The First Year Intervention Program (FYI) is one of the many services that the Learning Resources Center offers to UMBC students. The purpose of the program is twofold: to notify students in their first year at UMBC that they are in danger of receiving a D or F in a certain course and to provide them with resources to improve their grade in that course and preserve their GPA. By alerting students early in the semester, students have the ability to make the necessary changes to improve their grade and become successful in their academic careers. 

When do FYI alerts get sent?

The FYI reporting period for the Fall 2016 semester is scheduled to begin on Monday, October 3, 2016 and end on Friday, November 4, 2016. 

I got an alert, but I’m not in my first year at UMBC

The alert program is designed to notify students in their first year at UMBC; however, instructors have the ability to send alerts to any student who is in danger of receiving a D or F in the course. If you received an alert, it means that your grade is in jeopardy and you should take action immediately.

Help! I got an alert in one of my courses! What should I do?

Your professor sent you an alert because you are in danger of receiving a D or an F in that course. The first thing you should do is to contact your professor to figure out what your exact grade is and what you can do about it. Next, visit our website to see if there’s any services at UMBC that can help you improve your grade.

If I’m in danger of receiving a D or an F, doesn’t that mean I could still be passing?

It is possible, but you could just barely be passing. If you are in a course that has a second level to it (such as MATH 150, or BIOL 141), you MUST receive a C or higher to move on to the next level. If you are trying to fulfill your GEP requirements with a course, you MUST have a C or higher for it to count. This is why we ask professors to let you know if you are in danger of receiving a D.

If you have any further questions about the FYI program, please email us.

Meet Himadri,

She is a double major (Biological Sciences & Interdisciplinary Studies) and an URA Scholar. She is also a Teaching Assistant for the Chemistry Discovery Center and a Tutor for the Learning Resources Center. If research is in your future, Himadri recommends getting started in the process early on so that you have enough time to get involved in a lab, learn and discover if research is your passion. Her future plans are to pursue a career as a physician, possibly specializing in the field of Neurology.

Her research involves in examining stress-induced analgesia (SIA), the phenomenon in which exposure to intense stress suppresses the perception of pain. From an evolutionary perspective, SIA is part of the adaptive fight-or-flight response mediated by the sympathetic nervous system that enhances an individual’s ability to survive a crisis situation; pain suppression is a critical component of this response as it enables individuals to escape a threat even if they have sustained an injury.

Read more about her research here…

Tell us a little about yourself

Hi, I am Da’Kuawn Johnson. I am from Baltimore City and a senior studying Biochemistry & Molecular Biology and Spanish. Besides my studies, I spend the bulk of my time tutoring, doing research, and playing music.

Tell us about how you are involved on campus.

I enjoy helping people in whatever way possible. I am an undergraduate teaching assistant for BIOL 141. I am also a member of both the Meyerhoff Scholars Program and the Honors College. I help out a lot with trying to recruit students. Both programs also promotes giving back to the community. During certain parts of the semester, I will work with other scholars get involved with a community service event. My favorite community service activity that I look forward to every year is working with my fellow scholars and being a special topic judge for Prince George’s Area Science Fair for high school students. I love seeing students excited about science and trying to keep that passion alive.

How and why did you get involved in being a tutor?

I began tutoring for the Learning Resource Center (LRC) and Math my sophomore year. I have been tutoring one-on-one through high school and my freshman year. I started tutoring for the LRC because I loved math and I wanted to help more students do well in these classes like mathematics. After speaking with my MATH 151 professor, she suggested that I should apply to be a Math Lab tutor.

What is your favorite thing about being a tutor?

My favorite thing about tutoring is the amount that I learn as a tutor. A given class that I tutor is never exactly the same every semester. Some professors teach concepts differently, the classes move at different paces from semester to semester, and sometimes the professors choose to cover new topics. In addition to variations of classes, students tend to ask interesting and sometimes complex questions I never would have thought about. The exposure to these variations of classes and thoughts about the material makes me a better tutor and greatly increases my knowledge about the subject material. I think it is cool that you can teach and learn at the same time!

Why should students utilize the tutoring?

Everyone needs help at some point in their educational career. I always tell students that people who seek tutoring are smart. People who need help and do not seek help aren’t as bright as they think they are. Plus, you already PAID for the service, so take advantage of it!

What advice would you give students about how to prepare for a tutoring session?

I believe students should come prepared to work and be involved with their education. Don’t expect the tutor to lecture at them. They should expect the tutor to work WITH them through the material. The goal as a tutor is help the student realize that they can be self-sufficient learners.

When and where can someone work with you through the Learning Resources Center?

You can find me in the Math Lab on the first floor of the library behind the resources desk. I work on Mondays 9am – 11am and 5pm -6pm. I also work 9-11am Tuesday through Thursday.

We are thrilled to announce a new way to earn recognition for your service to the INDS program.... a special cord to wear at graduation signifying the time and talent you provided to Interdisciplinary Studies.

The breakdown will be (but is not limited to) the following ways to earn your service cord. Additional items can be added to the list, and special circumstances for individualized service will be considered.

In order to earn your cord to wear at graduation, students must earn a minimum of 75 points through a series of activities. Cords would be presented to graduates at capstone presentations. After you have completed a service, submit the form on our website. 

Some opportunities may be announced through our myUMBC group page; others will be presented in a Council of Majors meeting. You can also reach out to a staff member in INDS for current opportunities that need your helping hands.

5 pts - take photos at an INDS event and share with INDS staff

5 pts - assist INDS staff, Council of Majors or LLC RA with set-up for an event

5 pts - assist INDS staff, Council of Majors or LLC RA with clean up for an event

10 pts - write an article (~250 words) for the INDS newsletter

10 pts - take photos and write a photo story (~250 words) about an INDS event

10 pts - spend an hour writing thank you notes to those who contribute to INDS

10 pts - represent INDS for one hour at an Admissions event

15 pts - spend 1.5 hrs help to plan and execute a CoM event under the leadership of a CoM officer or the individual responsible for planning the event

15 pts per meeting - accept invitation and participate in the Mock ISC (includes 30 minutes preparatory reading and 1 hour of participation)

20 pts - serve as an officer for one semester in the INDS Council of Majors

20 pts - plan and execute an event with the management of other CoM members for the INDS Council of Majors

20 pts - mentor an INDS student formally through the INDS Peer Mentoring Program