FaithZone Training (FZT) is a general workshop and a tailored in-person training session designed to equip participants with the knowledge, language, and practical tools needed to better understand and engage with religious and spiritual diversity in higher education. Drawing from theory, lived experience, and real-world scenarios, the training explores how faith, spirituality, and worldview identities shape identity, values, and daily experiences in academic, professional, and social environments.

Grounded in a model similar to Safe Zone training, FaithZone integrates education and storytelling to encourage participants to dive into their own experiences with religion and spirituality. Additionally, FZT invites participants to recognize how assumptions, misunderstandings, and lack of awareness about religion and spirituality can influence interactions, classroom and workplace dynamics, policies, and institutional culture. The session emphasizes curiosity, respectful engagement across differences, and the importance of inclusive practices that support a diverse campus community.

 During this session, participants will:

• Learn and define terms connected to the study of religion and spirituality

• Learn about the diversity of religious and spiritual traditions on campus as well as national trends within higher education.

• Explore the role that religion and spirituality play in individual identity and lived experience by engaging in personal reflection and storytelling. 

• Reflect on personal assumptions, biases, and knowledge gaps related to religion and belief.

• Examine common challenges and misunderstandings related to religious expression in academic and workplace settings.

• Engage in interactive activities and dialogue to practice respectful communication across belief differences.

• Discuss strategies for fostering inclusive environments that honor religious and spiritual diversity.

Example learning outcomes: By the end of the workshop, participants will be able to:

• Demonstrate increased knowledge, religious literacy, and awareness of diverse belief systems and how they intersect with identity, culture, and institutional life on college campuses.

• Interrogate their own personal experiences with religion and spirituality, including biases assumptions, misunderstandings, and knowledge gaps

• Apply practical strategies and best practices for engagement with individuals of different faiths or belief systems.
• Commit to continued learning and engagement in order to support and create spaces for religious practice, belonging, and energetic pluralism.

Learn More & Get Involved

For questions about UMBC's Policy on Faith-Based and Religious Accommodations, please contact ECR at ecr@umbc.edu.

We encourage all campus partners to take advantage of these opportunities to strengthen our shared culture of equity and belonging.

For questions about registering, scheduling, or determining the best session for your role, please visit culture.umbc.edu or contact the Community & Culture team at culture@umbc.edu.

All sessions are open for full participation by all individuals regardless of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, or any other protected category under applicable federal law, state law, and the University's nondiscrimination policy.

Listen

Through storytelling, dialogue, and reflection, this list amplifies women's voices and lived experiences:

• Jasmine Lee: Be like water

• Grandma Moses by The History Chicks

• The Folklorista Violetta Parra by what'shername 

• Enslaved women and lethal resistance, 46th Annual W.E.B. Du Bois Lecture by Nikki M. Taylor

• Women of the Wheel: Ana Delfosse by Womanica

This March, the Division of Institutional Equity has a full lineup of events and opportunities for the UMBC community. All events and opportunities across the division are open to full participation by all community members. 

Here's how you can get involved!

March 3 | 11:30 am - 1 pm | The Commons: 329
Inclusive Excellence In Action Series

Join us for the first session of this semester's Inclusive Excellence In Action series, "Skills for Cross-Cultural Mentoring". Participants will explore inclusive, effective, and human-centered mentoring practices and reflect on how to translate insight into action. This session will equip participants with practical tools, strategies, and key takeaways to strengthen inclusive leadership, relationship-centered engagement, and humanizing approaches that foster learning and beloved community across campus.

March 5 | 11:30 am - 1:30 pm | Virtual
Culture Conversations

The Office of Community and Culture invites everyone to join the first conversation for this semester titled "Engaging Digital Spaces". Participants will explore what it takes to build genuine connection in digital environments that can feel fragmented or out of reach. Through a facilitated interactive conversation, participants will learn and leave with insights on how digital spaces can strengthen community, expand access, and support more affordable and inclusive engagement across campus.

March 9 & 25 | 12 pm - 1 pm | Math/Psychology 222
Accessibility Tour: Wayfinding, Skywalks, and Resources

Join the Office of Accessibility and Disability Services for a guided tour of UMBC's "Campus on a Hill" on March 9 & 25. Accessibility is everyone's responsibility, and this is a great opportunity to learn about campus accessibility features, challenges, and how you can be an effective Accessibility Ally! Registration and additional information about the tours can be found here: [March 9] [March 25].

March 10 | 3:30 pm - 5 pm | Hybrid
Women's Suffrage: Life as we Know it Now

Join the Women's, Gender and Equity Center for a Women's History Month panel discussion. Attendees will engage in a conversation exploring the lived experiences of women with panelists: Dr. Carole McCann (GWST), Dr. Christina Sessoms (AMST), Dr. Thania Muñoz (Department of Modern Languages, Linguistics, and Intercultural Communication), and Dr. Kathryn Kein (GWST).

March 11 | 11:45 am - 1 pm | Virtual
Building Bridges Across Differences: A Dialogue for Everyday Series

The Center for Social Justice Dialogue kicks off its first session of the series "Pivoting Perspective: Fostering Curiosity and Wonder". This session invites participants to explore how loving accountability can spark curiosity and help reframe assumptions about ourselves and others. Through perspective-shifting practices, attendees will discover how approaching differences with wonder can foster deeper connection and understanding. Everyone is welcome to attend.

March 11 & 25 | 4 pm – 5:30 pm | Apartment Community Center
Circles for Beloved Community

The Office of Community and Culture invites faculty and staff to gather in facilitated spaces to build trust and understanding. These circles offer an opportunity to slow down, connect across roles and experiences, and practice being in community together. Event details: [March 11] [March 25].

March 12 & 26 | 3 pm - 4:30 pm | The Commons : 2B23
SistaCare

SistaCare is a community care and dialogue group that provides a supportive space to explore the experiences of Black/Africana women and femmes on campus while fostering connection, reflection, and care. These sessions invite participants to learn, share, and build community, and are open to all individuals. Event details: [March 12] [March 26].

March 30 | 12 pm - 1 pm | Hybrid
Campus Accessibility Update

Join the Facilities Management and the Office of Accessibility and Disability Services for a review and update of construction projects that enhance accessibility and improve the physical environment of UMBC. Learn about elevator upgrades, accessible renovation design, emergency planning, and upcoming projects. Campus community members—especially those with disabilities—are invited to share lived experiences and ideas that may help shape future accessibility initiatives.

Discussion Group Meetings

Join the Women's, Gender, and Equity Center this month for weekly discussion group meetings! Connect, share, and grow through spaces such as Grad Connect, We Believe You, Rebuilding Manhood, Spectrum, Women of Color Collective, Women and Gender Minorities in STEM, Returning Adult Learners, Athletics Group, Between Femmes, and Head Space. Visit https://my3.my.umbc.edu/groups/womenscenter/events?mode=upcoming&page=1 for more information and schedules for each group.

Cultural Heritage Month Celebrations

March is Women's History Month. Stay tuned for our 'Read, Watch, Listen, Participate' post.

UMBC Employee Annual Title IX Training Requirement

Pursuant to UMBC's Interim Policy on Sex Discrimination, Sex-Based Harassment, and Sexual Misconduct, all faculty (including adjunct faculty), staff (regular and contingent), and student-employees (including teaching assistants and graduate assistants) are required to complete Title IX training each year. Employees who have not yet completed the training requirement must complete a series of three asynchronous modules by March 1, 2026. New employees should complete training within 60 days of hire.

STEM courses often include complex content—equations, graphs, data tables—that can create significant accessibility barriers for students with disabilities. This session provides STEM faculty with a clear, practical overview of how to make STEM materials accessible. The session will focus on common accessibility challenges in STEM and highlight fixes that faculty can implement without advanced technical skills. 

By the end of this session, participants will be able to:

1. Identify common accessibility barriers in STEM course materials (e.g., math notation, graphs, tables, and PDFs) and explain why these create challenges for students using assistive technologies.

2. Describe practical strategies and tools for improving accessibility in STEM content, including approaches for math equations, visual data, and structured documents that align with WCAG 2.1 AA standards.

3. Apply a prioritized approach to remediation by recognizing which fixes are easiest for faculty to implement themselves and where to seek additional support for more complex issues.

The virtual format will be primarily presentational, with brief discussion pauses to address questions and share experiences. Participants will leave with actionable strategies, recommended tools, and resources to begin improving accessibility in their STEM courses. The session will be recorded.

Open to all UMBC and USM faculty, staff, and students. No prior accessibility experience needed.

Presenter: Dr. Sarah Bass, Associate Teaching Professor of Introductory, Analytical and Instrumental Chemistry, University of Maryland, Baltimore County. Dr. Bass is a dedicated faculty champion for accessibility, promoting inclusive teaching practices to create a more supportive educational environment for every learner.

Helpful STEM Links to Review:

• UMBC's STEM Resources

• CAST's Creating Accessible STEM Materials

• Accessibility in Math chapter (Digital Accessibility Handbook)

• The A11Y Collective's Ultimate Checklist for Accessible Data Visualisations

• Continual Engine's How to Make STEM Content Accessible for Students with Visual Impairments

• Section508's Accessible Equations and Formulas

Brought to you by:

This session was initially presented as part of the USM Kirwan Center Spring Cleaning 2026 series.

• USM Kirwan Center for Academic Innovation (KCAI) 
• Council for the Advancement of Teaching and Learning (CATL) 
• USM Digital Accessibility Work Group (DAWG) 
• USM Campus Centers for Teaching and Learning

Role within the Division: Asst Vice President for Accessibility & Disability Services

How long have you been at UMBC? : 11 years UMBC, 1.5 DOIE

How would you describe your role within the Division of Institutional Equity?

I serve as a partner and ally in the Division's equity and inclusion efforts, leading and supporting UMBC's work to advance disability access. My role centers on fostering the creation of proactive, welcoming, and disability-inclusive practices, initiatives, and policies across the university. I view accessibility as a core equity priority, a moral imperative, a legal requirement, and a central focus and passion of my work within DOIE. I am committed to cultivating a university community that works collectively and collaboratively to eliminate barriers that limit the full and equitable participation of students, staff, and visitors with disabilities. My vision is one of lasting disability culture change—where programs, services, classes, facilities, and daily operations are universally designed for all of us; where accommodations become obsolete because access is already built in; and where disability identity is recognized as a strength of our diverse community.

Can you share a moment or experience that shaped your passion for equity and inclusion work?

It is difficult to name a single moment, as my "why" has been shaped by a lifetime of experiences that continue to influence and deepen my commitment. As a person with multiple disabilities, a mother of children with disabilities, and a daughter, sister, cousin, colleague, and friend to people with disabilities, disability identity and lived experience have been a constant presence in my life. Experiencing and witnessing barriers, setbacks, exclusion, and bias have continually fueled my passion for advancing disability access and inclusion work. I have dedicated my career to being in service to people with disabilities and have found purpose and belonging in promoting disability awareness, acceptance, and inclusion in higher education, where I believe meaningful and lasting change is possible.  

What is one initiative or project you're currently working on that excites you?

I'd be remiss if I didn't shout "Digital Accessibility" from the rooftops as the answer to this one! I have had the opportunity to work as part of an incredible team across multiple divisional offices on the creation of a roadmap and plan for ensuring that all of UMBC's digital web content is accessible to individuals with disabilities by April 2026, the deadline given by the Department of Justice's final rule updating the regulations of Title II of the ADA. This is exciting as it is a huge step forward in creating an inclusive and welcoming environment for our disability community and a demonstration of our commitment to becoming an inclusively excellent university. We were given a limited timeline and resources to meet this goal, and in true UMBC fashion, the village has come together to make tremendous progress in a short time. I am so proud to be a part of this moment in UMBC history.

Outside of work, what's something that brings you joy or helps you recharge?

Exercise! I'm an avid Pilates and barre lover, I enjoy the gym and group classes, and love the outdoors, hiking, and adventuring with my family. A bad day for me can turn around just like that once the endorphins are flowing.

Can you share a book/quote/movie or something others can engage with from your perspective of inclusive excellence.

"Sometimes the greatest gift you can give another person is to simply include them." -Unknown