As mentioned in a previous email, Mohana Mahfuz Prema will present her Econ 699 Capstone proposal virtually this coming Monday, June 22 at 2 p.m. Here is the webex link for logging into her presentation: 



Join Webex meeting
ID: 28666769548
Password: PPcScRVi256
Her proposal is attached to this email. The title of her proposal is "Preventive Vaccination Uptake by Self-Reported Sexual Orientation among U.S. Adults: Evidence from IPUMS NIHS 2021-24." Her advisor on this project is Hasan Shahid.

All are welcome to log in.  

Dear colleagues,

I am excited to welcome Alan Byrd as the next vice provost for enrollment management at UMBC, effective August 3. Alan joins us from George Mason University where he has served as the dean of admissions since 2020. 

Alan brings more than 25 years of experience in college admissions and enrollment management to UMBC. He has an extensive track record of implementing successful recruitment and retention initiatives, and he has consistently increased enrollment, improved academic profiles, expanded diversity, and enhanced student success at the institutions where he has served. 

Alan’s commitment to college access, affordability, and student success has defined his lifetime of work as an enrollment manager. Prior to arriving at George Mason, he was vice provost of enrollment management at the University of Missouri-St. Louis where he led the university to several milestones for total enrollment, the academic profile and diversity of the student body, and graduation rates. Removing financial barriers for students was central to his accomplishments in St. Louis, where he developed innovative financial aid programs such as the UMSL Grant, Triton Emergency Grant, and the Senior Degree Completion Program. These flexible need-based programs helped eliminate equity gaps in degree completion for Pell grant recipients and reduce their average debt at graduation. 

Alan earned a bachelor’s degree in communication from Southeast Missouri State University, a master’s degree in higher education administration from Southeast Missouri State University, and a doctorate in education leadership and policy studies at the University of Missouri-St. Louis. His dissertation research examined noneconomic persistence barriers for low-income students at large public universities.

Please join me in welcoming Alan to the Retriever family. 

Sincerely,

Manfred H.M. van Dulmen
Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs

Hello everyone!

Due to the HVAC system in the Apartment Community Center still being managed, Retriever Essentials will be at the Center for Wellbeing for the remainder of the summer (including today).

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

DoIT has been working with the Division of Student Affairs to introduce a new, easy-to-use Emergency Settings page in myUMBC. 

The myUMBC Emergency Settings page integrates our campus-wide emergency alert system and required emergency contact information in one place. You may notice new homepage reminders - these will guide you to sign up for emergency alerts or update your required emergency contact information. When you log in, you may see two specific notifications:

• Emergency Alerts: If you haven't signed up, you’ll see a prompt to join. 

• Emergency Contacts: If your contacts are missing, you'll see a reminder. This notification will remain active until a contact is added.

Take Action: Click the notification to go directly to your settings, or access them anytime by clicking your Profile Photo > Emergency. See “How do I update my Emergency Settings in myUMBC?” for more information about the page.

Please take a moment today to ensure your emergency alert enrollment is active and your emergency contacts are up to date. 

If you have any issues, please contact the Technology Support Center via help.umbc.edu or by calling 410-455-3838.

All:

If you have obtained a summer (or fall) internship and would like to receive ECON 313 credit

the process is to first contact Christine Routzahn at the Career Center (routzahn@umbc.edu)

and let her know you are seeking to have your internship approved for credit.

Also view the following if looking for an internship or to apply to have your current or soon to begin internship approved:

Internships, Co-ops & Research: How to Get Started – Career Center – UMBC

Got an internship, co-op, or research? Make it extraordinary. – Career Center – UMBC

FEMALE ROOMMATES WANTED – NEAR UMBC

One room is available July 1 and after/the other room will be available on or after August 9.

We are seeking two female roommate for a furnished bedroom in a private single-family home in the Maiden Choice/Arbutus area, less than 1.5 miles from UMBC and located on the Purple Campus Shuttle route. Three grocery stores are nearby, and the shuttle provides convenient transportation to and from campus. The shuttle also stops near the shopping centers.

The home is shared with two female UMBC students/professionals and the landlord couple. We are looking for a respectful, tidy individual who will contribute to a clean and inclusive living environment. Preference will be given to UMBC or UMB Ph.D., graduate, or junior/senior undergraduate students.

Home Features

• Newly renovated 4-bedroom, 3.5-bathroom home
• Quiet and safe dead-end street
• Fully furnished
• High-speed Wi-Fi and streaming cable
• All utilities included
• Open-concept, fully functional kitchen with:
  • Dishwasher
  • Garbage disposal
  • Icemaker
  • Meal-prep equipment
• Access to:
  • Laundry room
  • Living room
  • Dining room
  • Covered front porch
• Snow removal and lawn care included

Included Essentials

• Trash bags
• Paper towels
• Cleaning tools and supplies
• Dishwasher detergent
• Dish soap
• Linens and towel sets

Bedroom Includes

• Spacious, fully furnished, and decorated bedroom
• Large closet
• Full-size bed
• Two sets of new linens
• Blankets, comforter, and pillows
• Dresser with mirror
• Tall chest of drawers
• Two nightstands
• Desk and chair
• Smart TV with Wi-Fi streaming capability
• New bath towel sets

Additional Amenities

• Personal kitchen cabinet
• Personal combination-lock bathroom cabinet
• Personal laundry room locker/cubby
• Ample street parking
• County trash pickup twice weekly
• Instant hot water heater (hot water never runs out)
• Additional insulation in interior walls and ceilings for enhanced privacy

Location & Transportation

• Seconds from UMBC Shuttle and public bus stops
• Purple Route runs approximately every 15 minutes on weekdays
• Three nearby shopping centers
• Less than 1.5 miles from UMBC

House Guidelines

• Non-smoker only
• No smoking inside the home
• No drug use
• Must be clean, considerate, and respectful of shared spaces

Pet Policy

No pets except documented medical support animals.

Requirements:

• Documentation from a physician and veterinarian
• Animal must remain in the tenant's room when not supervised
• Animal must be crated when unattended
• Tenant is responsible for all care and cleaning

Please note: Due to allergies, cats and other shedding animals cannot be accommodated.

Lease Terms

Academic Year: August 2026 – May 2027

Summer Option: Late May 2027 – Mid-August 2027

Lease includes:

• Holidays
• Semester breaks
• Weekends
• Winter Session (unless otherwise arranged)

Preference will be given to academic-year leases. Month-to-month arrangements may be considered.

Rent & Deposit

Rent: $1,000/month

Includes:

• Furnished bedroom
• Shared refrigerator with one roommate only
• Shared bathroom with one roommate only
• Utilities 
• Wi-Fi
• Streaming cable

Security Deposit: $500

Additional Information

This is a private residence and is not Airbnb, hotel, or campus housing.

Tenants should provide their own:

• Personal belongings
• Toiletries
• Food and beverages
• Laptop/computer
• Academic materials

Contact

📞 Call or Text (preferred): 410-999-4668
Monday–Friday, 6:00 PM – 8:00 PM

📧 Email: whittleemail@gmail.com

Things to Consider When Evaluating Off-Campus Housing Near UMBC

When evaluating off-campus housing near UMBC, be sure to consider more than just the distance listed in a rental advertisement.

Many properties may appear to be within walking distance of campus, but the actual walking experience can vary significantly depending on the route. Some campus entrances are more pedestrian-friendly than others, and certain routes may involve steep hills, limited sidewalks, poor lighting, or challenging conditions during extreme heat, rain, snow, or ice. If you plan to walk or bike regularly, it is worth visiting the property and testing the route yourself before signing a lease.

Transportation access is also important. Housing located near a UMBC Shuttle stop may be considerably more convenient than housing that is technically closer to campus but requires a difficult walk.

Another factor to consider is the age of the home. Many houses in the surrounding neighborhoods were built decades ago and may have older plumbing, heating, and hot water systems. Depending on the property, tenants may experience limitations in hot water availability when multiple people are showering, doing laundry, or running the dishwasher. It is a good idea to ask landlords specific questions about hot water capacity, utility systems, and recent renovations before committing to a lease.

Taking the time to evaluate transportation, walkability, safety, and home infrastructure can help ensure that your housing choice meets your needs throughout the academic year.

Meet Carlos Carmona ’88, economics. After UMBC, Carlos built a long career in retail and commercial banking before retiring in 2020. Now, Carlos enjoys traveling the world with his wife, Maritza de Jesús, and exploring one of his early passions—storytelling. In 2025, Carlos realized a lifelong dream, becoming a published author with the launch of his debut novel, Unforgivable Sins: A Barrio Story. Take it away, Carlos! 

Q: What initially brought you to UMBC?

A: Growing up in Baltimore City in the early ’80s was challenging. The closure of Bethlehem Steel had devastated the city and its economy, and for many young people, the path forward was unclear. The University System of Maryland offered something aspirational at a time when everything around us seemed uncertain.

At UMBC, I was exposed to people from different backgrounds, new ways of thinking, and possibilities beyond Baltimore City’s despair and anxiety. To this very day, I maintain close friendships from those years. In fact, I recently had dinner with Jim Zerr ’89 and his wife. My time at UMBC didn’t just educate me; it gave me lifelong relationships and a broader vision of what my life could eventually become.

Q: What’s the one thing you’d want someone who hasn’t joined the UMBC community to know about the support you find here?

Every journey is different, and I would never presume to define anyone else’s path. What I can share is that UMBC and its professors fostered an environment of openness and understanding. They recognized that academic success rarely follows a single route, and in that understanding, I found the confidence to keep moving forward. They reminded me that what matters most is not how you arrive, but that you keep going.

What has stayed with me most from my time at UMBC is the generosity of my fellow students. People shared their experiences, offered advice, exchanged resources, and opened doors for one another. Friendship and support seemed to appear wherever I turned. Looking back, I realize how fortunate I was to be part of a community that valued collaboration over competition. It is an experience for which I remain deeply grateful.

When I look back on my life, I do not see absence. I see family, friendship, opportunity, and countless people who helped shape the person I became. In the end, I was never without. If anything, I was blessed with more than I recognized at the time.

Q: Who in the UMBC community has inspired you or supported you? 

A: As an undergraduate, Professor Sarah Voight was a guiding light. Though she taught in the Spanish Department and I majored in economics, our shared Puerto Rican heritage gave me something to hold on to, something familiar and relatable in a place that often wasn’t. Her advice and guidance were crucial in helping me continue my studies and ultimately graduate.

Q: Tell us about what you loved about your academic program or an organization you were involved in at UMBC.

A: I loved studying economics, finance, and accounting. I found the subjects as exciting as they were challenging. At the same time, I explored several liberal arts and language courses, which gave me a well-rounded foundation that has served me throughout my life. For many years, I was a financial advisor to Catholic parishes, a role I stepped back from due to serious health issues, though I aspire to return when I’m able.

Q: Can you tell us about your work as an author?

A: I never planned on becoming a writer. I was a banker, a man who lived by numbers, memos, and proposals, not by scenes or plotlines. Stories belonged to other people. At least that is what I believed until life forced me to reconsider what mattered. Cancer did that. Two rounds of chemo. A fight I barely survived. And somewhere in the middle of that darkness, when my world narrowed, something in me shifted. Ideas I had buried decades earlier began to surface. Words I never thought I could write spilled onto the page. It was as if the part of me I had ignored finally demanded to be heard.

That is how Unforgivable Sins was born, a book that split itself into two stories, A Barrio Story and The Rise of Charlie Green. I self‑published them because no one in the industry was waiting for stories like mine. I knew the audience would be small. I knew the road would be impossibly long. Editors have never shown interest in Latino urban crime fiction, not because the stories lack power, but because the gatekeepers have never known what to do with them. But I also knew these stories were missing from today’s literature. They were missing in 1986 when the idea first came to me at UMBC, and they are still missing in 2026. The absence never changed. I simply reached a point in my life where I refused to let that absence continue.

What I didn’t expect was what came next. The moment I finished those books; a third story consumed me. Legacy of Sins arrived like a storm, pulling both earlier stories forward. Instead of continued editing, marketing, polishing what I had just created, I found myself chasing the next chapter, the next revelation, the next plot twist. Some scenes took forever to finish in all three stories. Not because I lacked the words, but because the memories behind them were too painful. This is all fiction, yes, but parts of it were my life experience. Parts of it still are and will forever be.

Pictured right: The potential book cover for “Legacy of Sins: A Barrio Story” by author Carlos Carmona.

Now the story is almost complete. I’m editing, refining, shaping it the best someone with only their passion can. For no publishing company would. With the lessons learned from the first one, the never‑ending process of self‑publishing. I expect Legacy of Sins to be ready this summer or early fall.

I write because these stories once brought to life refused to let me go. I write because they were missing. I write because survival gave me a second chance, and I refuse to waste it. 

* * * * *

UMBC’s greatest strength is its people. When people meet Retrievers and hear about the passion they bring, the relationships they create, the ways they support each other, and the commitment they have to inclusive excellence, they truly get a sense of our community. That’s what “Meet a Retriever” is all about.

Learn more about how UMBC can help you achieve your goals.

Moving out of state at the end of the month. Full-size metal bed frame. Good condition, no scratches, stains, or marks. $50 or best offer, email me at jschech1@umbc.edu for more details! Pick up in Canton, Baltimore City area. Must go by 6/30/26.

Moving out of state at the end of the month. Full-size mattress for sale! Lightly used, no stains. Firm mattress, great condition. $100 or best offer. Needs to be gone by 6/30/26. Email me at jschech1@umbc.edu for more details. Pick up in the Canton area of Baltimore City.

Hello everyone,

I am looking for a female housemate, as my current housemate will be moving out. The room will be available from August.

Key Details:

• Location: Westland Gardens Apartments

• House type: 2-bedroom townhouse

• Available room: One bedroom on the second floor

• Bathroom: One full bathroom on the second floor, shared between two people

• Common spaces: Living room, dining room, and kitchen on the first floor

• Basement: Washer, dryer, and half bathroom available

• Convenience: About a 5-minute walk to the bus stop and very close to the rental office

• Rent: $671 per person, excluding bills 

• Total rent: $1,342

• Bills: Shared between both housemates (BGE, internet)

If any female student is interested in the room, please feel free to contact me: qp45654@umbc.edu