Original Event Post

Join us for our end of the year Celebration & Awards! 

Asian Cultural Celebration & Awards

Thursday, May 14, 2026

5:30 p.m. - 8 p.m. 

University Center Ballroom 3rd Floor

This celebration commemorates the achievements of graduating UMBC students while celebrating the vast cultural diversity of Asian communities and heritage on our campus. We recognize the difficulty of choosing just one identifier or term to capture the vast diversity of all people with heritage in the Asian continent, representing 49 countries and hundreds of cultures. We seek to honor the breadth of experience of people across Asia - East, South, Southwest, West, and Central Asia. 

During the gathering, we'll enjoy food together, we'll showcase keynote speakers, student musical and dance performances, and award presentations to honor student contributions, as well as the faculty and staff who've contributed to their success.

Light refreshments and appetizers will be served starting at 5:30 pm for all guests in attendance. 

Graduates must check in no later than 5:45 p.m. The program will begin promptly at 6 p.m. 

Dress code: We encourage all attendees and graduates to dress in their "celebration best." While cap and gown are not required, we would be thrilled to see attendees embracing cultural attires.

If you would like to nominate a community member for one of our Affinity Celebration & Awards, you may nominate them here using the Awards Nomination Form or https://forms.gle/TLH8uDwccy5gBJtj8. You may submit multiple nominations for the same or different individuals. Please submit all nominations by April 20th, 2026. 

For those interested in attending, you can RSVP HERE!  Save the date on your calendars! Graduates that RSVP by Thursday, April 30th at 6pm will be highlighted during the event and receive honorary graduation cords.

If you have any questions, please email us at themosaic@umbc.edu.

This event is 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. 

Link: https://umbc.co1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_8J2A412Tmzr14WO

Dear UMBC Community,

It has come to our attention that a new wave of a popular scam has emerged. Scammers are impersonating faculty or someone with a high degree of trust among the community. In some cases, this may appear to come from a UMBC account.

The scam usually begins with a story of someone with a few high-value items going through a rough patch of life. The story claims that the person lost a loved one who owned high-value items or is relocating and has to empty their apartment of valuable items ASAP. They go on to "generously" offer those high-priced items for FREE!

These items can be an expensive digital camera, a pricey violin, a collector's guitar, or a cherished baby grand piano. But it wouldn't be a scam if there wasn't a catch. The scammers only ask you to cover the shipping costs for delivering the items to your location. They generally ask that you contact them outside of the UMBC.edu domain, either via email or phone. Once an external contact is established, scammers build rapport and ask for personal information, such as mailing addresses, to process a "shipping fee."

Once a payment is made to scammers, users are generally ghosted and calls/texts go unanswered. If you believe you have been a victim to such a scam, please contact law enforcement for assistance.

Be vigilant and look for the following signs:

• A story that is too good to be true ("granny was a musical prodigy and we are giving away her collection for free!")
• Urgency in communication ("items are only available to the first person who reaches out!")
• Moving to outside platforms ("text me on my cell number!")
• Unusual request for personally identifiable information ("What's your mailing address?")
• Financial requests that are not secure or traceable ("send me the money via a digital wallet!")

For more information about this, please refer to these resources: 

1. How can I identify phishing?
2. How Can I Avoid Identity Theft?

If you suspect a phishing or scam attempt, do not reply, click any links, open any attachments, or provide your information. Instead, forward the email immediately to the security team at security@umbc.edu. Your report helps protect everyone!

Thank you all for your continued awareness and assistance in keeping our community secure.

Cybersecurity Assurance and Digital Trust
UMBC Division of Information Technology (DoIT)

Calling all graduate students!

Presenting Your Research Poster to an Interdisciplinary Audience