At the beginning of each school year, UMBC’s New Student Book Experience (NSBE) invites all UMBC freshmen and new transfer students to read a selected book and engage in formal and informal discussion about it.

In anticipation of UMBC’s 50th Anniversary in September 2016, we are looking for a book that will be compelling reading for all audiences and help to provide context for UMBC’s past, present and future.

We are looking for feedback on the five books currently under consideration by the selection committee.

* Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass by Frederick Douglass

The landmark personal memoir of a former slave who became one of the most dynamic voices of the abolitionist cause.

* Where Do We Go From Here: Chaos or Community? by Martin Luther King, Jr.

In Dr. King’s last book, published in 1967, the civil rights leader examines the politics of poverty and race in the United States and lays out directions for change.

* March: Book I and March: Book II by John Lewis and Andrew Aydin, illustrated and lettered by Nate Powell. 

Congressman and civil rights activist John Lewis retells the story of the 1965 Voting Rights march in Selma, Alabama in the form of a graphic novel.

* Not in my Neighborhood: How Bigotry Shaped a Great American City by Antero Pietila

A sweeping and detailed portrait of racism and housing practices in 20th-century Baltimore.

* My Beloved World by Sonia Sotomayor

An acclaimed memoir by United States Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor.

The final selection for the 2016 book will be made in September. In the meantime, please leave comments and feedback for the selection committee below. Which book(s) interest you the most? (Enough to participate in an alumni discussion of the book? To attend a lecture with the author or related scholar?) Which do you think would appeal to new UMBC students? Which fit best into the celebration of UMBC’s first 50 years? 

Diverse: Issues in Higher Education has named UMBC one of this year’s “Most Promising Places to Work in Student Affairs” among the nation’s research universities. UMBC was one of only 31 universities featured on the national list and one of just 14 research institutions included.

“Student affairs at UMBC is guided by the mission of facilitating learning and preparing students for success in a multicultural and increasingly global society and workforce,” Diverse reported. “The Division of Student Affairs embodies a true commitment to teamwork and community, while cultivating student development and growth.”

“At UMBC we believe that each person has a unique story that drives her passion or allows him to contribute new perspectives to our shared community,” Nancy Young, vice-president for student affairs, said. “We are pleased to be included in this impressive list and, equally important, we appreciate the opportunity to stop and reflect on why we love it here!”

This list was created using a national survey administered by the Center for Higher Education Enterprise at The Ohio State University and commissioned by the American College Personnel Association and Diverse. Read UMBC’s profile in Diverse: Issues in Higher Education.