I’m asking some of the people you might encounter on the UMBC campus, including students, faculty, staff and alumni, to answer a few questions about themselves and their experiences. These are their responses.
Name: Bob Somers
Hometown: Ripon, Wisconsin.
Q: How long have you been at UMBC?
A: 21 years. (Time flies when you are having fun!)
Q: What is your current title (job or student organization position)?
A: Director of the Bookstore.
Q: In 12 words or less, what role(s) do you play on campus?
A: Direct employees in offering classroom and other needs through excellent customer service.
Q: What aspect of your UMBC role(s) do you enjoy most?
A: Working with all aspects of the UMBC Community. I have been employed at approximately a dozen institutions of higher learning, and in my opinion the cooperation at UMBC is unsurpassed. That teamwork makes everyone’s job a wee bit easier! My ultimate favorite time is when the students arrive on campus for Fall classes after the long hot summer of minimal traffic.
Q: What is the most important or memorable thing you learned in college/have learned at UMBC?
A: We are defined not by the challenges that come our way, but rather by our responses to said challenges.
Q: Complete this sentence: "I am a big fan of __________"
A: The New York Jets, John Lennon, Robyn Hitchcock, Juliana Hatfield, literature and computer games in a fantasy (sword and sorcery) setting, building and upgrading computers, and most of all, my three kids.
Q: Do you have any UMBC stories, little-known facts about UMBC, favorite spots on campus, or anything else you’d like to share?
A: Every day has the potential for the unexpected in the Bookstore. Way back in 1990, a high level administrator approached me within a few weeks of my arrival at UMBC. The individual wished to return a UMBC winter coat which had been recently purchased in the Bookstore. I was informed that the coat had NEVER been worn, and that the individual had opted to purchase a more traditional, non-emblematic winter coat. After allowing the refund, the coat was put back out for sale. It was at this point that we discovered the dog bones (treats) in the pocket. WOOF!
