“Paul Schurick’s recent conviction for voter fraud is a sad coda to the 2010 Martin O’Malley-Bob Ehrlich gubernatorial rematch,” writes UMBC political science professor Thomas Schaller in his latest Baltimore Sun column. Schaller notes that was saddens him most is a broader trend that Schurick’s actions exemplify: an increase in efforts to suppress U.S. voter turnout.

Schaller writes: “In the past year, 19 new laws and two executive orders were issued in 14 states to create stricter voter identification requirements.” Citing the Brennan Center for Justice, Schaller argues such restrictions “disproportionately disfranchise poorer and nonwhite voters, as well as senior citizens and college-age students” — populations that would be more likely to vote Democratic. Read the column for Schaller’s full argument.

Baltimore entrepreneur Greg Cangialosi ’96, English, has set his sights on helping new tech companies take off and fly.

The founder of Blue Sky Factory, a tech marketing firm Cangialosi founded in 2001 and sold this year, will team up with Sean Lane, chief executive of BTS Corp., a software company in Baltimore, the Baltimore Sun reports:

Their goal: Make small investments in several startups, germinate their own ideas, and help nurture the city’s entrepreneurial ecosystem.

“We want to bring in bright people who are running companies, to help give them a shot in the arm,” Cangialosi said.

A former member of the UMBC Alumni Association Board of Directors, Cangialosi has stayed involved with UMBC, most recently acting as a judge in the university’s entrepreneurially-inspired “IDEA competition.”

Read the full Baltimore Sun story here.

Baltimore entrepreneur Greg Cangialosi ’96, English, has set his sights on helping new tech companies take off and fly.

The founder of Blue Sky Factory, a tech marketing firm Cangialosi founded in 2001 and sold this year, will team up with Sean Lane, chief executive of BTS Corp., a software company in Baltimore, the Baltimore Sun reports:

Their goal: Make small investments in several startups, germinate their own ideas, and help nurture the city’s entrepreneurial ecosystem.

“We want to bring in bright people who are running companies, to help give them a shot in the arm,” Cangialosi said.

A former member of the UMBC Alumni Association Board of Directors, Cangialosi has stayed involved with UMBC, most recently acting as a judge in the university’s entrepreneurially-inspired “IDEA competition.”

Read the full Baltimore Sun story here.

And the first EBI Raffle winners are…

In an effort to thank the residents who filled out their Resident Satisfaction Survey (EBI) early, we gave away a few of our available prizes in a raffle in True Grits on Friday, December 2^nd.  Check out the short video of the raffle.  Congratulations to the winners!  There’s still time to fill out your EBI survey to be entered to win awesome prizes!  Check out a video from last year's winner talking about her PRIZE!

Available Prizes:

·         All participants are entered to win:

o   Up to $200 in food funds

o   Priority for a single room during housing selection

·         Participating residents in the Top 3 residence halls (by %) and Top 3 apartments (by %) will be entered to win a Kindle Fire tablet computer

So stand up and SPEAK!  Check your UMBC email every Monday and Thursday for the rest of the semester for your link!  If you cannot find it or have deleted it, please contact Shari Metzger at smetz2@umbc.edu, and she will send you a new one.

There is still time to apply to be a Residential Life team member.  Be an RA, DM or MA and be the change!  For best consideration apply by January 3rd, 2012: http://www.umbc.edu/reslife/about/ppselection_2012.html

Watch the video here to see what it takes to be a Super Hero!