The Center for World University Rankings (CWUR) has again named UMBC one of top universities in the nation and worldwide. The 2018 – 19 CWUR list features UMBC among the top 170 U.S. universities and in the top 3.5 percent of 18,000 global higher education institutions evaluated.

CWUR currently uses seven indicators to assess universities, including quality of education (alumni who have won major international awards), alumni employment (as CEOs of top companies worldwide), quality of faculty (faculty who have won major international awards), total research output, publications in top-tier journals, publications in highly influential journals, and research citations. Metrics relating to research now account for 70 percent of each university’s total score. UMBC performed particularly well in the area of publishing research in highly influential journals.

“I am pleased that this new ranking of UMBC recognizes the growing national and international reputation of our interdisciplinary research initiatives, which focus on cybersecurity, cognitive analytics, environmental sciences and life sciences, balanced by impactful scholarship in public policy and public humanities,” says Karl V. Steiner, vice president for research.

U.S. institutions are well-represented in the 2018 – 19 ranking, taking 16 of the top 20 spots. Also highly ranked are universities in the United Kingdom, Japan, Canada, Switzerland, France, Denmark, Germany, and Sweden.

In addition to the CWUR, UMBC has recently been listed as a Forbes Best Value College and Business First top public university. Earlier this spring, U.S. News Best Graduate Schools also recognized a dozen UMBC graduate programs, including nine programs honored for being within the top 100 in their fields.

Featured photo: UMBC graduate commencement ceremony, spring 2018; by Marlayna Demond ’11 for UMBC.

Thousands of Retriever graduates, family, and friends streamed into the new UMBC Event Center last week to celebrate spring commencement, as the ceremonies returned to Hilltop Circle for the first time in two decades. The new arena quickly filled with crowds of cheering supporters, with more tuning in to UMBC’s live webcasts from around the globe.

The graduate commencement ceremony, for students earning master’s and doctoral degrees, took place on Wednesday, May 23. The ceremony included remarks by honorary degree recipient Erin O’Shea, the first female president of the Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI).

O’Shea reflected on the tremendous promise of UMBC’s graduates as leaders of tomorrow, telling graduates:

As I look around this room, I see a lot of powerful individuals. I see individuals who are true to themselves. I see individuals who will have a seat at the table and who will pull up a chair for others. I see individuals who will listen and be heard. I see individuals moving towards greatness.

UMBC hosted two undergraduate ceremonies on Thursday, May 24, including a morning commencement for the College of Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences, School of Social Work, and Erickson School, and an afternoon ceremony for the College of Natural and Mathematical Sciences, College of Engineering and Information Technology, and Interdisciplinary Studies.

Kara Seidel ’18, psychology, valedictorian of the morning ceremony, shared her family’s deep connection to UMBC, where her parents and brother also earned their degrees. She reflected that, initially, she was uncertain about whether she could create her own unique path at the university. But once she stepped onto campus, she joked, “the UMBC community sucked me in,” and her college career was full speed ahead.

While studying at UMBC, Seidel accessed opportunities to work in the Trauma Lab of Christopher Murphy, professor and chair of psychology; in an HIV/addiction lab at Johns Hopkins; and at the American Psychological Association. These experiences helped her identify her core interest in the field of psychology: supporting families dealing with trauma.

The people of UMBC have also had a lasting impact on Seidel. She reflected, “We have had the opportunity to learn, not just in the classroom, but as members of a diverse, civic-minded community.”

Honorary degree recipient Ted Mitchell, president of the American Council on Education, addressed graduates in the morning ceremony. “Achieving excellence, no matter what your background, that’s the greatest victory of all,” he reflected. He also brought some levity to the festivities in recalling UMBC’s history-making NCAA victory, joking that UMBC helped advance his bracket because he chose his winning teams based on academic reputation.

Valedictorian Eudorah Vital ’18, biochemistry and molecular biology, addressed her classmates during the afternoon undergraduate commencement ceremony. “There are three things from our UMBC experience that I believe we can all carry with us into our next pursuits,” she said. “They are: (1) learning to be comfortable with discomfort, (2) upholding the value of diversity, and (3) the practice of gratitude.”

Vital became highly involved in research beginning in her freshman year, as a Meyerhoff Scholar, MARC U*STAR, and Howard Hughes Medical Institute Scholar. She has already co-authored two papers in top academic journals, and a third is coming soon. Her interest in completing clinically relevant research in an inclusive scientific community, like the one she found at UMBC, led her to select Emory University’s M.D./Ph.D. program in neurobiology as her next step.

Paula A. Johnson, president of Wellesley College, addressed graduates of the afternoon ceremony as an honorary degree recipient. Like Vital, Johnson spoke of the special nature of UMBC’s learning community. She reflected, “All of you have lived and learned within this remarkable culture, one that embodies the best of the nation’s values and ideals.”

Michelle Gourdine represented the University System of Maryland Board of Regents at the ceremonies, and shared her perspective on UMBC’s success. “By any measure—national rankings, research partnerships, public service activities, faculty accomplishments, student achievements…and let’s not forget athletic achievement—UMBC stands as one of the finest universities in the country,” she said.

President Hrabowski’s remarks this year focused on an appreciation for the value of truth and integrity, as well as service and commitment to community. He took time to honor veterans and graduating students who will pursue careers in social work and teaching. He also encouraged guests to read UMBC’s Class of 2018 feature, which highlights the personal stories of 43 Retrievers recognized for academic excellence and demonstrating a commitment to a greater good through research, scholarship, creativity, and work with underserved communities.

Before the graduates turned their tassels, he reminded them:

Your dreams, and more importantly, your character will determine who you become. Your character will be reflected most clearly in the courage you possess and the compassion you show for others.

Videos of President Hrabowski’s full remarks, as well as those of the honorary degree recipients; valedictorians; Graduate Student Association President Roy Prouty, M.S. ’16, atmospheric physics, M.S. ’19 computer science; and others are now available on UMBC’s commencement website (full captioning coming soon).

Graduates and those cheering them on can share memories, well wishes, and photos through #UMBCgrad, and view UMBC’s Facebook page, Instagram, and Twitter accounts for coverage of the festivities.

Header image: CWIT Scholars celebrate together one last time. All photos by Marlayna Demond ’11 for UMBC.

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Vrinda Deshpande

Executive Vice President, UMBC Student Government Association
B.S. Mathematics, B.A. Biology 20 | Honors College
University of Maryland, Baltimore County 

e: vdesh1@umbc.edu | c: (443) 280 - 5461

Community college is an excellent resource for students who are unsure about their career path or do not want to pay an exorbitant amount of money in tuition fees at a four-year university. However, the education gained at a community college should not be discredited. The schooling provided at these places of learning is valuable in its own right and should be supported as an alternative to traditional college.

A bill in the Maryland house titled “Community Colleges – Baccalaureate Degrees – Prohibition” is threatening the abilities of community colleges to award degrees to students. Through this bill, the government takes away the possibility of publicly funded community colleges to properly reward eligible pupils even if they have the same level of knowledge as someone from a four-year institution.

This bill could negatively affect many if passed, as not everyone can afford an education at a four-year college. The more traditional university may have a less comprehensive major program in comparison to the community college.

Maya Mueller, a senior mathematics major at UMBC who transferred from a community college, says, “I’m glad that I had the opportunity to get accustomed to college life and explore my interests without going into debt. I could not have done this without high quality community college.”

Mueller, speaking on her positive experience at Anne Arundel Community College, also says “the professors were some of the most passionate and involved professors that I had ever met. Through their support and patience I was inspired to pursue a major in math, despite being ambivalent about whether I was capable of taking on a STEM major before.”

One primary concern with community colleges are that they do not operate on the same level as universities. On that, Mueller asserts that AACC, “definitely prepared me for my major … through [AACC] I developed a solid understanding of core mathematical concepts.”

Although usually only considered two-year institutions, community colleges have the means to be on the same level as four-year schools when it comes to specialized programs. Because of this, they should be allowed to continue with awarding bachelor degrees for supported majors.

Mueller believes “to prevent community college students from getting bachelor degrees would be limiting higher education to a privileged minority of the population.” This demonstrates a potentially classist issue as many people who attend these colleges are from non-traditional student backgrounds where community college is the best choice for their finances and personal life.

Community colleges not only serve as a gateway to four-year colleges, they can also provide a quality education with only a fraction of the cost. These institutions should be supported by the Maryland house instead of having their mission derailed.

Research has found that a sedentary lifestyle is just as or more harmful than smoking, but we can impact this by incorporating frequent movement into our lives!

Join Inova EAP for this FREE Webinar on June 19th! 

Visit:  www.inova.org/eap 
Member Login User Name:  UMBCEAP
Password: 360231

Once logged in, click on 'Online Seminars' - click on 'View All' - title ‘Improve Your Health with Proper Ergonomics and Frequent Movement.'