Searching for a private bedroom for a female grad student. Budget including utilities is around $600. Common living area should be available for use. Preference for a house in or around Circle Drive, with lease. If you have any leads, please contact BM32973@umbc.edu.

Stop by next Thursday, April 23 from 12–2 PM in Commons 329 for some coffee! Meet members of Econ Council, connect with fellow students, and enjoy free coffee, donuts, and a relaxed, welcoming environment. Whether you're an econ major or just curious, come hang out and brew up some connections!

James Hyatt, a UMBC senior studying Media and Communications, has been an important member of the Division of Information Technology’s (DoIT) Communications team. His journey working for DoIT began with a UMBC partnership with the Southwest Visions Foundation and soon expanded into the world of internal communications, storytelling, and sports broadcasting. 

James’s Digital Story

As James Hyatt prepares to graduate this May, he shares a personal reflection in DoIT’s Student Digital Stories series about his DoIT experience. In this video, he reveals a journey of transformation shaped by hands‑on learning, campus engagement, and the steady development of professional identity. The video offers a brief but meaningful window into how James has grown as both a student and an emerging professional.

Work Highlights

Check out some of the great work James has completed in the past year and a half: 

History of Arbutus Highlight Video (30 seconds)

Hollywood Cinema in Arbutus Video (30 seconds)

Launching DoIT's Cybersecurity Newsletter (4-minute read)

Launching UMBC’s Sonography Program Application (3-minute read)

Congratulations, James, on your soon-to-be graduation! We appreciate all of your hard work, organization skills, and creativity!

ICYMI, there is a silent gatekeeper standing between you and an interview: the Applicant Tracking System (ATS). Most companies are now using this software to scan, rank, and filter resumes before a person gets a thorough look at them. If your resume isn't formatted to be "readable" by these systems, it might be passed over — regardless of your qualifications. 

The goal isn't just to have a great-looking resume; it’s to have a resume with specific content sought out by the software. By making a few strategic updates, you can ensure your hard work gets the visibility it deserves. Here’s how.

Prioritize Simple Formatting
While it’s tempting to use programs like Canva to develop creative layouts, columns, or complex graphics for your resume, these elements often confuse an ATS. Adding fancy sidebars or tables can cause your text to get scrambled or ignored entirely by the software. Stick to a clean, single-column layout with plenty of white space. In the world of the ATS, simplicity equals momentum forward in your job search. 

Strategic Keyword Alignment
The ATS can also be seen as a search engine for recruiters. To rank highly, your resume needs to closely mirror the language of the job description. If the posting asks for “Project Management” and “Data Analysis,” make sure those phrases appear in your skills section or experience descriptions. Industry jargon is best, and variations or synonyms of keywords also count, so don't feel like you need to change wording every single time. 

Choose the Right File Type
There is a long-standing debate between uploading a .docx vs. .pdf with an ATS. While most modern ATS platforms can read both, a good rule of thumb is to use whatever file types are listed in the application instructions. If you do use a PDF, ensure it is searchable (i.e., you can highlight and copy the text) rather than a flat image file. If the system can’t read the text, it won’t be able to rank your information. 

Focus on Standard Section Headers
The ATS looks for specific markers to categorize your information. Using “clever” titles like “Where I’ve Been” instead of “Work Experience” or “My Toolkit” instead of “Skills” can prevent the software from correctly identifying your background. Consolidating two sections into one with headers like "Research Experience & Extracurricular Activities" also won't work. Stick to the traditional headers that the software is programmed to recognize. This ensures your data is parsed correctly into the recruiter’s database. 

Put This Into Action
Want to know more about how to optimize your resume for the ATS, especially when it comes to AI? Join the UMBC Career Center virtually on Monday, April 20th, at 12 PM for a Keys to Success workshop where we break down exactly how to format your documents for modern hiring technology. Hope to see you there!

Looking for a summer course?

Consider SOCY 370: Sociology of Law!

This course investigates the role of law in society. Students will review key sociological theories and concepts about the origins, purpose, organization, and consequences of law. Students will also will review social scientific research on the law and legal system.

Offered fully online and asynchronous with Dr. Aubrey Jackson Soller.

Learn more and see if it’s a good fit for you:
View full course details for SOCY 370: Sociology of Law (Summer 2026)

Money $mart Week 2026 is underway and concludes tomorrow, Friday, April 17th!

This week has been packed with valuable opportunities to strengthen your financial wellness, with sessions covering topics such as saving, investing, budgeting, credit building, and more. There is still time to participate in the remaining events and take advantage of the resources available to help you build a stronger financial future.

In addition to attending informative sessions, you still have the chance to apply for scholarship opportunities available through Money $mart Week 2026. Scholarship details are available on Scholarship Retriever, including:

MSW 2026 Scholarship Opportunities:

MSW Bingo Card: $1,000 (1 winner)

MSW Attendance: $1,000 (4 winners)

MSW Post-Survey: $500 (2 winners)

MSW Reflection Essay: $2,000 (2 winners)

If you have questions, please reach out, and be sure to stop by one of this week’s remaining events. To view the full Money $mart Week 2026 schedule and register for sessions, visit the FinancialSmarts myUMBC group page.

Five-Year Commemoration of the Walter Lomax Act

Honoring Mr. Lomax: Champion for restorative justice

Date: Thursday, April 16, 2026

Time: 7:30 - 9 PM

Location: Performing Arts & Humanities Building (PAHB): 132

This event will feature Mr. Lomax, elected officials, members of the Maryland state government, and others integral in the passing of the Act, which compensates wrongly convicted and incarcerated individuals. 

All are welcome!

Presented by the Department of English, The School of Public Policy at UMBC, The Dresher Center for the Humanities, The Shriver Center, the Department of American Studies, and the Department of Political Science.

Private room available in a 2BHK townhouse for a male at Westland Gardens for a 3-month move-in, available from May to August. 

Fully furnished 2BHK townhouse: 

• Spacious Living Room with a sofa + TV. 

• Oven, Microwave, Fridge, Dishwasher.
• In-house Laundry(Washer + Dryer).
• Centralised Heater and Cooler.
• 1 min walk to the UMBC Bus stop.
• 10-minute walk to UMBC campus.
• Rent is 600$ + utilities.

DM for more information: +12029375716 or email me at IO95979@umbc.edu

Colten Peterson's (613/UMBC) proposal “Enhancing PREFIRE Cloud Products and Science with Cloud Phase Determination and Liquid Cloud Property Retrievals” recently was selected for funding from the ROSES A.2 Earth Venture: TROPICS and PREFIRE Science and Applications Teams. Dr. Peterson is the PI and Kerry Meyer (613/GSFC) is Co-I; this three-year grant will run from July 2026 to June 2029.

Initially launched in 2024, the Polar Radiant Energy in the Far-Infrared Experiment (PREFIRE) mission “collects data on how much heat the Arctic and Antarctica environments emit to space and how this influences global climate. … Since clouds and water vapor can trap far-infrared radiation near Earth’s surface, they can increase global temperatures as part of … the greenhouse effect.”

For their research, Drs. Peterson and Meyer will develop several new cloud products for the PREFIRE mission and validate them against Program of Record (PoR) cloud products from EarthCARE, MODIS, and VIIRS. Their main focus is “to produce an algorithm that uses PREFIRE measurements in the far-infrared (FIR) and mid-infrared (MIR) to determine whether a cloud is liquid- or ice-dominated (i.e., the cloud phase). At present, the PREFIRE cloud products do not include cloud phase, [which] is critical for determining cloud optical properties and cloud radiative effects in the polar regions. ... The proposed cloud products will enhance the scientific return of the current PREFIRE cloud products." They also will "develop a liquid cloud optical thickness retrieval for PREFIRE, which is important for assessing cloud radiative impacts in the polar regions," and conduct thorough evaluations of cloud products to characterize limitations and uncertainties. 

Due to the Earth Day 3K, we will not have Cycle with Coach Bobb on Wednesday, April 22, 2026. 

You can still get your workout in by joining us at the 3K. Sign up day of starting at 11:30 a.m. The race starts at 12:15 p.m.

Sign up in advance here!