The UMBC community is excited to welcome Jim Ferry as the Retrievers’ new head coach of men’s basketball. Ferry is the tenth head coach in UMBC’s history, taking the place of Ryan Odom, who transitioned to Utah State University early last week.
Talking about the interview process, Ferry says, “The sincerity and the love for this place, it just came through. This is one of the fastest-growing universities in the country and I’m excited to be a part of this family and such an outstanding basketball program.”
BROOKLYN, NY – November 27: The Penn State Nittany Lions take on the Ole Miss Rebels during the NIT Season Tip-off on November 27, 2019 at Barclays Center, Brooklyn, New York. (Photo by Mike Lawrence, courtesy of Penn State Athletics)
Ferry began his tenure as an assistant coach at Penn State in 2017-18 and was an integral part of the offensive resurgence for the Nittany Lions. Ferry joins the Retrievers after most recently serving as PSU’s interim head coach for the 2020-21 season. In his most recent season, Ferry led the Nittany Lions to an 11-4 season and a 7-12 Big Ten record.
“I have a national network of basketball people I talk to and I’ve never heard such unanimously positive thoughts about somebody’s character. And at UMBC, that really matters to us,” says Brian Barrio, director of Athletics. “At the end of the day, winning matters too, and this is a gentleman who has 30 years of winning across college basketball.”
Ferry officially joins Retriever Nation with a new headshot.
Before his time at PSU, Ferry was the bench boss at Duquesne University. And prior to his five years at Duquesne, Ferry spent ten seasons as head coach at LIU Brooklyn, guiding that program to unprecedented levels of success.
Trading blue and white for black and gold
Ferry will now lead a team that was on track to clinch the America East Championship again this year after taking their share of the regular season title before falling just shy of their opportunity to advance. Fans applauded the players’ dedication and diligence as essential to making a Retriever season possible amid the COVID pandemic.
Ferry and Greg Simmons converse before on-campus press conference.
“There’s [UMBC’s student-athletes] an extraordinary group of young people who have followed the health and safety rules and who have been working really hard in the classroom to be able to compete on the court and on the field this year, and they continue to represent UMBC exceptionally well,” says Greg Simmons, M.P.P. ’04, public policy, vice president for Institutional Advancement.
Meeting his new players for the first time this week, Ferry talks about the passion of the community and how excited he is to join the ranks of Retriever Nation.
Ferry meets player Dimitrije Spasojevic ‘22, sociology.
“These guys seem to be really unselfish. They play basketball the right way. You can tell they like each other and they’re a bunch of talented guys,” says Ferry. “I think you’re really going to like the way we play.”
The resounding sentiment from those involved in the recruitment of Ferry is that he’s a natural fit for the UMBC community and Retriever Nation can’t wait to see him in action.
“I would tell Coach that UMBC is a remarkable community of people who come from a broad range of backgrounds with a whole set of skills and abilities and promise. At UMBC, we believe in working together to achieve things that we could not do alone,” says Simmons. “It’s an extraordinary place and we’re excited to have him here.”
Banner image: Jim Ferry, men’s basketball head coach, speaks with Brian Barrio, UMBC Athletics Director. All images by Marlayna Demond ’11 unless otherwise noted. Video produced by Corey Jennings ’10.
Article written by Steve Levy, associate athletic director for athletic communications, and Kait McCaffrey, communications manager, for UMBC News.
“History-making” is a term that’s become synonymous with UMBC athletics over the last few years, and UMBC women’s volleyball has exemplified that spirit this spring. For the first time in program history, UMBC women’s volleyball earned a share of the America East regular season title, splitting the honor with the UAlbany. Then, on April 2, the team traveled to Albany to take on the Great Danes for the America East Championship, and they delivered.
The Retrievers knew they needed to leave it all on the court to clinch the win. After five grueling sets and with an audience of screaming fans for the first time this season, UMBC ultimately came out on top. At 3-2, they won their first America East Championship in program history.
UMBC women’s volleyball holds the America East banner after winning the 2020-21 Championship.
“For us, it is not enough to just win the conference. Our goal as a team coming into the season was to win the conference, go to the tournament, and push as far as we can,” says head coach Cristina Robertson.
“Everyone expected the reigning champions to win, but our young team was eager to prove them wrong,” says Emily Ferketic ’23, physics. “When we were down, we reminded ourselves in the huddle that no matter what happened, we wanted to go down fighting,” she shares, and that tenacity paid off.
The Retrievers get their hands on the America East trophy for the first time in program history.
The win guaranteed UMBC its first automatic bid to the NCAA tournament since 1998. This past Sunday, the Retrievers learned they’ll be taking on No.20 Pepperdine University for the first round of tournament play in Omaha, Nebraska. The match is scheduled for noon on Wednesday, April 14, and will air nationally on ESPN3.
A transformative year
UMBC has one of the youngest teams in the nation in this year’s tournament, but the university’s first-year players have already made a huge impact on the team. Darina Kumanova ’24, emergency health services, was named to First Team All-Conference and Rookie of the Year, the first first-year student in program history to be named to the First Team. Kumanova also earned a spot on the All-Rookie Team.
As a new student from Bulgaria, Kumanova had more to contend with than just what happened on the court.
“It has been a tough season for me – coming to a foreign country, adjusting to a new lifestyle, meeting new people, speaking a foreign language, working hard in the gym, as well as in the classroom,” she says, “but it was worth it to be America East Champions.”
Kumanova jumps for one of her 22 kills against UAlbany.
Anouk Van Noord, psychology, joins Kumanova with First Team All-Conference accolades. A senior with a 3.88 GPA, Van Noord also landed a spot on the All-Academic Team. She was named America East Player of the Week during the final weekend of the season. A graduating senior, Van Noord knew how high the stakes were.
“The first day we met UMBC’s new Athletics Director, Brian [Barrio], in 2020, he showed us an empty photo frame on his wall. He told us that he is saving it for when we win the America East championship,” she says. “I am so proud to graduate from UMBC in May with that spot filled on his wall.”
More America East honors
Asyia Miller ’24, biological sciences, was voted Setter of the Year, just the second in program history. The first-year contributor also earned Second Team All-Conference and All-Rookie Team honors. Miller finished second in the league in assists per set.
“It’s amazing to see the support that all student-athletes at UMBC have for each other. The unity of the entire athletics program shows how special being a Retriever is and how proud everyone is to be a Retriever,” says Miller.
Michela De Marzi ’24, biochemistry, (#3) and Miller (#7), goes for a block.
Rounding out the player honors, Ferketic was named Top 10 in the conference in blocks and earned a spot on the All-Academic Team, with a 4.0 GPA.
Robertson and her staff earned America East Coaching Staff of the Year honors. Led by Robertson, the team racked up the most conference wins in a season since 2013. This is the first Coaching Staff Award of the Year the program has earned since 1994.
“My goal when I took over this program was to establish this program as a perennial America East championship contender and that is what we are building here,” says Roberts. “We have worked hard to establish a positive team culture and winning atmosphere, and the results are beginning to show.”
Fans can watch the first game of tournament play on April 14 on ESPN3. Follow @UMBCathletics for complete coverage and cheer on our Retrievers using #RetrieverNation on social media.
Banner image: Beste Ayhan ’24, undergraduate studies, celebrates an emotional win over UAlbany. All photos courtesy of UMBC Athletics.
There are scores of UMBC alumnae who are changing the world through their contributions, leadership, and talent. Throughout Women’s History Month, we are highlighting just a few of our alumnae who we look up to as leaders in their fields. We know there are thousands in our UMBC community who deserve to be recognized, so we invite you to use #UMBCtogether on social media to share with us those who inspire you.
Sarah Butts ’07, social work Director of Public Policy National Association of Social Workers As a licensed master social worker, Sarah Butts is taking her advocacy straight to the top of the policymaking world on Capitol Hill. Her next-level challenge? Making sure that professionals working to protect society’s most vulnerable populations are themselves adequately protected.
Mina Cheon, M.F.A.’02, imaging & digital arts Professor Maryland Institute College of Art Dividing her time between Baltimore, New York, and Seoul, South Korea, Mina Cheon produces artwork – “Polipop” – that draws inspiration from global media and popular culture, intersecting politics and pop art in evocative ways, while maintaining her connections to UMBC and the MFA program.
Kizzmekia Corbett ’08, M16, biological sciences and sociology Senior Research Fellow | Scientific Lead Coronavirus Vaccines & Immunopathogenesis (coVip) Team National Institutes of Allergy and Infectious Diseases National Institutes of Health As the lead researcher tasked with developing the Moderna vaccine, former Meyerhoff Scholar Kizzmekia Corbett’s work has been recognized by Time, CNN, Essence, and more. Corbett’s contributions to the scientific field, including her work with fellow Retrievers, have made an indelible mark upon the history of our world.
Gargi Dasgupta, M.S. ’01, Ph.D. ’03, computer science Director, IBM Research India CTO for IBM India/South Asia Gargi Dasgupta appeared on Fortune India’s “Most Powerful Women in Business” list in 2019. In reference to the work that landed her on the list, her profile states that “one key accomplishment has been to establish IBM’s leadership in artificial intelligence (AI)-driven business process and IT automation.” Dasgupta remains active in her involvement with UMBC, recently joining the Computer Science and Electrical Engineering Advisory Board.
Stephanie Hill ’86, computer science and economics Executive Vice President of Rotary and Mission Systems (RMS) Lockheed Martin When Stephanie Hillsigned up for her first computer programming class at UMBC, it was almost as an afterthought – an elective to fill out the semester. That class in the programming language COBOL led Hill to become (in her words) an “accidental engineer.” Technical.lyBaltimore just declared Hill one of “5 Black innovators in Maryland you should know.” In addition to her work at Lockheed Martin, Hill was also the first Black woman to chair the Greater Baltimore Committee board of directors.
Adrienne Jones ’76, psychology Maryland House Speaker Adrienne Jones made history in 2019 when she was sworn in as the first Black and the first female Maryland House Speaker. Jones’s exceptional leadership landed her on The Daily Record’s Power 100 List in 2021 for her contributions to the state of Maryland. According to Baltimore Magazine’s list of 30 women who are “shaping Baltimore’s future”, she’s part of a cohort of female leaders who are “moving Baltimore forward, shaping the future of the region in terms of its priorities, policies, and passions—and inspiring others with their compassion and empathy.”
Ruby Lu ’94, economics Founder of Atypical Ventures Ruby Lu is one of the earliest investors in her home country’s technology sector. Her investment in China’s e-commerce, software, and healthcare industries has helped to grow companies and create jobs. In 2019, Lu started her own firm, Atypical Ventures, and is one of a small group of women investors who have risen to the forefront of China’s venture capital world.
Patricia Ordóñez, M.S. ’10, Ph.D. ’12, computer science Associate Professor Department of Computer Science University of Puerto Rico – Río Piedras The first Latina to receive a Ph.D. in computer science at UMBC, Patricia Ordóñez’s path wasn’t always easy. She worked to overcome obstacles and has built a “university data science program and create[d] a computer science education program for K-12 public schools.” Ordóñez also founded the Symposium of Health Informatics for Latin America and the Caribbean.
Kaitlyn Sadtler ’11, biological sciences Earl Stadtman Investigator Chief of the Section for Immuno-Engineering National Institute of Biomedical Imaging & Bioengineering Without comprehensive nationwide testing, it’s been impossible to measure in real time the total number of Americans who have been exposed to SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19. However, there is another way to come up with a reliable estimate, and Kaitlyn Sadtler is leading the charge. Sadtler’s research found that nearly 5% of Americans surveyed contracted undiagnosed COVID-19 in the summer of 2020. Her career research has landed her on Forbes “30 Under 30” for science in 2019, and a spot as a TED Fellow.
Jennifer Walsmith ’90, computer science Vice President, Cyber & Information Solutions (CIS) Northrop Grumman In 2020, Jennifer Walsmith was named one of WashingtonExec’s “Top 25 Cyber Execs to Watch.” In her role, she leads a team of over 2,000 from across the U.S. to provide critical support to the Defense Intelligence Systems Agency and protection against cyber attacks. In addition to this distinction, Walsmith was named WashingtonExec’s Intelligence Council Chair.
Alicia Wilson ’04, political science Vice President for Economic Development Johns Hopkins University Alicia Wilson’s commitment to strengthening the community became even more prevalent during the COVID-19 pandemic. Through her work with Johns Hopkins and local organizations, Wilson established the East Baltimore Food Initiative to serve more than 1.5 million meals to working adults who weren’t eligible for programs that targeted children and older adults. Wilson’s dedication landed her on Baltimore Magazine’s list of 30 women who are shaping Baltimore’s future.
We know there are thousands in our UMBC community who deserve to be recognized, so we invite you to submit a Class Note about your news and use #UMBCtogether on social media to share with us those who inspire you.
Uncertainty—that was the word going through the minds of every player, coach, and fan as the 2020-2021 UMBC men’s basketball season tipped off in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic. The team and coaching staff were cautiously optimistic as they began preparing for a season unlike any other. Now, as the team enters the America East playoffs as No. 1 seed, that uncertainty is overwhelmed by pride and gratitude.
“This season has been different in every way you could think of. Having no fans, the travel arrangements, the COVID testing, everything really,” says R.J. Eytle-Rock ’22, psychology. But despite the numerous hoops Retrievers had to jump through, they persevered and gave supporters something to believe in.
Daniel Akin ’21, undergraduate studies, takes a shot against UVM.
For the first time since 2007-2008, the Retrievers nabbed the America East Regular Season Title, sharing it with the University of Vermont. UMBC finished the regular season with a 10-4 conference record.
“This season has been about adapting to what is thrown at you through the pandemic and everything else,” says Brandon Horvath ’21, financial economics.
While he could stop there and reflect on the success of the season, Horvath and his teammates know this is just the beginning saying, “We aren’t finished yet. We still have more work to do.”
Horvath weighs his options on the court.
That work kicks off this Saturday with the America East championship semifinal. The No. 1 seed Retrievers will take on No. 6 seed UMass Lowell at 2 p.m. at the UMBC Event Center. The restructured playoff schedule granted automatic byes into the America East semifinals to the top two seeds, UMBC and Vermont.
Season highlights
The hard work that carried the Retrievers through this season didn’t go unnoticed by the conference or sporting world.
Darnell Rogers ’22, media and communication studies, put the nation on notice that his 5-foot 2-inch stature doesn’t impact his success on the court. After playing against Georgetown in November, SportsCenter tweeted a highlight reel of Rogers “getting buckets.”
Of the team’s accomplishments and his own, Rogers says, “‘Do the things that lead to winning.’ That’s what we’ve preached all season.”
America East agreed and honored Rogers with a spot on the All-Defensive Team after finishing the season near the top of the league in steals. Horvath earned a spot on the All-Conference First Team, his first all-conference honor.
“I’m always all about the team and team first,” says Horvath. “With that being said, I couldn’t have gotten first-team without my teammates and coaches.”
Rogers dribbles past Stony Brook.
Eytle-Rock was also named to All-Conference First Team, building on his 2019 All-Rookie Team designation.
“Making first-team was a great feeling for me; it shows a lot of growth and progress over the years. There’s a lot of talented guys in this conference, so it was special to be recognized among them,” says Eytle-Rock.
Rounding out this year’s accolades, Dimitrije Spasojevic ‘22, sociology, earned a place on the All-Academic Team, and Keondre Kennedy ‘23, media and communication studies, was named Sixth Man of the Year. Kennedy’s contributions coming off the bench, playing in all 19 games, but starting just two, landed him this honor for the first time in program history.
Spasojevic looks for help against Stony Brook.
Kennedy says, “I’m honored that every coach in the conference chose me unanimously and I feel as if my work is finally getting noticed, but I have another level I can get to.”
Coach of the Year
This season wouldn’t have been possible without the leadership of head coach Ryan Odom. Now in his fifth season, Odom was named Coach of the Year by America East. This is the third time the Retrievers broke double-digit conference game wins during his tenure.
“We are so happy for each individual award winner this year. That is product of a lot of hard work and a great overall team,” says Odom. “The Coach of the Year award is a true team award. I’m so fortunate to have such a great staff and amazing players. But I would also say that this award belongs to our administration for making it possible for our team to compete this year.”
If this season’s success has made you nostalgic for UMBC’s historic March Madness win in 2018, you can relive the fairytale with U Must Be Cinderella by Kevin Cowherd. Hall of Fame broadcaster Jim Nantz calls the book a “stirring chronicle…of bracket-busting history.”
Cheer along with #RetrieverNation this Saturday, March 6, at 2 p.m. on ESPN+. If UMBC wins, the men will host again on March 13 against the highest remaining seed for the America East Championship.
Banner image: L.J. Owens takes his shot against UVM. All photos courtesy of UMBC Athletics.
As we prepare to close the book on 2020, we want to take a look back at some of UMBC’s most important chapters from this past year. Here are our top 20 top memories from 2020:
COVID-19 vaccine
Kizzmekia Corbett ’08, M16, biological sciences, has served as scientific lead for the NIAID team that developed the NIH-Moderna vaccine against COVID-19. President Freeman Hrabowski and his wife Jackie both participated in the NIH-Moderna vaccine trial, showing what leadership looks like in action. In addition, Kaitlyn Sadtler ’11, biological sciences, is leading an NIH study to estimate how many people in the U.S. have been infected with COVID-19, including asymptomatic people.
A Black woman from North Carolina will go down in history as one of the leaders of the COVID vaccine effort: Dr. Kizzmekia Corbett, a research fellow and scientific lead at the NIH, is on the frontlines working with a team studying Moderna's vaccine. https://t.co/nYRr9g6MFK
An honor so nice, we did it twice! Sam Patterson ’21, M29, is now the second student in UMBC history to receive a Rhodes Scholarship. Only 32 American students are awarded the prestigious scholarship each year, which supports graduate study at the University of Oxford. Among other prestigious scholarships earned by UMBC students, Jordan Troutman ’21, M29, computer science and mathematics; Dominique Brooks ’21, M29, biological sciences; and Olumide Fagboyegun ’21, M29, biochemistry, were all named Barry Goldwater Scholars.
Sam Patterson ’21. Photo by Marlayna Demond ’11.
Preparing for Fall 2020
The cost to attend UMBC was lowered by 22 percent for in-state undergraduate students in fall 2020 to help mitigate the financial challenges caused by the global pandemic. Hundreds of faculty also spent the summer training to create engaging, high-quality virtual classroom experiences for students through a program called PIVOT.
Through strict adherence to COVID-19 safety guidelines, UMBC men’s and women’s basketball were both able to return to play in winter 2020. Although current precautions prevent fans from attending games, #RetrieverNation is still showing up however they can for our teams.
The HARP team and colleagues from SDL in Utah, with family members, on the morning of the rocket launch (11/2/19). Photo by Sarah Hansen.
New books in the news
Among the many books published by UMBC faculty this year, Elizabeth Patton, media and communications studies, explored how Americans think about the modern home office and why in Easy Living: The Rise of the Home Office. Her article about gender and working from home has been read 150,000 times through CNN, Fast Company, and other news outlets. Marjoleine Kars, history, wrote about a massive rebellion of enslaved people in Berbice in the 1700s in her new bookBlood On The River, featured as one of NPR’s best books of 2020.
Student-led events
Students kept our campus community engaged virtually with HackUMBC and TEDxUMBC, both held fully online and drawing huge audiences.
Faculty COVID-19 research connects with the public
Lucy Wilson, emergency health services, joined an interdisciplinary team of experts in developing “The Roadmap to Recovery: A Public Health Guide for Governors.” A team of researchers led by Charissa Cheah, psychology, was one of the first to receive an NSF Rapid Response Research award on COVID-19, to examine an increase in racism and discrimination experienced by Chinese Americans during the pandemic.
Cyber Dawgs take first place
The UMBC Cyber Dawgs took first place in the Mid-Atlantic Collegiate Cyber Defense Competition, which was held virtually.
Six feet = seven squirrels
Still having a hard time visualizing how far apart six feet is when social distancing? We pride ourselves on innovation at UMBC, and that’s how we came up with the perfect example: six feet apart is the same as seven squirrels. Researchers have not yet confirmed if this is before or after they ate the fries stolen from your lunch.
Confronted with a global pandemic, UMBC alumni artists got creative in finding ways to share their work with the world. Comedians, photographers, writers, and more proved that the show must go on, and that art can help make people make it through difficult times.
Inclusive language event with global reach
UMBC hosted “The Evolving World of Inclusive Language” online in June. Nearly 800 people from across the U.S. and around the world registered for the day-long event, and 250-300 participants joined each session. The event was organized by Catalina Sofia Dansberger Duque of UMBC’s Office of Institutional Advancement, funded by the Council for the Advancement and Support of Education.
Lumbee archives
Ashley Minner, American studies, is working with a fellow Lumbee scholar to bring the Lumbee history and archives back to the community. Her work has been featured this year by the Baltimore Sun, Smithsonian, and others.
Essential contributions of women in science
Evangeline Rose, Ph.D. ’20, biological sciences; Karan Odom, Ph.D. ’16, biological sciences; and Kevin Omland, biological sciences, wrote about the key role women have played in revolutionizing our understanding of female bird song, and the importance of diversity in scientific research.
First Generation Network
UMBC faculty and staff who are first-generation college graduates came together to develop the First Generation Network, dedicated to supporting UMBC’s first-gen students, approximately 25 percent of our student body.
Happy birthday, Chip!
We were thrilled for any reason to celebrate in 2020, and the first birthday of our best girl Chip was one of our favorites. She’ll accept IOUs for any in-person pets you’d like to give her when we’re back on campus.
https://www.instagram.com/p/CBx_YpBluxO/
U.S. News rankings: teaching, innovation
UMBC has advanced to #11 for undergraduate teaching and holds the #9 position on the list of most innovative schools in the nation in the 2021 U.S. News and World Report Best Colleges rankings.
After a year of tremendous change and challenges, UMBC was thrilled to come together virtually to celebrate the winter graduates of the Class of 2020. Although the pandemic prevented us from gathering together in the Event Center, our campus community still turned out to share congratulations and support for our Retrievers.
During the ceremony, President Hrabowski addressed the graduates saying, “What I challenge you to think about is two things. Number one, how can you give hope to others around you? And number two, to envision yourselves 50 years from now, and know that you will be ready to say, ‘What did I do during that time of trial? I did my best.’ And that’s all we can ask, that you do your best.”
Gaining confidence, making connections
What will students take away from their time at UMBC? For Raquel Hamner, visual arts, it’s the bonds she made.
“My favorite memory is one of my first memories of UMBC, during the transfer student trip to the National Aquarium in Baltimore two years ago,” says Hamner. “I’d always loved the aquarium, so I figured even if I didn’t make any friends I’d still enjoy myself, but I never would have expected making some of the best friends in my life.”
Hamner sightsees in Washington, D.C. with friends met through Off-Campus Student Services (OCSS) in spring 2019. Photo courtesy of Hamner.
For Maya Isabella Peiris Scheirer, global studies, “UMBC allowed me to stop worrying about what I ‘should’ be doing. Being a Retriever gave me the confidence to know that what I ‘should’ be doing is being myself.”
This December, UMBC also celebrated the achievements of the university’s first Translational Life Science Technology (TLST) graduates. Titina Sirak ’20, TLST, graduated with several job offers for biotech positions, having completed multiple internships. “From those experiences, I got my foot in the door,” she says.
Co-curriculars are often as much of a part of the college experience as academics are. To those looking to join the UMBC community, FikirEjigineh, information systems, shares, “I’ve had a great UMBC experience because of what I’ve made out of it. I would never be where I am now if I hadn’t gotten involved.”
For many graduates, the journey to commencement isn’t a straight line. Christopher Lee, psychology, started his academic career over a decade ago, and returned to UMBC this semester to complete his final coursework, as more UMBC courses were made available online due to COVID-19.
“Having been a working professional for seven years at this point, I’ve spent more time in the ‘real world’ than in undergrad,” he says. “I understand how the world works in a deeper, more nuanced way. My experiences inform my perspectives on the topics we discussed in class, and I’m better equipped to articulate them now.”
Reflecting on returning to complete his degree, he shared, “At first, I believed I would feel like it was a stigma, since it felt like an achievement I should’ve completed years ago. Thankfully, I got over that, and focused on the fact that my journey is uniquely my own.”
The COVID-19 pandemic created particular challenges for UMBC artists, who could no longer access traditional opportunities for collaboration and performance. For Pramuk Mohanlal-Vargas ’20, music and global studies, it was a time for introspection and reflection.
“It’s kind of a strange feeling — all virtual, not performing in front of a live audience. That’s what’s made it challenging,” he says. “But it’s also helped me become more grounded, be more still in the moment.”
This year’s graduate ceremony was an especially poignant one for the class of 2020. Shortly before the ceremony, the campus was notified of the passing of Alex Rittle, president of the Graduate Student Association .
Rittle had the opportunity to address the graduates in a prerecorded video, which was played during the ceremony. Known for his thoughtfulness and empathy, he closed his speech with a charge to his classmates to “love and care for one another like your life depends on it.”
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 ceremonies. Videos with captioning from both ceremonies can be found on UMBC’s YouTube page.
Header image: Celebratory Commencement box. Photo by Marlayna Demond ’11.
Daniel Akin sat out most of his sophomore year of basketball due to a torn meniscus. When the pandemic hit last spring, he worried his senior season would be lost, as well. So, when he found out the Retrievers would play a 2020 – 21 season after all, Akin was thrilled.
“It means a lot to be able to play this year because of the initial suspense of not knowing whether we were even going to have a season,” says Akin, a senior sociology major.
Thanks to diligent, strict adherence to COVID testing guidelines, and a supportive community, both Retriever basketball teams plan to return to play this winter.
Although current state guidelines will prevent fans from attending the games to start the campaign, coaches and players alike are excited to make Retriever Nation proud from afar.
Johnetta Hayes, UMBC Women’s Basketball head coach.
Preparing for a unique season
“This season comes with so many obstacles, but we’re ready for the highs and lows,” says Johnetta Hayes, UMBC Women’s Basketball head coach. “We’ve decided to attack this newfound, temporary way of gameplay with a positive attitude and open mind.”
So, what exactly does prepping for a season amidst a global pandemic look like? Structured. And a little bit weird. After returning to campus, players adhered to a six-week resocialization plan where they were sequestered into pods and began the process of reacclimating to training.
“The prep this season has been completely different,” says Akin. “We didn’t have summer workouts, so we had less time to get ready for the season.”
Jen Gast ‘21, psychology, a forward on the women’s team, shares, “We work out and then have to leave the gym. We do film over Zoom and other things as a team as much as we can to make it so we are closer on the court.”
Keeping up with safety protocols
With an emphasis on curtailing the possibility of injury, players continued training and ultimately transitioned to team play. While returning to full court seems normal, all COVID-19 policies had to be strictly followed. This included sanitation protocols, weekly COVID testing for anyone involved in play, no shared spaces among other sports, and vigilant symptom monitoring, among other safety precautions.
Brianna Sliwinski ’24 (left, #4) goes against Juliet Esadah (#14).
“I am extremely proud of our student-athletes and their resiliency and adherence to our protocols during these challenging times. Our safety protocols are only effective if they are respected and adhered to,” says Stacy Carone, associate athletic director, sports medicine. “Our sports medicine team built solid protocols, but our student-athletes are the stars of this show.”
“I would say I was hesitant at first as to how it was going to work with wearing masks during playing and all of the other needed safety precautions, but Athletics is doing a good job making this transition easy and doable,” says Gast.
Jen Gast ‘21, psychology
Retriever Nation cheers from afar
In accordance with America East and NCAA policies, this year is going to look a little different from the fan perspective, as well. When the Retrievers begin play this season, they’ll be doing so without fans in the audience to cheer them on. But even if they can’t hear the roar of the crowd, Retriever Nation is still rooting for the home team.
Local fan John Lotz shares, “Even if my wife and I can’t be there in person we want to show our support to the players. We want them to know that we will be rooting for them while watching at home as much as if we were at the games.”
Darnell Rogers ’22, media and communications studies
To give the players a sense of audience support, fans can purchase cardboard cutouts to have displayed in the stands. Those who bought season tickets have access to exclusive streaming content.
“We wanted to create a unique season ticket package that gives our loyal fan base an opportunity to continue to support UMBC Basketball as our student-athletes return to competition,” explains Seth Nagle, assistant director for annual giving, athletics. “The familiar faces on gameday, even in cardboard cutout form, will remind our athletes of the overwhelming support we have received in offsetting costs related to the measures put in place to allow a safe return to athletic activities and competition.”
Returning to what they love
More than anything, players and coaches are just happy to get back to doing what they love.
Ryan Odom, UMBC Men’s Basketball head coach.
“It’s been great to be around our players, staff, and overall basketball family again,” says Ryan Odom, Men’s Basketball head coach. “We’ve been working hard to prepare for the season and our players have been great. They come to work hard every day and are excited about the prospects for the season.”
Want to show your support for #RetrieverNation? Consider submitting words of encouragement and photos or videos to cheer on our teams!
Banner image: Retriever barbell. All photos by Dmitri Floyd ’21, media and communication studies.
For the 11th year in a row, UMBC has been recognized as a 2020 Great College to Work For. UMBC is the only university in Maryland represented on this year’s list. According to survey results conducted by ModernThink, UMBC achieved recognition in the following categories:
Collaborative Governance
Respect and Appreciation
Work/Life Balance
Confidence in Senior Leadership
Teaching Environment
Diversity
Tenure Clarity and Process
“This recognition is particularly meaningful as faculty and staff completed the survey in January-April 2020, a time of very rapid change and uncertainty, when remote work and learning began,” says Valerie Thomas, chief human resources officer and associate vice president for human resources.
“UMBC really is a community and that is perhaps most evident in the administration’s belief in shared governance,” says Bobby Lubaszewski, president of UMBC’s Professional Staff Senate. Lubaszewski ‘10, English and history, is assistant director of marketing for the Division of Professional Studies. He shares, “We are constantly looked at as a model of strong shared governance by our peer institutions because the administration actually listens to what we have to say.”
UMBC Together
UMBC is working to maintain connections within the University community at a time when most faculty and staff are working remotely. The UMBC Together group was convened to develop resources, provide spaces to connect, and share opportunities to bridge the gap in the current virtual environment.
“To me, UMBC Together signifies a community, being a part of a family that challenges you, comforts you when you need it, asks hard questions, laughs with you, and helps put you in a position to be your very best,” says Greg Simmons, M.P.P. ’04, public policy, vice president for Institutional Advancement.
Shared values
The University’s commitment to diversity resonates especially strongly with faculty and staff. One employee shared with the survey group, “UMBC’s diverse, welcoming environment truly allows students, staff, and faculty to learn and develop beyond what the standard university experience has to offer.”
Faculty and staff enjoy the annual Homecoming social in 2019.
In an ever-changing environment, many employees share that they feel heartened by the University’s response to challenging issues. “In these difficult times UMBC has continued to go above and beyond to support its faculty and staff by putting our safety first in response to COVID-19, and by repeatedly demonstrating its unwavering commitment to eradicating structural racism and other forms of inequality,” says Orianne Smith, associate professor of English and Faculty Senate president.
The start of UMBC’s academic year may look a little different from years past, but Retriever pride remains steady as ever. New students won’t get to experience walking through a tunnel of cheering faculty and staff on way to Convocation this fall, but the Retriever community has been working hard to show the incoming class just how important they are through special online events, personal messages, and even a new welcome box full of UMBC gear.
UMBC spirit pack for new students. Photo by Marlayna Demond ’11 for UMBC.
A masterclass in grit
The newest pack of Retrievers includes over 1,600 first-year students and nearly 1,000 transfer students. They’ve set impressive academic standards for themselves, with an average SAT score of 1266 for the class of 2024. Just as important are the strengths they bring to UMBC that are less easily quantified.
These new Retrievers come to UMBC after a challenging spring, working through a quick transition to a virtual environment and missing important milestones, like in-person high school graduation. In managing these challenges and confronting uncertainties about the future, they have forged a class with a shared sense of unity before ever setting foot on campus.
“I am extremely excited about this year’s entering class of students, especially in light of the challenges many faced related to COVID-19 as they finalized their college choice,” says Dale Bittinger ’16, M.P.P., assistant vice provost of undergraduate admissions, orientation, and school partnerships.
“Even in a remote environment, our new students were able to appreciate our sense of community, its values, and the opportunities here,” says Bittinger. “These factors played a key role in their decision to attend UMBC. I look forward to all they have to contribute to our campus community.”
“I am very excited to welcome UMBC’s new international students to our academic community,” says David Di Maria, associate vice provost for international education. “UMBC continues to attract the best and brightest minds from around the world, even in a mostly online environment.”
David Di Maria in the UMBC Commons. Photo by Marlayna Demond ’11 for UMBC.
Tchuissi Mbu Nyamsi is enrolled in UMBC’s M.P.S. program in data science at the Universities at Shady Grove.She shared her international path to UMBC at the university’s annual Fall Opening Meeting on August 20, emphasizing key UMBC values: honoring diversity and the importance of empowerment and grit.
Tchuissi Mbu Nyamsi speaking at the Fall Opening Meeting.
“I want to empower and inspire the younger generation by demonstrating that everything is possible if you are laser-focused and strategically work hard,” Nyamsi said. “As a cosmopolitan woman who has lived in Brazil, Spain, and now the U.S., I also want to highlight the importance of being open-minded to different cultures, and the importance of learning new languages.”
Appreciating connections
Typically, UMBC’s Fall Opening Meeting attracts around 300 participants. This year, nearly 900 faculty, staff, and students registered for the community event, held a week before the start of classes. More than a thousand excited messages poured in from the community, in celebration of the start of fall, through social media and the event’s live chat.
UMBC President Freeman Hrabowski addressed the community from a popular piece of public art on campus, called The Forum, located near UMBC’s Performing Arts and Humanities Building. He said, “It is significant that we decided to make these statements here at The Forum…because The Forum is built to build community, to give us an opportunity to talk about the big ideas, and to appreciate our connecting through the arts, to each other.”
After hearing from President Hrabowski and other campus leaders, the UMBC community jumped in to let new Retrievers know that they’ll be supported through every step of their UMBC journey, and offered advice to welcome them.
Words of welcome
UMBC celebrated Convocation on August 26, including joyful remarks from faculty, staff, and students, and a special Retriever pinning ceremony. Student Government Association (SGA) leaders Mehrshad Devin ‘22, biology and physics, SGA president, and Calista Ogburn ‘21, public health, SGA communications director, shared memories of their first year on campus, and offered heartfelt words of advice to new students.
Mehrshad Devin ‘22, biology and physics, and Calista Ogburn ‘21, public health, getting on-campus COVID testing with an assist from True Grit. Photo by Marlayna Demond ’11 for UMBC.
In her first year on campus, Ogburn said, “I learned about the importance of having friends that help with my growth.” She continued, “most of my friends today are from the student organizations I discovered during my freshman year.”
Leondra Turman ‘95, information systems, and her husband Stephen Turman ‘96, psychology, moved their first-year daughter Mia into Leondra’s old dorm. Photo courtesy of Turman family.
Change the world
Lee Blaney, associate professor of chemical, biochemical, and environmental engineering and UMBC’s 2020–2023 Presidential Teaching Professor, didn’t want new students to miss out on the opportunity to be grilled by a professor. He addressed students during virtual Convocation asking, “Who knows what they want to do with their life? Who’s nervous about being online this semester?”
Lee Blaney in his UMBC lab. Photo by Marlayna Demond ’11 for UMBC.
These may seem like daunting questions, but the overwhelming response was that, no matter how you answered, you’re not alone. Blaney shared that he wasn’t sure of his own life path until half-way through his undergraduate experience, and it was connecting with the right professor that made the difference.
Lee Blaney, and Daniel Ocasio ’17, chemical engineering, working in the lab.
“I can tell you that your professors have been working hard to adapt to this new situation,” said Blaney. “My best advice to you is to show up—be present in class and with your new peers. Ask questions. Let your professors know what’s working and what’s not working. This is a new world for us, and we’re going to need to work together to move you forward with your education and your career goals, so you can go out and change the world.”
Banner image: UMBC spirit box. Photo by Marlayna Demond ’11 for UMBC.
Times Higher Education has just named UMBC one of the top universities worldwide for social and economic impact. Now in their second year, the Impact Rankings assess universities against the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). UN Member States adopted these goals in 2015 to boost progress toward gender equality, clean energy, sustainable cities, and 14 other key priorities by 2030.
The newly released rankings include 766 institutions spanning 85 countries, an increase from the inaugural year’s 76 countries. UMBC is one of only 31 universities recognized from the United States. UMBC is also the only university in Maryland represented on the list.
“As a globally engaged university, UMBC serves as an engine for cultural, economic, and workforce development in our region. UMBC also works to find solutions to many of the world’s most pressing challenges, from food security to gender equality to COVID-19,” says David Di Maria, associate vice provost for international education.
UMBC ranks within the top 55 universities globally on several of the SDGs, including reducing poverty, improving gender equality, reducing inequalities, life below water, and life on land. These rankings are based on information provided by the university on UMBC’s research and engagement.
“This new ranking shines light on UMBC’s impact within local and global contexts,” says Di Maria. “I’m very pleased to see UMBC’s light shine as brightly on the world’s stage as it does here at home.”
Banner image: UMBC campus. Photo by Marlayna Demond ’11 for UMBC.
UMBC is again one of the top 500 universities in the world, according to the QS World University Rankings. In their recently released subject area rankings, UMBC is noted globally in the broad category of life sciences and medicine, performing particularly well in biological sciences. The world rankings also recognize UMBC for strengths in computer science and information systems and in physics and astronomy.
“UMBC’s College of Engineering and Information Technology (COEIT) has been incredibly successful in recruiting great teachers and researchers as faculty,” says Keith J Bowman, dean of COEIT. “It is gratifying that employers and our colleagues recognize the quality of our programs and our people.”
UMBC performed among the top 8.8% U.S. universities in the global ranking and ranked #68 among U.S. doctoral universities.
The newly released U.S. Newsgraduate program rankings highlight UMBC as having some of the best engineering programs in the U.S. The publication recognizes a broad range of UMBC engineering focus areas, including environmental, computer, chemical, electrical, and mechanical engineering.
In the humanities and social sciences, the UMBC School of Public Policy is listed as offering one of the top 100 public policy graduate programs in the nation.
Business First also just released its annual ranking of 500 four-year public institutions across the U.S. UMBC is one of the top two public universities in Maryland, and ranked #53 in the nation, improving by six places from last year.
Banner image: UMBC logo on campus. Photo by Marlayna Demond ’11 for UMBC.
As UMBC welcomes 2020, we celebrate the student successes, athletic achievements, research breakthroughs, and community news that made 2019 a year to remember.
Retriever Nation
Whether it was on the field, on the court, or in the pool, UMBC’s Retrievers set out to shatter records in 2019. After being predicted to finish last in the America East, women’s softball stunned by clinching the title for the first time in program history. First-year standout Courtney Coppersmith, biochemistry and molecular biology, was named UMBC softball’s first-ever All-American. She was also the first person in America East history to be named both Pitcher of the Year and Rookie of the Year in the same season. Men’s and women’s swimming and diving were both crowned America East champions, with the men’s team successfully defending their title. The America East accolades don’t end there, with men’s lacrosse bringing home the title for the first time in a decade. And men’s basketball had another thrilling season thanks to the support of dedicated fans.
UMBC softball celebrates a landmark victory over Stony Brook to capture the America East title. Photo courtesy of UMBC Athletics.
Global learning experiences
In 2019, Retrievers discovered more ways to explore the world. Faculty-led summer trips gave students the opportunity to earn college credits through immersive experiences in Wales, Spain, France, Italy, and Colombia. Also, as part of a pilot program this year, nearly 30 new Retrievers jump-started their college career through Dawg Days Abroad in England. And 14 UMBC students and recent alumni received Fulbright U.S. Student Program awards — a new university record.
Brian Souders Ph.D. ’09, language, literacy, and culture, Fulbright coordinator, (left) with recipients.
Student achievements
Students also earned major recognition for their contributions to communities in Baltimore and around the globe, and for their promise as emerging leaders in a range of fields. Evan Avila ‘20, economics, was awarded a Harry S. Truman Scholarship, the fourth recipient in UMBC history. Avila shared, “I want to pursue a career in economics to inform policy that can dismantle structural barriers to economic equality for immigrant communities.” Maheen Haq ‘20, global studies and economics, was named a Newman Civic Fellow for her work supporting people facing discrimination in Baltimore and abroad. The Cyber Dawgs, UMBC’s Cyber Defense Team, beat out over 100 teams to be named the U.S. Department of Energy’s CyberForce Competition national champion.
Evan Avila (center) with (l-r) Simon Stacey, director of the Honors College, and UMBC Truman Selection Committee members Lori Hardesty, David Hoffman, April Householder, and Brian Souders.
New faces and spaces
UMBC’s Interdisciplinary Life Sciences Building (ILSB) officially opened in the fall. The new facility offers features that set it apart as a space for learning, and set up students and faculty for transformative moments of discovery.
The ILSB atrium offers spaces to study or just relax. The art installation and a floating staircase add a whimsical, creative feel.
Off campus, the doors of OCA Mocha—a student-developed coffee shop and community gathering space in downtown Arbutus—opened in November. And we gave a big #RetrieverNation welcome to Brian Barrio, UMBC’s new director of athletics, physical education, and recreation.
New members of Retriever Nation gather for an incoming student photo during Welcome Week.
Research with impact, at all scales
From launching a satellite into space to sequencing the genes for spider glue, the UMBC community made exciting breakthroughs in 2019. Sarah Stellwagen, assistant research scientist in biology, published the first-ever complete sequence of two genes that allow spiders to produce glue—a sticky, modified version of spider silk that keeps a spider’s prey stuck in its web. A NASA-funded satellite that UMBC’s Vanderlei Martins, physics, developed in collaboration with Space Dynamics Laboratory launched from NASA’s Wallops Flight Facility to the International Space Station in November. Mustafa Al-Adhami M.S. ‘15, Ph.D. ‘20, mechanical engineering, developed a rapid bacterial-detection test that can assess, within an hour, if a patient has an infection. His test can also help physicians determine which antibiotics should be used to help fight the infection at a fraction of the price of the current antibiotic susceptibility test. This impressive breakthrough won Al-Adhami first place at the national Three-Minute Thesis competition. Erle Ellis, geography and environmental systems, worked with colleagues to survey archaeologists across the globe to better understand human land use over time. In the arts, UMBC Magazine highlighted the groundbreaking work of Chelsea Pace, assistant professor of theatre, a national expert on best practices for staging intimacy in theatre and film. Shortly afterward, she was featured in a major New York Times Magazine piece on intimacy coordinators.
Sarah Stellwagen with her pet baby orange-kneed tarantula.
Building on a legacy of excellence
UMBC’s Meyerhoff Scholars Program has long been recognized as a national leader at the forefront of efforts to increase diversity in STEM fields. Last summer, hundreds of Meyerhoff alumni gathered in Baltimore to celebrate the vision of philanthropist Robert E. Meyerhoff. Celebrations continued throughout the weekend as members of the Meyerhoff Scholar community shared how the program helped guide them to where they are today. The program also reached an exciting new milestone. The Chan Zuckerberg Initiative (CZI) announced that it has awarded $6.9 million to replicate UMBC’s Meyerhoff Scholars Program at UC San Diego and UC Berkeley. This work builds on successful Meyerhoff replications at Penn State and UNC-Chapel Hill, supported by the Howard Hughes Medical Institute. These programs and more are also highlighted in The Empowered University, a new book by President Freeman Hrabowski, Provost Philip J. Rous, and Peter H. Henderson that brings UMBC’s story to readers around the world. And in an exciting story of local impact, Maryland’s latest PARCC test results revealed that Baltimore City schools partnering with UMBC have seen dramatic growth in student math performance. Joshua Michael ’10, political science, and assistant director of UMBC’s Sherman STEM Teacher Scholars Program, provided insight on this work.
Naomi Mburu ’18 (left), chemical engineering, stops for a selfie with Talmesha Richards ‘04 (right), chemical engineering and mathematics, during the Meyerhoff celebration.
Alumni leadership and inspiration
What our students accomplish at UMBC is only the beginning. Their lives as alumni continue to inspire after they leave campus. This year, several Retrievers shared their stories of parlaying their college internships into full-time positions, thanks to the support they received from UMBC’s Career Center. UMBC Magazine profiled alumna Karyn Swann ‘92, sociology, whose daughter is carrying on her basketball and academic legacy. Lyric Swann ‘23, visual arts, is following (and running and dribbling) in her mom’s footsteps and getting noticed during her first year at UMBC. Mimi Dietrich ‘70, American studies, was in UMBC’s first graduating class and hasn’t stopped working since. In March, the Maryland Historical Society launched a year-long retrospective of Dietrich’s national acclaimed quilts at its Baltimore headquarters. Several alumni also began new, high-profile leadership positions. Adrienne Jones ‘76, psychology, made history when she was sworn in as Maryland Speaker of the House, the first African American and first woman to serve in this role. Letitia Dzirasa ‘03, M11, biological sciences, was appointed Baltimore’s new health commissioner, presiding over the health department’s annual budget of $150 million.
Adrienne A. Jones ‘76, psychology, celebrates UMBC’s 50th anniversary.
Retriever fever
We love adding new fans to #RetrieverNation and 2019 gave us an impawssibly cute one. UMBC’s police department welcomed Chip, the new campus comfort dog, in September. Along with her handler, Sergeant Jamie Cheatem, Chip helps to provide comfort during midterms, finals, and high-stress situations.
Comfort dog Chip eagerly greets students on campus.
