Hey Graduate Students! 👋

As we transition into the summer months, the Office of Graduate Student Life (GSL) will be operating on a modified schedule. Please note our general hours and upcoming closures below before planning your visit:

🗓️ General Summer Hours

• Days: Monday – Thursday

• Hours: 10:00 AM – 2:00 PM

🚫 Upcoming May Closures & Key Dates

• Wednesday, May 20: CLOSED due to Spring Commencement 🎓 (Congratulations, grads!)

• Thursday, May 21 – Monday, May 25: CLOSED for Memorial Day Weekend 🇺🇸

• Tuesday, May 26: OPEN for the start of the Summer Session 📚

🚫 June & July Holiday Closures

• Friday, June 19: CLOSED for Juneteenth 

• Friday, July 3: CLOSED for Independence Day Observed 🎆

Have a wonderful, safe, and relaxing summer break! If you have any questions, feel free to reach out.

Congratulations to our seniors!

Members of the Pre-Law Society who are graduating seniors may pick up their graduation cords on Monday, 5/18, between 1:00 and 4:30 PM, or Wednesday, 5/20, between 11:00 AM and 2:30 PM, in Public Policy 406 (Molly’s office).

Cast your vote for the executive board members of the Wisdom Weavers, the UMBC Erickson School of Aging Studies student interest group for the 2026-2027 school year.

Ballots will be open through Thursday, May 21st.

We are so excited by the level of interest in Wisdom Weavers leadership. Please take your time to thoughtfully review each candidate.   You can cast your vote HERE  

or by visiting https://forms.gle/WGvMawFmRYd9Z2Cj7

Cast your vote for the executive board members of the Wisdom Weavers, the UMBC Erickson School of Aging Studies student interest group for the 2026-2027 school year.

Ballots will be open through Thursday, May 21st.

We are so excited by the level of interest in Wisdom Weavers leadership. Please take your time to thoughtfully review each candidate.   You can cast your vote HERE  

or by visiting https://forms.gle/WGvMawFmRYd9Z2Cj7

We hope you will plan to attend the research presentations of two graduating TTL students on Tuesday, May 19 at noon on Webex. You can join the meeting by clicking on THIS LINK. Come celebrate Corinne Newsome and Caleb Schrader's hard work and brilliant research!

Corinne will present from her thesis, "Cycles of Indebtedness: The Chinese Coolie's Perpetual Labor in The Coolie Speaks and Monkey Hunting" [directed by Dr. Sharon Tran] In this project, Corinne reads Lisa Yun's The Coolie Speaks and Cristina Garcia's Monkey Hunting as counter-archives resisting dominant narratives that position 1874 as the end of the Cuban coolie trade's debt-based labor practices. These texts center the perspectives of Chinese contract laborers in Cuban history to present the compounding, renewing forms of debt that maintained their indenture throughout their lifetime and within Cuba's national legacy.

Caleb will present from his thesis  "'All That Is Gold Does Not Glitter': Tolkien’s Expressions Of Shifting Masculinity In 20th-Century Wartime England As Seen Through The Characters Of Boromir, Faramir, And Aragorn" [directed by Professor Deborah Rudacille]. His thesis argues that Boromir, Faramir, and Aragorn represent three distinct responses to the pressures of warfare, corruptive influence of power, and paternal expectation -- responses which he labels as collapse, conflict, and thoughtful integration. Ultimately, The Lord of the Rings suggests that the defining test of masculinity is not the ability to wield or reject power, but the ability to demonstrate moderation and restraint through having it and being able to relinquish it.

The finish line is in sight! We are down to the last two days of the Grad Finals Reset, and the OGSL Office is still open and ready to be your sanctuary from the exam crunch.

If your brain needs a break from the laptops and textbooks, swing by today or tomorrow. Whether you have 5 minutes to spare or want to stay and hang out longer, we’ve got exactly what you need to recharge:

• 🧩 Teamwork Puzzles: Help us finish up the community puzzles!

• 🖍️ Mindful Coloring: Grab some crayons or colored pencils and just zone out.

• 🛋️ Cozy Chill Space: No deadlines, no pressure—just a quiet, comfortable space to relax and breathe.

Take care of your mental well-being as you wrap up the semester. You’re almost there, grads—come take a well-deserved breather with us before it ends!

Dear UMBC Community,

Commencement is almost upon us! The first day of classes and Commencement are my favorite days of the year, and this year is no exception. We have so much to celebrate this year as we honor the graduates who will receive their bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral degrees later this week. 

The road has not been easy, of course, and the contexts for our graduating students continue to be challenging, whether individual or global in nature. Commencement ceremonies, though, are a joyful occasion reflecting on the work and growth of our graduates and the contributions they have made to their chosen fields, to UMBC, and to the world beyond. Commencement also is a chance to express our gratitude to all who have accompanied students on their journeys—their families and friends, fellow students, mentors, advisors, and so many faculty and staff members. 

This year feels even more meaningful for me as I celebrate the undergraduate Class of 2026, most of whom began their UMBC journeys at the same time I did, in the fall of 2022. It has been an honor to walk this path with you. Happy Commencement week to us all! 

Sincerely, 

President Valerie Sheares Ashby

Hello UMBC Adjuncts: 

We are pleased to announce the results of the Adjunct Faculty Advisory Committee election.

Congratulations to the elected representatives, and sincere appreciation to all candidates who participated in the process. 

The candidates selected for the Adjunct Faculty Advisory Committee for 2026-2028  are: 

CAHSS   

• ROBERT JONATHAN BENNETT - English
• JILL VASBINDER MORRISON- Dance

CNMS

BONNIE KEGAN - Mathematics and Statistics

COEIT 

Hassan Shuja

Thank you to everyone who took the time to vote and contribute to this important election. 

Friends, BAM is almost here.  Doors to UC 312 open tomorrow at 8:30.

Come get some coffee and settle in for great updates from Administration & Finance.  From Dan Petree's welcome to our own John Alfano's Year (and BAM!) End, it will be a morning to remember.  There is also a Webex link if needed.

Agenda is attached, and please RSVP here.  See you Tuesday!

A partner at Pentagram, Paula Scher is one of the most influential graphic designers in the world. She designed the iconic visual identities for The Public Theater and New York City’s high-traffic public spaces. Her work demonstrates how design can shape the way we navigate modern society.