Julie Rosenthal of the Asian Studies Program was interviewed by Washington Jewish Week about her work fighting hunger in the community.

In neighboring Howard County, Julie Rosenthal, founder of the program Food on the 15th, is working with county parents and student volunteers to fight senior hunger while operating without any overhead. To date, Julie’s teams have delivered nearly 14,000 free bags of nonperishable regular and diabetic groceries and toiletries to low-income seniors right around the 15th of the month, when social security checks often run out.

“What people don’t realize is senior citizens don’t have transportation to food banks,” says Rosenthal. “These seniors look like you and me, but they’re hungry.”

Alumnus Jeremy Yap ’08, biological sciences, was recently honored as one of four national winners of a 2012-2013 American Chemical Society (ACS) Medicinal Chemistry Predoctoral Fellowship.

Yap is currently attending the University of Maryland School of Pharmacy, where his work “focuses on the design and synthesis of small-molecule inhibitors (drugs) of oncogenic protein–protein interactions,” according to University of Maryland news. The story also notes that the fellowship will allow Yap to pursue his research by providing a full, year-long stipend.

“This is as an excellent example of how important collaboration is in any professional setting,” said Yap upon being named to the fellowship. “The ACS Medicinal Chemistry Fellowship is the result of the joint efforts of my mentor, Dr. [Steven] Fletcher, highly efficient University staff, and a dedicated faculty both on and off campus. All their efforts and support have allowed me the chance to apply for such a generous opportunity. Success in any field is never entirely the result of just one person’s effort, but through extensive collaboration and teamwork.

“Through this fellowship, there are many opportunities that will undoubtedly be available to me in the future. This is a very unexpected award, and I am very grateful for whatever doors it may open in my future career.”

Alumnus Jeremy Yap ’08, biological sciences, was recently honored as one of four national winners of a 2012-2013 American Chemical Society (ACS) Medicinal Chemistry Predoctoral Fellowship.

Yap is currently attending the University of Maryland School of Pharmacy, where his work “focuses on the design and synthesis of small-molecule inhibitors (drugs) of oncogenic protein–protein interactions,” according to University of Maryland news. The story also notes that the fellowship will allow Yap to pursue his research by providing a full, year-long stipend.

“This is as an excellent example of how important collaboration is in any professional setting,” said Yap upon being named to the fellowship. “The ACS Medicinal Chemistry Fellowship is the result of the joint efforts of my mentor, Dr. [Steven] Fletcher, highly efficient University staff, and a dedicated faculty both on and off campus. All their efforts and support have allowed me the chance to apply for such a generous opportunity. Success in any field is never entirely the result of just one person’s effort, but through extensive collaboration and teamwork.

“Through this fellowship, there are many opportunities that will undoubtedly be available to me in the future. This is a very unexpected award, and I am very grateful for whatever doors it may open in my future career.”

During the month of August, recent high school graduates across North America are completing final preparations for college and university life. New students face countless decisions, such as what to pack, what to buy, whether to bring a car, and how much to budget for the upcoming months. For all students, these important decisions will have a significant impact on the social, environmental, and economic dimensions of sustainability. The August STARS blog focuses on credits within STARS that relate to two important considerations for the upcoming academic year: limiting move-in waste and developing an understanding of student transportation options.

PAE Tier Two Credit 42: Move-in Waste
A significant amount of waste can be generated during residence hall move-in at the beginning of the academic year. For PAE Tier Two Credit 42: Move-in Waste, institutions with residence halls can earn .25 points for having programs in place that reduce move-in waste. 73% of STARS-Rated institutions currently have such a program.

OP 15: Student Commute Modal Split
Students preparing for college and university life make important decisions regarding transportation, including researching alternative transportation options and deciding whether to bring a vehicle to campus. Using alternative modes of transportation helps reduce local air pollution and GHG emissions, while walking and biking offer health benefits as well. OP 15: Student Commute Modal Split uses a common measure to recognize institutions where students use preferable modes of transportation to travel.

• At four-year STARS-rated institutions (which tend to be residential), 57% of students primarily use alternative forms of transportation for getting to and from campus.
• At two-year institutions (which tend to include more commuter students), 13% of students primarily use alternative forms of transportation.

Below is a breakdown of forms of transportation for four-year and two-year institutions:

OP Tier Two Transportation Credits
The table below outlines six transportation initiatives found in Tier 2 Transportation credits, separated by institution type:

The STARS team would love to hear readers’ feedback on sustainable choices for students in the upcoming academic year. Please send your ideas to stars@aashe.org.

The Homecoming Communications Committee is looking for alumni, faculty and staff to answer this question for a fun (and hopefully FUNNY) video to help promote campus interest in Retriever Fever: UMBC Homecoming 2012, October 10-13, 2012.

Maybe you love school spirit (Go Dawgs!). Maybe you’re a huge Ira Glass fan (He’s our special guest!!). Perhaps it’s the all-you-can-eat crabs (Mmmmm…crabs.). Be creative…we want a little bit of everything, and we’d love to represent as many campus groups as possible.

Swing by our video taping and let us know why YOU are pumped for Homecoming! Time commitment = 5-10 minutes, tops.

• WHEN: Thursday, August 9, anytime between 4-6 p.m.
• WHERE: The Commons, Lobby next to the Yum Shoppe
• WHY: Because you’re awesome. And so is Homecoming.
• RSVP: Please let us know if you can make it. Email Jenny O’Grady at jogrady@umbc.edu.

Check out the Homecoming line-up here: http://alumni.umbc.edu/homecoming

The Homecoming Communications Committee is looking for alumni, faculty and staff to answer this question for a fun (and hopefully FUNNY) video to help promote campus interest in Retriever Fever: UMBC Homecoming 2012, October 10-13, 2012.

Maybe you love school spirit (Go Dawgs!). Maybe you’re a huge Ira Glass fan (He’s our special guest!!). Perhaps it’s the all-you-can-eat crabs (Mmmmm…crabs.). Be creative…we want a little bit of everything, and we’d love to represent as many campus groups as possible.

Swing by our video taping and let us know why YOU are pumped for Homecoming! Time commitment = 5-10 minutes, tops.

• WHEN: Thursday, August 9, anytime between 4-6 p.m.
• WHERE: The Commons, Lobby next to the Yum Shoppe
• WHY: Because you’re awesome. And so is Homecoming.
• RSVP: Please let us know if you can make it. Email Jenny O’Grady at jogrady@umbc.edu.

Check out the Homecoming line-up here: http://alumni.umbc.edu/homecoming

We’ve known it all along, but now it’s official: we’re cool.

At least, Forbes thinks so.

The magazine rated the country’s 65 largest Metropolitan Statistical Areas and Metropolitan Divisions and came up with a list of the top 20 coolest cities in America. Among the expected winners like New York, NY (#10), San Francisco, CA (#9), and Washington D.C. (#2), was Baltimore at a solid #14.

Cities were rated in seven areas: Arts & Culture Index (entertainment value), Recreation Index (which factors in green space, college sports teams, and recreational opportunities), Diversity Index, Number of Local Eats, Median Age, Unemployment, and 2011 Net Migration.

Here are the stats for Charm City:

M.S.A.: Baltimore-Towson, MD
Arts & Culture Index: 96 (out of 100)
Recreation Index: 98 (out of 100)
Diversity Index: 57 (out of 100)
Number of Local Eats: 4,451
Median Age: 38
Unemployment: 7.1%
2011 Net Migration: 4,610 people

Check out the rest of this list here. You might be surprised at the #1 coolest city in America.

What do you think is the coolest thing about Baltimore?