Join us on Monday, May 4 for a celebration of the many accomplishments of the Global Asias Initiative here at UMBC! The Global Asias Initiative, a three-year initiative funded by the Mellon Foundation, has created a forum for engaging in conversations in the fields of Asian American Studies, Asian diaspora studies, and Asian Studies and has strengthened support for Asian and Asian American students on campus. The Initiative has has created connections across disciplines, institutions, organizations, and communities here on campus and beyond. 

Full information is available on the event website and through the myUMBC event posts linked below. 

*Please RSVP for each event using the myUMBC links below*

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Schedule of Events

11:00am-12:30pm
Welcome & Belonging and Community Luncheon: Conversations on Asian experiences at UMBC
Fine Arts 011

Lunch Provided!

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1:00pm-2:15pm
Stories of Displacement: Unearthing Submerged Histories and Engaging Multiple Publics Keynote Address with Dr. Anna Guevarra
Fine Arts Recital Hall (Room 118)

Samosas & chai after the talk!

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3:00-4:30pm
Global Asias in Dialogue Roundtable
Performing Arts & Humanities Building (PAHB) Room 216

Refreshments Provided!

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5:00-6:30pm
Global Asias Student Showcase & Reception
Location: AOK Library Gallery

With food from Ekiben!

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Thank you to our partners the Asian Studies Program, Mosaic: The Center for Cultural Diversity, Residential Life, McNair Scholars Program, and the Baltimore chapter of National Association of Asian American Professionals for support organizing this celebration.

Please contact Global Asias Project Manager, Priya Bhayana at priyab@umbc.edu for more information or for a parking pass if you are a community member.

Poster Design by Tyra Bounxouaysana ’26, commonvision UMBC Student Design and Print Center

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These events are 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.

We invite self-nominations to become representatives on the UMBC Adjunct Faculty Advisory Committee (AFAC). The AFAC is an elected body charged with representing the interests of our part-time adjunct faculty within our campus system of shared governance. Members of the AFAC are responsible for communicating adjunct needs and concerns to the campus administration, making recommendations related to adjunct professional development and working conditions, and providing advice on policies and procedures that concern adjunct faculty. In recognition that adjunct faculty are compensated only for course-by-course instructional services, AFAC members receive a yearly stipend equivalent to one semester course and are reimbursed for travel and other reasonable expenses, consistent with USM and UMBC travel policies.

AFAC representatives will serve a two-year term from Fall 2026 through Spring 2028.

Elections are being held for 4 AFAC representatives:

2 representatives from CAHSS

1 representative from CNMS

1 representative from COEIT.

All Adjunct I,  Adjunct II, and Adjunct III faculty employed to provide instruction on a course-by-course basis at UMBC this spring, including UMBC programs at Shady Grove, who have taught in this capacity at UMBC for at least four previous semesters, are eligible for nomination. 

Please note that regular faculty and staff at UMBC who receive additional compensation to teach on a course-by-course basis are not eligible to serve on the AFAC.  

Self-nominations must include name, College, and length of service at UMBC as well as responses to the following questions:

1.       What strengths do you think you would bring to the AFAC? (200 words or less)

2.       What issues do you think the AFAC should be addressing during the 2026-2027 academic year? (200 words or less)

Nomination materials must be submitted electronically via https://forms.gle/PGmNs9ZqCMAg2EpP8 by Monday April 20th.  

Candidate statements and voting instructions will be posted the following week and voting will take place over a period of ten days.

For additional information, please contact Robert Bennett (bennerob@umbc.edu) or Bonnie Kegan (bkegan1@umbc.edu)

Hey everyone,

We'll be having out second range trip soon. Please let us know what days work best for you:

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSf4NW8rC2SR89lwuLqkedrtLgg3COlGojqV1zhp8SI-nkmZ1w/viewform

If you have any questions, please let us know.

Reposted from the Center for Social Justice Dialogue.

Sign up for the April 15 UMBC Talks dinner program (5:30 - 7:30 p.m., UC 312) here.

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Inclusive excellence has long been a cultural touchstone at UMBC. Before now, we haven't had a definition or any other shared language to describe what we mean. This is your chance to inform our definition. Leaders in the Division of Institutional Equity have drafted a framework for inclusive excellence, and we want your input! 

The framework aims to articulate our community's shared commitments in a way that can communicate our values, guide action, inspire new collaboration, and support the development and implementation of UMBC's next strategic plan.

Join The Centers for Social Justice Dialogue and Democracy and Civic Life for UMBC Talks, which are 90-minute, co-facilitated dialogues designed to support your engagement with the framework. Each UMBC Talk will be the same, so please sign up for the one that best suits your schedule. We hope to see you there. Come and leave your mark on this important moment in UMBC's history. 

This session is open to everyone. Conversations will be held in mixed groups.

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UMBC Talks is a collaborative initiative that aims to enhance the sense of community, vibrancy, and well-being at UMBC through guided community conversations that reestablish our commitment to inclusive excellence and foster a sense of pride for what it truly means to be a UMBC Retriever. Using this framework offers a dialogic process for gathering community input on shared values.

If you have any questions about this feedback process, please feel free to reach out to Drs. Ciara Christian and David Hoffman at culture@umbc.edu.

These events are 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.

Start your morning the UMBC commuter way.

Join us for breakfast with fellow commuters and connect with helpful on-campus resources. There's no better way to kick off your day!

Good Morning Commuters (GMC) takes place every Tuesday from 8:30–11:00 AM *except one a month when Good afternoon Commuters (GAC) is held* and is complimentary with your Commuter Gold Card.

Gold Cards are a one-time purchase per academic year and can be bought at any GMC event (cash only):

• $5 for Commuter Students

• $10 for Residential & Graduate Students

We can't wait to see you there!

https://my3.my.umbc.edu/groups/ocss/events/149341

Congratulations to Erika Bucciantini, the 2026 recipient of the Bernard L. Berkowitz Memorial award.  Erika is a doctoral student in The School of Public Policy at UMBC with a specialization in Urban Policy. She holds a Bachelors in Humanities & Social Sciences from Western Washington University and a Masters in Classical Studies from the University of Kentucky with additional certification from the Institute for Latin Studies. Her research interests include the impact of neoclassical monuments and architecture in the American landscape, land use, and displacement. As a Graduate Assistant, she is proudly supporting Dr. Loren Henderson in her research on the plight of Black farmers in America. Erika’s other pursuits have included teaching and presenting in the areas of Ancient Studies, World Languages, English, and Humanities, serving on the citizen input board for the Dickerson Area facilities in Montgomery County, and keeping a large garden and a small flock of chickens.

Erika will be recognized in a brief ceremony on Tuesday, May 5, 2026 at 4pm in the AOK Library Gallery.  

Following the precentation, Dr. Eric Stokan's Urban Problems and Policy Analysis students will present their "neighborhood development plans" as part of a collaboration with the Urban Land Institute of Baltimore.  More information about the simulations can be found in this May 2024 article.  

Hi Honors Folks (except seniors :-)

It is hard to believe that the year is almost over! Even though you are no doubt super busy, please consider throwing your hat into the ring for the 2026-2027 Honors College Council's Executive Board! 

To see the requirements and expectations for each position, see the attached document. To send in blurb for running, fill out this form by 11:59pm, Sunday, April 19th.

The HCC did a fantastic job this year, so consider running to keep the greatness going!

Please contact HCC President Vunnathi Ankem, vankem1@umbc.edu, for any questions! 

Free copies of the 2026 edition of the UMBC Review will be available at the table on the RAC track, 1st floor during URCAD: April 22 in the RAC!

The UMBC Review is a peer-reviewed publication, completely directed by UMBC undergraduate students. All of the articles published in the UMBC Review go through a rigorous peer review process. The Review is indebted to the anonymous off-campus faculty reviewers who volunteer their time to assure the high quality of our publication. We are proud to produce the publication in print format. The Review offers a rewarding opportunity to get your undergraduate research published in a peer-reviewed academic journal. Submit your paper by August 17, 2026: umbcreview@umbc.edu

2026 Editors:
Parvata Kirthivasan
Senior CAHSS Editor

Phoenix Bryant
Senior STEM editor

Diane Esteban
Junior CAHSS editor

Yonu Akanji
Junior STEM Editor

Sonia Pivovarov
Student Designer

Ian Anson
Faculty Advisor

Laura Schraven
Staff Advisor

Table of Contents

01 Veronica Goonan
In Democracy We Trust? How Strong Leadership, Partisan Distrust, and Confidence in Elections Influence Political Satisfaction Among Rural Americans

02 Corey Bryce
Maryland State Bill 83, Public Health – Overdose and Infectious Disease Prevention Services Program: Critical Analysis and Advocacy Efforts

03 Lilli Malone
The Salem Witch Trials: How the Hunt for Witches Led to Disaster

04 Siskind Oshry
Edogawa, Nakahara, and Dazai:  The Influence of Western Literature on Japanese Authors in the Early 20th Century 

05 Rishika Bandi
Breathable Shake Flasks for Improved Cancer Cell Culture

06 Beryl Fuamazeh
Evaluating the Relationship Between Frequency of Family Visits and Happiness Levels Among Older Adult Residents in Retirement Homes

07 Amal S. Aulakh
Human-Centered Design for Science Education: UX Insights from Synthetic Biology Wiki Interfaces

08 Ramsha Chaudhary
Assessing the Effect of Language Barriers on the Perception of Care Received by Spanish-speaking Patients in Baltimore, MD

09 Maia Turman Cooke
Resilient Hearts: Theoretical Portrayals of Lauryn Hill’s Self Love & Resistance Against Intimate Consequences

Apply to be a student editor for the next edition by emailing: umbcreview@umbc.edu

URCAD is Wednesday, April 22 in the RAC
URCAD.umbc.edu

Join the Office of Financial Aid & Scholarships, Monday, April 13 – Friday, April 17, for a week full of resources, events, and opportunities to help you build your financial future! From budgeting tips to scholarship support, this week is all about helping you get money smart. 💰

🎉 Kick off the week with in Lower Flat Tuesday, today Monday, April 13 11:00 AM – 1:00 PM for their official MSW Kickoff, featuring an interactive money machine and information on scholarship opportunities through Scholarship Retriever all week! 

Presentations include discussions on research, internships, study abroad, conferences, and more!

*A Prize Raffle will be held in ITE 104!!!*

We're looking forward to seeing you there!