***reposted from CARAT***

Dear CAHSS faculty member,

We invite you to submit a proposal to be nominated for the 2026 Andrew Carnegie Fellows Program competition, sponsored by Carnegie Corporation of New York. Details are below.

• The purpose of the Andrew Carnegie Fellows Program is to support high-caliber scholarship in the social sciences and humanities. The 2026 program expects to provide fellowships of $200,000 to 30 exceptional scholars, journalists, and public intellectuals. The funding is for a period of either one or two years, with the anticipated result being a book or major study.

• The 2026 call for applications is on the theme of political polarization in the United States. The Corporation anticipates that the work of the Andrew Carnegie Fellows Program will explore the many ways political polarization in the United States manifests itself in society and suggest ways that it may be mitigated. Studies of polarization in other countries will be welcomed providing they offer lessons that can be applied to the United States. Projects based in disciplines across the humanities and social sciences are welcomed.

• UMBC may nominate two scholars for the competition: one tenured and one senior untenured (i.e. teaching professors and professors of the practice). Candidates must have a Ph.D. or hold a terminal degree in their field. Untenured candidates will need to become PI Eligible through the exception process, which requires a letter from the Dean or ADR explaining that the faculty has undertaken significant research during their appointment at UMBC.

• Andrew Carnegie Fellowships are open only to citizens or permanent residents of the United States.

• Previous UMBC nominees who applied for the theme of political polarization are not eligible to apply again.

Please keep in mind that Carnegie seeks projects that will be written to communicate with a broad audience. You may find it useful to browse the projects that were awarded last year and read through a study of their focus and potential impact since the theme (political polarization in the U.S.) is unchanged.

The Carnegie jury will evaluate nominations by the following criteria:

• Originality and promise of the idea
• Quality of the proposal
• Promise to offer means to reduce harmful polarization or to enhance social cohesion
• Record of the nominee
• Plans to communicate findings to a broad audience

If you are interested in being considered for the internal competition, please EMAIL the following application materials to:

Carnegi.bs0ulrhjc4r5p385@u.box.com by 5 pm EDT on Wednesday, October 15, 2025.

We urge you to contact CARAT Associate Director Rachel Brubaker (rbruba1@umbc.edu) or CARAT Director Marc Ruppel (mruppel@umbc.edu) as soon as possible to discuss your proposal.

Your application materials must include:

1)  A 3-5 page, double-spaced prospectus describing the project, including a projected work plan and approximate time frame. Fellowships will be for either 12 or 24 months and must begin on the first of the month between July and September of 2026, and no later than September 1, 2026.

Note: The Carnegie program allows flexibility in how you manage your time commitment. You may opt for a regular fellowship leave or decide to teach part-time during the semester while working full-time on your project during the summer. 

2) Curriculum vitae

3) Estimate of budgetary requirement for a one- or two-year project. Funds may support:

• Salary and fringe benefits
• Project-related travel (research, conferences)
• Research assistants (hourly or stipend)
• Other project needs (i.e., data collection, surveys, transcription, project supplies and a consultant or contractual service)

The Dean's Office will convene a panel to review the applications and select one or two scholars to recommend to the President as UMBC's nominee(s) by October 22nd. The nominee(s) will work with CARAT to complete the application process and to forward all materials to the President's Office by October 30th. A letter of nomination from President Sheares Ashby is required for the application. Applications must be submitted to the Carnegie Corporation of New York by November 07, 2025 (5:00 P.M. EST).

For additional questions, please contact Associate Dean Alan Yeakley (ayeakley@umbc.edu), Marc Ruppel, Director of CARAT (mruppel@umbc.edu), or Rachel Brubaker, Associate Director of CARAT (rbruba1@umbc.edu).

The Division of Institutional Equity joins the Office of Accessibility and Disability Services and our many campus community members in recognizing and honoring Disability Identity Awareness Month. 

Disability Identity Awareness Month, typically observed each October, is a month-long celebration of the history of the disability rights movement and the accomplishments of people with disabilities. At UMBC, our commitment to inclusive excellence means honoring the creativity, culture, and perspectives of our disability communities, focusing on inclusion, joy, and access. This month, the Division of Institutional Equity invites you to engage through our "Read, Watch, Listen, Participate" list. Join the UMBC-based programs by registering below!

To request accommodation(s) or to inquire about event accessibility, please get in touch with each program office directly. All sessions 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.

Events on Campus

Join us at UMBC events throughout the month to connect and learn together.

October 13 | 4:30 pm – 7 pm | University Center  310

Disability Awareness Month Film Screening: Quad Life 

October 15 | Noon | Hybrid, ILSB 101

Campus Accessibility: Facilities Management & ADS Project Discussion

October 15 | 4 pm | Hybrid

Ancient Studies Week Lecture: Disability and Ideal in Archaic Greek Art

October 17 | Noon | Math & Psychology 222

Accessible Documents and Course Materials: PDFs, PPTs, and more.

Read

Dive into these books that uncover the history, culture, and lived experiences of people with disabilities.

• Demystifying Disability by Emily Ladau

• The Pretty One by Keah Brown

• Such a Pretty Girl: A Story of Struggle, Empowerment, and Disability Pride by Nadina Laspina

• Rolling Warrior by Judith Heumann

• Sitting Pretty: The View from My Ordinary Resilient Disabled Body by Rebekah Taussig

Watch

Explore films and documentaries that spotlight disability activism, creativity, and everyday resilience.

• Then Babara met Alan (2022)

• Shameless: The Art of Disability (2006)

• Unrest (2017)

• Atypical (2021)

• This Close (2018)

• Love on the Spectrum (Netflix)

Listen

Hear directly from activists, storytellers, and community members shaping disability culture.

• The Accessible Stall podcast 

• Disability Visibility Podcast by  Alice Wong 

• Power Not Pity podcast 

• Talk Disability podcast

• Disability Matters podcast with Joyce Bender

• Current college junior, senior, or recent graduate (within 1 year)
• Eligible graduating classes: 2025, 2026, 2027
• Cumulative GPA of 2.7 or higher
• U.S. Citizen or Permanent Resident

• Completed Online Application
• 2 Recommendation Forms
• Official Transcript(s)

Residential Life values the co-creation of a safe environment in every residential community. It is the responsibility of every resident to ensure that they are contributing to a safe and healthy environment in their residence by:

• committing to community standards set at the beginning of each year with their floor

• reviewing and adhering to the Residential Life Rights and Responsibilities Guide, 

• submitting requests for facility maintenance 

It is the responsibility of Residential Life staff to educate residents through positive, personal contact,  maintain the residential facilities and conduct health and safety checks in residential rooms intermittently throughout the semester to identify health and safety issues in a timely way. These issues could include facility issues, fire safety, and the presence of prohibited items. 

This semester, Residential Life staff will be conducting these health and safety inspections on the week of October 6, 2025. Residents are not expected to be present during the inspection, but if you would like to be please contact your RA to schedule a time.

If concerns or issues are found in your room, you will receive notification via email. Please review the email and follow the instructions for correcting the issues in advance of a reinspection. Failure to correct the issues by the reinspection date, outlined in the email, may result in Student Conduct Action.

If you have questions about these inspections, please contact your Resident Assistant or Community Director. 

Calling ALL TRANSFER STUDENTS majoring in INFORMATION SYSTEMS (IS) or BUSINESS TECHNOLOGY ADMINISTRATION (BTA)! The PeerSIST Peer Mentoring Program is now recruiting mentees and mentors for this year's cohort.

Learn more and apply through our website, and don't forget to share with friends who might be interested and eligible!

Flyer (Also Downloadable Below) 

Ready for a challenge, Retrievers? 
Start (or keep) a healthy habit this semester with UMBC Rec! 
Pick a habit (from our list or your own)
Stick with it for 4 weeks
When you complete the challenge, fill out the form in our LinkTree + grab your prize 
It's that simple—your wellness, your way. 

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.