A UMBC/Meyerhoff alum Esther Gross (Statistics) will be moderating a panel for theNational Research Center on Hispanic Children & Families, which conducts social science research to help programs and policies better serve low-income Hispanic children and families. In addition to research projects, they also work to build the capacity of emerging scholars by providing tools, resources, and events.

As part of their work to build the capacity of new social science researchers, particularly Latinx researchers, they're holding a webinar on 10/13 at 3 pm ET on the impact of COVID-19 on the job market. Navigating the Job Market During COVID-19 will feature a panel of three speakers representing government, private sector, and academic institutions.

The following announcement was distributed to the campus community on October 7, 2020:

"Dear UMBC Community,

I am delighted to announce the establishment of UMBC’s Center for the Advancement of Learning and Teaching (CALT). A core recommendation of UMBC’s Strategic Plan, the Center will “provide support for research and training in best pedagogical practices.” At the heart of the Center’s work is UMBC’s distinctive commitment to, and engagement with, inclusive excellence. The new Center will not only perpetuate best practices, but also produce and support research-based initiatives designed to foster the learning and development of all students. Undergirding and informing this work is a dedication to learning analytics, assessment, and evaluation at the levels of course, program, and institution. CALT will act as both a central resource and a coordinating nexus for educational innovation, research, and student success.

Initially, the Center will incorporate and extend the work of the Faculty Development Center (FDC), which was established in 1999. Dr. Linda Hodges, who has served with distinction as the Director of the FDC since 2010, will serve as the inaugural Executive Director of CALT. Dr. Hodges directed the McGraw Center for Teaching and Learning at Princeton University for six years before joining UMBC and her outstanding leadership has driven the expansion of staff and services, a new focus on the scholarship of teaching and learning, and support for pedagogical research.

The Provost will convene a task force of faculty and staff under Dr. Hodges' leadership that will make recommendations to the Provost on the development of the new Center. The task force members include:

• Diane Alonso, Psychology, the Universities at Shady Grove
• Sherri Braxton, Division of Information Technology
• Delana Gregg, Academic Success Center
• Anthony Johnson, Physics and Computer Science and Electrical Engineering
• Anita Komlodi, Information Systems
• Jeff Leips, Biological Sciences
• Tim Nohe, Visual Arts
• Orianne Smith, English, and President, Faculty Senate
• Donald Snyder, Media and Communication Studies
  

It is envisioned that upon completion of the task force report, an advisory Provost’s Project Advisory Board composed of key representatives of the Center’s collaborators will be established to provide coordination for aspects of the CALT’s work. Thus, efforts of numerous units on campus with similar goals will be efficiently communicated and/or coordinated to conserve campus resources and expedite success.

Provost Philip Rous"

Read about her experience at UMBC and post-graduation work below.

As a double major in English and Financial Economics, I was frequently asked, often at family parties, how I would combine the two. I didn’t know the answer to that question until my junior year, when two things happened: I became editor-in-chief of The Retriever, and I began my undergraduate thesis.

I joined The Retriever, UMBC’s student-run newspaper, on a whim my freshman year. I didn’t think it would become a long-term position, and I certainly did not expect to be its editor-in-chief. Along the way, though, I discovered a passion for storytelling and realized that I wanted to be a journalist.

Around the same time, I began my undergraduate honors thesis under Professor McKinley, exploring the economic contexts of the merchants and moneylenders of Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales and of select tales from Boccaccio’s Decameron. The English Honors program allowed me to dive very deeply into a subject I cared a lot about. I was able to research and analyze finance within literature as I hope to do in future journalistic writing.

Now, I’m a graduate student at the University of Maryland, College Park, studying journalism, and I have a part-time job at The Capitol Forum, a business news publication in Washington, D.C. I credit the UMBC English Department faculty with helping me find my passions and narrow my career interests, and I hope that in the future I also have the opportunity to teach at the college level to encourage and guide the next generation of students.

Now that we are more than a month into the semester, you might be feeling the crunch of upcoming papers and exams. Staying on track can be especially difficult in distance learning during COVID-19 as we encounter new ideas in an unfamiliar environment.

If you are looking for support, consider reaching out to one of UMBC's student ambassadors! Whether you are an undergraduate or graduate student, student ambassadors are available to help you succeed in our current moment. As stated on the Retriever Ready website, "ambassadors provide information, share their experiences on what has and what has not worked in terms of effective strategies, and direct students to the resources available on campus." Follow the links below to view profiles and contact the person who seems right for you.

Congrats to Dr. Maust!!