Hi all! Welcome back to UMBC! Hopefully the semester isn't starting off too queerotically (queer and chaos, get it? yeah, a bad pun...). 

Anyways, Involvement Fest is next week and oSTEM will be there! Come meet our new leadership and make connections!

Deets:

Date: Wendsday, 9/2/2026  

Time: 12:00-2:00 PM

Location: North Law (grass area located between the north entrance of the commons building and the library)

We look forward to seeing you!

Other things:

Our first event this semester is a Crafternoon! It will be on Friday, September 25th, in Commons 331 from 2:00-4:00 PM.

Don't perish or something,

Jeba

Hello,

The Department of Gender, Women's, + Sexuality Studies is missing an amazon package. It said it was delivered on Thursday, August 20th and received by someone named Lock at 11:22am. The tracking number is 1Z0JD2500231220321. If you have this package, please contact me at 410-455-2001 or email me at fislam@umbc.edu.

Thank you!
Farzana Islam

Program Management Specialist

Tuesday, September 15 | 4-5pm | hybrid - AOK Library Room 259 or online

“How to Prepare a Social Science/Humanities Literature Review”

Please visit the library’s myUMBC group and see the attached flyer for full series details.

Blends & Bowls is moving!🥤🥗

We’re excited to announce that Blends & Bowls is relocating to Upper Flat Tuesdays! A new location means a fresh space to enjoy your favorite smoothie. Stay tuned, we’ll be opening soon!

Hello readers!!

Come find UMBC's very own Book Club at Involvement Fest on Wednesday, September 2nd at 12PM-2PM! We look forward to meeting new, interested members and catching up with old ones! 

See you then!

-The Eboard

Hello everyone!!

We are excited to see new AND old faces at UMBC's Involvement Fest on Wednesday September 2nd at 12PM! Come find us, chat, learn, and get some free little goodies! Keep an eye out for more details.

See you soon!

-The EBoard

Hello and welcome back, seedlings! We are excited to be back, and we have a lot of new plans for Bonsai Club this Fall 2026! As you guys settle into your classes and finalize your schedules, we encourage you to come to our weekly Bonsai club meetings which will begin mid-September. Bonsai club will also be at Involvement Fest next Wednesday, the 2nd of September, where we will have candies and loyalty cards for you guys to grab. If you receive 5 or more punches on your loyalty card, you will be eligible to receive a very special prize! We look forward to seeing you guys there!

One of the newest friendly faces recently spotted on campus is Jacob “Jake” Diaz, inaugural assistant vice president and dean of students in the Division of Student Affairs. Jake joined the UMBC community in May, bringing more than two decades of experience advancing student success, community well-being, and inclusive campus environments at public and private universities across the country. Diaz earned a Bachelor of Arts in English literature from the University of California, Santa Barbara, and both his Master of Education and Doctor of Education degrees from the University of Vermont. He is committed to developing a culture of care at UMBC, where students are part of a community filled with resources to help them thrive. He’s also excited to do this work with campus partners. How does he practice self care? What does he love about barbecuing? Read on!

Q: What is the dean of students’ role and what does it encompass? 

A: As the dean of students I get to be a part of a team of educators who help students connect the dots of their experience at UMBC. Ultimately, my wish for every student is that they experience all that UMBC offers because it is quite a special place. My office is here to ensure students have the resources to feel supported, included, and empowered throughout their journey here.

Q: What do you love most about working with students? 

A: I love to meet them as they begin their academic pursuits and to witness their growth into the human beings they are intended to be. 

Q: What has excited you the most so far about being at UMBC?

A: I love that UMBC strives to center students each day. It makes me happy to work alongside colleagues who have a deep passion for supporting students. They inspire me to be better each day.

Q: What are your plans to connect and support undergraduate and graduate students and the campus? 

A: My initial goals are to raise awareness about what the dean of students’ portfolio of services and programs is and to ensure that students know we are here for them. 

Q: What is the importance of campus partnerships in your work? 

A: I often think about how any shred of success I have in my role is dependent upon being in a high quality relationship with my colleagues. A dean of students cannot carry out their work in isolation so I would say that campus partnerships is number one for me. 

Q: How do we support students in challenging times? 

A: Being with a student when they are experiencing life’s challenges is a sacred moment. It is up to us to accompany them, provide resources such as our Retriever CARE team, and be really open to listening to their needs so that we can provide the right type of support to  help them stay on track academically and socially. As dean of students, I am proud to connect UMBC students with comprehensive support services designed to promote holistic well-being. Whether in mental health support and basic needs to academic accommodations and inclusive community spaces, our campus offers a robust network of resources dedicated to helping every student thrive.

Q: As a leader, how important is self care to you and how do you practice it? 

A: Self care is a topic I would love to talk with students about. It is a daily aspiration for me. My family is a source of support and I love to laugh, watch movies, walk outside and try new things. I plan to take a class to learn how to play pool! I am curious to know what students do for their own self-care. 

Q: What do you like to do outside of work? 

A: In my life outside of work I love fishing and BBQing. It’s fun to create new flavors of food on the grill. It’s also a relaxing process. Spending time with my daughter and wife is especially restorative for me. 

Thank you to everyone who came out yesterday to our Pickleball & Popsicles event! We hope you all had fun! If you missed out, don't worry, we still have plenty of events for you to join.

Tomorrow is our last event for this week. It will be an Open Play for all levels on the Tennis Courts from 7-9pm (weather permitting). Courts will be divided by skill level similarly to yesterday's event and will also follow a 4 on, 4 off format, playing to 7 points. Please join us and invite your friends!

In addition, make sure you are registered in DSE (mandatory): https://umbc.dserec.com/online/clubsports

Thank you, and we hope to see you there!

The Center for Universal Education at Brookings and ZERO TO THREE will hold an online symposium exploring the opportunities and risks of AI-embedded technologies for children from birth to age eight on Wednesday, 9 September, 9–11:45 am EDT. Bringing together researchers, technology leaders, and other key stakeholders, the symposium will examine how to ensure that these technologies support, rather than undermine, healthy early childhood development and education. Get more information and register to watch online here. (h/t John Schumacher for sharing)