Meet employers who are dedicated to diversity, equity, and inclusion in the workplace, and who are actively recruiting students from diverse backgrounds.

FREE dinner and great prizes!

·       Top organizations will be on hand to discuss career opportunities within their organizations/agencies.

·       Munch and mingle with employers who are interested in hiring students in your major.

·       Get career advice from a great keynote speaker.

This is an event for ALL STUDENTS and ALL MAJORS.

Dress professionally and bring several copies of your resume.

LIMITED SEATING: Student registration in Handshake will open the end of Sept.

Co-hosted by the Career Center and the UMBC Chapter of the National Society of Black Engineers. Feel free to contact the Career Center (crump@umbc.edu, 410.455.2216) with questions.

por Joana

“I believe that the most important single thing, beyond discipline and creativity, is daring to dare.” — Maya Angelou

"To soar toward what's possible, you must leave behind what's comfortable." — Cicely Tyson

“If you don't risk anything, you risk even more.” – Erica Jong

In 2014 beats by Dre ran a commercial for the FIFA World Cup. The throughline is a conversation in Portuguese between the Brazilian footballer Neymar and his father.  After asking if his son is alright, his father says something that has stuck with me since. He tells his son to run.

“Run like it is the last day of your life.

Run Like a crazy man chasing happiness.

Run for your family and your friends.”

He encouraged his son to be happy.  The commercial closes with him saying,

“But there is one more thing, it’s important, that you don’t hold back.” 

I was ready to get out on the pitch with my then 30-something knees and give it my all, and I don’t speak a word of Portuguese, or own beats headphones for that matter. Right now, as you prepare to leave this place that has been your home for the last few (or more than a few) years of your life, for good or for ill, whether you feel it or not, whether you wish you could stay, can’t wait to leave, or a bit of both, that is my wish for you.  Not to run FROM here.  Instead, I wish for you to run TO the life that awaits you.  With all its fits and starts, twists and turns, ups and downs, it is still the beautiful game and every day that you draw breath you get to play again, maybe even a little bit better than the day before. 

 "Take risks: if you win, you will be happy; if you lose, you will be wise." – Anonymous

“Nothing in life is worthwhile unless you take risks. Fall forward. Every failed experiment is one step closer to success.” — Denzel Washington

 “Do the one thing you think you cannot do. Fail at it. Try again. Do better the second time. The only people who never tumble are those who never mount the high wire. This is your moment. Own it.” — Oprah Winfrey

The challenge, as in most things, is that it isn’t that simple, and it isn’t that easy.  It can be risky, if not scary, to go out into the wide world.  There’s good news, every single one of you is already intimately familiar with risk.  For many of you, your mere presence at this time, in this space, as you are, is risky.  The decision to leave where you were was risky.  And yet, here you are.  You have worked hard and demonstrated a lot of grit to get to this point, to accomplish this goal, to achieve this dream.  Whether this is the first degree in the history of your family, or you come from a legacy of graduates going back generations, you should be proud of yourselves.  I certainly am proud of you.  Think for a second about everything that had to break just right for you to be here, for you to be you.  The genetic combinations and permutations of all your ancestry alone are staggering.  Add on top of those all the hardships your forebears had to overcome and the risks that they had to take, and the odds just get compounded.  And yet, here you are, gloriously gifted, undeniably unique, perfectly imperfect, you.  Sit in that joy for a moment.  Look around and see who’s with you.  Look back and see who helped you get here.  Thank them all, big and small.  That grateful spirit will take you far.  As you look ahead, if you can see the path laid out in 8K, you’re on your way, I wish you Godspeed on your journey.  If the picture is not so clear, or hazy, or just empty, that is ok too.  Yes, you’re the oldest that you’ve ever been, but you have time.  Try some things, take some swings.  Use your resources (information and people) to help clarify a vision for your life for now that you can work on while you bring the vision for next into focus.  Here’s a practical tool.  Find your personal Mount Rushmore of people who are out there doing what you think you may want to do at the level you think you’ll want to be doing it in 30 years.  Backwards map their career paths and find the common elements.  There you will find the directions for your own trajectory. If the vision changes, the people change, but the process doesn’t.  You don’t have to do exactly what they did, but it is always easier to get somewhere when you have a roadmap.

 “A ship in port is safe, but that's not what ships are built for.” — Dr. Grace Hopper

“I want to stay as close to the edge as I can without going over. Out on the edge you see all kinds of things you can't see from the center.” – Kurt Vonnegut

“Courageous risks are life-giving, they help you grow, make you brave, and better than you think you are.” – Dr. Joan L. Curcio

One last thing to remember.  As much as this celebration of accomplishment is because of you, this is not only about you.  This is also about the payoff for the sacrifices made, seen and unseen, by those for whom the reward is to see you walk across that stage and take the next steps to a future beyond their imagining.  This is also about the people that you will impact with the ways that you deploy your time, talent, and treasure.  This is also about the lives you will change by being an exemplar for what is possible to someone who never even dreamt of someone who looks like you, doing what you do.  You carry within you the potency of possibility.  Whether you can see it or not, whether you want it or not, it is there, and you get to decide what to do with what you’ve been endowed with. You get to decide what you enable.  You get to decide who you empower.  There’s pressure in that, but pressure makes diamonds, and I can already see you shining. 

“Hold your principles tighter than any title or any job… In order to empower others, sometimes you have to risk something.” – Dr. Hank Frierson as told by Dr. Valerie Sheares Ashby

“The opposite of success is not failure…it’s being stuck. You have a unique gift that’s meant to be shared. When fully aligned with this everlasting gift, an unshakable confidence becomes real!” – Jennifer Villarreal

“I hope that in this year to come, you make mistakes. Because if you are making mistakes, then you are making new things, trying new things, learning, living, pushing yourself, changing yourself, changing your world. You're doing things you've never done before, and more importantly, you're doing something.” – Neil Gaiman

Now go be GREAT!

"And the day came when the risk to remain tight in a bud was more painful than the risk it took to blossom." – Anais Nin

Any views or opinions expressed in this missive are solely the author’s and do not represent that of the University of Maryland, Baltimore County or any programs, departments, or partners affiliated with UMBC. While I make every effort to ensure that the information I am sharing is accurate, I welcome any comments, suggestions, or correction of errors.

“I realized the secret to success is finishing! And not just finishing, but finishing strong!” – Dr. Eric Thomas

"I learnt that the only way to get a thing done is to start to do it, then keep on doing it, and finally you'll finish it, even if in the beginning you think you can't do it at all." — Langston Hughes, The Big Sea

“I'm racing against me. As long as I come across the finish, I'll be okay.” Ruben Studdard

We are in the home stretch, the back nine, the last miles, or whatever clichéd metaphor you’d like to use for approaching the end of the semester.  As we do, I want to encourage you to finish strong.  I know that sounds trite, but that doesn’t make it less genuine.  Asking more of you right now, when you may already be pushing as hard as you can or stretched too thin, is unfair.  It is challenging to push through when you’re already running on fumes.  I could say catch a second wind, or find another gear, but you and I both know it isn’t that easy.  It, in fact, can be quite grueling. What I want you to know is that hard doesn’t mean impossible.  This is the way. It was never promised to be easy.

“Remember this in the darkest moments, when the work doesn’t seem worth it, and change seems just out of reach: out of our willingness to push through comes a tremendous power . . . use it.” – Stacey Abrams

“Under any circumstance, simply do your best, and you will avoid self-judgment, self-abuse and regret.” –  Don Miguel Ruiz

“Don't settle for average. Bring your best to the moment. Then, whether it fails or succeeds, at least you know you gave all you had. We need to live the best that's in us.”  – Angela Bassett

“Have a vision of excellence, a dream of success, and work like hell.” – Dr. Samuel DuBois Cook

There’s an African proverb that says that smooth seas do not make skillful sailors. The same holds true for you. You may be mastering your seas and cruising right along. If so, keep it up AND help someone else for whom it isn’t going as well.  You may feel like the rough waters have tossed you around a bit, but you’re making progress.  If so, batten down the hatches and keep pushing.  Get help if you need it, help others if you can.  You may be about to capsize, already be in the lifeboat, or worse yet treading water and holding on for dear life.  If so, you’re still in the fight.  Seek out help not now, but right now.  Waiting for a rescue is a risky strategy in a storm.  But this isn’t Titanic, there is room for you.  If someone is telling you or showing you that there isn’t, float on and find help elsewhere.  If you can take steps to get the help you need, take them.   If you can’t or don’t know how, there are people all around who can help you figure that out.  Blow the whistle to let them know you’re there and you need some assistance.  Or respond if they’ve already reached out to you.

“Success is not final; failure is not fatal: It is the courage to continue that counts.”– Winston S. Churchill

"Dreams don’t have to just be dreams. You can make it a reality; if you just keep pushing and keep trying, then eventually you'll reach your goal. And if that takes a few years, then that's great, but if it takes 10 or 20, then that's part of the process." — Naomi Osaka

"The only place where success comes before work is in the dictionary." – Vidal Sassoon

The next question for you to ask and answer is what does a successful semester look like for you at this point?  You may have planned on the Dean’s list or even a 4.0, all A’s everywhere. Maybe that’s still in reach, maybe not.  Maybe that wasn’t even the plan. Maybe you had a class, or two, or a few, where the goal was just to get through and get done with it.  Bet. That works too. Maybe there’s no plan.  Maybe you’ve got so much going on that you’re just trying to put one foot in front of the other until it’s over. Or maybe your goals and plans aren’t even about school.  Maybe they’re about the other things that matter in your life.  Since you’re a student, that is less than ideal, but still workable.  What matters most isn’t what was, but what is.  Today is the perfect day to revisit (or come up with) goals for the rest of the semester and a plan to get there. 

·      What are your goals for the rest of the semester?

·      Have your grades so far put you in a position to reach your goals? 

·      What opportunities are left for you to get to where you want to be? 

·      Are you going to have to prioritize some things to get to a satisficing solution?

I didn’t say optimal, or best, I said satisficing.  That is a real word, I didn’t make it up.  It is a portmanteau of satisfy and suffice created by Herbert Simon that I learned in grad school.  I always think of getting a ball to the top of a hill.  Instead of pushing and pushing to get a ball to the peak of the hill and then straining to keep it balanced there, get to a plateau that is good enough and leave it there.  Be careful though with how high you decide “good enough” is.  It is easy to set that plateau too low.  Once you set your goals, make your plan.  Then, with your plan in hand, get busy getting.

“Success, to me, is just doing things that I'm really proud of.” – Dua Lipa

“Infuse your life with action. Don't wait for it to happen. Make it happen. Make your own future. Make your own hope. Make your own love. And whatever your beliefs, honor your creator, not by passively waiting for grace to come down from upon high, but by doing what you can to make grace happen... yourself, right now, right down here on Earth.“ – Bradley Whitford

"Wake up determined, go to bed satisfied." — Dwayne Johnson

“You are the storyteller of your own life, and you can create your own legend, or not.“ – Isabel Allende

What am I asking you to do?

1.     Be realistic.  If you want to get an A in a class, but the best you’ve been able to do is a C-, that is a tall order.  All it means though is that what you have been doing isn’t working.  Find a different approach, more of the same likely won’t get you there.

2.     Be specific.  “I’m going to study more” is not a plan, it’s a slogan. Words are wind, plan for action.

3.     Know what’s coming up.  One of the worst things that can happen is failing a test or missing an assignment because you didn’t know when it was or when it was due.  Go through all your syllabi and make sure that you mark when everything that you have to turn in or take is.  Mark it on a calendar that you look at EVERY DAY.

4.     Don’t know where to start? Start HERE. The Academic Success Center here at UMBC, they have a whole page of resources to help you succeed.

5.     Celebrate your accomplishments. When you hit a goal no matter how small, make the time to celebrate. You’ve earned it. Then get back to work.

6.     Dedicate focused time to your work and put forth maximum effort during that focused time.

7.     Take care of YOU.  As you move, take care of your whole self in real and tangible ways.  If you need help, get help.  If you need help finding the help, just say something, there are lots of people here for you.

8.     Take care of your business.  You are here to get your degree.  Life requires balance for sure but keep the main thing the main thing.  You have persevered through all that you have been through.  Keep that same energy and get this done.  The world will be there when you get there.  Humankind needs to see the brilliance you have to offer.

Now go be GREAT!

Any views or opinions expressed in this missive are solely the author’s and do not represent that of the University of Maryland, Baltimore County or any programs, departments, or partners affiliated with UMBC. While I make every effort to ensure that the information I am sharing is accurate, I welcome any comments, suggestions, or correction of errors.

Greetings!

I hope you are all enjoying your semester so far. Our first group study for First Gen students will be held, everyone is welcome even if you're not a First Gen student. There is a great opportunity to catch up on some assignments and, most importantly, find a study buddy who is motivated and who has experienced similar things. 

We might even have some treats & snacks ready for you. 

 "Waking up this morning, I smile. 24 brand new hours are before me. I vow to live fully in each moment."­ – Thich Nhat Hanh

“To simply wake up every morning a better person than when I went to bed.” –  Sidney Poitier

“I'm always thinking about creating. My future starts when I wake up every morning... Every day I find something creative to do with my life.” – Miles Davis

I was watching a reel the other night and the person asked a great question. If someone offered you $100,000, but it meant you wouldn’t wake up the next day, would you take it? No? How about $1,000,000? Still, no? How about $10,000,000? That’s a lot of money. STILL, no? Stop and think about that for a second.  If you aren’t willing to trade that kind of money for not waking up, you’re saying something about how much waking up is worth to you. Don’t take it for granted. Every day that you wake up, you get the chance to do something.  Whatever you’re succeeding at, in the midst of, or struggling with, a new day presents a new opportunity to keep doing what you’re doing or to do something different.

“My favorite things in life don't cost any money. It's really clear that the most precious resource we all have is time.” –  Steve Jobs

“What I do is I keep trying to focus on what I am doing now, instead of wasting time thinking about what went wrong in the past or will happen in the future.” –  Jung HoYeon

“I hated every minute of training, but I said, ‘Don’t quit. Suffer now and live the rest of your life as a champion.’” — Muhammad Ali 

Every other year, Dr. Hrabowski would make the time to come and speak to the high school students from Upward Bound Math Science and Classic Upward Bound who trade in six weeks of their summer for the opportunity to learn and grow at UMBC.  One year, one of the students asked Dr. Hrabowski how much he had to work to have the life that he lives.  I’ll never forget his answer, he told the students (much to their disbelief and dismay) that he worked 12-14 hours per day, 6 days a week.  He paused to let the grumbles, moans, and nervous laughter bubble up and ebb.  Then he said that he also made sure to spend time daily praying, connecting with his beloved wife and loved ones, exercising, meditating, and reading.  That got silence.  I get it.  That is a LOT of hours grinding and you’re maintaining healthy habits on top of that!?  Reading it now, it seems daunting.  Is it though? Many of you feel busier than you’ve ever been.  You are already putting in those kinds of hours every day and it still doesn’t seem to be enough.  And here I come telling you that you should be working more, or longer, or harder.  The good news is, that is not what I am telling you, well not necessarily. 

“Your problem is how you are going to spend this one odd and precious life you have been issued. Whether you're going to spend it trying to look good and creating the illusion that you have power over people and circumstances, or whether you are going to taste it, enjoy it and find out the truth about who you are.” – Anne Lamott

“Don't use time and words carelessly - neither can be retrieved.” –  LeCrae

“Don't waste your time chasing butterflies. Mend your garden, and the butterflies will come.” – Mario Quintana

I can’t speak for you, but I can find and silence the alarm on my phone with both eyes closed and never take my head off the pillow.  I can’t tell you how many times I have said to myself just five more minutes and I’ll get up, or get going, or stop scrolling, or get back to work. When I finally look up an hour or so later, I don’t know where the time went.  For you it may be that too, or one more reel, or TikTok, or episode, or game, or video, or song… The list is long.  The distractions are many.  This is the way, and the way is not easy.  Do not hang your head or rack yourself with guilt or shame.  Be honest with yourself about how you’re spending your time and whether that is what you want for yourself.  If you don’t know, take stock. Spend a week tracking how you spend the hours in your day.  At the end of that week, look at it, critically and objectively.  If you’re good with it, great, keep it up.  If you’re not good with it, great, now you can see where you can improve. And then what?  Well, then you work to make it as easy as possible for you to be your best self and do your best work. 

I don’t have time to put all of that in my calendar… Yes, you do.

I work better under pressure… No, you don’t.

I tried that before, and it didn’t work for me… Try it again a different way.

I work better when I multitask… No, you don’t.  No one does.

I can do it all… Yes, you can, just not all at once.

“Whatever life may send your way - make the best of it. Don't waste your time and energy worrying about it. Instead, find a way to do something about it. Learn from it, adjust to it, be strong, be flexible, and be your best in every situation.” – Les Brown

“Look closely at the present you are constructing: it should look like the future you are dreaming.” – Alice Walker

“It's never a waste of time or money to invest in yourself, no matter the source. True wealth begins inwards and emits its light outward into everything else, including the people you surround yourself with.” – will.i.am

What am I asking you to do?

1.     Be intentional about scheduling your time, well in advance, so that you have time to work and play and know which is which. 

2.     Plan your work and work your plan so that you can avoid, as much as possible, scrambling to do things at the 11^th hour.

3.     Be deliberate in using the tools at your disposal to organize and prioritize your time so that it is clear when you should be doing what.  Google calendar is a powerful tool and it’s free. If you have a phone you have a calendar.

4.     Dedicate focused time to your work and put forth maximum effort during that focused time.

5.     Take care of YOU.  As you move, take care of your whole self in real and tangible ways.  One tool to combat burnout is balance, seek it and protect it.  If you need help, get help.  If you need help finding the help, just say something, we are here for you.

6.     Take care of your business.  You are here to get your degree.  Life requires balance for sure but keep the main thing the main thing.  You have persevered through all that you have been through.  Keep that same energy and get this done.  The world needs to see the brilliance you have to offer.

Now go be GREAT!

“Just a Minute” – Anonymous

I have only just a minute,
Only sixty seconds in it.

Forced upon me, can’t refuse it.

Didn’t seek it, didn’t choose it.

But it’s up to me to use it.

I must suffer if I lose it.

Give account if I abuse it.

Just a tiny little minute,

but eternity is in it.

as recited by Dr. Benjamin E. Mays at the funeral of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

Any views or opinions expressed in this missive are solely the author’s and do not represent that of the University of Maryland, Baltimore County or any programs, departments, or partners affiliated with UMBC. While I make every effort to ensure that the information I am sharing is accurate, I welcome any comments, suggestions, or correction of errors.

Join the McNair Saturday Academy as we discuss relevant graduate school topics and welcome Guest Speakers covering academic success and well-being.

March 4th: 

Topic: Scholarship & Activism

Location: SOND 101

Time: 1 - 2:30 PM

April 1st:

Topic: Graduate School - Alumni Panel

Location: Maritime Conference Center

Time: 11 - 5:00 PM

RSVP for April Saturday Academy: https://forms.gle/zQStRYagmrcGsL2J7 

May 6th:

Topic: Vision Board Activity

Location: SOND 101

Time: 1 - 2:30 PM

“You’re not obligated to win. You’re obligated to keep trying to do the best you can every day.” – Marian Wright Edelman

“When I dare to be powerful, to use my strength in the service of my vision, then it becomes less and less important whether I am afraid.” – Audre Lorde

“I am no longer accepting the things I cannot change. I am changing the things I cannot accept.” – Angela Y. Davis

Let me start with a confession, I did not watch the video of Tyre Nichols being beaten to his eventual death by police officers in Memphis.  I have not and I will not. The toll it takes on my spirit is higher than I’m willing to pay.  I am paying attention to what happened then and since.  But even the way I framed it, as a confession, implies that I am somehow guilty of something.  I know I’m not though, right?  By not watching I may be putting my black card at risk, but if protecting my headspace is wrong, I don’t want to be right.  It is, after all, my headspace. But still…  I don’t begrudge those who have watched and analyzed and pontificated on what has and continues to happen in America from either side.  I do judge people looking at this like it is trauma porn. There is tragedy, trauma, and tumult in what continues to happen to people of color at the hands of police who are supposed to be sworn to protect and serve, and those in power who are supposed to represent our interests.  There is frustration, fear, and fury in the choices of those elected by We the people to focus on partisan political power instead of dealing with the issues that matter most.  There is injustice, insult, and ignorance in governors and lawmakers deciding that they get to be the arbiters of what in Black History really matters and what lacks educational value, experts be damned.  AND during the one month earmarked for all Black everything, the audacity.  In the face of it all, it is easy to be paralyzed, (here we go again with word choice, if “paralyzed” triggers you, think “still” instead) to say to yourself and the world it is all too much. I can’t do anything about it.  How could I, just one person, really make a difference?  The answer is to do something, make something, break something, but not just anything, something.  The difference lies in intentionality. Your something can be for you, your circle, your campus, your community, your city, your country, or for the world.

“The tragedy of life is often not in our failure, but rather in our complacency; not in our doing too much, but rather in our doing too little; not in our living above our ability, but rather in our living below our capacities.” – Benjamin E. Mays

“Not everything that is faced can be changed; but nothing can be changed until it is faced.” – James Baldwin

“I really don’t think life is about the I-could-have-beens. Life is only about the I-tried-to-do. I don’t mind the failure, but I can’t imagine that I’d forgive myself if I didn’t try.” – Nikki Giovanni

Something isn’t always external.  Sometimes the work is internal.  I had a moment when I saw a picture of myself, not a mirror, or a selfie, but a whole body shot taken by somebody else and I legit thought “Who is that?  I know that ain’t me… it can’t be, can it…?” It was.  I’ve been called some variant of “big guy” for most of my adult life.  I’ve been good with it. I am neither short nor small so it kind of fits.  Then, last fall out of nowhere, I started having to fight with the buttons on my clothes that weren’t sweats.  Reality check! It wasn’t really out of nowhere.  My clothes weren’t shrinking.  I was lying to myself about what I chose to see in the mirror.  So, I had to get to it and seek help.  I went to my doctor and we did a whole baseline workup and came up with nutrition and exercise plans.  I knew what I needed to do.  I also knew I didn’t want to do it.  But it had to be done right because health is wealth.  Then… life.  It became easy to say I’ll start later, tomorrow, or next week, or in the new year.  Getting stuck will inevitably happen, just like getting knocked off course or knocked down. Get back up. Get back to it.  You may not feel like you’re struggling at all.  Just know, if you keep doing what you’ve been doing, you’ll keep getting what you’ve been getting. If that works for you, cool.  If not, take the time, make the effort, and see the change.

“Success is a journey, not a destination. The doing is often more important than the outcome.” – Arthur Ashe

“Success is no accident. It is hard work, perseverance, learning, studying, sacrifice, and most of all, love of what you are doing or learning to do.” – Pelé

"When your dreams are bigger than the places you find yourself in, sometimes you need to seek out your own reminders that there is more. And there is always more waiting for you on the other side of fear." — Elaine Welteroth

There will always be reasons to not do and they will sound, feel, and seem like good reasons. Because not doing is easy. Not doing is comfortable. Not doing requires only one act, the decision to not do.  And when you get really good at not doing, that won't even feel like a choice, you just won't do. It'll be due to some person or circumstance or situation or feeling or need or insert good reason here. But you can't get where you're going if you stay where you are. So where are you going? Do you even know? If you do, great, get busy getting. If not, great, all you need to start is a direction and a step. You can stop and turn or turn around as many times as you need to as you figure it out. Give it some thought, do some due diligence, talk to some people you trust, pick a direction, and go that way. What matters more than whether or not you can do it or know how to do it, is whether or not you do. Nike told you, Just Do It.

“Dreams without goals are just dreams and ultimately, they fuel disappointment. On the road to achieving your dreams, you must apply discipline but more importantly consistency because without commitment you’ll never start, but without consistency, you’ll never finish.” – Denzel Washington

What am I asking you to do?

1.     Plan your work and work your plan. Set goals, work towards them. Finish what you start.

2.     Change it up. If one approach isn’t working, try another.

3.     Celebrate your accomplishments. When you hit a goal, make the time to celebrate. You’ve earned it. Then get back to work.

4.     Grow your goals. As you approach one goal, set another. Keep giving yourself things to strive for.

5.     Take care of YOU.  As you move, take care of your whole self in real and tangible ways.  If you need help, get help.  If you need help finding the help, just say something, we are here for you.

6.     Take care of your business.  You are here to get your degree.  Life requires balance for sure but keep the main thing the main thing.  You have persevered through pandemic, campus closure, zoom, all of it.  Keep that same energy and get this done.  The world needs to see the brilliance you have to offer.

“Do or do not. There is no try.” – Yoda

Now go be great!

Any views or opinions expressed in this missive are solely the author’s and do not represent that of the University of Maryland, Baltimore County or any programs, departments, or partners affiliated with UMBC. While I make every effort to ensure that the information I am sharing is accurate, I welcome any comments, suggestions, or correction of errors.