We've received some amazing applications so far, and we want to make sure everyone has a chance to get involved — so we're extending the application deadline to April 30th!

The voting form will go live on May 1st, so stay tuned!

We're still actively looking for applicants for the following positions:

Becker Ambassador Secretary  Vice President

If you've been thinking about applying, now is your time! We'd love to see more of our community step up and get involved. Don't miss this opportunity — submit your application before April 30th!

Accounting Club E-Board Interest Form 2026-2027

Are you a student entrepreneur interested in getting involved and being on the leadership of the Entrepreneurs Club next school year?  

If you are--apply now!  Applications are open through Midnight, Tuesday, 4/28!

Application Link

Dear members of the UMBC Ancient Studies Community,

Just a reminder that you are invited to the Ancient Studies end-of-year party at my house, 1 Alquin Court, Catonsville, MD 21228, on Wednesday, May 13, 2026 starting at 4:00 PM. We will provide nibbles, Italian sausage, veggie burgers, salad, and some drinks. You are welcome to bring whatever salads, desserts, and drinks you would like. If you are planning to bring food or drink (please do not feel obligated to do so), please let me what you will be bringing.

Parents, spouses, partners, friends, and children are all welcome to join us.

If you are plan to attend, please send an email to me (dsrose@umbc.edu) indicating the number of people in your party by 11:00 am on Wednesday, May 13.  

All the very best,

Dr. David Rosenbloom, Professor and Chair, ANCS Department

(1) Amica Center for Immigrant Rights: Undergraduate Internship - Development and Communications

Amica Center is the only non-profit organization in the Washington, D.C. area that is exclusively focused on providing legal assistance to adult and child immigrants detained by the government in the Capital Region and beyond.

Undergraduate Internship- Development and Communications

Amica Center is looking for an undergraduate or graduate student to support their staff on their Development and Communications Team.

The internship will provide the opportunity to learn and work in a wide range of projects centered on communications, nonprofit development, grants, and database management.

Applicants from historically underrepresented groups are encouraged to apply. If relevant, please discuss in your application how your background motivates your interest in this position or otherwise affects your career goals.

The Summer Internship program asks for a commitment of 15-30 hours a week for at least 10 weeks, starting on or about May 26, 2026.  

Internships are unpaid; however, Amica Center can assist students seeking internship credit or funding.

See Amica Center's LinkedIn post for more information.

DEADLINE TO APPLY: Friday, May 1

(2) Global Refuge: Policy and Advocacy Intern

If you are passionate about transforming communities with a mission-driven organization, then we have the opportunity for you!

At Global Refuge, welcoming newcomers isn't just their duty-it's an inherent part of their identity, rooted in their Lutheran heritage and inspired values and serving as a testament to their unwavering commitment to those in search of refuge.  

The Policy and Advocacy Intern will support the Global Refuge Policy and Advocacy Team and assist in the daily activities of Global Refuge's office in Washington, D.C. We're looking for someone with excellent written and verbal communication skills and who's passionate about advancing our organizational mission.

This is a part-time, paid internship opportunity ($18/hour) for students pursuing a relevant undergraduate or advanced degree.

See this website for more information.

You can also see the full internship posting on LinkedIn.  

DEADLINE TO APPLY: Although there is no posted deadline, interested students should apply ASAP.

“I Probably Shouldn’t Say This, But…” Sociological Approach to Understanding Motivation to Give in Japan

The Department EDHS, Japanese Area-MLLI, & the Asian Studies Program are excited to welcome guest lecturer, Dr. Aya Okada to campus on Monday, May 11th, at 1pm in FA 459! This discussion will be hosted with professors, Dr. Jungwon Yeo & Dr. Tomoko Hoogenboom.

Dr. Okada specializes in civil society studies with focus on the role of nonprofit organizations and voluntary actions in contemporary Japan. Her research asks, is there anything distinctive about civil society, philanthropy, and giving behaviors in Japan? If so, how and why?

More details from the flyer below.

This event 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.

Hello folks,

Please seen the info below about the Pride Awards! I hope to see many of you there on Wednesday.

Join us this Pride Week for the FSA Pride Awards! Watch the award ceremony, enjoy appetizers, and mingle with queer professionals here at UMBC! The event will be 4/29 from 5-7:30pm in the Commons Skylight Room.

Here's the FSA Page's posting: Pride Week: FSA Pride Awards · LGBTQ Faculty and Staff Association (Public Site) · myUMBC

And here's the Pride Center's posting: Pride Week: FSA Pride Awards · The Pride Center for LGBTQIA2+ Diversity · myUMBC

Have you ever wrestled with Blackboard's group management -- spending too many clicks trying to organize students, waiting for pages to load in large courses, or losing track of who's assigned where? We have good news: Blackboard has completely rebuilt the Groups tool, and it's a meaningful upgrade.

Just the Facts:

• The new Groups tool goes live for SU2026 courses on May 20, 2026.

• Want to explore it first? You can preview it on our test server from April 24 – May 19. Please open an RT ticket to get access. 

What's Changed in Groups Management

A more logical setup flow. Instead of diving straight into managing individual students, you now start by choosing how you want to structure your groups: manual assignment, automatic assignment, self-enrollment, or CSV import. This upfront choice eliminates a lot of guesswork.

Image 1: Instructors now start by creating a group set by choosing how they want to structure groups—before managing individual members.

Smarter automatic enrollment. Just enter the number of students you want per group, and Blackboard does the math, creating the right number of groups and randomly assigning students in one step. No more counting rows.

More ways to move students around. You can assign students from an unassigned list, assign a selected group of students to a specific group at once, or add and remove members from within a group. Fewer clicks, more flexibility.

Better sorting and visibility. You can now sort students by first name, last name, or student ID, and sort groups by name or number of members. This sounds small, but if you've ever tried to manage 200 students across 40 groups, you know how much it matters.

Image 2. Instructors can now sort group members by first or last name, student ID and sort groups by group name or number of members.

Context about how groups are being used. Each group now shows whether it's connected to assignments, tests, or discussions, so you can understand the impact before making changes.

Much faster performance. Save operations that previously took minutes in large courses now complete in seconds. You can even close the page mid-save and Blackboard will finish the job in the background. The previous limits of 5,000 students and 1,000 groups per course have also been removed.

More features on the way. Future improvements to groups will include search and sort functions, drag-and-drop group management, and bulk group creation options.

Want to see it in action? Watch a short video walkthrough.

Coming Later This Summer: A New Gradebook

Groups management isn't the only thing being reimagined. Blackboard is also actively developing a redesigned Gradebook experience, with a technical preview beginning May 21. We'll share more details about when the new Gradebook will be released as they become available. Stay tuned for updates as we head into the fall semester.

Questions?

Reach out by opening an RT ticket. We're happy to walk you through what's new or answer questions about how the changes might affect your course setup.

Connect with Instructional Technology

As always, if you have any questions about teaching, learning, and technology at UMBC, please consider the following options:

• Check our extensive FAQ collection 
  • What's new in Ultra? | Known Issues 
• Open a ticket via RT
• Follow the Instructional Technology & DoIT myUMBC groups
• Request a consult with instructional technology staff
• PIVOT | Academic Continuity | Keep On Teaching | Student Technology Resources

Thumbnail-image: Ultra news update

Happy Monday! Take a look at the events that will take place at The Mosaic Center this week: 

Monday, 4/27/2026 | Donuts & Dialogue X Pride Week 12-1 PM 

Wednesday, 4/28/2026 | Unidos 4:30 - 5:30 PM

Thursday, 4/29/2026 | Music & The Mosaic X Pride Week 12 - 1 PM 

We hope to see you at our upcoming events and sponsorships! Questions regarding Mosaic programming can be sent to our email: themosaic@umbc.edu. 

The Mosaic Center and all 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.

Start your morning the UMBC commuter way.

Join us for breakfast with fellow commuters and connect with helpful on-campus resources. There's no better way to kick off your day!

Good Morning Commuters (GMC) takes place every Tuesday from 8:30–11:00 AM *except one a month when Good afternoon Commuters (GAC) is held* and is complimentary with your Commuter Gold Card.

Gold Cards are a one-time purchase per academic year and can be bought at any GMC event (cash only):

• $5 for Commuter Students

• $10 for Residential & Graduate Students

We can't wait to see you there!

https://my3.my.umbc.edu/groups/ocss/events/149343

Hi everyone,

Voting is now officially live to elect your new CWIT Student Council Officers for the 2026–2027 school year.

Be sure to cast your vote today and help choose the leaders who will represent and advocate for our community next year.

Voting closes on May 1st, so do not miss your chance to make your voice heard.

VOTE HERE

Thank you!