portals, combining her interest in human computer interaction and information retrieval. “I seek to understand how patients formulate their health-related information needs on online questioning and answering communities such as WebMD and PatientsLikeMe, and what factors significantly contribute to the quality of the information needs,” Alasmari explains, adding that she focuses primarily on kidney disease and COVID-19.

At UMBC, Alasmari is advised by Anita Komlodi, associate professor of information systems (IS) at UMBC, and Lina Zhou, a former IS faculty member who is now at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte. She says that they both provide mentorship to her and give her room to grow as a student. It was under their guidance—the very thing Alasmari was seeking in Saudi Arabia—that she began to understand how leadership and community involvement were integral to the academic experience.

Representation in computing

As a female computer science student at King Khalid University, Alasmari had access to few scholastic resources outside of the classroom. Her only opportunity to access the internet was through one-hour increments she signed up for in advance. But things will be different for the current generation of students—Alasmari has paved the way for change. Her program Women in Computing continues to grow a larger audience, providing mentors and support to women across Saudi Arabia interested in technology. 

Alasmari explains that her specific background has helped shape her character, and impacted her path. “Those unique experiences always inspire me and spark my motivation to elevate the status of women in my own country and the entire world,” says Alasmari. 

“I hope the community will grow into more collaboration with international and regional tech organizations. I hope for a more inclusive and diverse environment within the field of computing that especially supports the participation of women and underrepresented minorities.”

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All images, including header, provided by Ashwag Alasmari.

The first half of UMBC’s academic year may have looked different from years past, but Retriever pride remained steady as the community pulled together to make the best of a challenging situation and continue to offer an exceptional learning experience for our students. 

Teams of more than a hundred staff and faculty worked through the summer to plan the “Retriever Return” to campus, placing the health and safety of students, faculty, staff, and the surrounding community at the forefront of all decision-making. With 91 percent of courses fully online and 7 percent hybrid, just 2 percent took place in-person this fall. Extensive monitoring of symptoms for those on campus helped to keep the campus safe while learning and working.

“I have been amazed by the level of talent and commitment, compassion by everybody involved in the planning…Everyone has shown an unbelievable dedication to the UMBC community,” said UMBC President Freeman Hrabowski. “We have stepped up to the plate and supported our students and each other, and we should all feel inspired by this.” 

A campus pivot

While the number of people working and living on campus may expand slightly in the spring, the focus will continue to be on distance learning and the safety of the community as instructors draw upon what they learned about how to best reach students remotely. Through the new Planning Instructional Variety for Online Teaching, or PIVOT, program, hundreds of faculty spent the summer training to create robust, high-quality remote classroom experiences. Many also embraced ways of making classes more personal by incorporating pets, leading group cheers, and building scientific labs in their own basements.

“I can’t wait to be back in a classroom with students…It’s my favorite thing to do. But this is a global pandemic…so how do we use the tools we have and the innovation UMBC is known for to make the best learning experience possible for our students?” said Kate Drabinski, principal lecturer in gender, women’s, and sexuality studies.

Students also took advantage of the Fostering Online Learning Improvement and Opportunity, or FOLIO, program, which offered an extra layer of asynchronous tools and support for students navigating the world of online instruction for the first time. 

“My professors are being very accommodating,” says senior geography and environmental systems student Hugh O’Connor. “They all make sure students feel welcome to have a video call with them almost anytime in lieu of office hours and post recordings of lectures to help students stay on track. Some professors have even decided not to require textbooks because they know financially times are tougher for some students due to the pandemic.”

Resources for students

The cost to attend UMBC will decrease 22 percent compared to last fall for in-state undergraduate students registered for courses offered by the main campus. Since March the Stay Black & Gold Fund has distributed more than $270,000 in emergency funding and continues to assist students in need, especially those who are not eligible for funding from the federal CARES grant and have exhausted their financial aid options. Although the Retriever Essentials Food Pantry had to close for in-person visitors, organizers worked with UMBC Police to create pre-packed bags of nutritionally balanced nonperishable food and travel-sized toiletries for community members in need.

While UMBC’s incoming undergraduate students didn’t get to experience some of the firsts of a typical semester this fall, they all received a special box of swag to mirror some of the special traditions they would have experienced on campus, said Nancy Young, vice president of student affairs. Those living on campus also enjoyed Friday night bingo, Saturday night movies, and other special socially-distanced get-togethers.

“We wanted to convey the traditions to our new students and make them feel welcome,” said Young, who invited students to decorate their rooms at home with the Retriever pennants and posters they sent. “We surprised them, and it was a huge hit. They were all really excited.”

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Capturing the moment
Whether working from home or studying and playing (carefully) on campus, community members joyfully chronicled the strange semester in a variety of ways. Photos courtesy of Melissa Penley Cormier, M.F.A. ’17, Cindy Greenwood, Amanda Knapp, David Hoffman, Ph.D. ’13, and Marlayna Demond ’11.

Want to grab a drink at a brewery with ecological stewardship in mind? Looking for a vet to visit your pets at home? Feel like posting a fantastical color-changing cup of tea (with cotton candy on top) on social media? What about recommendations for a photobooth company (now with virtual options)? Entrepreneurial Retrievers are making names for themselves in almost every vocation—but a pandemic can make it difficult for small businesses to thrive.

To help showcase and support these small business owners and independent contractors, in summer 2020 the UMBC Alumni Association launched the UMBC Alumni Business Directory. The directory provides a one-stop search for Retriever-owned businesses, and helps UMBC alumni network and do business together. 

Suspended Brewing is another alumni-owned business.

“I love the idea of the Alumni Business Directory—showcasing the work and achievements of our graduates,” says Marian Saunders White ’87, information systems management, president of The Refinery, LLC, a management and business operations consulting firm. “I’m proud of the work that our firm has accomplished this far and I know I was able to start and operate the company because of the educational foundation I received at UMBC, as well as the on-going support I get now from other alumni.”

This new service launched in the midst of a pandemic to help support alumni-owned businesses that have had to adjust their operations in response to COVID-19.

“The pandemic has taken a toll on everyone, and we know many alumni-owned businesses have been negatively affected,” says Sara Lerma Jones, associate director of Alumni Engagement. “The business directory was already in progress, and we accelerated its debut as a way to highlight and support these businesses. The directory is another way for our alumni to connect with and support each other, and highlights the entrepreneurial spirit of our graduates.”

Each week, a different alumni-owned business from the ABD is highlighted and promoted on the Alumni Association’s social media channels as an additional layer of support. “I’m happy to contribute to the on-going success story of UMBC,” says Saunders White, “and to see the many different ways we are contributing to our communities.”

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Search or join the UMBC Alumni Business Directory.

Header image: Brittany Wight ’08, visual arts, of Wight Tea Company hands a drink to a customer at Whitehall Mill. Photos by Marlayna Demond ’11.

One of the undeniable benefits of UMBC’s relative youth is access to founding members of the institution and other individuals who’ve played a foundational role in shaping the University. What happens when you sit down three key players in Alumni Relations and Development who span the years of UMBC from the first day to this present moment? You learn that some things haven’t changed.

When Royce Bradshaw ’70, political science, was hired in 1969 by Chancellor Albin O. Kuhn to be the first director of the not-yet-formed alumni association, he worked as an office of one. Barbara Quinn’78, ancient studies, who took on the role of executive director of Alumni Relations in 1979, reiterates the need to wear multiple hats when working with a small staff that carries a large mandate—a mandate that grows larger with each graduating class. 

Today, under the leadership of Stanyell Odom, the director of Alumni Engagement, UMBC boasts 83,000 Retriever alumni. These three sat down in October 2020 for a socially distanced discussion of how their work has shifted over the years.

Stanyell Odom: How would you both characterize UMBC alumni? What sets them apart from students at other schools? 

Barbara Quinn: I would say that they’re extremely committed and they really believe in the institution. A lot of that has to do with Freeman because he has made UMBC into a family. Even though it’s continued to grow it still feels like the original institution it was back in the ’60s. And so people feel really committed to it and really want to see it continue to do well. 

Bradshaw featured in the 1969 Skipjack, the university yearbook at the time.

Royce Bradshaw: We’re getting to be a big family. How do you make it personal at this size? To go from representing the founding class to somehow connecting with this giant population of alumni, that’s very different.

For example—Dr. Kuhn, UMBC’s chancellor at the time I graduated—he still had his farm, and during graduation, we got to nibble on strawberries from his own garden. When you have 80,000 alumni, that relationship is much different.

Odom:Barb, during your 15 years at UMBC the alumni population jumped from 5,500 to 22,000. How did you manage to keep the alumni as a whole engaged but also develop personal relationships?

Quinn: You know what, we did a lot of stuff around Athletics, because we had a good lacrosse program, a good basketball program. We also engaged the sororities and fraternities to help us. We also did special projects, like installing the statue of the Chesapeake Bay Retriever in front of the RAC.

An early project that engaged alumni is the Second Generation Scholarship, created by a committee of African American alumni to support students trying to finish their degree. We also  had an alumni board that was just really devoted, really committed to the University. 

Odom: Royce, from 1970 to 1972, you went from 240 graduates to 1,200 graduates. That’s a pretty substantial increase. And I know when I started at UMBC in 2006 we had 40,000 alumni, which has more than doubled now.

So to get to your question, Royce, about how to make it personal, I think anyone working with alumni now, that’s the constant struggle. I get the opportunity to work with alumni leaders and so my personal relationships are developed through the Second Generation Scholarship committee, the alumni board, working with your group, Royce, the Founding Four. 

It would be really helpful to get an understanding, Royce, of how you became the first, alumni director.

Bradshaw: I came to UMBC after getting out of the army with a wife and child. The Cold War GI bill passed and I decided to use it. My second child was born 10 days before UMBC opened. 

Part of the senior project included repainting local buildings.

I was very active in student government even though I was driving a taxi to support my family at the same time. I was the first student appointed to the faculty senate. I worked very closely with Dr. Kuhn. He was a guy you could call and get a meeting with the same day. I mean as a student, you know?

I was the second person to complete their degree requirements at UMBC, finishing in 1969. Chancellor Kuhn asked me to stay on at UMBC as his graduate assistant, and to begin planning for the alumni and development programs. In 1971, I became the first director of Alumni and Development, and served for one year. During my tenure I helped organize the class of 1970 gift.

Our senior class project was to write to corporations and ask them to donate to a student emergency loan fund, and in return we would do projects for them. We raised $13,000, which was no small amount of money at the time!

Odom: Barb, during your tenure as executive director of Alumni Relations what are some major ways that your office engaged alumni?

Quinn:There are actually two things. The first wasn’t a project that I particularly liked but it turned out to be a good thing—the first alumni directory. Creating something like this (and without a computer!) takes so much work. It was the first collective thing that we had with all the alumni listed in it. 

The second thing, one of my favorite projects I mentioned earlier, was the Second Generation Scholarship.

Odom:Oh, wow. We still have that in place!

Quinn:The Second Generation Scholarship requires that scholarship candidates take a course in Africana studies and demonstrate a commitment to improving the lives of minorities through community service. It was started by James Wiggins ’75, political science, and other African American alumni. It was a lot of work but it was so much fun. 

Odom: We actually think it’s one of the first, or possibly the first alumni-endowed scholarships at the University.

Quinn:It’s a huge source of pride for me. Because I know how much work went into it, and it was a really cool thing. I have to admit.

Quinn looks through documents from UMBC’s early years.

Quinn: Stanyell, while you’ve been at UMBC, what are you most proud of?

Odom:I think for me the pinnacle of my experience at UMBC was the 50th anniversary celebration. I don’t think any of us fully knew what we were in store for, but to see thousands of alumni be engaged throughout those yearlong series of events was so satisfying.

I’ll just never forget the moment when the fireworks went off and it was done and the night was over and it was like, we did this. It was such a feeling of accomplishment because I mean we put our blood, sweat, and tears into that. And through that work I got a better relationship and a strategic partnership with the alumni board and the association.

I know that when I think about how we characterize our alumni, I see their immense pride of really being part of the school’s story. I’ve been here to see the prominence and the reputation of the University continue to evolve. It’s not that we’re without our problems—we certainly have our challenges—but I think that the way we approach problem-solving as a community, it feels really good, and I think alums have become accustomed to being a part of that.

The Second Generation committee continues to illustrate this, and our Alumni Association Board of Directors is also a perfect example. They award annual scholarships to students, and they wanted to double their endowment to $200,000 by 2020. Five years ago the endowment was at $100,000. Before the campaign ended they actually had $225,000. And so I think it’s a good example of alumni also taking the lead and saying, “No, we want to help with this fundraising. It doesn’t have to all be UMBC. Here’s what we want to do.” And that’s been really great.

Barb, doesn’t it feel good to know that things that were in place when you were here that they’re still moving forward?

Quinn: It feels like it’s coming full circle.

Odom: I think that we’re ready for the next big thing.

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Header image: Quinn, Bradshaw, and Odom sit outside OCA Mocha in Arbutus for a socially-distant discussion. All photos by Marlayna Demond ’11.

Michelle Scott reminisces about her grandmother’s tradition to call her grandchildren when they turned 18. “She’d call, wish us a happy birthday, and then ask if we had registered to vote.” If they hadn’t, they were asked to call back after registering.

“My grandmother knew the power of the vote,” remembers Scott, associate professor of history, and affiliate in the departments of Africana Studies and Gender, Women’s, and Sexuality Studies. “She understood voting was not just about having the privilege to vote for the president but also about voting on local issues.”

“Not the beginning or the end”

The Alpha Suffrage Club sent Wells-Barnett to the national suffrage parade in DC in 1913. Image from the Chicago Daily Tribune.

The year 2020 marks the centennial of the 19th Amendment which enfranchised women. “It’s important to remember that suffrage was a push for that more perfect equality for women; it wasn’t the beginning or the end,” explains Amy Froide, professor and chair of UMBC’s history department.

Voting was almost not included in the Seneca Falls Convention of 1848, the nation’s first women’s rights conference, explains Froide. Most salient to women were the right to access higher education, hold property, manage their own wages, and be able to get a divorce, and retain custody of their children. “It wasn’t until the late 1800s that women realized the vote would help them attain these rights,” says Froide.

Another thing not included at the convention were the voices of Black women. With the exception of Frederick Douglass, only white people were invited. Scott, an expert in Black women’s history; Froide, an expert in British history and European women’s history; and Susan Sterett, professor of public policy, acknowledge how systemic racism plagued the women’s rights movement from its inauguration.

Sharing lived experiences

“Even today, celebrations about the 19th Amendment disregard the Black women who contributed to enfranchisement,” explains Scott. “Ida B. Wells-Barnett,” says Scott, who researches her anti-lynching work, “founded the Alpha Suffrage Club for African-American women in 1913.” Some of the other Black women are Frances Ellen Watkins Harper whose speech “We Are All Bound Up Together” was delivered at the Eleventh National Women’s Rights Convention of 1866. And Mary Church Terrell delivered her address “The Progress of Colored Women” at the 1898 National American Woman Suffrage Association.

To help students gain a greater perspective of what these women were up against Scott uses storytelling as a strategy. “My grandmother was an excellent storyteller,” shares Scott. “I learned a lot about her life through her stories.” Her grandmother, Marion Vincent, was born in Baton Rouge in 1919. When she was of legal age to vote Vincent was prevented from voting due to voter suppression tactics. She moved to California where she was eventually able to vote, almost 70 years after the 19th amendment was ratified.

“There was massive disenfranchisement of African Americans before the 1965 Voting Rights Act,” explains Sterett. Sharing lived experiences like Scott’s grandmother’s helps students understand the complexity of implementing constitutional law.

 All three see a great need for scholarship on the contributions of Black, brown, and indigenous women leaders in the suffrage movement. The centennial can be an opportunity for this work.

Shaping the future

Maureen Evans Arthurs ’13, gender and women’s studies, agrees. Recounting her matriarchal lineage, Evans Arthurs names her family members that laid the foundation for her unique position today. Her great-grandmother, Pearl Johnson, was born to sharecroppers in 1887. Her grandmother, Irene Shepard, was born in 1918. Evans Arthurs’ mom, Renee Smith Guelce, was born in 1956. “I was born in 1986. My sister was born in 1982. We are the first people in my family to grow up with the birth right to vote.” 

Evans Arthurs poses with her mom Renee Smith Guelce on the day of her UMBC graduation. Photo courtesy of Evans Arthurs.

Evans Arthurs voted for the first time in 2004, 84 years after the 19th Amendment was ratified. Today, she is the director of government affairs for Howard County Government, helping shape the future for the next generation.    

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Header image: Five women officers of the Women’s League in Newport, Rhode Island, c. 1899. Source: National Women’s History Museum.