A message on behalf of Mary Ellen Wade, Director of Assessment and Planning in the Division of Student Affairs. Original post here.

Calling all undergraduate and graduate students! The Division of Student Affairs (DoSA) Strategic Plan Steering Committee is developing its strategic plan for the next three years and we need your input! On Monday, April 20 from 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. stop by Lower Flat Tuesdays in The Commons for free breakfast snacks, beverages, and to offer your feedback about the student experience and how DoSA can better support you. Commuters, we will also have a table at Good Morning Commuters on April 21. 

If you can't stop by, please check out our survey between now and April 24 to provide your thoughts. We want to understand how you define student success, your experience as a student, how our division can do better, and to see if our anticipated strategic plan priority areas meet your needs.

Attached is a document with more info about the departments that make up our division, our draft strategic priority areas, and the questions we want to know more about. We look forward to your insights!

A message on behalf of our colleagues in the Department of English, the Dresher Center for the Humanities, and the Albin O. Kuhn Library and Gallery. View the original post to register for this event. Learn more about UMBC’s National Library Week x Bookfest 2026 and see the full list of events.

Maryland’s Freedom to Read Act, passed in 2024, ensures that “library materials and resources remain accessible to the public and cannot be removed solely because someone disagrees with their viewpoint alone.” Yet, book challenges and censorship efforts are still on the rise across our state and nation.

What can you do to protect the right to read and to ensure access to our nation’s library services? Join us for a panel of distinguished library professionals and advocates to learn more!

• Morgan Miller, Maryland State Librarian

• Stacey Nunn, Library Media Specialist, Southwest Academy Magnet School for Science and Engineering and finalist for School Library Journal’s School Librarian of the Year

• Christine Feldmann, Anne Arundel County Public Library

• Andrea Lewis, President of Citizens for Maryland Libraries

This event is supported in part by the Maryland State Library Agency. Refreshments will follow the program.

A message on behalf of our colleagues in the Department of English, the Dresher Center for the Humanities, and the Albin O. Kuhn Library and Gallery. View the original post to register for this event. Learn more about UMBC’s National Library Week x Bookfest 2026 and see the full list of events.

What should you know about the current assaults on authors, readers, libraries, and librarians? How can you better advocate for libraries, access to reading materials, and the freedom to read? 

Join facilitators Allison Jennings-Roche (UMBC Alum and Associate Director of Digital Initiatives and Collections at The University of Baltimore Library & Archives) and Tif Sutherland (Calvert Library and Maryland Library Association) for a lunch-and-learn.

Participants will...

• Develop an understanding of the historical and political contexts fueling the current surge in censorship and attacks on libraries across the country.

• Learn how libraries, advocacy organizations, and library workers are responding to the threats posed by anti-democratic, pro-censorship movements and how they can support their local librarians.

• Identify and practice rhetorical strategies to respond to the spurious attacks on library workers and collections. They will also brainstorm practical actions that they can take to protect libraries, the freedom to read, and their local communities.

This event requires registration. Lunch will be provided and space is limited to 30 participants, so please secure your spot no later than April 20. REGISTER HERE!

Applications for our Spring 2027 Residential Faculty Fellowships are now available on our website.

PLEASE NOTE THE REVISED DEADLINE: May 1, 2026

The Dresher Center for the Humanities, in conjunction with the College of Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences (CAHSS), and the Vice President for Research, invites applications for two Residential Faculty Research Fellowships for the Spring 2027 semester. Dresher Center fellowships offer the gift of time, space, and collegial conversation within a robust humanities center environment which will, in turn, enhance the UMBC conversation surrounding inclusive excellence.

Funding is intended to support and promote significant humanities research at UMBC. Dresher Center Residential Research Fellows will reside at least two days day a week in the Dresher Center and receive a release from teaching (up to two course releases) to work on a significant humanities research project or the training necessary to embark on such a project. Faculty wishing to develop expertise in a new field or discipline towards a future project are also encouraged to apply. Each Fellow will have the use of an office in the Dresher Center and will be awarded $750 to hire an undergraduate research assistant (junior or senior) for the semester. Faculty fellows will be encouraged to connect to and share their work with each other and with the graduate student fellows connected to the Center.

Any questions can be directed to dreshercenter@umbc.edu.

***reposted from CARAT***

CAHSS faculty are invited to submit a pre-proposal to be nominated for the 2026 William T. Grant Scholars Program competition, sponsored by the William T. Grant Foundation (WTGF). The WTGF Scholars Program supports career development for promising early-career researchers. 

Eligible applicants should have received their doctorate within seven years of the WTGF program's application deadline of June 30, 2026, and seven years after the year the doctorate was conferred. Applicants must currently be employed in a tenure-track position.

The program makes awards totaling $425,000 for five-year research and mentoring plans that significantly expand researchers’ expertise in new disciplines, methods, and content areas. Applicants should have a track record of conducting high-quality research and an interest in pursuing a significant shift in their trajectories as researchers. This award includes a mentoring component, as well as a supportive academic community.

WTGF’s Research Focus Areas: 
1. Reducing Inequality. WTGF funds research studies that examine programs, policies, or practices to reduce inequality in the academic, social, behavioral, or economic outcomes of young people ages 5–25 in the United States, along dimensions of race, ethnicity, economic standing, sexual or gender minority status (e.g., LGBTQ+ youth), language minority status, or immigrant origins.

2. Improving the Use of Research Evidence. In this focus area, WTGF supports research studies that examine strategies to improve the use of research evidence in ways that benefit young people ages 5-25 in the United States. The Foundation seeks proposals for studies that advance theory and build empirical knowledge on ways to improve the use of research evidence by policymakers, public agency leaders, organizational managers, intermediaries, community organizers, and other decision-makers that generally shape youth-serving systems in the United States.

CAHSS Internal Competition:

An internal CAHSS competition will be held to select the CAHSS nominee. Pre-proposals are due to the CAHSS Dean’s Office, via a box link, by May 11, 2026. Review the attached instructions and box link for detailed information.

The nominee will be notified on May 20, 2026, and will work with CARAT to develop a complete application, following the application guidelines. Complete applications will be due to WTGF, via the program's application portal, by June 30, 2026 (3:00 PM, ET). 

The CAHSS nominee must be PI Eligible, with active status, in order to prepare a proposal and receive an award at UMBC. PI Eligible active status entails the successful completion (with issued certificates) of PIRATE training; CITI Research Security Training - combined; and completion of a PI Eligibility form, with attached certificates of completion for the trainings, and your appointment letter. See UMBC Policy # IV-2.00.03 for more information. Contact Rachel Brubaker (rbruba1@umbc.edu) for assistance.

Successful applicants will be notified by WTGF on March 27, 2027. Five-year awards, made to the applicants’ institution, will begin on July 1, 2027.

Contact Marc Ruppel (mruppel@umbc.edu), CARAT Director, or Rachel Brubaker (rbruba1@umbc.edu), to discuss your pre-proposal.

WTGF Program Resources:

• Scholars Program website: https://WTGFrantfoundation.org/funding/william-t-grant-scholars-program
• Program application guide: https://WTGFrantfoundation.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/2026-Application-Guide-WTGF-Scholars.pdf
• Applicant resources, including a webinar and annotated excerpts: https://WTGFrantfoundation.org/funding/william-t-grant-scholars-program/applicant-resources#annotated-excerpts
• Program FAQ: https://WTGFrantfoundation.org/funding/william-t-grant-scholars-program/faq

Inclusive excellence has long been a cultural touchstone at UMBC. Before now, we haven't had a definition or any other shared language to describe what we mean. This is your chance to inform our definition. Leaders in the Division of Institutional Equity have drafted a framework for inclusive excellence, and we want your input! 

The framework aims to articulate our community's shared commitments in a way that can communicate our values, guide action, inspire new collaboration, and support the development and implementation of UMBC's next strategic plan.

Join The Centers for Social Justice Dialogue and Democracy and Civic Life for UMBC Talks, which are 90-minute, co-facilitated dialogues designed to support your engagement with the framework. Each UMBC Talk will be the same, so please sign up for the one that best suits your schedule. We hope to see you there. Come and leave your mark on this important moment in UMBC's history. 

Spring Semester Open Forums

Wednesday, April 15, 5:30 - 7:30 p.m., UC 312 - Open to everyone. Conversations will be held in mixed groups.

Friday, April 24, 10:00 a.m. - noon, UC 312 -Foregrounding graduate student experiences but open to everyone, with opportunities for all participants to be in conversation with people with similar UMBC affiliations.

Friday, April 24, 2:00 - 4:00 p.m., UC 312 -Foregrounding undergraduate student experiences but open to everyone, with opportunities for all participants to be in conversation with people with similar UMBC affiliations.

Tuesday, April 28, 3:00 - 5:00 p.m., Virtual - Open to everyone. Conversations will be held in mixed groups.

Stay tuned for potential additional dates! Download the attached flyer to post or share. Please RSVP by indicating that you are attending on the specific event page, linked above. 

--

UMBC Talks is a collaborative initiative that aims to enhance the sense of community, vibrancy, and well-being at UMBC through guided community conversations that reestablish our commitment to inclusive excellence and foster a sense of pride for what it truly
means to be a UMBC Retriever. Using this framework offers a dialogic process for gathering community input on shared values.

If you have any questions about this feedback process, please feel free to reach out to Drs. Ciara Christian and David Hoffman at culture@umbc.edu.

These events are open for full participation by all individuals regardless of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, or any other protected category under applicable federal law, state law, and the University's nondiscrimination policy.

Reposted from the Center for Social Justice Dialogue.

Sign up for the April 15 UMBC Talks dinner program (5:30 - 7:30 p.m., UC 312) here.

-----

Inclusive excellence has long been a cultural touchstone at UMBC. Before now, we haven't had a definition or any other shared language to describe what we mean. This is your chance to inform our definition. Leaders in the Division of Institutional Equity have drafted a framework for inclusive excellence, and we want your input! 

The framework aims to articulate our community's shared commitments in a way that can communicate our values, guide action, inspire new collaboration, and support the development and implementation of UMBC's next strategic plan.

Join The Centers for Social Justice Dialogue and Democracy and Civic Life for UMBC Talks, which are 90-minute, co-facilitated dialogues designed to support your engagement with the framework. Each UMBC Talk will be the same, so please sign up for the one that best suits your schedule. We hope to see you there. Come and leave your mark on this important moment in UMBC's history. 

This session is open to everyone. Conversations will be held in mixed groups.

--

UMBC Talks is a collaborative initiative that aims to enhance the sense of community, vibrancy, and well-being at UMBC through guided community conversations that reestablish our commitment to inclusive excellence and foster a sense of pride for what it truly means to be a UMBC Retriever. Using this framework offers a dialogic process for gathering community input on shared values.

If you have any questions about this feedback process, please feel free to reach out to Drs. Ciara Christian and David Hoffman at culture@umbc.edu.

These events are open for full participation by all individuals regardless of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, or any other protected category under applicable federal law, state law, and the University's nondiscrimination policy.

Congratulations to Erika Bucciantini, the 2026 recipient of the Bernard L. Berkowitz Memorial award.  Erika is a doctoral student in The School of Public Policy at UMBC with a specialization in Urban Policy. She holds a Bachelors in Humanities & Social Sciences from Western Washington University and a Masters in Classical Studies from the University of Kentucky with additional certification from the Institute for Latin Studies. Her research interests include the impact of neoclassical monuments and architecture in the American landscape, land use, and displacement. As a Graduate Assistant, she is proudly supporting Dr. Loren Henderson in her research on the plight of Black farmers in America. Erika’s other pursuits have included teaching and presenting in the areas of Ancient Studies, World Languages, English, and Humanities, serving on the citizen input board for the Dickerson Area facilities in Montgomery County, and keeping a large garden and a small flock of chickens.

Erika will be recognized in a brief ceremony on Tuesday, May 5, 2026 at 4pm in the AOK Library Gallery.  

Following the precentation, Dr. Eric Stokan's Urban Problems and Policy Analysis students will present their "neighborhood development plans" as part of a collaboration with the Urban Land Institute of Baltimore.  More information about the simulations can be found in this May 2024 article.  

The following information has been provided by Every Vote Counts, a student-led nonpartisan organization that supports civic engagement. Every Vote Counts is not affiliated with UMBC or the Center for Democracy and Civic Life.

Are you passionate about helping students get registered, informed, and engaged in politics? Are you interested in making an impact beyond UMBC? 

Every Vote Counts (EVC) is a student-led, nonpartisan organization focused on increasing voter turnout and expanding access to elections on college campuses nationwide. The EVC National Student Board (NSB) is now accepting applications for the 2026-2027 academic year. This could be a great opportunity to gain national civic leadership experience. 

As an NSB member, you will help guide the direction of EVC’s programs and initiatives across 100+ campuses.

The role requires a one-year commitment. All NSB members will receive a $1,500 stipend.

You can find descriptions of each position's responsibilities here.

Apply to be an EVC National Student Board member.

The priority application deadline is Friday, April 17 at 11:59 PM ET. The final deadline is Thursday, April 30 at 11:59 PM ET. Interviews will take place in the weeks following the final deadline.

If you have any questions about the application or selection process, please contact everton@evcnational.org.

***Repost***

Monday, April 27, 2026 · 4 - 5:30 PM
Library and Gallery, Albin O. Kuhn : Gallery

Part of the Spring 2026 Humanities Forum

Romanticism Bewitched: Witchcraft, Revolution and the Female Demonic

Orianne Smith, Professor, English, UMBC 

The Romantic-era witch was a remarkably flexible symbol of political and social disorder. The recent seventeenth-century witch hunts had already revealed deep anxieties about the subversive potential of women, and the witches who stalk the pages of Gothic poetry and prose or glare menacingly from works of art by Henry Fuseli and William Blake embody revolutionary anger and the possibility of radical social transformation. Despite the fears surrounding such figures, however, the Romantic period also saw witchcraft open up in conceptually new ways, enabling writers and artists to envision alternative means of interacting in the world that were not predicated on the subordination of women and other marginalized groups. Here, Orianne Smith embarks on an interdisciplinary reimagining of witchcraft, women's writing, religion, and social reform, providing original insights on the history of witchcraft and its influence on public discourse, literature and art.

This public forum is open for full participation by all individuals regardless of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, or any other protected category under applicable federal law, state law, and the University's nondiscrimination policy.

Co-sponsored by the Department of English.