Happy summer everyone!

Asian Studies is pleased to release our 2nd newsletter for the program filled with student/faculty achievements, upcoming events, and more.

Big shout out to our Publicity and Student Program Coordinator, Michelle Yang, for helping us put this together!

Hello everyone!

For the remainder of the summer, we will be at The Gathering Space in the Center for Wellbeing

Please plan your trip accordingly, and we apologize for any incovneinces.

UMBC CBEE professor Tyler Josephson received an Amazon Research Award to improve the accuracy of scientific computing. His “Autoformalization for Scientific Computing in Lean” project will help bridge the gap between complex scientific theories and the computer code used to simulate them by building AI agents in Lean programming that extract mathematical equations from papers and translate them into formally verified code. Read more here.

All,

The UMBC Institute of Extended Learning (IXL) will be offering a practical course for Optimizing a Basic T-Lymphocyte Flow Cytometry Panel with the Beckman Cytoflex S (4-color) at the University of Shady Grove Campus in August. The course will be limited to nine participants and these courses generally have a fee for participation. Additional courses and workshops can be found here: https://ixlcourses.umbc.edu/umbc/course/course.aspx?catId=12. 

As we prepare to close out the 2025–2026 GSA year, I wanted to take a moment to reflect on what we have accomplished together and thank the graduate student community for allowing us to serve.

Over the past year, GSA has worked to advocate for graduate student needs, strengthen communication and transparency, and create more opportunities for graduate students to engage with one another and with university leadership. Through Meet & Confer, college and campus-wide town halls, weekly office hours, committee representation, advocacy meetings, grant funding, Graduate Student Appreciation Week, community-building events, and partnerships across campus, we have worked to ensure that graduate student voices are represented in conversations that impact student life and success at UMBC.

At the same time, we have continued to listen. Every email, office hour conversation, survey response, town hall discussion, committee report, and student concern helped guide the work we pursued this year. None of our accomplishments would have been possible without the students who chose to engage, ask questions, provide feedback, challenge us, and help us identify ways to improve the graduate student experience.

As one leadership team prepares to pass the torch to the next, I am excited to introduce the 2026–2027 GSA leadership team, which will begin serving on July 1:

Executive Council

• President: Ahmet Kaan Aydin

• Vice President: Kennedy Davis

• Chief of Staff: Xixëllonjë Nebihu

• Secretary: Tori LaChapelle-Sproat

• Treasurer: Milind Ramesh Rampure

• Speaker of the Senate: Diane Placide

• GRP Chair: Aminah Amjad

• GEARS Chair: Gaurav Shinde

• GAAC Chair: Rishav Gupta

• EoF Chair: Pavan Raj Ravi

Student Affairs Senators

• Dharani Nadendla

• Diane Placide

• Aaryaa Rajendra Gaikwad

COEIT Senators

• Sreeja Lakkakula

• Krish Mehta

• Suma Ronanki

• Monika Battula

CNMS Senators

• Vaibhavkumar Ginoya

• Chelsea Hook

CAHSS Senators

• Elle Hook

• Carole Njoroge

• Alfred Boakye

Directors

• Director of Events: Bethel Gabriel Beyene

• Director of Communications and Marketing: Saad Ahmad Khan

Please join me in congratulating these student leaders and supporting them as they begin their service to the graduate student community. I know they will bring new ideas, energy, and perspectives while continuing GSA's mission of advocacy, service, and community building.

While the individuals serving in GSA may change, our commitment to graduate students does not. GSA will continue to advocate for your needs, amplify your voices, and work toward making graduate student life at UMBC the best it can be.

We are also still seeking graduate students interested in serving as GSA Senators. If you are passionate about representing your peers and helping shape the future of graduate student life at UMBC, we encourage you to get involved.

Interested in serving as a GSA Senator? Sign up here                               

Serving as your GSA President has been one of the greatest honors of my graduate journey. Thank you for your trust, your support, your feedback, and your willingness to work alongside us. I hope that, through our efforts this year, we helped make GSA a little more visible, a little more accessible, and a little more connected to the graduate students we serve.

With gratitude,

Aminah Amjad
GSA President, 2025–2026

Dear Students,

We have learned that Canva is raising its enterprise version pricing to a level that is not sustainable; as a result, we will not be renewing our Canva enterprise contract for the coming academic year. 

What this means for you is that access to the Canva enterprise account will end on Thursday, August 6, 2026, andafter this date, unfortunately, you will no longer have access to any of the designs you’ve created.

If you wish to keep your existing designs from the enterprise version of Canva, you must download or transfer your content before Thursday, August 6. With this in mind, there are two options to preserve your work:

Transfer your projects to a free, standard Canva account

If you want to continue editing your designs independently, you can transfer them to a free, standard Canva account:

• Create or log into a personal account: Go to Canva.com and sign up for a free account using a personal email address (or log in if you already have one).

• Share your designs from your student account: Log back into your Canva enterprise account, open the design you want to keep, and click Share in the top right corner.

• Invite your personal account: Enter your personal email address, ensure the permissions are set to "Can edit," and click Send.

• Accept the invite and copy the design: Log into your personal Canva account, open the shared design, go to File, and select Make a copy. This creates a permanent version in your personal account that you own completely.

If you only need static copies of your work for a portfolio or safekeeping, follow the steps below:

Download your designs

• Open your design in your Canva Enterprise account.

• Click Share in the top right corner, then click Download.

• Choose your preferred file type (e.g., PDF Print for documents/presentations or PNG for high-resolution images) and click Download.

Export project files separately

• If you created custom logos or vector graphics, download them explicitly as SVG files with transparent backgrounds so you can repurpose them in free editors later. 

Please note that the storage included with your free Canva account will be capped at 5GB. If your accumulated projects exceed 5 GB, delete heavy video files or unneeded drafts to ensure your account doesn't freeze when it migrates to the free tier. 

If you have any questions, please contact canva@umbc.edu. We are here to help.

Thank you,

The Canva Team

Dear members of the Ancient Studies Community,

Res Classicae for Spring 2025-2026 is now available on the UMBC Ancient Studies Website (https://ancientstudies.umbc.edu/).

You can also download Res Classicae attached to this post.

Hardcopies of the issue will be mailed to those on the mailing list at the end of June. If you are not on the mailing list and would like to be added, please contact Lydia DeRidder (lderidde@umbc.edu).

Happy Reading!

The UMBC Ancient Studies Department

The Maryland Department of Aging is looking for fall interns.  These internships intersect aging with many other diciplines including Behavioral Health, Support and Resources, Technology and Marketing and Communication.  Please see the attached internship descriptions.  Feel free to share with your peers. 

DID YOU KNOW?  AGNG 460 is the internship course required for Management of Aging Services Majors and this course is also an available elective for minors.  You may be able to secure an internship and get course credit! 

In order to be considered for AGNG 460 you must meet the following criteria:

• Achieved junior class standing and completed 15 credits of core courses in the major or minor by the close of the semester of application for membership.
• Completed all core courses to date with a grade of “C” or better in each of these courses.
• Be in good academic standing. Students who are on academic probation, suspension, or have been dismissed are not eligible for an internship.
• Achieved a grade point average (GPA) in the Management of Aging Services major or minor of at least 2.50 by the end of the semester preceding the internship.
• Speak with the Erickson School Internship Director, Lauren Price about your internship.  Laprice@umbc.edu  

Interested students should submit applications via the link below:
https://app.smartsheet.com/b/form/6a690c8a36e4440080f2f425de7fc7f6

Additionally, applicants have been asked to send an email to: mdoa.marylandaccesspoint@maryland.gov indicating the specific position they are seeking.

Dear UMBC Faculty and Staff,

With summer in full swing, this edition of The UMBC Connection brings together a few updates, opportunities, and highlights from across UMBC.

You’ll find information on new federal policies, employee resources, research and athletics accomplishments, and opportunities to connect with the UMBC community this summer.

Opportunities & Events

Opportunities to attend, participate in, or engage with across the UMBC community.

• Your Story Belongs Here (June 30)
  Join UMBC's award-winning Your Story Belongs Here storytelling showcase, featuring students sharing personal stories about finding community and belonging on campus. Presented through a collaboration between the Center for Social Justice Dialogue and the Department of Theatre, the performance will also be recorded for Welcome Week 2026.

• When AI Joins the Course Design Team (July 8)
  Explore how artificial intelligence is reshaping instructional design and faculty collaboration in course development through this Online Learning Consortium webinar.

• Summer Group Fitness Classes
  UMBC Recreation is offering weekly group fitness classes throughout the summer. Classes are open to all fitness levels and take place Monday through Thursday through August 6.

Campus Updates

Important updates, planning efforts, operational information, and community news affecting UMBC.

• Important Federal Updates for the UMBC Community
  UMBC's Federal Orders and Actions Core Team recently shared updates regarding proposed federal grant regulations, immigration-related developments, and other federal actions that may affect research, international students, faculty, staff, and university operations.

• Alternate Work Arrangements Portal Launches in PeopleSoft
  The next phase of My WorkView is now available through the new Alternate Work Arrangements (AWA) Portal. Eligible employees can formally request, update, and route telework or remote work schedules entirely online through PeopleSoft.

University Milestones

Major achievements, recognitions, funding, and institutional accomplishments across UMBC.

• Professor Roberto Yus Receives Prestigious NSF CAREER Award
  Computer science professor Roberto Yus has received an NSF CAREER Award, the National Science Foundation's premier award supporting early-career faculty researchers. The award will support research advancing a "sensorless" Internet of Things through new approaches to sensor data management.

• UMBC Receives NSF Grant to Advance AI Competency
  UMBC faculty Rebecca Williams and Edward Dillon have received a four-year National Science Foundation grant to build partnerships, resources, and recommendations that help faculty and students develop AI-related competencies and prepare for an evolving workforce.

• Retriever Student-Athletes Earn All-America Honors at NCAA Championships
  Graduate student Ava Roberts earned Second Team All-America honors with an 11th-place finish in the discus throw, while senior Iosif Papa earned Honorable Mention All-America recognition for the second consecutive year at the NCAA Division I Outdoor Track & Field Championships.

More from Across UMBC

Additional updates, resources, and community opportunities from across the university.

• Beyond Compliance: How MLLI is Redefining Inclusive Pedagogy
  Learn how faculty in Modern Languages, Linguistics, and Intercultural Communication are embedding accessibility and inclusive teaching practices into language learning experiences for all students.

• P.A.W. Circle Mug of the Month
  The P.A.W. Circle, UMBC's faculty and staff giving community, has announced its 2026 – 27 Mug of the Month event schedule. Members are invited to connect with colleagues while supporting scholarships, academic programs, student support initiatives, and other areas across the university.

• UMBC Bookstore Annual Summer Sale
  The UMBC Bookstore’s online summer sale runs through June 30. Online orders placed after June 25 will be processed beginning July 2 while the store completes annual inventory.

Help Shape The UMBC Connection

As this effort continues to take shape, your feedback will help guide how we strengthen internal communications across the university. We welcome your input and invite you to share your feedback on The UMBC Connection.

If you would prefer, you are also welcome to reach out directly to Jessica McGroarty, Director of Internal Communications, at jmcgro@umbc.edu.

University Communications and Marketing

Hello, I'm a final year PhD student at UMBC looking to move close to campus (near the bus route) from August '26 to February '27. I'm looking for a shared accommodation or an apartment, ideally with a private bathroom. I love hiking, birding, reading, and trying new food. I'm easy to get along with and respectful of shared spaces. Happy to pass along a previous reference if required. Preferred rent is up to $820 per month.