Dear UMBC Community,

It is my sincere pleasure to finally welcome everyone to the start of spring classes! With this Happy Monday message, I am carrying on the weekly personal reflections I began last fall, and this one is a huge thank-you note. In the wake of a storm that brought significant snow and ice and days of freezing temperatures, UMBC, like most institutions in our area, had to alter plans and work tirelessly to get us to today. 

Thank you to all who played a role—in caring for students, clearing pathways and parking lots, adjusting schedules, and pitching in and adapting in so many ways. I have had the privilege of seeing how you have risen to meet the challenges, and I am profoundly grateful. Happy first day of classes!  

Sincerely,

President Valerie Sheares Ashby