Dionne Cole is a double major in Biological Sciences and Social Work who will graduate in May 2025.

Title of your project: Evaluating the Impact of Retriever Essentials on UMBC students  

How did you find the research opportunity?

My mentor is Dr. Laura Ting from the School of Social Work. The semester before I applied for the URA, I took a class called Social Work Research with Dr. Ting where I fell in love with the concept of research in a social sciences setting and grew in curiosity about its application. I expressed my interest of doing research to Dr. Ting and she placed the Undergraduate Research Award (URA) on my radar, however I did not have a specific research topic until my involvement with Retriever Essentials. At Retriever Essentials I learned about the prevalence of food insecurity on college campuses. I became invested in examining Retriever Essentials impact on combating food insecurity at UMBC and decided to focus my research on that.

What was the hardest part about your research? 

Prior to beginning research, I didn’t anticipate the variability in timeline for research. I thought I knew how much time it would take to get all the different steps done (such as proper training, getting all my materials together, IRB approval, etc…) but everything took longer than I expected. At first this was very frustrating for me due to my perfectionist tendencies, but thanks to my mentor and a friend in research, I have learned to embrace changes in my timeline and be flexible. In fact, I have found that things not going as planned gives me an opportunity to reassess and revaluate my methodology before I am too entrenched in the process.

What is the most rewarding part of your research, and how do you plan to disseminate it?

 With every qualitative interview I conduct where a student shares with me their personal experience with Retriever Essentials or an idea they have to improve the program, I get excited because I anticipate that their contributions are going to have a profound impact on the provision of Retriever Essentials services and food insecurity at UMBC. Oddly enough, I am eager to get to the end because I want to see the fruit of my labor and everyone’s contributions. The plan is not just to present the findings at URCAD and to Retriever Essentials leaders but also, as a joint project with a friend who is conducting similar research on food insecurity, but also to UMBC administration. Our hope is to create lasting change in eliminating food insecurity at UMBC.  

How does this research experience relate to your work in other classes?

Currently, I am taking a class called Medical Case Studies where I, along with my group members, integrate our knowledge of our respective disciplines to design and present our own novel case studies. Specifically, I am integrating my social work and public health knowledge surrounding the topic of food insecurity. Our case follows a middle-aged man who contracts a food borne illness due to living in a food desert. The end of the case uses the evaluative research I have conducted from Retriever Essentials to suggest sustainable practices and outlines the roles various levels of society can play in addressing food insecurity and eliminating food deserts.

What is your advice to other students about getting involved in research?  

I think a good approach to beginning research is finding a topic that you are interested in or passionate about and then exploring undiscovered aspects, knowledge gaps, or potential research benefits for those connected to the topic. In my opinion, this initial approach is beneficial because it will foster a genuine interest in your research, increasing your commitment to its success. It also gives you an opportunity to not reinvent the wheel and explore new areas of research which could have significant implications.

 Abstract:

Food insecurity is a socioeconomic condition of having limited or uncertain access to enough food. For college students, food insecurity can lead to poorer psychosocial and physical health, lower grade point average, and a higher dropout rate. UMBC’s Retrieval Essentials is a free food access program whose mission is to address college food insecurity by developing a comprehensive program of nutritional food resources for students who are experiencing food insecurity, such as a food pantry and the farmer’s market. Their hope is that by providing various food secure services, the academic retention and career success of UMBC students will improve. The research aims to understand the type and frequency of Retriever Essentials services being used by students and to learn how satisfied students are with the services, what additional needs students have, and any improvement that can be made to current services for these students. In hopes of enhancing the provision and planning of Retriever Essential services.

Deadline is today!

Original post:

Welcome to the Spring 2025 semester. Please consider nominating yourself for the position of Graduate Student Association Elections Committee Co-Chair!

Eligibility

The Elections Committee will be co-chaired by:

• [clarified] A current GSA Senator or Executive Council member.
• A graduate student who is not currently an officer of the GSA in a role of either the “officers of the cabinet,” or a position as “committee chair,” or “senator.”

Please note! You will be ineligible to run for any other positions in GSA in the spring 2025 elections if you chair or serve on this committee. This is an excellent opportunity for anyone planning to graduate in 2025 (since as a result you would be ineligible to run anyway).

Roles and Responsibilities

1. Oversight of Elections: The committee will oversee all aspects of the election process, from candidate registration to campaigning, voting, and the announcement of results.
2. Rule-Making: The committee will establish clear rules for elections, including eligibility requirements, campaign regulations, and voting procedures. These rules will be reviewed annually and made publicly available to all students.
3. Candidate Vetting: The committee will ensure that all candidates meet eligibility criteria and adhere to campaign guidelines.
4. Complaint Resolution: The committee will have the authority to receive, review, and resolve any complaints related to the election process. Decisions made by the committee in this regard will be final.
5. Publication of Results: The committee will be responsible for the transparent and timely publication of election results.

Once the Committee has completed these responsibilities (likely no later than April 2025), your service would end.

As a member of the GSA Executive Council, you would be in a position of service and support to the GSA. If you are elected, you will be expected to begin work immediately and to work for approximately 7 hours per week. You must be able to participate in online meetings every Monday from 12:30-2 PM and, once a month, on Friday from 12-2 PM. As part of this job, you will be responsible for collaborating with other members of the GSA Executive Council, attending important GSA events, and other duties as required. You will receive a stipend for your work.

Nomination Process
To nominate yourself, please submit your name, student ID number, photograph/headshot, brief biography (50-100 words), and statement as to your qualifications and interest in the role (100-300 words), by Monday, 3 Feb 2025. If you are qualified according to the Graduate School, you should participate in the election, which will take place during the GSA Special Senate meeting on 14 Feb 2025 from 1-2 PM EST (online). Depending on the number of applicants, you may be able to give a speech and/or answer questions before the vote that day.

Here is the link to self-nominate:
https://forms.gle/j3vhKPquX5DKHwoC9

You will need to be logged into your UMBC account (and you may need to log out of other Gmail accounts) to access it.

Please email me at gsapresident@umbc.edu if you have any questions.

Applications are due Friday, February 7^th. You will need one letter of recommendation, which must be received by the deadline.

I have confirmed that students graduating in May 2025 are also eligible.

As we begin this new semester, we want to highlight a few key updates and resources to help you support our students with disabilities. Here's what you need to know:

• Updated Spring 2025 Memo: The new memo for working with SDS and supporting students with disabilities is now available on our SDS Faculty Resources Webpage. 

• Recording of 1/29 Faculty Session: If you missed our session "I Got an Accommodation Letter, Now What?", we're uploading the recording to our Faculty Blackboard organization shell, where you'll find additional resources. Access the session recording by self-enrolling in our Blackboard Shell.

• Upcoming Events: We encourage you to participate in the following events throughout the semester:

  • Accessibility Walk & Roll Tours (monthly)
  • Assistive Technology Demos (monthly)
  • Inclusive Excellence in Action: A session on Disability Awareness and Inclusion will be held on April 8th.

• Join the Sunflower Initiative: Be part of supporting students with hidden disabilities. Learn more and get involved here.

• Look Ahead: Stay tuned for our upcoming Faculty Accessibility Challenge, which will help raise awareness and highlight best practices in accessibility.

• Testing Services Reminder: Our testing hours and location remain the same. 

• Location: Math/Psychology Building, Room 212 and UC Testing Room
• Monday, Thursday, & Friday: 9:00 AM - 4:00 PM
• Tuesday & Wednesday: 9:00 AM - 6:00 PM

Please remind students to schedule their accommodated exams and tests in advance to ensure a smooth process.

Thank you for your continued support and commitment to creating an inclusive environment for all students! We look forward to working with you this semester.