With the newly surging pandemic in 2020, UMBC’s Stay Black and Gold Emergency Fund quickly became a strong source of financial assistance for students and families in need. Poulomi Banerjee ’16, M.P.P. ’21, recalls the moment during last year’s Black & Gold Rush Giving Day when all U.S. states and territories made a donation to UMBC.

Banerjee was just in her first year as the assistant director of Annual Giving when she witnessed firsthand the impact giving could have on students. The 2,782 people who generously donated that year were a testament to that fact. Although the year had also been challenging for her, Banerjee saw that everything she had gone through to plan UMBC’s giving day was worth it to plan and experience something so unforgettable.

“It’s really nice seeing the number of donors keep increasing year after year…It means that people are really invested in the community and they believe in UMBC, and that in turn helps me believe in the university more as well,” Banerjee says.

A Retriever foundation

Outside of yearly Black & Gold Rush activities, people in the UMBC community often give back to the university by donating to programs and scholarships they believe in. Through her role in UMBC’s Annual Giving office, Banerjee embodies the spirit of giving and paving the way for growth at UMBC.

After receiving a bachelor’s in health administration and policy in 2016, Banerjee decided to stay at UMBC to pursue a master’s in public policy while working as the development and alumni coordinator in the university’s Office of Institutional Advancement (OIA). Just before finishing her master’s degree in May 2021, she took on her new position in OIA. As a current Ph.D. student in public policy, Banerjee has to balance both her student and leadership roles at UMBC.

“It’s so hard to wrap my mind around how incredible UMBC is going to be in fifty more years knowing how incredible it is now. It might be unusual to have three degrees from one school, but I wouldn’t change anything,” says Banerjee. 

Staying at UMBC after her undergraduate studies ignited Banerjee’s love for the institution and helped cultivate her passion for public policy and its applications to the nonprofit world. Her commitment to community engagement first began in high school, when she founded a service learning program for high schoolers to engage in conversations about healthy relationships. During an internship in college, Banerjee took the opportunity to oversee the same program. From there, she knew she was passionate about connecting to people in the UMBC community. Developing the necessary leadership skills to do so was just the first step.

While Banerjee attended the SGA-led leadership retreat, STRiVE, during her undergraduate years, she befriended people who taught her how she could make change on both the community and university level. Through her participation and leadership in clubs such as seb and SGA, Banerjee eventually discovered OIA and learned about ways she could contribute to the university as an alumna.

In her first OIA position as the development and alumni coordinator, Banerjee planned alumni receptions across the country and, after her first year in the role, created a plan to turn the events into what is now the RetriEVER Grateful Tour. When Banerjee joined the Chapter of Young Alumni and eventually stepped into the role of vice president, she ran the chapter’s social media account and helped oversee event planning for the chapter’s annual Wine Tasting & Silent Auction fundraiser, a networking event for alumni to reconnect with others in the Baltimore community.

Through these previous experiences with working with and for alumni, Banerjee has learned the importance of networking—a skill that she still finds crucial in her current role involving alumni engagement and fundraising. 

Making a tangible impact

Banerjee’s work as assistant director of Annual Giving involves supporting campus communities through fundraising, including crowdfunding and other forms of student organization fundraising. She interacts with students to help them figure out their organization’s goals, determine how much money is needed to support their endeavors, and brainstorm ways to raise the money. 

Although the task of asking for financial support is not always an easy one, Banerjee mentions that her own background as a student has equipped her with a helpful perspective when reaching out to people in the UMBC community.

“I feel like donations are everyone’s biggest fear when they graduate. They don’t want to hear from me and they don’t want to be asked for money. And I get it—I graduated with loans from UMBC…so when someone emails me back saying ‘I have loans, I can’t give,’ I totally understand. And it’s really helpful for me to talk to them from that perspective,” says Banerjee.

Banerjee with her friend and fellow alumna Emma Muccioli ’14, media and communication studies.

For every person who is able to make a contribution, Banerjee and her colleagues make an active effort to stay connected with them and remain transparent about where their donations are going. During Black & Gold Rush activities, for example, people can make online donations to programs or communities they want to see grow.

“It’s an honor when people do give us their philanthropy, and we have the responsibility to help them know how those dollars are working,” says Greg Simmons, M.P.P. ’04, vice president for Institutional Advancement and someone who Banerjee considers a mentor.

Headshot of Simmons

Tackling a whole new world

Taking on a new role would have been a daunting task for many, but Banerjee dove head first into the unknown. While noting that she didn’t have much fundraising experience prior to the position, she brought up how Simmons believed in her abilities to lead.

“When I asked her to take the role she’s taking now, it was clear to me that everything that everybody had said about her was true,” says Simmons, who has worked at UMBC for more than 25 years. “She was incredibly smart and a fast learner…She throws herself into the work and is not afraid to ask questions. She has a passion for this place, which is so exciting. She tells you the truth, even if it’s sometimes hard for her. And I think the last thing is that she’s got this extraordinary optimism. She’s a realist, but she sees what’s possible with things.”

Simmons is not alone in his praise of Banerjee’s skillset. After her outstanding work with the Stay Black & Gold Emergency Fund in 2020 and 2021—from creating applications for students during the pandemic to overseeing the application reviewal and awarding process—she was awarded the 2022 Rising Star Award this spring for the Council for Advancement and Support of Education (CASE) in the mid-Atlantic district. This award is given to professionals who exhibit leadership potential in various areas including philanthropy and alumni relations. 

Simmons adds that Banerjee’s dedication took center stage during Black & Gold Rush in 2021. From navigating a different technology platform, scaling and communicating the program, and making sure people could easily make contributions online, Banerjee played a pivotal role in getting the fund off the ground on a hard and fast deadline.

The gift of giving marches on

This year, Black & Gold Rush will take place for 36 hours spanning February 16 to 17. In celebration of President Freeman Hrabowski’s retirement from and commitment to UMBC, Black & Gold Rush will feature a new initiative, the Freeman A. Hrawboski, III, Endowment for Student Excellence fund.

“The great thing about Black & Gold Rush is that it is not about how big the gift is. It’s about how many people are involved. So you don’t need to make a $500 gift to make an impact. You can make a $10 gift and still make an impact,” notes Banerjee.

Banerjee at the 2019 Giving Day event.

Moving forward, Banerjee has high hopes for the future of UMBC and is thrilled to take her skills and connections to wherever she may go next. With a particular interest in the nonprofit world, Banerjee is excited to see how she can continue building on what she’s learned as a three-degree Retriever.

“I feel like UMBC helped me get to the point where I will have several doors open for me when I finish this last degree, and I’m going to figure out what that means for me when I’m there,” Banerjee says.

“Poulomi is gaining skills and tools through the things she’s doing, but she’s already got all the ability and wisdom that she needs to be successful in a whole range of opportunities in the future,” says Simmons. “So I can’t wait to watch and see where she ends up.”

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All photos by Marlayna Demond ’11, unless otherwise noted.

Little did we know that 2020’s successful Giving Day would be one of the last major on-campus events before COVID-19 moved UMBC and the rest of the world to a virtual format. Since then, two new staff members have started key roles in UMBC’s Office of Institutional Advancement. Giving Day 2021 will look different from past celebrations, not only because it’s virtual and 36 hours long, but also because its messaging and call to action are spearheaded by faces new to UMBC, but certainly not to the world of giving. Meet Stacey Sickels Locke, associate vice president for Alumni Engagement and Development, and Carl Fowlkes, director of annual giving, two new Retrievers who personally understand the impact and importance a gift can make. And despite working completely remotely since being hired, their Black & Gold pride is front and center.

UMBC Magazine: You both have a storied history with university giving—can you tell me about your first role in giving and why the career path stuck? 

Stacey Sickels Locke: My first volunteer experience was as a student at Sweet Briar College. I loved my college and gave admissions tours and then was hired as a student phonathon caller. I found myself enjoying calling alumnae, hearing about their lives, and seeing how they applied their education. Rarely did I actually need to ask people to give; usually they volunteered as they knew why I was calling. At my fifth reunion, my college asked me to come work full time and my career was launched. 

Carl Fowlkes: When I went to the University of Connecticut for my graduate degree, they had an opening for an assistant director to manage their student phonathon. I had experience doing survey calls, so it was a translatable skill to fundraising calls. I found that I liked working with the students and alumni, and after six months I was promoted to interim director of annual giving and I continued on that path.

• Sickels Locke working from home.
• Fowlkes in his home office.

UMBC Magazine: For those outside of the giving world, can you explain some of the day-to-day duties of your positions?

SSL: I think we have the very best jobs on a university campus—we work with generous people who love their institution and who want to give back. My favorite part of my job is working with donors. Right now I am working with someone who has fond memories of their academic department and wants to do something transformational. Each week, I meet with deans, program directors, and other university leaders to explore how alumni and philanthropy can impact their programs. 

CF: Most of my day to day involves working with data and spreadsheets. I’m looking at reports to see how a previous giving appeal performed and analyzing its effectiveness with targeted audiences. I also spend a fair amount of time responding to alumni and parent questions about their individual giving and the priorities of the university. 

I think we have the very best jobs on a university campus—we work with generous people who love their institution and who want to give back.

—Stacey Sickels Locke

UMBC Magazine: Is there a particular instance or story that sticks out to you that makes you say, “Yes, this is why I do this job!”?

SSL: Yes! Early in my time at UMBC last year, I had the honor of working with the Sinha family who established an endowed professorship in honor of their father, Dr. Bimal Sinha in Statistics. Hearing the stories of the Sinha children growing up on the UMBC campus inspired me. Working with the family, my colleagues, and the Statistics Department, we applied for a matching program with the State of Maryland and were able to secure a match bringing the endowment to $1.8 million. 

Sickels Locke on campus with True Grit.

CF: At a prior institution where I worked, we learned about a student living out of his car with his mom and a sibling. We were able to provide support to the student through the student emergency fund to help provide meals, buy schools books, etc. We also were able to connect the mother with childcare for the younger sibling and a generous alumni donor who provided a work opportunity for the mother. The student ended up graduating and was a featured speaker at a donor thank you event…not a dry eye was in the room. 

UMBC Magazine: You are both relatively new Retrievers. How would you describe the alumni and (online) campus community so far?

SSL: UMBC is a very special community. Everyone I have met in my time working for the University System of Maryland LOVES working at UMBC. When I was approached about the new associate vice president position, I applied enthusiastically and was thrilled to join this community in May 2020.

CF: I have been struck by the family atmosphere of the UMBC community—the love the students and employees express for UMBC is truly awe-inspiring. Just recently I had a call with an alumna from the class of 1971 and she shared with me what UMBC was like during her time on campus, from the highlights of attending campus concerts to the growing pains of being a new university, and how much she treasures those memories.

UMBC Magazine: What are you looking forward to most when campus reopens?

SSL: Not feeling like I am watching the Netflix version of my job…and I hear I have an office!  But seriously, what I most look forward to are the informal moments of connecting in the hallway, at the gym, at a game, or after a meeting. 

CF: I miss the personal interactions with students and colleagues and particularly look forward to meeting colleagues who work in different areas on campus that I don’t get to speak with on a regular basis.

UMBC Magazine: Can you talk about the challenges of an online Giving Day and how your team has come up with solutions?

Carl Fowlkes

SSL: Days of giving provide an opportunity to rally alumni and friends in a concentrated period of time. The best day for giving is the day when a donor is inspired to give to the project that most inspires them. After giving days, we will work all year long with generous donors making a difference at UMBC. 

CF: The main challenge of Giving Day this year is how to engage the Retriever Nation when we can’t capture the on-campus excitement or have impromptu, live interactions with students and faculty to show the impact of giving. Fortunately, our team has worked with students and alumni who sent in personal videos that we will showcase. We have a wonderful student and alumni community who have stepped up to help us in this unusual time.

UMBC Magazine: What do you want Retrievers and others who give to know about where their money is going and what it will be used for?

SSL: My colleagues across campus are extremely diligent in making sure that donor funds are spent as each donor intends. The funds showcased on our Black and Gold Rush are priorities for campus and there are very dedicated people who are eager for these funds to reach students, faculty, and programs.  

UMBC Magazine: What is one place outside of UMBC that you give to and why?

SSL: I give to my alma mater, Sweet Briar College, which almost closed in 2015. I joined a group of alumni raising $30M in six months to save the college. This experience (of almost losing my college) made me realize how critical every gift is. I also support my son’s college as I know how important giving from parents can be. 

CF: I give to my alma maters, and I give to every university/college I have worked for. Specifically, I like to support scholarships for students in need as I received a full ride scholarship for my undergraduate education and was fortunate to not have a lot of student debt after graduation. 

Learn more about supporting UMBC on Giving Day by helping the university reach the goal of 1,966 donations to honor the founding year of Retriever Nation. 

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Header image of thank you cards from UMBC’s 2020 Giving Day by Marlayna Demond ’11.

It is with great thanks to the UMBC community that the first UMBC Giving Day—Black and Gold Rush—was truly exceptional. We had more than 400 alumni, 240 faculty and staff, and 250 parents, students and friends support UMBC in 24 hours. Amazing!

A big thank you to everyone who supported #blackandgoldrush.

Sincerely,
Gregory Simmons ’04, Vice President for Institutional Advancement