Dear UMBC Faculty, Staff, and Graduate Students,

I am excited to announce two members of our UMBC community who will join The Graduate School's leadership team on January 26, 2026.

Dr. Ravi Kuber (he/him) will serve as the Associate Dean for Graduate Education. Dr. Kuber started at UMBC in 2008 and is currently an Associate Professor in the Department of Information Systems. His research examines the ways in which the sense of touch can be leveraged to support access to interfaces when the user's visual channel is blocked, restricted or overloaded. Examples of activities include designing solutions to better match the needs and abilities of individuals who are blind, older adults, and individuals with situational impairments. Dr. Kuber has served in various leadership positions including Graduate Program Director for Human Centered Computing and most recently, Undergraduate Program Director for Business Technology Administration. As a leader and scholar, he focuses on access and student success and will bring a depth of experience to this crucial position within The Graduate School. Dr. Kuber received his Ph.D. from Queen's University Belfast, Northern Ireland, and M.Sc. and B.Sc. degrees from University College London, UK.

Dr. Sundiata "Sunji" Jangha (he/him) will serve as the Senior Assistant Dean for Academic Affairs and Special Initiatives. Dr. Jangha started at UMBC in 2008 and currently serves as the Director of Pipeline Programs within the Office of Academic Opportunity Programs and The Graduate School. He oversees the Upward Bound Math and Science Center and actively recruits and supports undergraduate students in STEM fields and graduate students across all disciplines. In this newly repurposed position, Dr. Jangha brings extensive experience necessary to bridge the critical gap between graduate student admission and degree completion by establishing and sustaining initiatives that support academic excellence, broaden participation, and accelerate progress through key milestones. He earned his B.S. degree with high honors from North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University and an M.S. degree from Georgia Institute of Technology, both in mechanical engineering. He also earned his M.P.P. and Ph.D. in Public Policy from UMBC, specializing in quantitative evaluation and analytical methods. His Ph.D. work focused on STEM college student success through developmental math pathways. Dr. Jangha has been nationally recognized for his ongoing commitment to empowering students to succeed.

I want to formally thank Dr. Robin Cresiski and Shirl Curtis for their service in leading these searches, as well as their effort and commitment to The Graduate School and to graduate students during this time of transition. Thank you also, to all The Graduate School staff members and graduate students who participated and shared their feedback for these two important roles.  

Please join me in welcoming Drs. Kuber and Jangha!

Thank you,

Dr. Christa Porter

Vice Provost & Dean

Grants Review Panel (GRP) Committee

Mission: Review and evaluate GSA grant applications for research and travel support.

We are recruiting 1 member with strong attention to detail and accountability. You need to have at least one semester completed to be a part of this committee.

Responsibilities:

• Review and track applications using Microsoft Excel or Google Sheets

• Maintain accurate records

• Attend all committee meetings

• Communicate promptly and meet deadlines

• Open to all graduate students.

Skills Needed: Proficiency in Excel (pivot tables, formulas, formatting)
Time Commitment: 3–4 hours/week
Ideal for analytical and detail-oriented individuals with strong communication skills.

Fill the following form by January 14, 2026

GRP COMMITTEE FORM

College of Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences (CAHSS) Senators

The Graduate School invites UMBC faculty and staff to apply for the inaugural Janet C. Rutledge Graduate Student Well-Being Award, which supports innovative, research-informed projects that promote sustainable graduate student well-being.

One proposal will be selected annually to receive up to $3,500 for programming costs and/or a stipend. Projects may address one or more areas of graduate student well-being, including sense of purpose, financial security, belonging, faculty mentoring, or student-centered academic structures. Priority will be given to projects with impact beyond the award period.

Deadline to apply: February 20
Award announced: Spring 2026 at the GSA Awards Ceremony

Eligibility, proposal guidelines, and submission details are available through the Graduate School website: https://gradschool.umbc.edu/janet-c-rutledge-graduate-student-well-being-award/.

For questions, contact Dr. Robin Cresiski, rcresisk@umbc.edu. 

Hello! 

We are looking for a cohort of students to participate in UMBC's Intercultural Engagement Prep course. This course is designed to grow students' intercultural competency and skills.  The course also serves as the orientation for students interested in UMBC's Peace Corps Prep Program.   

This program is open to:

• International students

• Future or returned study abroad students

• Students interested in applying to the Peace Corps or similar international service programs after graduation

• Students who have an interest in preparing for other international or intercultural experiences or development careers

• Students who want to prepare themselves as global citizens in a multicultural world 

As a participant in the Intercultural Engagement Prep pilot program, students will:

• Meet other globally-minded students at UMBC;

• Develop your critical analytical skills;

• Increase your cultural self-awareness and critically reflect on your own unconscious bias;

• Develop strategies to improve your intercultural communication and how you'll apply it in your future career;

• Recognize cultural differences, commonalities, perceptions, power and privilege dynamics, and how they can lead to conflict; and

• Understand the importance of intercultural dialogue and intercultural citizenship competencies for fostering social justice.

This non-credit/no-fee course, PRAC 103 (course # 6928), will meet twice in the Spring 2026 semester at a mutually agreeable time, but the majority of the course is accessed through asynchronous learning. Students will be required to attend two globally themed events or activities and will also have independent assignments to complete in Blackboard. Upon successful completion of the program, participants will earn two digital badges titled Increasing Cultural Self-Awareness and Reinforcing Intercultural Dialogue. 

Both undergraduate and graduate students may register for the course under PRAC 103 and course number 6391.