As we begin the spring semester, ECS has two personnel updates:

Yakima Melton | Director of Event and Conference Services
Yakima will join the Division of Student Affairs this March. She joins us from Arizona State University with more than 15 years of leadership experience in student union operations and a proven track record in managing complex facilities and large-scale events. Please join us in welcoming her to the UMBC community as she steps into this vital leadership role.

Kenny Darby | Assistant Director of Event Planning
Kenny joined the ECS team on February 9. He joins us from George Mason University with 8+ years of senior-level experience in venue operations. During his tenure, he successfully executed high-stakes events for the U.S. Supreme Court and the Department of Defense. In addition, Kenny was one of the co-founders and production manager for the Frederick Jazz Festival.

Please join us in welcoming Yakima and Kenny to their new roles as we look forward to a great semester ahead.

This Week in EA

• Benjamin A. Gilman Info Sessions | Virtual

  Are you a U.S. citizen​ or national of the United States receiving a Pell grant and planning to study abroad? If so, you may be eligible for the Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship! This U.S. Department of State program enables students receiving a Federal Pell Grant to study or intern abroad, providing them with skills critical to our national security and economic prosperity. These awards offer up to $​8000 to support your study abroad plans. The program aims to encourage students to study and intern in a diverse array of countries or areas and world regions and to study languages, especially critical-need languages (those deemed important to national security). Veterans of military service are encouraged to apply, and preference is given to veterans when other factors are equivalent. Join us for a virtual Gilman Scholarship Information session!

• February 9th | 11am-12pm | Virtual

• February 11th | 2pm-3pm | Virtual

• February 14th | 2pm-3pm | Virtual

• Faculty Led Program Info Sessions | Hybrid

  Interested in learning more about one of our upcoming Summer 2026 Faculty-Led Programs? Stop by these hybrid information sessions to learn all about the course options, the cultural activities, and the ins and outs of the application process. Meet with program faculty and the Education Abroad Team.

• Justice, Agency, and Culture in Kenya Info Session | Feb. 9th | 12pm-1pm | UC204/Virtual

• Global Health and Aging FLSA Info Session | Feb. 10th | 11am-12pm | Virtual

• Interpreting Vietnam: The Past and Future | Feb. 10th | 12pm-1pm | UC204/Virtual

• Picturing Italian Art and Culture in Context | Feb. 13th | 12pm-1pm | Fine Arts 342/Virtual

Upcoming Events and Deadlines

• February 10, 2026 [TODAY]: CAHSS Dean's Scholarship for Education Abroad due for Summer 2026, and Fall 2026, and Academic Year 2026-2027; early consideration for Winter and Spring 2027

• February 16, 2026: Summer 2026 Faculty-led Program applications due

• March 5, 2026: Benjamin A. Gilman Scholarship Applications due for Summer 2026, Fall 2026, and Academic Year 2026-2027

• March 10th, 2026: Summer (non-faculty led), Fall, and Academic Year 2026-2027 Applications due

• April 7th, 2026: Freeman Awards for Study in Asia Application due 

• Summer 2026, Fall 2026, and Academic Year 2026-2027 advising is available now! Contact educationabroad@umbc.edu to schedule an advising appointment.

• Study Abroad 101 Sessions
  Monday | 2pm-3pm | Virtual
  Tuesday | 1pm-2pm | Virtual
  Friday | 11am-12pm | Virtual

Commuter Connections has been selected as the Silver Award Winner in the NASPA 2026 Excellence Awards within the Commuter, Off-Campus, Military-Connected, Non-Traditional, and Related Programs category.

Dedicated to creating inclusive, engaging experiences that help commuter students feel at home at UMBC, Commuter Connections offers over 60 events and programs during the academic year, created to build a strong sense of connection and community. These events and programs are helping students feel welcomed, supported, and empowered to thrive – academically, personally, and as part of the UMBC experience and beyond. 

Commuter Connections' Good Morning Commuters program, founded in 1988, averages 155 students weekly. It includes a buffet-style breakfast, resource information from campus partners, and the opportunity for students to meet and make friends. The program has been expanded to include a Good Afternoon Commuters event. 

In addition to Good Morning Commuters, Commuter Connections offer a variety of engaging programs designed to build community and enhance the commuter student experience. These include Commuter Hangouts, themed pop-up events that provide opportunities for commuters to connect; off-campus trips, which allow commuter students to build community while exploring new experiences throughout Baltimore; and the annual Spring Commuter Week, a celebration featuring daily events that uplift and highlight the commuter experience.

Commuter Week 2026 will take place Saturday, February 28 through Thursday, March 5.

Led by Assistant Director of Commuter Student Success Serena Studivant, Commuter Connections also benefits from the work of graduate and commuter assistants who receive professional development experience by helping to plan, develop, and execute programming. 

"Serena is deeply deserving of this award for the way she leads through collaboration," said Jennifer Artis, director of Student Life and Success for Graduate, Adult Learners, and Commuters. "Her impact extends far beyond her department; she consistently builds meaningful partnerships across campus and shows up for students with care, intention, and excellence. Serena is truly a rockstar whose work strengthens our entire UMBC community."

NASPA Excellence Awards recognize the contributions of members who are transforming higher education through outstanding programs, innovative services, and effective administration. The awards cover twelve categories crucial to the success of students. 

Studivant will share a poster presentation on the Commuter Connections program at the 2026 NASPA Annual Conference in Kansas City, MS.

The Division of Student Affairs continues to share its leadership and expertise on the national stage. Staff from across the division will be presenting at the NASPA Annual Conference in March 2026, in Kansas City. Their upcoming sessions highlight the transformative student-centered work happening in Student Affairs and across the campus.

Empowering the Frontline: Intentional Professional Development and Coaching for Administrative and Frontline Staff 

Ebony Brown, Executive Coordinator, Student Affairs, and Dr. Adam Cebulski, Founder and CEO, transform.forward

Organizations often miss an opportunity to foster an environment that is truly inclusive by limiting who has access to professional development resources. Brown and Dr. Cebulski will share an intentional approach to supporting professional development for administrative and frontline staff.  They will discuss a framework that combines coaching and community building that not only enhances professional growth, but increases self-efficacy and sense of belonging among administrative and frontline staff.

We All Can't Move West: A Regional Exploration of APIDA Identity and Community

Angelina Jenkins, Assistant Director, Mosaic Center, and Dr. Aaron Parayno, (Tufts University) 

While the West Coast and Hawai'i are often viewed as the primary hubs for the Asian Pacific Islander and Desi American (APIDA) community, the Asian American population is the fastest-growing in the U.S., expanding from 10.5 million in 2000 to 18.9 million in 2019. This growth has extended into non-traditional regions like the Midwest and South, yet many professionals still encounter the "just move West" narrative when considering community and belonging. This session centers on the experiences of APIDA professionals who navigate the tension between their career trajectories and the search for geographic belonging in areas lacking established ethnic enclaves. Grounded in research on geographic racial identity development (Chan, 2017; Kodama et al., 2017), featured panelists will discuss navigating isolation, "othering," and the strategies used to build meaningful communities in varied regional contexts. Participants will gain insights into how geography influences professional identity and learn actionable strategies to support APIDA students experiencing similar geographic isolation.

NASPA APIKC Scholars Collective 

Angelina Jenkins, Assistant Director, Mosaic Center, Dr. Justin Samuel (University of Texas at Austin), Erika Pen (Salem State University), Dr. Savneet Bains, (University of Texas at Austin)

The NASPA APIKC 2026 Scholars Collective serves as a dynamic bridge between rigorous inquiry and communal growth, integrating formal research presentations with community-focused roundtables that center APIDA scholarship and research development. The 2026 Collective provides an intentional platform to amplify scholarly contributions from APIDA professionals. In alignment with the NASPA Annual Conference Focus Areas, this session centers on research that elevates APIDA experiences, culture, and identity to transform the landscape of our profession.

Different Roads to Campus: Centering Commuter and Returning Adult Learner Voices on Belonging

Serena Studivant, Assistant Director, Commuter Success, and Lauren Allen, Director, Women's, Gender, and Equity Center

Studivant and Allen will unpack the diverse journeys of commuter and returning adult learners, two student populations often overlooked in belonging conversations. Their session uplifts lived experiences, challenges traditional narratives of campus life, and offers strategies institutions can implement to create more inclusive pathways to success.

From the Margins to the Center: Stories of Black Queer Doctoral Students Searching for Belonging

Dr. Mitchell Everett, Assistant Director, Graduate Student Life

Dr. Everett's powerful session elevates the narratives of Black queer doctoral students whose stories often go unheard in graduate education research. Drawing from personal testimonies, this session explores identity, community, resilience, and what it means to seek belonging in spaces not originally built with you in mind.

Navigating Self-Doubt: Impostor Syndrome and Graduate Student Wellbeing

Jennifer Artis, Senior Director, Director of Student Life and Success for Graduate, Adult Learners, and Commuters, and Dr. Rae Chresfield, Assistant Vice President, Health and Wellbeing

Artis and Dr. Chresfield will lead an insightful conversation about impostor syndrome, mental health, and the unique pressures facing graduate students. Their session blends research, practice, and lived experience to highlight how institutions can better support students navigating self-doubt while building healthier academic communities.

Click here to register for the session

Questions? Reach out to hrbenefits@umbc.edu

Want to turn your 'To-Do' list into a 'Done' list this Friday?

Join us to learn more about WAGs and how we can help you achieve your writing goals! 

GEARS and AOK Library presents Writing Accountability Groups for Spring 2026! 

• What: Writing Accountability Groups (WAGs) are voluntary and facilitated by fellow UMBC graduate students.
• Who: WAGs are composed of a group of graduate students (usually 4–8 participants per group) interested in developing writing habits and accountability.
• Why: Develop habits of writing every day for a short, manageable period of time by setting goals and being accountable to WAG peers.
• When: WAG groups meet once a week for 60–90 minutes for 10–12 weeks. The group finds a weekly time mutually convenient to all group members.
  
• Where: The group decides on a mutually convenient location to meet, whether in person or online via WebEx or another videoconferencing platform.