The PROMISE Success Seminars and Workshops website contains full lists of workshops for:

• Graduate Students
• Postdoctoral Fellows
• Interest in teaching and the professoriate (PROF-it)

Archived posts by title on the PROMISE Success Seminars site include the following:

• September 2011 Seminars for Graduate Students at UMBC
• Summer Success Institute Registration is open! (August 19-20, 2011)
• Summer Horizons Graduate School Preparation Program: July 20
• UMBC Provost Elliot Hirshman (PROMISE PI) will be the new president at San Diego State University
• Apply for UMBC-CCBC Teaching Fellows program FALL 2011
• PROMISE Cookout – Saturday May 7
• UMBC Will Participate in a Pilot for the Council of Graduate Schools
• Events for March 2011: Dissertation House, Proposals, Teaching Portfolios, Lift Up (Haiti) Movie, Career Roundtables
• PROMISE Spring Opening Dinner Meeting: “Getting to Level 10″ — Friday, 2/18/11
• Preparing for Global Leadership: Cultural Competence and Connections with and for International Students and Colleagues
• Advice for Preparing and Delivering Graduate Level Presentations by Barrett Whitener @PROMISE Symposium, Jan. 21, 2011
• “Reflections” @UMB: Complementary/Alternative Medicine (Tai Chi, Acupressure, and more!)
• PROMISE Research Symposium, Coming January 21, 2011
• PROF-it Professors-in-Training 12/3, January 2011 $$ opportunities for Grad Students, & 2011 Dissertation House. Plus, SREB’s Dr. Bob Belle comes to UM College Park to discuss interviewing Dec. 3!
• PROMISE Fall Harvest Dinner Welcomes Dr. Erica Corral, winner of Hispanic award for STEM, Nov. 19
• Grad Student Workshops on Writing. Nov. 17 & Nov. 19
• Practical Steps for Completing Your Thesis or Dissertation. Saturday, Nov. 13
• “Preparing for the Professoriate” Workshops on Fri. Nov. 5
• Faculty Forum with Grad Students! Fri. 10/22 (Free Dinner!)
• Date changes for October! 10/8 seminar [Fac(x,y)] moved to 10/22, 10/20 seminar [IRB, RCR] moved to 10/26
• PROF-it “Professors-in-Training” Seminars, Fall 2010
• Grad Student Success Seminars and Meetings, September 2010
• Secrets of the Faculty Interview. Coming Aug. 20. 10:30 AM
• Mini “Graduate Horizons” Session at UMBC: Tuesday, July 13, 2010
• Reminders of SSI 2007 & 2008
• Summer Success Institute (SSI) 2010, Coming August 21
• New home for PROMISE Success Seminars

On a rare occasions comedian Jon Stewart will use his TV humor show for serious business.

And get serious attention.

Last Wednesday, Stewart had Dr. Sanjay Gupta on to discuss his recently released 9/11 documentary.

Terror In The Dust follows rescuers who endured a mixture of hazardous chemicals, while saving victims of the attacks on the Twin Towers.

These heroes are now battling possible cancers as a result of their noble civic duty. They have received little health coverage for these ailments. Red tape.

Gupta reported:

People said, ‘Is this emotion or is this science?’ At the ten-year mark, we’re starting to see scientific papers come out and address this.

Stewart asked why we couldn’t give those suffering the “benefit of the doubt.”

With the film coming out during this 10th anniversary of the tragedy, the comedian got off his soap box (briefly) and asked us to think about the cause wholeheartedly.

Granted, Stewart did not shed tears, but watching a clown take off his nose, even for a few minutes, made a strong statement.

The film will air again on September 10th at 9pm on CNN.

Serious police corruption in Puerto Rico.

The Jobs Speech.

Banks are about to be sued, much time after the fact.

Are we in a class war?

One less shot of Gardasil anyone?

Joseph Schmitz ’80, sociology, a former principal and 20-year veteran within the Harford County Public School System, has been named executive director of high school performance for that system, a press release from HCPS announced.

According to the Harford County Dagger website:

Mr. Schmitz served as assistant principal of Edgewood High School before being promoted to principal of Edgewood High and then Fallston High schools. Prior to his administrative experience, Mr. Schmitz taught at Edgewood High for six years.

“Mr. Schmitz has served in administrative positions at the high school level for 13 years,” said Harford County Superintendent of Schools Robert M. Tomback, who recommended his hiring to the Board. “He will bring the knowledge and experience necessary to be successful in this position.”

Read the full story here.

Read more alumni stories on Retriever Net, UMBC’s online alumni community.

From Freeman Hrabowski and Philip Rous

As the 10th anniversary of 9/11 approaches, the campus is noting the significance of this time in several ways. Our community is remembering the victims and the far-reaching impact of the attacks with a number of campus events designed to support reflection, service, and healing.

For those who may need support, counselors will be available in the Counseling Center from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday and Monday to talk with people about feelings related to 9/11.

The campus remains vigilant about suspicious activities and threats. The UMBC Police are regularly in contact with federal agencies and receive daily briefings from Maryland public safety officials regarding terrorist activities and threats. Currently, there are no credible threats against any Maryland colleges and universities.

Our campus has an emergency preparedness plan in place, and we encourage you to think about your own personal plans as well. A first step is to make sure that you are signed up to receive University text alerts on a mobile device. To register, please log on to your myUMBC (http://my.umbc.edu) account and click the “alerts” tab at the top.

Joseph Schmitz ’80, sociology, a former principal and 20-year veteran within the Harford County Public School System, has been named executive director of high school performance for that system, a press release from HCPS announced.

According to the Harford County Dagger website:

Mr. Schmitz served as assistant principal of Edgewood High School before being promoted to principal of Edgewood High and then Fallston High schools. Prior to his administrative experience, Mr. Schmitz taught at Edgewood High for six years.

“Mr. Schmitz has served in administrative positions at the high school level for 13 years,” said Harford County Superintendent of Schools Robert M. Tomback, who recommended his hiring to the Board. “He will bring the knowledge and experience necessary to be successful in this position.”

Read the full story here.

Read more alumni stories on Retriever Net, UMBC’s online alumni community.