In his final months at UMBC, Freeman Hrabowski has been hitting the road visiting alumni and friends in a variety of cities as part of the RetriEVER Grateful Tour. Sharing a moment in his office this March, Hrabowski talked a bit about what the tour and his last semester as president have been like and what excites him about the future of UMBC.

UMBC Magazine: You were just in Annapolis for the first stop of the RetriEVER Grateful Tour last night, with quite a few more stops around the country to come, and you’ve also been sharing the UMBC story with state legislators. What has it been like reconnecting with these folks in your final months as president?

Freeman A. Hrabowski, III

Freeman Hrabowski: It’s been like a special dream. People have been so wonderful. I was seeing people from the Founding Four [the first four years of UMBC graduates], and there were also alumni who are working in state government, including Adrienne Jones [’76, psychology], the speaker of the House of Delegates, and Delegate Mark Chang [’99, psychology], and Senator Charles Sydnor, III [M.P.R. ’00]… and so many other friends and colleagues. And we belonged there. We belonged in Annapolis, telling our story so that people know how UMBC matters in Maryland, and in the country.

UMBC Magazine: You’re also seeing quite a few honors from pretty amazing organizations recently, from your induction into the National Academy of Engineering to the exciting awarding of Carnegie Research 1 status. What a time for all of us!

Hrabowski: It is wonderful, and the point I really want to make is that whenever an award comes to me, it is really for UMBC and the contribution that the university is making to society. It’s really about the body of work of the university. And what it shows is that, as we anticipate the arrival of a wonderful new leader, the people of UMBC know who we are. We know our values. We are so proud of this R1 status. Especially because we have continued to focus on the importance of students, undergrad and grad, and of teaching and learning. And, make no mistake, this new classification speaks volumes about the strength of our research across the disciplines, from the humanities to the sciences.

UMBC Magazine: Can you tell us a little bit about what lies ahead for you? What are you most excited about? Do you have a bucket list?

Hrabowski: I am very excited about working with national agencies, foundations, and universities on those issues of particular interest to me, including academic success of students, of all students, addressing the issue of underrepresentation in STEM, and the importance of enlightened leadership in higher education. And so, I will be working even more closely with Harvard’s leadership programs. I’ll be in that space and working with universities.

So, I don’t have a bucket list. You never know if you’re gonna get a chance to retire—that’s life, right? So you need to just do it. When I leave, you can say ‘He felt so good about his life.’ I have been loved. I have loved deeply, and I love UMBC. So, the bucket list is finished. The cake is baked, and this is about the icing on the cake. This is the time when members of the UMBC community, and our alumni, and our supporters are reflecting on just how far we’ve come in 55 years. And it’s been my honor to have spent 35 of those years with UMBC. I am a blessed man, and that is the truth.

Learn more about the RetriEVER Grateful Tour and upcoming events to celebrate Dr.  Hrabowski’s leadership.

​​Many of President Freeman Hrabowski’s working hours are spent at his desk on the phone speaking to organizations that can help better the education of his students, but as often as possible, he’ll take a lap around the campus that has shaped him as much as he’s shaped it.

​​To be a Retriever in any of the last 30-plus years is to have a “Freeman story.” For many people, it’s pretty similar. President Hrabowski saw you on Academic Row and asked your major and where you went to high school. President Hrabowski got on your elevator and asked your major and where you went to high school. President Hrabowski stopped by your lunch table in The Commons and—you guessed it—asked your major and where you went to high school.

You’d think he might get tired of hearing the answers, but instead, they seem to animate him. He has rejoinders for any response and is indefatigable as he strides around the campus he’s watched grow up for more than three decades.

These are the liturgies of life at UMBC under the leadership of President Freeman Hrabowski. He’s always going to say, “Enjoy the food, I was cooking all night.” He’s going to offer you his elbow to bump instead of his hand (he was doing this cold-avoiding precaution well before COVID-19). He’s going to ask if you’ve thought about getting a Ph.D. He’s going to say “focus, focus, focus” and “keep hope alive.” No matter how many times he repeats these things, they never sound trite—and that’s where the magic comes in. He means them each and every time. 

Out of Office

On an exceptionally sunny afternoon this February, Hrabowski walks down the packed corridor of Academic Row. Seemingly every student is outside on this summer-gift of a winter’s day. Chatting with folks like he usually does, an eager student yells out from the University Center terrace “I love you, Freeman!” drawing out all the vowels. His reception among students is closer to that of a celebrity—selfies abound. Staff step up shyly to tell him that he’s the reason they’ve stayed at UMBC for 20 years. He asks a table of students the usual questions and along the way discovers it’s someone’s special day. Without skipping a beat, Hrabowski croons “Happy Birthday” to her, entirely at home.

President’s Day

One of the unsung roles of a president is listening to the complaints and suggestions of students and staff. Hrabowski does this task not only ungrudgingly but often and methodically. By a matter of coincidence, a recent student focus group took place on President’s Day. Hrabowski made it clear to the dozen students (all recent transfers) assembled that he had one hour before he needed to head to Annapolis to speak at the Maryland State House about how we learn and talk about our nation’s founding president. For that hour, he made himself fully present and available, taking notes about registration frustrations, organic chemistry woes, study abroad hopes, and a plethora of other topics. 

For each student, he had a resource to give them and encouraged them to follow up with him about their progress. “The thing a president does,” he told the students with a laugh, “is point you to other people who can help you.” 

Let’s Go on a Walk

Most of Hrabowski’s days do not include hours-long walks, but as often as possible, he’ll show his guests around a campus that has made its mark on him as much as he has on it. You could nearly measure Hrabowski’s tenure by counting the rings on the trees that wrap around the loop, lending their growing shade to the walking path each year—those trunks and branches were part of an early initiative of his to shape the landscape of campus to be more welcoming.

He’ll make sure to bring guests to the meditative spot in front of a statue of his good friend and mentor, the late philanthropist Walter Sondheim. He’ll want to show visitors the new Performing Arts and Humanities Building (PAHB). One story he shares is that when legislators would come to campus early in his presidency, he’d take them to the Fine Arts Building Recital Hall so that they could experience the sound of the flushing toilets next to the auditorium, audible even during productions. The PAHB offers multiple (soundproof) performing venues and is LEED Gold certified, heightening the visibility of the arts and humanities as major components of campus and community life.

A Break on the Knoll

“Go placidly amid the noise and the haste and remember what peace there may be in silence.” In a virtual Meyerhoff Scholars Program Family Meeting, Hrabowski quotes Max Ehrmann’s “Desiderata,” a poem he memorized 60 years ago. For someone whose role does not offer many moments of silence, Hrabowski does take free seconds throughout the day. When he finds them, he says the shortest prayer, “God help me. God help us.” If he finds a whole minute free, he closes his eyes and meditates. “The hardest thing for any human is not to have a thought,” he says.

In an ideal world, like this perfect day in February, Hrabowski can make the trek down to the Knoll and Joseph Beuys Sculpture Park, across the loop from the UMBC Stadium Complex. The Knoll is a preserved woodland that’s remained undeveloped due to community members continually advocating for campus green space. He pauses here, at peace and temporarily still under the dappled shade.

Interrupting Class

The next stop is the Interdisciplinary Life Sciences Building (ILSB)—a state-of-the-art space for collaborative research and teaching. Hrabowski taps on the door of a class in a large lecture hall to listen in on discussion of math counter examples. His eagerness to be in the classroom is palpable. Hrabowski frequently says, “I have so much more to learn.” Despite the administrative duties he’s called to perform, perhaps the staying power of more than 30 years at a university is an authentic life-long desire for learning. It’s what makes his repeated interactions with students impactful instead of trite—he’s truly curious about the world around him.

Stopping for Research

Walking into Professor Chris Swan’s Geography and Environmental Systems lab on the second floor of the ILSB, Hrabowski quips about the tray of leaves on the counter, “Are you heating that up for food or science?” “For science,” the students reassure him as they explain the leaf litter they’re working with. After collecting the specimens from streams on campus, “we measure the functional diversity and the rate of decomposition.” 

“And why is this important?” Hrabowski asks genuinely, the constant wheels of learning turning in his head. Swan’s research group responds that they’re establishing the importance of biodiversity to better understand invasive diseases that have decimated some ash and oak species—questions that ultimately might help keep more of UMBC’s many trees alive and healthy.

Making Campus Inviting

It’s nearly 70 degrees outside, and we’re closing in on our step goal. Hrabowski shows no sign of slowing down. He doesn’t need a drink of water, he doesn’t need a break. He stops only to congratulate a group of women’s lacrosse players throwing a ball around the Quad for their explosive win earlier that week (17-9 against American University). 

As he makes his way back to the Admin building and his desk and messages waiting for him, Hrabowski recounts an early walk in his tenure as UMBC president. He was showing then Maryland Governor William Donald Schaefer around campus. He wanted the governor to know how well UMBC functioned with the state support it received but also how it could function so much better with more investment. “And for years,” says Hrabowski, “Schaefer told people, ‘That young president walked the hell outta me all over campus,’” laughing that he just had to say “yes” to all of Hrabowski’s requests because he was too out of breath from the vigorous walk to say anything else.

But the results of that and other fruitful conversations over the past three decades are evident everywhere. Students may take The Commons for granted, or the Knoll or even lounge spaces in the library, but all of those spaces are intentional, says Hrabowski.

The campus changes he’s most proud of are those that encourage community. “There are more spaces where you can sit and commune, talk to people, reflect,” says Hrabowski. “In the early years, people would come to campus and then leave. Not all, but those who were not residential. Now there are so many places where people can just study, laugh, get to know other people, and build community over time.” In his eyes, these places of invitation are the crowning achievement of the physical campus.

Up to the 10th Floor

As he enters the elevator to take him to his office, he waves joyfully. The next part of his day will be very different from his crowd-pleasing walk but no less important. He’ll make the case for increased funding to the National Science Foundation. He’ll moderate a Chronicle of Higher Education virtual panel on the importance of resources for our growing population of first-generation students. He’ll make phone calls to put UMBC on the radar of state legislators and other folks in a position to give his students a better education. 

He’ll forget to drink more than several cups of tea provided by his executive assistant as he endlessly and eagerly promotes a university that has shaped him as much as he has shaped it. He will do and say the same things over and over again without them sounding trite, because he believes in the power of words. And most of all, he believes we will keep hope alive.

*****

All photos by Marlayna Demond ’11.

With the conclusion of the Grit & Greatness campaign and three decades of leadership from retiring President Freeman A. Hrabowski, III, UMBC has many reasons to feel grateful. Alumni from all across the nation are gathering to celebrate our community, the impact we’ve made together, and the spirit of inclusive excellence that will drive our work for years to come.

Here are some highlights from the RetriEVER Grateful Tour. Learn more and sign up for upcoming dates here.

Annapolis Reception

The RetriEVER Grateful Tour kicked off on Thursday, March 3, 2022.UMBC alumni and friends gathered at Governor Calvert House in Annapolis, Maryland where Dr. Hrabowski was joined on stage by Dr. Kimberly Moffitt, Dean of the College of Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences, for an intimate conversation.

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The Universities at Shady Grove (Rockville) Reception

On Monday, March 7, 2022, the Universities at Shady Grove community paid tribute to Dr. Hrabowski. Click here for a copy of the program with the speaker lineup.

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Hidden Waters Reception

On Thursday, March 10, 2022, Dr. Hrabowski met with local community leaders at an intimate reception at Hidden Waters, the estate of the Chancellor of the University of Maryland.

San Francisco Reception

On Wednesday, March 16, 2022, the RetriEVER Grateful Tour made its way west to join UMBC alumni and friends in San Francisco, California. A conversation between Dr. Hrabowski and Jack Suess ’81, M.S. ’94, Vice President of Information Technology and CIO, highlighted the evening’s program.

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Seattle Reception

On Thursday, March 17, 2022, the RetriEVER Grateful Tour hit its second West Coast venue, the Museum of History & Industry in Seattle, Washington. Once again, the program featured a conversation between Dr. Hrabowski and CIO Jack Seuss.

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Raleigh-Durham Reception

On Thursday, March 31, the RetriEVER Grateful Tour headed south to Raleigh-Durham. The reception featured a virtual Q&A between Dr. Hrabowski and Keith Harmon, director of the Meyerhoff Scholars Program.

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Washington, DC, Reception

On Thursday, April 7, the RetriEVER Grateful Tour made its way to our nation’s capital, Washington, DC, and the American Association for the Advancement of Science. The program featured a conversation between Dr. Hrabowski and Dr. Yvette Mozie-Ross ’88, vice provost for Enrollment Management and Planning.

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Philadelphia Reception

UMBC alumni and friends flocked to Philadelphia on Monday, April 11 for the last leg of the RetriEVER Grateful Tour. The program featured a conversation between Dr. Hrabowski and Dr. Pat McDermott, Vice Provost for Faculty Affairs.

New York City Reception

The RetriEVER Grateful Tour concluded with a stop at Glasshouse Chelsea in New York City on Tuesday, April 12. The program featured a conversation between Dr. Hrabowski and Greg Simmons, M.P.P. ’04, Vice President of Institutional Advancement.

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Stay tuned for highlights from more stops on the RetriEVER Grateful Tour!

Header image: Guests enjoy the Hidden Waters reception. Photo by Marlayna Demond ’11.

Provost Philip Rous shared an emotional moment with the UMBC community yesterday as hetook to the stage at the university’s Fall Opening Meeting, just a day after UMBC President Freeman Hrabowski announced he will retire in June 2022. He shared a message he’s been hearing from across Retriever Nation, one of gratitude and hope.

“Each of us holds in our hands the legacy of Freeman’s leadership and that of all members of our community who have built it into what it is today. But as Freeman often says, ‘success is never final,’ so that legacy is not static, it’s dynamic,” Rous told the group. 

“It’s forward-looking and it belongs to all of us,” he said, noting that our community’s strong foundation of shared values will allow us to continue the “important work of building and advancing this remarkable university to even greater heights.”

As Retriever Nation awaits the start of the search for UMBC’s sixth president, Hrabowski thanked the community for their support and encouraged them to think about how to carry on the important mission and values of this community.

“Here is my message—this is the house that love has built,” said Hrabowski, following a huge standing ovation in the RAC. “We show the world that we can transform lives through education.”

Messages of congratulations and gratitude from alumni, legislators, and other friends of UMBC have poured in since the announcement went live Wednesday afternoon. Here are a few of our favorites.

* * * * * *

Learn more about the presidential transition process at president.umbc.edu.

Story by Jenny O’Grady and Randianne Leyshon ’09. Photos by Marlayna Demond ’11 for UMBC Magazine.

Alumni in the filmmaking industry are behind the scenes of UMBC’s new brand video.

Last week, UMBC rolled out a sparkling new brand based on more than a year’s worth of community input. With it launched a fresh new homepage and icon, as well as a video meant not only to pull at the heartstrings of #RetrieverNation, but to welcome new Dawgs into our special community.

Woven through the video are scenes and sentiments that many in our community will immediately recognize. But what you might not know is that there was as much Retriever effort put in behind the scenes as there was captured by the camera. Here’s a sneak peek at the Retriever alumni—directors, producers, gaffers, and makeup artists—who helped make this video a success.

Reconnecting and Directing

For UMBC’s video producer, Corey Jennings ’10, economics, this project was the culmination of months of collaboration with campus partners—partnerships that he created as a student on campus. In directing a video to announce the launch of the University’s new brand, Jennings instinctively knew the strengths of his alma mater to highlight.

In the UMBC community, he says, “we all knew in the back of our minds there’d be this flashpoint where we could say ‘look and see.’ The 2018 NCAA upset and our first Rhodes Scholar [Naomi Mburu ’18, chemical engineering] gave us an opportunity to tell our story in a larger way, and through this brand launch we’re given the chance to refocus the narrative of UMBC.”

Jennings points to an unscripted moment of the production that made the cut when President Hrabowski is chatting with students on set. “It was just Freeman being Freeman,” says Jennings. “Your character is who you are,” Hrabowski said to the small group gathered. “Through his words, we found a story we didn’t even know we were telling. Something like this happens in almost every interaction with leadership here,” says Jennings. “They truly care about the community.”

While Jennings knew that the project’s executive producer, Liz Norton, was also a fellow alum, the rest of the Retrievers on set were a surprise to him, but only slightly. “The University is deeply ingrained in the local production industry,” says Jennings, whose wife Carly Faye Engelke ’08—a Linehan Scholar and a dance major—is active in the Baltimore performing arts scene. Even the project’s videographer Kyle Deitz can trace his Retriever roots through his mother, Mary M. Deitz, who earned her degree in economics from UMBC in 1982.

Through the investment of students and alumni and staff in the UMBC community, says Jennings, “this video allows us to reflect on who we already are and the truth that we’ve always been this way, but maybe the outside world just didn’t know.”

A Makeover for the Ages

Alexis Arenas ’01, history, didn’t anticipate being the makeup artist for a film production at her alma mater, but as a history major, she knows the importance of returning to the past. “It’s an honor to play a part in telling the story of the future. I enjoyed my time here so much, I want to bring UMBC to a wider audience.”

Tucked away in a corner of The Commons, Arenas stood by her makeup staging area, ready to touch up the faces of the UMBC talent on set. In the past, she’s brushed the faces of Tony Bennett, Stevie Wonder, and Lin-Manuel Miranda, but today’s star is someone slightly more familiar: President Freeman Hrabowski. Between shots, Arenas commented on the many campus changes in the past two decades—in her time, she said, students’ central hangout space was the University Center.

As a member of the Makeup Artist Union in New York and having trained in London, Arenas sees a clear tie from her roots at UMBC to her career based in Ellicott City today. “UMBC taught me research skills, and research is necessary to what I do,” said Arenas, who often works on period piece films and vintage projects. “History is integral to being a top notch makeup artist.”

Putting UMBC in the Best Light

Daniel Stack ’10, fine arts, the gaffer—or the chief lighting technician—of the film crew, boasts quite the UMBC family tree. His parents both graduated in the first decade of graduating student classes, and his mother is a member of the Founding Four (Anne Brant Stack ’72, English, and W. Stewart Stack ’78, interdisciplinary studies). His wife, Elise Stack ’03, English, is also a UMBC alumna, as is his brother, and several cousins.

One thing people should know about UMBC, said Stack, is this: “If one person in your family comes to UMBC, everyone else will come to UMBC, at least that’s what I’ve learned.”

Stack was a Linehan Scholar who immediately started working in the family business. His father started Serious Grip and Electric in 1983 (we recommend their website for the most thrilling About Us page on the internet). As the gaffer on set for this project, he’s literally in charge of letting the best parts of UMBC shine—from lab beakers to sports bleachers.

Nerd Pride Production

Liz Norton ’06, visual arts, is the executive producer on set. Another former Linehan Scholar (who showed up to the first day of the shoot in her UMBC vs. University of Virginia bracket t-shirt) was clearly happy to be back on campus, repping her Retriever pride. Norton works at Three Seas, a collective of boutique creative companies. She reached out to UMBC creative services after UMBC’s NCAA 2018 upset. With reignited pride in her alma mater, she suggested collaborating on future projects.

Thinking back on what’s stayed the same since her time on campus, Norton immediately replies: “Nerd pride. We’re here and we’re ourselves. We’re proud to be excited about whatever cool is going on at the University.”

After coordinating the project behind the scenes weeks in advance—including organizing the crew and equipment and managing the timeline and budget—Liz now watches her production advance smoothly throughout the day, Norton notes, “there’s so much diversity here that the video captures so well. There’s diversity among the students, but the students also pursue diverse interests.”

On the last day of the shoot, again wearing black and gold, Norton reflects on the project, “The creators’ vision for this video resonates with me in terms of community and character. UMBC has stayed really consistent with these things over time.”

****

All photos courtesy of Marlayna Demond ’11, Raquel Hamner ’20, and Ana Isabel Martinez Chamorro for UMBC.

****

Cast: Giavanni Powell, Kennedy Lamb, Linda Wiratan, Joe Sherburne, Ryan Odom, Lloyd Ekpe, Laura Schraven,  Mia Rickenbach, Darian Garcia

Crew:

Director of Content Development: Jenny O’Grady
UMBC Video Producer/Director: Corey Jennings
Executive Producer: Liz Norton
Producer: Dave Willis
Director of Photography: Kyle Deitz
Assistant Camera: Nate Spivey
Gaffer: Dan Stack
Audio: Lorenzo Millan
Hair/Makeup: Alexis Arenas
PA: Alex Papalitskas
PA: Andrew Hwang

Special Thanks: UMBC Athletics, Center for Art Design and Visual Culture, Campus Life Operations, Commonvision, UMBC Dance Department, Michael Summers, Summers Lab Staff, UMBC Transportation, Residential Life

As UMBC heads into its 50th year, we’ve been looking back on our tales of grit and moments of greatness. What better time to do that than the Endowed Scholarship Luncheon, a yearly event where donors meet the students who’ve benefited from their contributions? Throughout this spring’s luncheon, speakers stressed the importance of investing in young people, and how education can bring forth greatness from humble beginnings.

Sylvia Brown came from such beginnings in rural Virginia, and said that she wouldn’t have been able to get where she is today – teacher, administrator, philanthropist – without the help of caring parents and teachers in her youth. She’s since dedicated much of her life to ensuring access and opportunities for young people across the Baltimore area. She and her husband Eddie Brown were some of the first donors to invest in the Meyerhoff Scholars Program, and they have provided abundant support to UMBC over the years.

Mrs. Brown spoke of the importance of giving, and said that it fills her with gratitude to see a beneficiary of her gifts turn around to help someone else. As she looked around the room at students sitting with the donors who funded their scholarships, she said, “I think it’s been working.”

Jackie Hrabowski, former faculty member at UMBC, current board member at T. Rowe Price, and wife of UMBC President Dr. Freeman Hrabowski, also cited key influences from her childhood on her choice to give back. Her parents were known in their community for their generosity, and she remembered asking her father, as a teenager, why their family had to be the ones to help out all the time.

Her father answered, quite simply, “Because we can.”

The people who have established scholarship funds for UMBC students have done so not out of obligation, but because they could, because they wanted to invest in the success of future generations. Scholarship recipients, in turn, have a habit of paying it forward.

Awardees use their gifts not only to put themselves through school, but to give back to the institution and the community. One such beneficiary is Parker James ’16, health administration and policy, who, as a France-Merrick Fellow and Sondheim Public Affairs Scholar, co-created Students for a Healthy Baltimore, an organization that places undergraduate volunteers at health clinics throughout the city. He says these opportunities have affirmed his commitment to removing barriers to health care access for the underprivileged.

As Vice President of Institutional Advancement Greg Simmons ’04, M.P.P. public policy, put it, stories like these matter, and the establishment of endowed scholarships demonstrates the university’s commitment to elevation. Dr. Hrabowski agreed, citing UMBC’s contribution to the growth of the middle class and to the next generation of leaders.

As Dr. Hrabowski said, if we can do all this in 50 years, imagine where we’re headed next.

— Julia Celtnieks ’13

Give our students a hand, and pay it forward by making a gift today. For more photos from the event, head to Flickr.

Here’s who (and how much snow) made the news this week:

• In case you hadn’t heard, it snowed a lot in Baltimore this past weekend, and UMBC was one of many schools affected by the record accumulation. Residential students were able to move in Wednesday, and spring semester classes began Thursday.
• Baltimore Sun columnist Dan Rodricks has some ideas on how the city might deal with future blizzards, and he references a conversation with Don Norris, public policy, about the pros and cons of regional governance.
• Kimberly Moffitt, American studies, discussed the influence of present events on this year’s Black History Month commemorations in and around the Baltimore area with the Sun. “If you think about it, history is occurring daily, right? So yesterday is history,” she says.
• Dr. Hrabowski granted an extensive interview to University Business for a story chronicling UMBC’s rise as a research institution committed to inclusive excellence.

For more campus community happenings, head to UMBC News.

One of the things that makes UMBC great is how wonderful our alumni, students, faculty, and staff are. Because of these amazing people, UMBC often finds itself “in the news,” so each week, we’ll be sharing with you a round-up of the most newsworthy achievements from our community.

• Dr. Hrabowski, when asked for his New Year’s resolution by Baltimore magazine, says he resolves “to see challenges as opportunity for growth.”
• Govind Rao, chemistry and biochemistry, discusses the potentially life-saving improvements he and his team have made to the design of a low-cost incubator for preterm and low-birth-weight babies.
• Kimberly Moffitt, American studies, joins the News Roundtable on WEAA-FM’s The Marc Steiner Show to discuss the non-indictment in the killing of Tamir Rice, allegations against Bill Cosby, and more.
• Kate Drabinski, gender and women’s studies, comments on the “far-reaching [impact]” Black Girls Vote could have by encouraging minority involvement in public policy decisions.
• It Shouldn’t Have Been Beautiful, a collection of poems by Lia Purpura, English, has made Baltimore’s Best Books of 2015 list. The magazine calls it “an absolute wonder.”
• Jamie Falcon, economics, talks about his efforts to bring about a new political perspective as Chair of the School Board Nominating Commission.
• Ellen Handler Spitz, Honors College, examines the recent resurgence of classic folk tales.
• Chris Geddes, chemistry and biochemistry, has invented a rapid STI test that costs $1 and is headed into clinical trials in Baltimore and Cincinnati.

For more UMBC community updates, head to UMBC News.

One of the things that makes UMBC great is how wonderful our alumni, students, faculty, and staff are. Because of these amazing people, UMBC often finds itself “in the news,” so each week, we’ll be sharing with you a round-up of the most newsworthy achievements from our community.

• Dr. Hrabowski appeared on Dan Rodricks’ podcast to talk about his childhood in segregated Birmingham, Alabama, and his participation in the Children’s March, for which he was arrested at age 12.
• Doug Hamby, dance, says dance competition shows on TV have made competitive dance more popular and increased the number of men and boys participating.
• Men’s basketball coach Aki Thomas has been reunited with his former coach, co-worker, and mentor Frankie Allen, who is now UMBC’s assistant men’s basketball coach.

For more campus community news, visit UMBC Insights!

One of the things that makes UMBC great is how wonderful our alumni, students, faculty, and staff are. Because of these amazing people, UMBC often finds itself “in the news,” so each week, we’ll be sharing with you a round-up of the most newsworthy achievements from our community.

• Dr. Hrabowski is a member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences’ new Commission on the Future of Undergraduate Education. He will also speak at a conference on data-driven diversity practices at the College of the Holy Cross on November 13.
• Hrabowski has also written an op-ed for Time about the importance of the Higher Education Act.
• Science reviews Dr. Hrabowski’s book, Holding Fast to Dreams, calling it a “moving memoir…[and] quite rewarding.”
• bwtech@UMBC startup Ayasdi is the sixth company to graduate from the Cync Program, a global cybersecurity startup initiative.
• Danielle Beatty-Moody, psychology, has had her post-doctoral research at the University of Pittsburgh referenced in a new article on how patterns of racial discrimination can affect patterns of sleep.
• Roy Meyer, political science, talked to Delmarva Now about whether Larry Hogan has lived up to his campaign promises in his first year as Maryland’s governor.
• Tom Schaller, political science, talks about the Republican party’s electoral advantages and “smoke-and-mirrors strategy.”
• Brenna Rollie, former assistant women’s basketball coach, is now an assistant coach for Columbia University’s women’s basketball team.
• Courtney Martinez Connor, former head coach of women’s lacrosse, is Arizona State University’s first women’s lacrosse coach.
• Men’s soccer beat the UMass Lowell River Hawks at the opposing team’s Senior Day game 1-0 on Saturday, and bested Stony Brook 3-0 at a home game on Wednesday.
• Hassan Omar, men’s cross country, took home the individual title at the America East Conference Cross Country Championships on Saturday.

For more UMBC news, head to the Insights blog!