Program proposals by Dr. Rae Chresfield, assistant vice president for health and wellbeing, have been accepted to the 2025 European Conference for Student Affairs and Services, and to the 2025 Advancing School Mental Health Conference.
In November, Dr. Chresfield will attend NASPA’s European Conference for Student Affairs and Services in Porto, Portugal. The conference provides a platform for student services professionals, academics, researchers, and policymakers to discuss innovative programs, practices, models and trends in student affairs.
Dr. Chresfield will present “Anchored and Adaptive: Embedding Wellbeing, Resilience, and Meaning in the Practice of Student Affairs”: Student Affairs professionals face unprecedented challenges while supporting students through global uncertainty. This innovative session integrates well-being, resilience, and meaning-making as interconnected professional competencies. Participants will engage with practical frameworks: “Four Pillars of Wellbeing,” “Three R' of Resilience,” and meaning cultivation strategies, and develop 30-day implementation plans with peer accountability partnerships.
In December, Dr. Chresfield will attend the Advancing School Mental Health Conference in Orlando, Florida. This premier interdisciplinary conference focuses on school mental health and brings together local, state, national, and international experts to advance knowledge and skills related to school mental health practice, research, training, and policy. It unites educators, counselors, nurses, social workers, psychologists, physicians, mental health leaders, policymakers, practitioners, researchers, family members, advocates, and other partners in the school mental health field to share the latest research and best practices. The conference emphasizes a shared school-family-community agenda to promote mental health, prevent issues, and provide interventions for students and families as part of a multi-tiered system of support.
Dr. Chresfield will present “Empowering Non-Clinical Staff to Support Student Mental Health”: The rising student mental health crisis necessitates expanding support beyond traditional clinical services. This study examines training non-clinical staff—teachers, administrators, residence advisors, and support personnel—to serve as mental health first responders. Through targeted training in mental health literacy, warning sign identification, and referral protocols, non-clinical staff can effectively bridge gaps between distressed students and professional services.
Jen Ewing Fox, assistant director, leadership and governance, presented “Building towards balance... it's not all bubble baths and ice cream” at the National Conference for College Women Student Leaders (NCCWSL) in May 2025.
Ewing Fox’s interactive presentation focused on how student leaders can focus on self care and avoid burnout:
As leaders, the pressure to excel academically, lead effectively, and maintain personal well-being can feel overwhelming. This session explores practical strategies for achieving balance in leadership roles without burnout. Through interactive discussions and real-world examples, participants will learn how to set boundaries, prioritize self-care, and cultivate a leadership style that is both ambitious and sustainable. Join us to discover how balance isn’t about doing it all—it’s about doing what matters most with intention and impact.
NCCWSL unites college womxn and gender non-conforming students from across the nation for a transformative experience in leadership development, networking, and inspiration. Tailored for college students who identify as womxn or outside the gender binary, NCCWSL provides a welcoming and empowering space to build leadership skills, connect with peers, and find inspiration to drive change.
Dr. David Hoffman, Ph.D. ‘13, director of the Center for Democracy and Civic Life; Dr. Romy Hübler ‘09, M.A. ‘11, Ph.D. ‘15; and Markya Reed '18, M.A.'23, presented at the 2025 American Democracy Project (ADP) Summit, hosted by the American Association of State Colleges and Universities (AASCU). Also participating in the ADP Summit were Tess McRae ‘22, the Center’s assistant director for connective learning and UMBC’s ADP campus liaison, and Eli Gendleman, SGA president. UMBC has been a leader in the American Democracy Project for more than 15 years, and Dr. Hoffman and Dr. Hübler serve on the ADP Steering Committee.
Dr. Hoffman, Dr. Hübler, and fellow ADP Steering Committee members co-led the workshop, “Everyday Democracy and Civic Agency in Action”:
In a time of increasing division and complexity, preparing students to create change in their everyday lives is essential to building a thriving democratic society. This interactive session led by members of the ADP Steering Committee invites participants to share and explore how campuses are equipping students with the tools to navigate and transform the world around them. Grounded in the CLDE Theory of Change, the workshop focuses on two key strands: everyday democracy, which emphasizes supporting students in building inclusive communities and navigating power dynamics in everyday spaces such as classrooms, workplaces, friend groups, organizations, and neighborhoods; and civic agency, which highlights the development of students’ confidence and capacity to work across differences to take action, both in large-scale initiatives and everyday interactions. Participants will engage in dialogue and reflect on strategies to deepen civic learning and engagement in a variety of settings.
Participants in the session had the opportunity to sign up to be part of an initiative to refresh and amplify the The Civic Learning and Democratic Engagement Theory of Change. Dr. Hoffman is the principal author for the theory, which has been a guiding document for ADP since 2018, and Dr. Hübler has been a partner in efforts to amplify and enact it.
Dr. Hübler is director of Towson University's Office of Civic Engagement and Social Responsibility. She was previously associate director of UMBC’s Center for Democracy and Civic Life. Dr. Hübler is also a civic fellow with ADP, a research fellow with Campus Compact, a member of Imagining America’s national advisory board, and a project leader of the Imagining America B-More with Imagination Collaboratory. She serves as Towson University’s institutional representative for ADP, Campus Compact, Imagining America, Place-Based Justice Network, and Transform Mid-Atlantic. ADP awarded her its first Spirit of Democracy Award in 2022.
Reed co-led the session, “Fund & Follow the Students: Using Student-Led Design Thinking to Craft a Strategic Vision of the Future of Student Civic Leadership.” Reed, who was a Center for Democracy and Civic Life student staff member as an undergraduate and graduate student, is now assistant director of operations for Johns Hopkins University’s Center for Social Change and is working toward her Ed.D. in Urban Educational Leadership at Morgan State University.
Antwan Clinton, assistant vice president for administration and auxiliary services in the Division of Student Affairs, has earned the Certified Auxiliary Services Professional (CASP) designation from The National Association of College Auxiliary Services (NACAS) and joins an elite group of professionals from across the country.
CASP is a four-year certification for auxiliary services professionals. It is the only certification that demonstrates recipients have met a high standard of excellence, as defined by experts in the industry, and that they have the skills and needed competencies for college and university executives who oversee multiple auxiliary services. Founded in 2009, CASP affirms the recipient's expertise in management, leadership, marketing, student development, and operations.
NACAS is a nonprofit higher education association serving auxiliary services, student support services, and ancillary services professionals at 4-year and 2-year colleges and universities in the United States, Canada, and around the world. It is the largest auxiliary services support organization serving higher education. NACAS provides extensive opportunities for members to share ideas, develop business solutions, enhance programs and revenues, and develop meaningful professional relationships.
The NACAS Education Foundation is a non-profit, charitable 501(c)(3) corporation formed to support and promote the auxiliary services profession through NACAS. Through the support of members and business partners, the NACAS Education Foundation funds professional development programs, research, scholarships, and the CASP certification. Funding for the CASP program is provided by the NACAS Education Foundation through the generous support of many individuals, the NACAS regions, and Barnes & Noble College.
Christine Routzahn, director of the Career Center, was awarded the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE) Mackes Leadership Award at the June 2025 NACE national conference. The award honors the leadership and contributions of Marilyn Mackes who led the association as executive director for 23 years. It recognizes members who have shown exemplary leadership while promoting an environment of ethical standards, diversity, equity, inclusivity, and innovation.
“If the only criterion for this award was a commitment to supportive and developmental leadership of her staff, Christine would be a deserving recipient every year. However, what makes her such an ideal recipient is that she demonstrates the same level of care and commitment to advancing the career goals and passions of our students at UMBC,” said Dr. James DeVita, assistant vice president for campus partnerships and high-impact initiatives. “This prestigious award reflects an extensive career at UMBC leading not only the traditional services of a university Career Center, but also Christine's vision and dedication to the success of all students.
Routzahn has served UMBC for 25 years, working with the UMBC community, employers, and state and local leaders while partnering with students as they explore, grow, and achieve their career goals. Under her guidance, the Career Center has become a recognized model for student career readiness, employer engagement, and innovation in high-impact experiences.
With a strong commitment to applied learning and equitable success, Routzahn has led the development of some of Maryland’s most impactful internship models, including the Walter Sondheim Nonprofit Leadership Program, MDOT Fellows Internship Program, Shattuck Family Internship Program for Entrepreneurship, the Sondheim Public Service Law Fellows Program, and the Maryland Technology Internship Program. She is regularly called on by the media for insights on employment trends, and the Career Center’s programs and impact on students and alumni.
Routzahn holds a bachelor’s degree in psychology from Georgetown University and a master of education in human development and psychology from Harvard University.
Pictured: Christine Routzahn with Shawn VanDerziel (right), President and CEO at the National Association of Colleges and Employers, and Tim Harding, Chair of the Board of Directors at the National Association of Colleges and Employers and Assistant Vice President for Career Development and Engagement at University of Tampa