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The Pride Center for LGBTQIA2+ Diversity at UMBC is officially hiring a Graduate Research Assistant to join our team! We’re looking for a passionate and dedicated graduate student to support our mission of creating a brave, affirming, and celebratory space for LGBTQIA2+ students.
Start Date: June 2025
Duration: 1 year (with potential for renewal)
Application Deadline: Priority consideration by May 26, 2025
Who should apply?
Ideal candidates may have interests in:
LGBTQIA2S+ Affairs
Student Affairs / Higher Education
Public Policy
Sociology
Women & Gender Studies
…or simply a strong commitment to equity, inclusion, and student support.
Position Highlights:
As our Graduate Assistant, you’ll gain hands-on experience in:
Coordinating signature programming like Pride Week, Queerios, and LGBTQIA2+ History Month
Supporting and co-advising LGBTQIA2+ student organizations
Managing marketing and communications (including social media & newsletters)
Supervising and mentoring student interns
Conducting research and assessment on LGBTQIA2+ best practices and student experiences
Compensation:
Competitive stipend
Up to 20 hours/week
More info on GA positions: UMBC GA Info
To Apply, please send the following to loraelohve@umbc.edu:
Cover Letter
Resume or CV
Contact info for two professional references
Please share with any current or incoming graduate students who may be a great fit! We’re excited to welcome someone who’s ready to make a meaningful impact at UMBC.
With Pride,
The Pride Center Team
Division of Student Affairs | Student Belonging
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Grad students, you’ve powered through papers, projects, and late-night study sessions, now let us power your morning!
Swing by for FREE breakfast today from 10 - 11 AM as we celebrate everyone graduating this semester. Come grab a bite and hang out with OGSL!
It's still Allergy and Asthma Awareness month, and we’re spotlighting key facts to raise awareness, promote safety, and highlight resources available to our UMBC community.
Approximately 33 million people in the U.S. have at least one food allergy. Conditions range in severity but can carry serious health risks, especially when triggers go unrecognized or untreated. From emergency room visits due to anaphylaxis to rising concerns about food allergens like sesame, understanding these conditions is essential for building an inclusive and informed campus.
At UMBC, our Student Disability Services (SDS) team recognizes that not all experiences of asthma or allergies rise to the level of a disability or create barriers in educational or work environments, but for some, the symptoms can be so severe that adjustments, accommodations, or alternatives may be necessary to ensure full participation and access.
Visit sds.umbc.edu for tools, emergency response guides, and more information on how to assist someone experiencing an allergic reaction or other medical emergency.
Did you know that at UMBC, our Dining Services are committed to supporting students with food allergies and celiac disease?
We recognize that starting college can be stressful, especially for students with dietary restrictions. UMBC Dining offers personalized support to make sure every student can eat safely on campus. Key features of our allergy support program include:
One-on-one consultations with Campus Dietitian Adam Sachs, RDN, LDN, where students can discuss their allergies, dietary needs, review menus, and create an individualized dining plan.
Your S.P.A.C.E. (Special Prepared Allergy Controlled Eating) at True Grit’s, a designated area with allergy-safe products including rice milk, Lactaid, gluten-free bread and cereal, and a dedicated gluten-free toaster.
“Delicious Without” Station at True Grit’s, offering meals prepared without the 9 most common allergens (peanuts, tree nuts, soy, fish, shellfish, dairy, wheat, eggs, and sesame) and gluten. These meals are made with separate equipment and utensils to minimize cross-contact.
Ongoing support from trained chefs and dining staff to help students feel safe and confident in their dining choices.
Ingredient transparency through our online database and clearly labeled menus to assist students in making informed decisions.
Students and families are encouraged to reach out before the semester starts to establish a dining plan tailored to their needs. To schedule a meeting or ask questions, contact Adam Sachs at umbcrd@umbc.edu or 443.612.8331.
Learn more about allergy-friendly dining options at UMBC:
https://dineoncampus.com/UMBC/allergyceliac-options
Facts and Figures Credit: FARE (Food Allergy Research & Education)
by Katlynn Seghetti!
One of the main struggles people have getting involved with activism is getting started, knowing where to go, what your strengths are, and how long you can keep going. Ironically, I’m having the same issue with this blog post. At the beginning of the semester, I had a grand plan of detailing a long list of things I’ve done, and providing places for readers to go to get involved. Coming up to the end, I’ve been struggling with the concept of being ‘done’.
What have I ‘done’? What ‘counts’ as success? Everyone around me is so affirming that Good Things Have Happened because of my work, which I know, logically, is true. There is still a part that feels like the work is incomplete, and the perfectionist in me doesn’t like incomplete endings.
But, that’s really what you have to do, make sure the project continues after you leave it. Activism that can continue is the goal, and inspiring others to take your place (and, of course, change it up in their unique way). What I hope I’ve done, if the title is any indication, is helping make UMBC feel more like a ‘home’ for neurodivergent folk. Home is a loaded word, in my mind, but the ‘home’ I want is one rooted in support and care; unconditional and enduring. A ‘home’ is something you feel comfortable leaving and coming back to, even if you don’t have a reason why.
A lot of firsts happened this semester: the UMBC Neurodiversity Club, Headspace’s creation, and other events centering neurodivergent people. I know, without a doubt, I’ve done well. But I could do more. Another year as an undergrad student, and I can iron out the details, make better what’s in place, another B.A, do a real GWST capstone project around autism.
Then I think, “and then what”? With activism, it seems like you will always find more work. It simply will just be there. What hits harder now, is that with RFK Jr. as head of HHS, and his apparent disdain for the lives of autistic people, the feeling of not doing ‘enough’ is heavy. Part of this is likely fear because of chronic illnesses, wanting to make sure I do good while my body is still (relatively) in decent shape. I know UMBC has so many students willing to cause some trouble, and they (you) will keep up the move to a more (neuro)diversity-affirming world. We are far from being a ‘home’ yet, but there’s attention on where we’re struggling, and more space has been intentionally carved out for us.
I thought it would be clever to leave this off on an unsatisfying conclusion, but I think instead, I’ll leave off with a few significant organizations that I found so helpful (and most are run but autistic individuals!)!
Please, get involved with the neurodivergent community in some way, especially if you aren’t. It will be odd, it will feel uncomfortable, but that is how you know you’re learning and unlearning and relearning. Take care of yourselves, and a reminder that activism can look like anything, loud and quiet, big and small!
]]>Lea-Pearl Njei, biological sciences; Caly Ferguson, mechanical engineering; and Jariatu Kargbo, biological sciences, have each received the prestigious Goldwater Scholarship for the 2025 – 2026 academic year. The Barry Goldwater Scholarship and Excellence in Education Foundation strives to promote a strong STEM workforce in the U.S., and Njei, Ferguson, and Kargbo are among this year’s 441 awardees nationwide. Since 2005, 34 UMBC students have been awarded a Goldwater Scholarship.
“Caly, Lea-Pearl, and Jariatu emerged from a field of well-qualified students to represent UMBC in the Goldwater competition,” shares April Householder ’95, director of undergraduate research and prestigious scholarships. “They worked with me and the Goldwater faculty committee to strengthen their applications, and their dedication paid off. For several years in a row, UMBC has had multiple winners for this extremely competitive award.”
