This is the fourth post in our series on the new LER briefs. Catch the intro post here if you missed it.

Here's a scenario that's becoming more common: an advisee mentions they earned a microcredential, or asks whether they should pursue one. Do you know what to say?

If not, you're not behind; this is genuinely new territory for many advisors. But it's worth getting comfortable with because, in a planned update, students' earned microcredentials will start appearing directly on their myUMBC profiles, right alongside the information you already use in advising conversations: major, GPA trends, stated career goals.

The question we hear most: does this create more work for me?

Hopefully not, and that's the point. You're not being asked to track which courses or programs include microcredentials, recommend specific ones, or manage any part of the process. The ask is much smaller: know that they exist, know where to point students, and don't get caught flat-footed if a student brings one up.

A student asks if they should pursue a microcredential. What do you say?

Treat it like you would any other elective, research opportunity, or co-curricular activity: "yes, if it fits." A microcredential doesn't replace coursework or change degree requirements; it's just one more way for a student to document and communicate what they're already doing. The real conversation is the one you're already equipped to have: does this align with where the student is trying to go?

Where do they actually show up?

Two places right now. Some are built directly into for-credit coursework: a student completes certain assignments, and the badge comes alongside the grade. Others are tied to co-curricular experiences: Shriver Center service-learning programs, student leadership roles, undergraduate research. Co-curricular ones tend to be easier to spot upfront (if a program includes a microcredential, it's usually stated clearly). Course-embedded ones are less visible in current systems,  something DCI is actively working to improve. If you're ever unsure whether a specific course or program includes one, DCI can tell you.

How do you see what an advisee already has, before myUMBC integration is live?

Ask them directly. Students can share their Accredible digital wallet:  think of it like sharing a portfolio, which can surface things you wouldn't otherwise catch in conversation. A student who's quietly earned several microcredentials in data analysis, for instance, might be a stronger fit for a research opportunity or career path than either of you had considered.

Why this is worth your attention now

Since 2015, UMBC has developed more than 250 active microcredentials across academic, student affairs, research, and co-curricular programs, and was recently selected for a national cohort focused on Learning and Employment Records. Employers and grad programs are increasingly recognizing this kind of verified skills documentation, and students who can talk about what they've earned have a real edge. Advisors are often the first to help students make that connection.

A few low-effort ways to get more comfortable with this:

• Ask a current advisee whether they have any microcredentials and, if so, have them share their Accredible wallet with you, just to see what it looks like in practice.

• Browse the UMBC badge portfolio to get a sense of what's currently available.

• If you advise students in programs with active Shriver Center, research, or leadership-based opportunities, reach out to DCI to find out what's on offer.

• If you'd like a deeper orientation for yourself or your advising team, DCI offers consultations and training.

Want the full brief? Read it here.

Questions? Submit a support ticket or reach out to the DCI team directly.

Asking Price - $10 (The fan works perfectly fine but also has a bit of accumulated dust which can easily be cleaned)

Payment - Cash or zelle accepted

Pickup at - Taste Tea, Arbutus, 21227

comment below or just email me for more details!

This summer, six rising juniors from UMBC are among the 176 undergraduates nationwide selected for the inaugural cohort of the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s (HHMI) Cech Fellows program. Named for Nobel laureate Thomas R. Cech, the nine-week research experience pairs promising students with HHMI scientists at top institutions across the country. For these Retrievers, the fellowship is more than a prestigious opportunity: It’s a culmination of support, community, and hands-on experiences at UMBC that have opened doors.

Amir Walton-Irvin, a computer engineering major and an Undergraduate Research Training Initiative for Student Enhancement (U-RISE), HHMI, Meyerhoff, and Goldwater Scholar, is spending his summer at MIT as a Cech Fellow and an MIT Summer Research Program in Biology intern. As a member of Steven Flavell’s research group, he’s developing deep learning methods to analyze brain imaging data from C. elegans—a microscopic roundworm with just 302 neurons used as a model organism in research. The work builds directly on Walton-Irvin’s research at UMBC with Tulay Adali, professor of computer science and electrical engineering, where he uses fMRI to investigate how environmental factors affect the brains of neurologically healthy adults. “This jump allows me to explore how contextual and physiological factors reshape the functional organization of the nervous system,” he explains.

Walton-Irvin’s path to Flavell’s lab started with the Quantitative Methods Workshop (QMW) at MIT, a seven-day professional development program that the Meyerhoff Scholars Program nominated him for. There, group lunches with faculty and sessions on machine learning in neuroscience, protein folding, and genomic sequencing sparked lasting connections. In particular, a lunch with Flavell led to ongoing conversations that aligned with the Cech opportunity, which is now creating fresh networking opportunities. Walton-Irvin’s leadership roles in the National Society of Black Engineers and UMBC’s chapter of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers have created further opportunities for networking with peers and mentors.

Shared ambition supports success

Aryan Srivastava, a dual degree student in biochemistry and molecular biology and bioinformatics and computational biology, is diving into structural virology in Stephen C. Harrison’s lab at Harvard. As president of both the Honors College Council and the Bioinformatics and Computational Biology Association, and a Meyerhoff, HHMI, and U-RISE scholar, Srivastava has built a strong scientific identity at UMBC: In his first year, he began conducting research with Michael Summers, HHMI Investigator and professor of chemistry and biochemistry.

A talk Harrison gave at an HHMI Science Meeting inspired Srivastava; financial support from his scholars programs had made his attendance possible. That encounter combined with his ongoing structural HIV research in the Summers Lab positioned him to pursue the Cech Fellowship. With Harrison, he will further explore the complex ways viruses enter cells that Harrison discussed at the meeting. 

“Meeting peers who share your ambitions is one of the most important things an undergraduate can do,” Srivastava says. He also participated in the QMW at MIT, and roles in student organizations have connected him with program directors at federal grantmaking agencies, graduate students, and even Nobel laureates. Those relationships continue to pay dividends in Boston, where he’s reconnected with UMBC alumni like Arjun Kanjarpane ’24, biochemistry and molecular biology, a Ph.D. student at Harvard.

From participation to leadership

Silvi Shah, a Meyerhoff Scholar studying biochemistry and molecular biology, is in Elizabeth Engle’s lab at Boston Children’s Hospital, affiliated with Harvard Medical School and the Broad Institute. Shah’s neuroscience research with Weihong Lin at UMBC, where she is examining the effects of e-cigarette vapor on the olfactory system and behavior in mice, sparked her interest in deepening her mechanistic understanding of the brain by focusing on biomarkers for neurodevelopmental disorders.

Being a member of the Meyerhoff, HHMI, and U-RISE scholars programs, and taking on leadership roles in Meyerhoff and the Phi Delta Epsilon Medical Fraternity, built Shah’s confidence and supplied community and mentorship. She connected with Harvard neuroscientist Beth Stevens at an HHMI Science Meeting, who introduced her to the Engle Lab. Award-winning presentations at the Annual Biomedical Research Conference for Minoritized Students (ABRCMS) and interactions with Nobel laureates, renowned faculty, graduate program directors, and alumni have broadened her perspective, she says. 

In Boston, she’s reconnecting with scientists from the HHMI meeting and tapping into the Meyerhoff alumni network. “I am developing advanced research techniques and approaches that I would not have otherwise had the opportunity to learn at this stage of my education. These experiences have strengthened my commitment to an M.D./Ph.D. and a career in pediatric neuroscience research,” she shares.

Meanwhile, Nina-Simone Hunter, a biological sciences major, Meyerhoff, HHMI, and U-RISE Scholar, is at Cornell University in Liz Johnson’s lab. The group’s integration of microbiology, biochemistry, genomics, and molecular biology perfectly matches her interests and future Ph.D. plans, she says.

Preparation for the national stage

Nahom Getachew, a biochemistry and molecular biology major, Meyerhoff and HHMI Scholar, and Ethiopian immigrant, initially doubted research was for him, but opportunities at UMBC changed that, he says. Getachew attended an HHMI Science Meeting and ABRCMS with support from the Meyerhoff program. Squire Booker, a University of Pennsylvania biochemist and HHMI Investigator, spoke at both events, and Getachew asked follow-up questions about his work and the opportunity to contribute—which is now being realized through the Cech Fellows program.

“Networking is one of the most important skills for finding summer research opportunities,” Getachew notes. In addition to Booker, he connected with a Cech program coordinator at ABRCMS. Getachew prepared for national conferences by practicing communicating his work under Marcin Ptsazek, associate professor of chemistry and biochemistry, at UMBC’s Summer Undergraduate Research Fest and Undergraduate Research and Creative Achievement Day. 

Now in the Booker Lab, he’s mastering new techniques in a drug discovery project, presenting results at the Cech Fellows Research Symposium at HHMI’s Janelia Research Campus, and connecting with peers who share similar goals, including fellow UMBC Cech Fellow Djina Awungnjia, a biological sciences major and McNair Scholar. All six UMBC fellows will present at the culminating symposium at HHMI Janelia, further expanding their national network.

As these Cech Fellows advance ambitious projects—from neural imaging analysis and virus structures to drug discovery and neurodevelopment—they carry forward skills, relationships, and confidence cultivated at UMBC through scholars programs, faculty mentorship, student organizations, and more.

Getachew says that the experience has reinforced his pursuit of an M.D./Ph.D. in translational clinical research: “This program has shown me what I am capable of.”

Learn more about UMBC’s premier scholars programs.

Furnished room available on Sept 1, close to campus, walkable distance, on shuttle bus route. Male only. Rent $510 including all utilities and wifi. Laundry available in the house. If interested, please text Cindy at 443-851-0475. Thanks. 

Looking for a female roommate (single occupancy only) to share a 2-bedroom apartment near UMBC.

Rent: $650/month (utilities not included)

Apartment Features:

• Prime location with supermarkets, restaurants, banks, stores, and salons nearby

• About a 20-minute walk to campus

• UMBC shuttle stop just a 5-minute walk away

• Fully furnished

• Solid oak hardwood floors in the common areas

• Wall-to-wall carpeting in the hallway and bedrooms

• Area rugs in the dining and living rooms

• Free indoor laundry

• Large fenced backyard

• Wonderful and responsive landlady

• Only one other apartment in the house, occupied by UMBC graduate students

Move-in Date: Preferably from August 15, 2026

Important: I am strictly looking for one female occupant, preferably grad student.

If interested or if you'd like more details, please message me or text 410-949-5908.

Tomorrow, Wednesday, August 5th, UMBC will host the 29th Annual Summer Undergraduate Research Fest in the University Center Ballroom and ENGR 027 from 9AM-12PM. If you want to know what it's like to engage in undergraduate research this is an EXCELLENT opportunity to connect with your peers and faculty research mentors to learn about research projects that you yourself may contribute to in the future! This is also a great opportunity to witness what happens at a research festival, how research posters convey information about a project, and how undergraduate researchers present on the projects that they supported. 

Learn more about the festival here and plan to attend! If you can't attend -- you can still take a look at the presenter's abstracts here. 

Want to learn more about research at UMBC? Watch a recording of a STEM faculty panel hosted by CNMS Advising!

Also, stay tuned this month for help gearing up for a successul fall semester. Starting next week, we will host a virtual session where you hear from intro CHEM/BIOL Learning Assistants (LA). We will also bring in the Pre-Med advisor to discuss how to work your way to a white coat AND kick off a virtual STEM Bootcamp the week of Aug. 17th.  Follow @cnmsadvising for more information and join our Tuesday @ 2 sessions! 

The USM Kirwan Center for Academic Innovation is pleased to announce a call for applications for the Boosting Course Accessibility Faculty Fellows program. This initiative will support up to 12 USM faculty members in engaging in digital accessibility-related course redesign to reduce barriers and support access for all students, including students with disabilities. Each selected faculty member will receive a $1,500 stipend and participate in a collaborative professional development program, culminating in a redesigned course for Spring 2027. 

Program Goals

This program aims to:

1. Promote inclusive teaching practices by equipping faculty with tools, strategies, and frameworks grounded in accessibility and Universal Design for Learning (UDL).
2. Support the redesign of existing courses to reduce digital barriers for students with disabilities and increase access for all learners.
3. Build a faculty-led culture of access and accountability across the USM through shared learning, peer exchange, and cross-campus collaboration.
4. Establish models of accessible course design that can be shared, celebrated, and potentially scaled across departments, disciplines, and institutions. 

Eligibility

Applicants must meet the following criteria:

• USM faculty of any rank whose primary role on their campus is faculty.
• Teaching is your primary professional role
• Available to participate fully in all synchronous and asynchronous program components.
• Applicants should propose a course they are scheduled or likely to teach in Spring 2027. 

Applicants should submit all required materials by Friday, September 11, 2026.  

NOTE: All institutional and faculty grants awarded to UMBC must be routed to the Office of Sponsored Programs prior to submission. Contact your unit's business manager or proposal development staff to discuss your application. CAHSS faculty can request assistance from CARAT (Creative Achievement and Research Administration Team).   

Timeline 

• August 1, 2026 – Call for applications opens 

• September 11, 2026 – Application deadline 

• September 17, 2026 – Notification of selected fellows 

• October 1, 2026–December 10, 2026 – Program participation 

• January 15, 2027 –Virtual Launch of Participants’ Projects 

Download a Word doc of this announcement. For more information, please contact Dr. Jennifer Potter, Associate Director, Kirwan Center for Academic Innovation, at jpotter@usmd.edu. 

DoIT's Technology Support Center will be closed from 10:15 a.m. to 2:45 p.m., Friday, August 7th to allow our staff to attend a division wide event.

If you need assistance during this time, we encourage you to refer to our FAQ knowledgebase available at umbc.edu/faq for answers to many frequent questions. If you require further assistance, we ask that you please submit a ticket online by going to umbc.edu/help.

If you’ve ever felt the sheer panic of tackling a new technical skill while trying to survive grad school, UMBC international student Soumya Bhate’s new video is the ultimate comfort watch. Released as part of the "DoIT Student Digital Stories" series, the video features Bhate’s journey from a data-loving student to a confident campus IT professional. Balancing demanding coursework with hands-on roles as an IT assistant and Business Intelligence analyst, Bhate shows how on-campus jobs can turn intimidating concepts like SQL into a fun, real-world playground.

The heart of the video lies in Bhate’s relatable, down-to-earth advice for anyone stepping into a new job: never be ashamed to ask questions. She credits her supervisor with creating a super-supportive workspace where no technical doubt was too small, and mistakes were just stepping stones. This welcoming vibe didn’t just help her conquer data analytics; it also helped her shake off the unique nerves that come with adapting to a brand-new professional culture as an international student.

Looking ahead, Bhate is ready to take on the tech world with a smile, playfully noting that "it's data all around" as she eyes her dream career as a data scientist. 

We have 2 rooms available in a shared house near UMBC, Catonsville, and are looking for respectful, clean, and responsible female roommates.

If you are interested, please get in touch with me on WhatsApp at +14122900211 for pictures or additional details, with a brief introduction about yourself, including your student or employment status and your desired move-in date. The available rooms are:

• Room 1 for $675/month each (utilities included in basement)
• Room  2 for $800/month (utilities included, main floor)

Move-in requires the first month's rent plus a security deposit (equal to one month's rent): Lease starting in August.

• Room 1: $675; room: $1,350 due at move-in (Basement)
• Room 3: $800; room: $1,600 due at move-in (Main floor)

This includes:

• A spacious shared bathroom in the basement and a half bathroom! (Room 2, on the main floor)
• Common storage
• Shared kitchen includes a dishwasher (on the main floor).
• Extra fridge and microwave! (Basement)
• Shared laundry facilities (big washer and dryer)!
• All utilities included, free parking! Notes: Personal storage will not be provided by the owner.

The home is conveniently located approximately 7/8 minutes from UMBC by car and about a 9/10-minute walk to the UMBC Transit Route 40 shuttle stop, with easy access to campus, shopping centers, and nearby businesses.

A family (a couple with a child) lives upstairs, so we are looking for tenants who appreciate a quiet and family-friendly environment. Also, other female students will already be occupying 2 rooms in the basement.

We welcome any female students and working professionals who are respectful, responsible, and considerate of shared spaces. Preference will be given to individuals with halal-friendly/Muslim or vegetarian/vegan habits (pork not allowed in the house).

House rules include:

• Female tenants only
• No smoking, alcohol, or any substance use
• No pets
• No parties and loud music
• No pork or any pork-based diet
• Maintaining cleanliness in shared areas

Additional Information

• Short-term leases may be considered (4–6 months minimum). The security deposit must be paid during the lease signing, and tenants must provide at least 30 days' notice before moving out.
• Since this is a female shared living environment, overnight guests and visits from male guests are not allowed. Details can be discussed before moving in to ensure everyone is comfortable with the house rules.
• To help maintain a safe living environment for all tenants, applicants may be asked to provide references, ID, proof of employment, student status, and consent to a background check.

Thank you.