Identity-Based Discussion Groups

All groups meet beginning the week of February 4th. Groups are closed for the privacy and confidentiality of the attendees and take place inside the Women’s Center lounge. Check out a detailed description of all of our discussion groups down below!

Between Women: Weekly, Mondays at 4:30pm

Women of Color Coalition: Biweekly, Tuesdays at 4pm

We Believe You: Weekly, Wednesdays at 4pm

Women in STEM: Monthly, 2nd Fridays at noon 

Returning Women Students: varies by month, check our calendar

Returning Women Students Scholars + Affiliates Program

This program is designed to support undergraduate women over the age of 25 returning to college later in life. Students receiving a returning women student scholarship are required to participate in this program designed to support their personal, academic, and career goals of adult learners at UMBC. ALL returning women students at UMBC are invited to attend the monthly meetings and workshops designed specifically to meet the needs of adult students. You can also request an invite to join the Returning Women Students Forum on Facebook for news, resources, and community building. 

Between Women

Between Women is a discussion-based program that centers the experiences of women students who identify on the LGBTQIA+ spectrum. This structured, topic-based program discusses sexuality and sexual orientation with a focus on intersectionality and provides a safe space for women and feminine-identified students to share their feelings and experiences with other women. This program follows the Women’s Center Brave Space model in order to create a community environment that fosters learning and critical discussion. For safety and confidentiality reasons, this is a closed meeting for those in the LGBTQAI+ community and it is not appropriate for students to use the space for class research or interviews. Spring 2019: Between Women meets weekly on Mondays at 4:30pm in the Women’s Center.

We Believe You

Hosted in collaboration with the Women’s Center and the student organization We Believe You, this discussion group creates space to center the experiences of survivors of sexual violence. This discussion-based program follows the Women’s Center Brave Space model to provide a welcoming environment and thoughtful community to engage in conversations focused on support and healing for survivors of sexual violence. For safety and confidentiality reasons, this is a closed meeting for those who identify as survivors and their allies. It is not appropriate for students to use the space for class research or interviews. Spring 2019: We Believe You discussion group meets weekly on Wednesdays at 4pm in the Women’s Center. For more details, join the We Believe You myUMBC page (where you can also learn more about their general body meetings and activism efforts) or connect with a Women’s Center staff member.

Women of Color Coalition

All self-identified women of color students, staff, and faculty are welcome to share their stories and learn about others’ experiences at Women of Color Coalition. This discussion-based program follows the Women’s Center Brave Space model to provide a welcoming environment and thoughtful community to engage in conversations focused on the intersections of gender and race. For safety and confidentiality reasons, this is a closed meeting for those who identify as women of color and it is not appropriate for students to use the space for class research or interviews. Spring 2019: Women of Color Coalition meets biweekly on Tuesdays at 4pm in the Women’s Center. 

Women in STEM

A discussion group for UMBC’s women in STEM. Each discussion will take place monthly and will be hosted by a different woman faculty member from the STEM disciplines focusing on a different topic related to Women in STEM. This discussion-based program follows the Women’s Center Brave Space model to provide a welcoming environment and thoughtful community to engage in conversations focused on the experiences of women students studying in the STEM fields. Spring 2019: Women in STEM discussion group will take place on the 2nd Friday of the month at noon in the Women's Center. 

Spectrum: Trans Programming and Resources Hub

Spectrum is a programming and resource hub for UMBC community members who identify as trans, genderqueer, gender fluid, outside of the gender binary, and/or those who are questioning their gender identity. Supported by the Women’s Center and the Mosaic Center, Spectrum has evolved from a discussion-based program to an umbrella of resources, discussions, and events. Currently, the Spectrum discussion group is not being offered so we can ensure support of groups like Trans Tuesdays hosted by the LGBTQ Student Union and the Trans Support group run through the Counseling Center. The Women’s Center and Mosaic Center offers trans-related events each month. For details, connect with a staff member or check out our events page. Additional resources can be shared through our offices and we encourage community members to connect with us.

For more information about each of these groups and their intentions, please visit womenscenter.umbc.edu/groups

The School of Public Policy and Association for Public Policy Analysis and Management (APPAM) are hosting a one-day Public Policy Camp at UMBC on March 12, 2019. 

The purpose of the program is to introduce the field of public policy to a group of students who might not otherwise be familiar with it. APPAM is looking to increase knowledge, particularly among people who are members of groups that are underrepresented in public policy work.

This is a great opportunity to identify local students from diverse backgrounds who could pursue future education and career in a public-policy-related field. 

The one-day program will consist of networking opportunities, group table activities, policy simulations, and panel sessions. Dr. Hrabowski and Dean Casper will be opening the event with remarks. There will also be discussions with the students about what public policy is, what the core competencies are in a graduate program of public policy or public affairs. 

Students will also be able to hear from and speak with people who have MPP, MPA and PhD degrees and see what they do for a living, what a typical day is like for them and how their career paths have lead them to their current positions.  

Registration for the event is FREE.

UMBC Students can register for the event through this link: https://goo.gl/forms/X38b0DEBAN9AdZbR2. 

URCAD is on Wednesday, April 24th, 2019.  

Applications are due by Feb. 22nd. Any student with completed mentor-led research, scholarship, or creative work that is ready to present by April 24th is eligible to participate.The application is simple- a 200-word abstract and mentor support statement. 

We strongly encourage social science students to apply! The Center for Social Science Scholarship will be selecting four submissions to feature as a themed social science panel. 

Please see below for a curated list of upcoming funding opportunities. If you are working on a particular project and would like additional assistance in finding funding opportunities, please email: socialscience@umbc.edu.

This past summer, WTCI launched its newest professional development program for college students, Global Pathways for Students (GPS). Partially funded by visionary founder and former McCormick & Co. executive Jim Albrecht, GPS aims to connect 25 globally-minded college students to international corporations in the region. We are seeking your help to identify students who are goal-oriented, professional, open-minded and have a passion for global work, and ask that you share this opportunity with those who meet these criteria.

 

The GPS Program is designed to prepare Maryland college students for the competitive job market upon graduating. By leveraging our vast regional network, 25 top students from various universities around the region will have the opportunity to get their foot in the door of nine different globally-minded companies, jumpstarting their professional network. Concurrently, this cohort of students, deemed Albrecht Fellows, will strengthen their professional skills through a series of supplemental development workshops.

 

By participating in GPS, Albrecht Fellows enhance their network and global knowledge, become more marketable, and increase their likelihood of being hired upon graduation.

 

Candidate Pre-requisites:

·         Must be a rising sophomore, junior, or senior

·         Must be able to participate in full 10-day program, from Wednesday, May 29^th to Friday, June 7^th

·         Program fee of $250 (Need-based scholarships are available)

 

Students can apply using the following link: http://www.wtci.org/gps/apply/.

Congratulations to the following faculty, students, and alumni for their recent accomplishments! 

Matt Baker, Geography and Environmental Systems, discusses the flooding in Ellicott City and stormwater management. With new plan on pause, Ellicott City business owners feel stuck (WTOP)

Amy Bhatt, gender, women's, and sexuality studies, discusses her new book High-Tech Housewives: Indian IT Workers, Gendered Labor, and Transmigration. H-4 and H-1: Time for Indian immigrants to speak up on immigration policy, says author Amy Bhatt (The American Bazaar)

Chris Curran, Public Policy, discusses the final report of The Federal Commission on School Safety. Recommendation to Give Teachers Guns Misses the Mark (The Globe Post)

Erle Ellis, Geography and Environmental Systems, shares the latest climate change research on the impact of humans on the environment. How 300 Years of Urbanization and Farming Transformed the Planet (City Lab)

Felipe Filomeno, Political Science, wrote a piece about the range of forces impacting migration. “Who is responsible for migrants?” (The Conversation and Houston Chronicle)

Carolyn Forestiere, Political Science and her coauthor Filippo Tronconi (U. of Bologna) have recently edited an issue of the journal Contemporary Italian Politics. tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.10…

Brian Grodsky, Political Science, discusses the impact of the growing protest movement in Bosnia. Could Mysterious Death of Student be the Spark that Sets Off Bosnia (The Globe Post)

Erica Lozy, Psychology, and Jolene Sy, Psychology, recently published an article in #JABA. onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.10…

Roy Meyers, Political Science, weighs in on the history of federal government shutdowns: Shutdowns Are ‘All Games of Chicken.’ Here’s How They’ve Evolved (The New York Times) and This Friday, hundreds of thousands of federal workers will miss their first paycheck (Vox)

Kerwin Miller, Political Science, has been named to the Harford County District Court bench.

Gov. Hogan names Kerwin A. Miller Sr. to Harford County District Court bench (The Baltimore Sun)
Meredith Oyen, History, took part in a “US-China 2018 Year in Review: A New Cold War?” Panel at the Kissinger Institute.

Colin Studds, Geography and Environmental Systems, worked with a team of researchers to discover the full life cycle of a dragonfly.  Dragonflies Embark on an Epic, Multi-Generational Migration Each Year (Smithsonian)

Claire Welty, Center for Urban Environmental Research and Education, and Chris Swan, Geography and Environmental Systems, reflect on the work that has happened and the future of funding for the Baltimore Ecosystem Study. Science foundation cuts 20-year-old Baltimore ecological study’s funds (Bay Journal)

James C. Willett, Jr. '05, Economics, noted as a rising star in law firm. Semmes Bowen attorneys (Daily Record)

The Women's Center is excited to announce that the Returning Women Students Scholarships Application for 2019-20 is now available. The deadline for submission has been extended to the end of the business day on Friday, April 5th. 

This common application enables eligible students to apply for more than one of the Returning Women Students Scholarships using the same application. The four available scholarships are:

• Charlotte W. Newcombe Scholarship & The UMBC Scholarship for Mature Students
• AEGON Scholarship
• The Richard & Roselyn Bryson Neville Memorial Fund for Returning Women Scholarship
• The Rosalie Tydings Business and Professional Women’s Scholarship

All undergraduate students over the age of 25 and with at least 60 credits may be eligible. You must be completing your first undergraduate degree. Each scholarship has additional eligibility requirements which can be found on the common application instructions. 

The application is attached to this announcement (click on the download document button below). Please be sure to read over the eligibility requirements before applying. 

If you have any questions concerning the application process or the scholars program requirements, please contact the Women's Center director, Jess Myers, at womenscenter@umbc.edu. 

We will also be hosting 2 different information sessions in the Women's Center related to the application process and scholars program requirements on: 

• Tuesday, February 12th from 4-4:45pm OR 
• Monday, March 4th from 12-12:45pm

Each year, applicants submit applications with errors that often impact their consideration for a scholarship. We highly encourage all applicants to attend an info session before submitting their application. If you cannot attend one of the sessions in person, a live-stream option will be available via Facebook Live. Please contact the Women's Center for more information. 

Applications are due now due Friday, April 5th, 2019.