In honor of Jewish American Heritage Month, we’re proud to share a reflection from Michaela Wilson, a young adult living in Charles Village, about her family’s connection to Julius Rosenwald.

Working in partnership with Booker T. Washington, Rosenwald helped fund and build thousands of schools that expanded educational opportunities for Black communities across the South.

Michaela’s reflection highlights the lasting impact of philanthropy, partnership, and community investment, and the ways those values continue to inspire future generations.

Julius Rosenwald, Education and Jewish American Philanthropy

By Michaela Wilson, Marketing Manager, The Associated: Jewish Federation of Baltimore

During Jewish American Heritage Month, I’ve been reflecting on my family history, particularly my great-grandfather’s cousin, Julius Rosenwald. Rosenwald is best known for his partnership with Booker T. Washington to help fund what became known as Rosenwald Schools, an effort that shaped access to education for Black communities across the segregated South.

Rosenwald Schools

Rosenwald’s partnership with Washington led to the creation of nearly 5,000 schools and educational buildings across the South, at a time when public investment in Black education was both inadequate and deliberately limited. The Rosenwald Schools helped expand educational access for generations of students and became one of the largest school‑building efforts in American history. Notable Rosenwald alumni include Maya Angelou, Medgar Evers, members of the Little Rock Nine and Congressman John Lewis.

What makes the Rosenwald Schools particularly notable is how they were built. Funding required contributions from local Black communities and public‑school systems, alongside Rosenwald’s support. That structure emphasized partnership rather than charity, and shared investment rather than top‑down philanthropy. The goal wasn’t just to build schools, but to create sustainable access to education.

Rosenwald did not seek public attention for this work and often preferred to remain in the background, focusing on outcomes rather than recognition. The schools themselves—and the communities that sustained them—were meant to stand at the center of the effort.

Read more on Rosenwald schools and view images here.

Business Success and Philanthropic Purpose

Julius Rosenwald’s ability to support this work came from his success as a businessman. After building a career in the clothing industry, he became a part‑owner and later president and chairman of Sears, Roebuck and Company, helping grow it into a national retail enterprise. He directed much of the wealth generated through Sears toward philanthropic efforts during his lifetime.

Rosenwald’s work was shaped in part by his background as the child of Jewish immigrants from Germany. Like many Jewish Americans of his era, he understood how structural barriers could limit opportunity, and his philanthropy reflected a practical response—focused on removing obstacles rather than offering symbolic gestures.

Rosenwald’s philanthropy also extended to individuals through fellowships from the Julius Rosenwald Fund. Writers, artists and scholars such as Langston Hughes, Zora Neale Hurston, W.E.B. Du Bois, Marian Anderson and Augusta Savage received direct support that helped sustain their work in a period when institutional backing was often unavailable to Black professionals.

Documenting Family History

Members of our family fled Germany in the 1930s as antisemitism intensified, and assistance from relatives in the United States, including Julius Rosenwald, helped make their escape possible. In 2017, my family donated a collection of family materials documenting that period to the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum. The collection includes correspondence, immigration documents, financial records and family photographs.

The materials offer a window into how access—to money, to paperwork, to people willing and able to help—can be decisive. The collection is publicly available and can be explored through the Holocaust Museum’s online archives here.

A Legacy Within Jewish American Heritage

For me, Jewish American Heritage Month is a time to reflect on this history. Julius Rosenwald’s philanthropy extended across many areas, reflecting a broad commitment to widening access and opportunity during a period of entrenched exclusion. Taken together, his work points to a strain of Jewish American philanthropy grounded less in recognition than in action, and shaped by the belief that material support, applied practically, could have a lasting impact.

~ Thank you to the Louise D. and Morton J. Macks Jewish Connection Network - an agency of The Associated - for sharing this with us.

I am currently looking for clean and respectful roommate for this quiet single family home. 
It is walking distant to UMBC, (about 17 minute walk) or 3 minute drive.
It includes water and internet, Electric and gas.
Must have no pets, smoking or drugs.

Large Room - $835 - Starting June 1st
Small Room - $725 - Starting June 1st

Term -1 year
If you are interested, please email tsunhon1@umbc.edu

Looking for a quiet, affordable place to focus on school? This private bedroom in a welcoming family home might be just what you need.

💰 $750/month — everything included:

• Water, utilities & internet
• Washer/dryer access
• Shared kitchen space
• Driveway parking (optional)

📍 Perfect for UMBC students The Route 40 UMBC shuttle stops right at the end of the block — no car needed to get to campus!

🏠 About the space: Quiet residential street in Catonsville. You'll have a private bedroom and shared access to kitchen and laundry in a clean, well-kept family home. Great environment for studying and recharging.

House guidelines:

• Non-smoking home
• No overnight guests (family residence)

📞 Interested? Get in touch:

• Call/text: 443-535-7077
• Email: moutome1@umbc.edu

Hi Everyone,

I'm looking for an accommodation close to campus, or campus shuttle. If you're graduating (and moving out) of your current accommodation, or have an empty room available for rent, please reach out to me at ot38859@umbc.edu . 

I am a very quiet person, love to bake, and easy-going. I also prefer a female accommodation.

Thank you.

Support the Women's, Gender, & Equity Center and the George and Betsy Sherman Center to collect needed items for the people we serve! We are looking for products to support young low-income families in South Baltimore City and students on the UMBC campus.

We welcome donations of 

• diapers and pull-ups of various sizes, 
• pregnancy tests,
• emergency contraception,
• period products (particularly pads with wings),
• laundry detergent, and
• other hygiene items!

Here is a link to our Amazon Wishlist. Donations can also be dropped off or sent to the Women's, Gender, & Equity Center on campus. 

Find more information about the work of the George and Betsy Sherman Center here and the Women's, Gender, & Equity Center here!

We hope you will join us in spreading the word about this donation drive across campus and among your communities outside of campus as well!

If you have question splease reach out to Zoe Brown (zoebrown@umbc.edu) or Juliana Venegas (juliana6@umbc.edu)

Women's, Gender, & Equity Center and the George and Betsy Sherman Center 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.

Please note: The Women's, Gender, & Equity Center and the George and Betsy Sherman Center are committed to creating an accessible and inclusive environment for all students, staff, faculty, and visitors. If you have difficulties accessing any of the materials on our site or any of our events or discussions, please contact us so that we can provide an alternative format and/or remedy any accessibility challenges.


To view the original post click the link below: https://my3.my.umbc.edu/groups/womenscenter/posts/160205

Welcome to Summer 2026!

From May 26 – July 31 our physical office will be open Tuesday – Thursday. We will be operating fully remote on Mondays and Fridays (our physical office will be closed but we will be answering calls and emails, and taking virtual appointments).
*The University will be closed on Monday, May 25 for Memorial Day, Friday, June 19 for Juneteenth, and Friday, July 3 for Independence Day.*

Reception

Mon & Fri, 9 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. Phone Only
Tues – Thurs, 9 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. In-Person & Phone

General questions can be answered by calling our main reception line at 410-455-2216. If leaving a message, please share your email address in addition to your name and phone number to help in providing a quick response.

Counseling Appointments

Mon & Fri, 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. Virtual Only
Tues – Thurs, 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. In-Person & Virtual

Drop-Ins

15-minute, In-Person, No Appointment Needed
Tues & Wed, 2 – 4 p.m.

Express Appointments

15-minute, Virtual, Scheduled at least a day in advance
Mon & Thurs, 2 – 4 p.m.
Additional details about appointment types can be found on our Appointments webpage.

Thanks for all who attended this morning.  The slides are attached. 

We had a packed agenda; If you have any questions for the presenters, please reach out to them directly or email me at cfu2@umbc.edu. 

See you in November!

Dear UMBC Community,

Today, I am very pleased to share the Strategic Plan Steering Committee's significant progress this semester towards completion of the UMBC strategic plan.

As a reminder, the strategic plan will be built on five pillars: cultivating organizational innovation and vitality; redefining excellence in research and creative achievement; strengthening Maryland and its communities; advancing student opportunity and success; and transforming teaching and learning. 

Earlier this academic year, the Strategic Plan Steering Committee formed five subgroups, each dedicated to creating a plan for a pillar. The subgroups included committee members and additional campus community members who have experience and expertise in the areas that each pillar is designed to address. Each of the five subgroups has now drafted a plan for its respective pillar. These drafts incorporate your valuable and insightful feedback gathered through:

• engagements with stakeholder groups this semester;

• the spring campus-wide Strategic Plan survey;

• the 2025 Campus Climate survey;

• website feedback forms;

• the 2024 Core Values survey;

• the fall 2023 Shared Governance survey; and

• the Bold Conversations held in early 2023.

President Sheares Ashby and I, and the steering committee, thank every community member who generously contributed their ideas in group sessions and conversations, and through the extended pillar subgroups. We also are grateful to those who took time to complete the surveys and shared feedback via the website form. This is the UMBC community's strategic plan. Your participation in the engagements and surveys supports all of our community members seeing themselves in the final strategic plan.

President Sheares Ashby and I also extend our gratitude to the dedicated, hard-working members of the Strategic Plan Steering Committee. Their time and talent over the past year have been vital in reaching this pivotal moment. Please join us in thanking this committee, who so beautifully represented our UMBC campus community.

With the pillar plans finished, we are now drafting the full strategic plan for a September 2026 launch around the same time that we celebrate the 60th anniversary of UMBC opening its doors. Details on plan rollout activities and resources will follow early next academic year.

Thank you, everyone, for your commitment to UMBC’s future.

Sincerely,

Charissa S. L. Cheah
Professor, Psychology and Asian Studies Affiliate Faculty
Chair, Strategic Plan Steering Committee