Hi everyone! Hope to see you there!
Have questions, ideas, or concerns about graduate student life at UMBC? Want to learn more about upcoming initiatives or share your feedback directly with GSA leadership?
Join the GSA President during weekly office hours! This is your opportunity to:
Ask questions about GSA policies, events, and funding.
Share your experiences and suggestions.
Connect with leadership in an open, welcoming space.
Your voice matters—stop by, even if it's just to say hello!
Commons 308
Every Wednesday, 12:00 PM – 1:00 PM
Fall 2025 Humanities Forum, the Dresher Center for the Humanities presents
Johanna Toruño is a Salvadoran-born, community-taught visual artist who uses the streets as a public platform and gallery. Raised in San Salvador until being displaced to the US at age 10, she is inspired by her experiences growing up in the aftermath of the civil war to use poster work as a medium to self-express and center a queer migrant lens. As she explains, “political art is the people’s art as it has been used for many generations.” In this talk, Toruño will discuss how she utilizes street art as a tool of resistance.
Johanna Toruño is the founder of The Unapologetic Street Series, a street art series that is exhibited at public spaces, such as walls, utility posts, and mailboxes. Her bold imagery and statements, often adorned in lush florals, celebrate queer, working class, and immigrant communities. Through her work, Toruño challenges social norms and centers messages of self-reflection and self-acceptance. Using a soft aesthetic with colors that remind her of home, Toruño brings storytelling and a chance for her audience to re-learn and decolonize their own self to accessible spaces. Her political and social messages highlight topics of reimagining norms, and the joy of holding space for collective liberation. Johanna is a TED speaker and lecturer at Universities like Stanford, Princeton, Columbia, and others. Johanna's work has been featured in The New York Times, Teen Vogue, NPR, Nylon, and more. Johanna lives and works in Los Angeles with her partner and 2 dogs. If she's not wheat pasting, she's cooking.
To RSVP and for more information, see the original post here.
Co-sponsored by the Center for Innovation, Research, and Creativity in the Arts; the Center for Social Justice Dialogue; the Department of Gender, Women’s, + Sexuality Studies; the Latin American Feminisms Faculty Working Group; the Latin American Studies Minor; the Latinx and Hispanic Faculty Association; The Mosaic: Center for Cultural Diversity; and the Orser Center for Public Humanities.
This event is 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.
We've got a great lineup of games waiting for you—Codenames, Sequence, Sushi Go Party, Exploding Kittens, and more! Also, chances to win great cash prizes!
Whether you're a board game pro or just looking to unwind, this is the perfect chance to connect, laugh, and have fun. Don't miss it—bring your friends and join the fun!
Join the Student Affairs Senators on Tuesday, September 23 from 11am – 1pm in Commons 331 for Paint N’ Chat. This is a chance to explore the many resources UMBC offers while enjoying a fun, creative break!
Featured campus resources include:
Retriever Integrated Health
The Women’s Center
Retriever Essentials
Student Technology Resources
The Academic Success Center
Location: Commons 331
Date & Time: Tuesday, September 23, 11am – 1pm
Come paint, chat, and connect with the offices dedicated to supporting your success at UMBC!
]]>The October Dissertation House will be held on October 2nd and 3rd at UMBC, Commons Building, Room 329.
What is Dissertation House?
This is a free, two-day, writing-intensive event designed for all master's and Ph.D. students working on a significant writing project, whether it's a master's thesis, a research publication, a doctoral research proposal, or a dissertation. We've created a space to help you focus, free from distractions, and to give you the dedicated time you need to make significant progress.
Two Levels of Engagement
We are offering two different options to ensure you get the support that's right for you. All participants will work in the same space and attend workshops tailored to the academic progress of those in attendance. These workshops are designed to help you overcome writing roadblocks, improve your relationship with your advisors, learn project management skills, identify resources, etc.
Level 1: The Writing Intensive
This is a two-day event from 9 AM to 4 PM, providing a dedicated writing space and an accountability group to help you stay on track. This is ideal for students who face challenges setting aside focused time for their writing. You must plan to attend both days, full-time.
Level 2: Personalized Coaching (Not required to participate, but very beneficial, and limited space is available- 10 spots!)
In addition to participating in everything from the Level 1 Writing Intensive, Level 2 participants will get personalized support from our dissertation coach. Our coach provides specialized, one-on-one assistance to students completing a master's thesis or doctoral dissertation. To be eligible for Level 2, you will complete a supplemental part of the Dissertation House interest form that asks you to upload a writing sample. This gives the coach an idea of your writing style and how to tailor support for you. The coaching session helps you overcome writing challenges, improve productivity, and opens the door to keep working with the coach for the rest of the year after attending Dissertation House, for free!
Important Details
Space is limited due to room capacity, so please fill out this easy-to-complete form to let us know you are interested in attending. Please save the dates and plan to attend the full two days. We know it's a significant time commitment, but it has proven to be incredibly effective for those who need a focused environment to advance their writing.
Here's what previous participants had to say about the event:
"I have achieved more this week than I would have in a typical month. Having professionals on-hand to assist me, and having structured time to do the work has been invaluable." (Carter-Veale et al., 2016).
"I had nothing on paper, I now have an overall outline and I feel that I will be able to get finished now. This workshop has helped me become 'unblocked.' I have been at UMBC for 4 ½ years and was in danger of just quitting." (Carter-Veale et al., 2016).
Decisions will be made by September 26th, so we are closing the application on September 25th.
We look forward to seeing you there!
If you have questions or need particular accommodations, please email us at promise@umbc.edu.
All GSPD services and programs 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.
Looking to get more connected as a graduate student? Join us RIGHT NOW, Monday 9/22, from 12–2 PM on Commons Main Street for a special Graduate Student Organization (GSO) edition of Mini Involvement Fest!
This is your chance to:
✅ Meet current Graduate Student Organizations (GSOs)
✅ Meet your Graduate Student Association (GSA) representatives
✅ Learn how to get involved in the graduate student community
✅ Build connections beyond the classroom and lab
Stop by, say hi, and find the group that's right for you—because graduate life is better when you're connected!
Grab your free sweatshirt!
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