In a sparsely wooded expanse just off Hilltop Circle, engines rev and dirt flies. Drivers whoop as they steer through trees, clear rocks, traverse ditches, and accelerate down steep hills. You might expect UMBC Police would be handing out tickets for such shenanigans—but this is officially sanctioned fun. It’s all part of the annual Faculty and Staff Drive Day, hosted by UMBC’s Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) Baja racing team on Halloween this year.

On the grass, an array of single-seat, off-road vehicles sit parked, showcasing the skills of the UMBC team, whose 20 or so student members pull together to design, build, and race a new car each year. On Drive Day, adventurous UMBC community members and industry sponsors are invited to feel the thrill of hopping behind the wheel. 

The club takes safety seriously. Drivers don a neck restraint, helmet, goggles, and gloves. They are buckled in with a 5-point harness and slip their hands through wrist restraints that will keep their arms inside the vehicle at all times. If things get really hairy, there’s a kill switch that shuts off the engine. 

Plenty of team volunteers are on hand to calm nerves, free stuck vehicles, and fill empty gas tanks. When a suspension arm on one of the cars gets bent in a run-in with a tree, the team grabs tools, lifts up the vehicle, and swaps in a new arm. 

“I want two things: for people to be safe and for them to have fun,” says Shawn Pourifarsi, a junior computer engineering major and co-vice president of the club. 

For two Residential Life staffers who stopped by for the first time, the event was a great success on both counts. “It was terrifyingly fun,” says Marnea Shamblen, an administrative assistant. “What a rush,” agrees her colleague Grace Collins, the residential education and leadership coordinator, still savoring the adrenaline kick. “I give it a 10 out of 10.”

JUST ANNOUNCED! 

See the short film "A Shared Story of Distance" by UMBC international student Giovanna Orfali (Visual Arts, '26) before the screening of "Brief Tender Light". More information on the films here. 

NEXT WEEK: join the Center for Global Engagement at these international events! 

Meet Adriana Torres. Adriana is a psychology major who has wanted to be a teacher ever since she was in school at Lakeland Elementary/Middle School. She decided to attend UMBC without ever visiting the campus because of the Sherman Scholars Program, which supports and prepares high-quality teachers for urban schools. In her spare time, Adriana enjoys baking, binge-watching her favorite TV shows, and meeting new people. Take it away, Adriana!

Q: What is your WHY? What brought you to UMBC?

A: I came to UMBC because of the abundant opportunities it provides in terms of educational support, both financially and in tangible classwork support. But beyond that, I believed that UMBC could help me reach my goal—becoming a teacher. I’ve always known that I wanted to be a teacher. I grew up looking up to my teachers because of how much they cared and wanted to help me in whatever way they could, even beyond schoolwork. Both of my parents are also teachers, so that sparked my interest in teaching as well.

What drew me to UMBC specifically was their Sherman Scholars program. I didn’t know much about UMBC when I was first applying here. To be honest, I had never even visited the campus before I decided to come here. However, knowing that there would be a community of people who would support and help me work towards my dreams and aspirations was what motivated me to be here. 

Q: Where have you found support in the UMBC community?

A: Some of the most influential people during my time at UMBC have been the mentors and leaders of the Sherman Program. With their willingness to help and kind affirmations, I have felt so supported and encouraged to continue on my journey to be a teacher. They have given me more direction in terms of where I want to head in my teacher journey.

Q: What do you love most about the Sherman Scholars program?

A: I love being a Sherman Scholar because it’s bringing me closer to my future goal of being a teacher. It’s also allowing me to gain a deeper understanding of how to interact with students more effectively. One part of my story that is unique is the fact that I actually graduated from Lakeland Elementary/Middle School, which has a close relationship with the Sherman Scholars Program. Lakeland was a great school for me. My mom taught there for all my life, so I grew up in that community. I always felt supported by my teachers, and it eventually solidified my desire to become a teacher.

Throughout high school, I maintained my ambition by attending a school with a pathway to becoming a teacher as well. Finally, I made my way to UMBC, where I again feel incredibly encouraged to work towards my goal of being a teacher.

Q: What’s the one thing you’d want someone who hasn’t joined the UMBC community?

A: One thing that I would want someone to know about the UMBC community is that no matter what, there will always be opportunities here that will push you to be your best and provide appropriate guidance to help you along the way. The most important thing to remember is that you have to be the one reaching out for help.

As an adult, it is always your responsibility to be the one to better yourself, as others around you do not know what you are struggling with. But once you ask for help, staff, faculty, and students will gladly help you whenever possible. A great example of this is the Academic Success Center. Here, a variety of resources are offered, such as tutoring and advising.

Q: Are you part of any clubs?

A: I am on the board of the club Best Buddies. The main goal of this club is to connect people with intellectual or developmental disabilities with people to form lifelong friendships. I truly love this club, not just because of the amazing cause but also because the people who are a part of the club are so warmhearted and caring. I genuinely enjoy every meeting we all have together because of the energy and personalities of the club members.

* * * * *

UMBC’s greatest strength is its people. When people meet Retrievers and hear about the passion they bring, the relationships they create, the ways they support each other, and the commitment they have to inclusive excellence, they truly get a sense of our community. That’s what “Meet a Retriever” is all about.

Learn more about how UMBC can help you achieve your goals.

In early 2025, thousands of U.S. federal workers were unexpectedly laid off, many living in the Washington, D.C., Maryland, Virginia (DMV) area. Patrick Shirdon ’92, economics, a civil servant of 33 years, was among those left to grapple with the uncertainty and frustration of restarting a career. While searching for resources, he found UMBC’s Paws & Pivot free webinar series, where career development experts share concrete skills on resume writing, interview preparation, navigating a tech-centered job market, and more.

“After losing my job, I didn’t know what to do. I was just so happy to find something to do—and this series became so much more than that for me,” wrote Shirdon in an email to Rex Jarrett, the director of professional programs in UMBC’s Division of Professional Studies (DPS). 

“Growing up in Montgomery County, being part of the DMV, I knew a lot of people whose parents were federal workers,” says Jarrett. “Many of my friends followed in those footsteps and were impacted by the layoffs.” The 2024 annual Maryland employment statistics report totaled the Maryland workforce at 2,764,497 people. Of these, some 530,257 workers, or 19.2 percent, were employed by federal, State, and local governments in the public sector.” Those impacted were asking for help to access new professional networks via Facebook and LinkedIn after decades of serving their country,” Jarrett noticed.

With skills in webinar development, Jarrett knew this format could quickly serve a wide audience. He reached out to Jill Barr, then associate vice provost and assistant dean of the Graduate School, and Julie Gilless, assistant vice provost for marketing in DPS, with an idea for a job skills development webinar series. What began as an idea grew into a conversation, and with the full support of Barr and Gilless, became a call to action. 

Gathering the Paws & Pivot pack

Jarrett came to UMBC in fall 2024 after more than half a decade leading the Harvard Business Analytics Program. He was excited to return home to Maryland and put his expertise in career growth and community engagement to work for the greater good. Jarrett is passionate about his work because it helps him answer a question that is always on his mind—How can I make the world a better place? He did not anticipate that the answer would come so soon after joining UMBC, nor that it would involve hundreds of federal workers. 

Quickly, the team created the Impacted Federal Workers Think Tank Committee and agreed that the series would be free for everyone—regardless of a UMBC affiliation—and remain accessible on the division’s YouTube channel. Thanks to DPS’s Rashad Cheeks, associate director of marketing, and Theresa Mabe, marketing data manager, the series received a memorable name and logo. The first episode of Paws & Pivot, “Building Your Digital Brand,” aired on Wednesday, April 16, 2025, and featured Rowena Winkler, assistant director for graduate student career development. 

Subsequent episodes were co-hosted by a cadre of UMBC supporters, including the Alex. Brown Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation, the Career Center, and the Department of Education.  Community partners also joined the effort. Batul Sadiq, owner of BHS Image Consulting based in Gaithersburg, Maryland, hosted the 11th episode, “First Impressions Matter: Dress The Part, Brand With Intention.” The Paws & Pivot team is heartened by the wonderful response, says Jarrett, as well as the steady stream of new volunteers eager to get involved. And the impact is real. 

A few months after tuning into a Paws & Pivot webinar, Shirdon reached out to Jarrett: “Today, I attended my orientation day with the human resources team at my new organization. It has been 33 years since I was a ‘new’ employee!” wrote Shirdon. 

Award-winning programming

Since launching in April, Paws & Pivot has hosted 15 sessions, amassed 150 registered participants, and engaged with over 900 impacted federal workers and government contractors. Over 90 percent of attendees say they would recommend the series to other impacted federal workers. The University Professional and Continuing Education Association (UPCEA) has nominated Paws & Pivot for their “2026 UPCEA Regional Program Award‘ as a Mid-Atlantic educational program that focuses on addressing a regional need. Jarrett notes that the initiative has become a model of regional engagement, scalable virtual learning, and social impact, grounded in the values of continuing education, career resiliency, and access.

“Paws & Pivot was/is amazing. In addition to the wonderful, technical information taught at the Wednesday sessions, an unintended benefit for me was the ability to have an event on my calendar. It gave me something to look forward to, and truthfully, I learned a lot,” writes Shirdon. “I certainly had my share of ups and downs, more downs than ups. But UMBC’s effort was an absolute blessing for me. Now, I just have to go and do great stuff! Ball in my court.”

Paws & Pivot’s 16th episode will air at noon on Wednesday, November 12, 2025.

Strolling through campus, you might have noticed the blend of architectural styles, with a strong leaning toward brick brutalism (nicknamed “brickalism”), normalized in the 1960s; a typical look for a chemistry or engineering building. But you’ve probably wondered why the Fine Arts building doesn’t look so “artsy”?

From the outside, it may appear like a stereotypical late 60s/early 70s college building. But inside, you’ll find brilliant creative minds hard at work, taking photos, painting, or rendering animations. Now, thanks to UMBC’s new Arts+ initiative, a public art installation by the Cheeky Magpie Collective—made up of more than 20 alumni and current UMBC artists—is transforming the windows of the first four floors of the Fine Arts Building. The bold colors and patterns give visitors an idea of the artistic processes and world-expanding learning that’s going on behind the facade.

“The Fine Arts Building was really integral to our development, not only as designers but as growing students, and now alumni. All the effort we put into this design is a direct reflection of how amazing all the people in the building are,” says Thomas Hammond ’25, design, a member of the artist collective.

Funding for creative endeavors

This fall, UMBC launched Arts+ to celebrate and connect our vibrant and multifaceted arts scene throughout campus and with the region. Through this initiative, funding was allocated for a public art installation. The Cheeky Magpie Collective’s pitch to install a window treatment on the Fine Arts Building, where many of them spent most of their undergraduate career, was accepted. Collective members Gwen Knott ’25, design, and Jayden Rhodes ’25, design, were the lead designers of the project, with administrators Jalen Boyd ’25, design,Hammond, and Ni Truong ’25, design.

“I taught with the students who are now the Cheeky Magpie Collective in one of our capstone design classes,” says Kelley Bell, M.F.A. ’06, imaging and digital arts, the visual arts coordinator for Arts+. “It’s almost magical to see what we at UMBC have taught them in action. This was a fantastic opportunity for visual arts and UMBC to shine and give visitors to the campus and our UMBC community a new way to see our campus.”

Members of the collective say that by showcasing the Fine Arts Building in an attention-calling way puts a crack in the perception of UMBC as “just a STEM school,” bringing the groundbreaking art by UMBC students and faculty out into the light. The building and the faculty working inside were “great creative inspirations to the collective as student designers,” says Hammond. The art installation highlights this creativity, becoming a beacon of encouragement and inspiration for emerging artists.

A meaningful mark

“I knew this project would be perfect to support a group of alums who are doing something exceptional in forming this collective,” says Bell who was the coordinator and art director for the job, “but the design and thinking behind that design was all theirs,” she adds.

“It felt like we were able to really contribute to the university and leave a meaningful mark on what arts can do for a community and how we can use it to build up our already pretty great university,” says Boyd.

The visual style is a fusion of different inspirations, selected for their use of pattern, color, repeating motifs, and geometric and organic forms. The primary inspirations were the Arquitectonica style, and artist Sol LeWitt’s wall drawings which are characterized by their bold use of color and form and exacting geometric precision, and finally, in line with the modern influences of UMBC, the Memphis and post-modern style which was emblematic of the 1980s.

While the design was handled by the members of the Cheeky Magpie Collective, the print and installation was done by the UMBC Facilities Management Sign Shop on cut vinyl.

“UMBC is about the community,” says Truong. “It just makes you feel like it’s home because they’re always trying to give back and looking to support local companies and businesses like the Cheeky Magpie Collective. And this is our way of giving back.”

Picture the most advanced technology and certain qualities probably spring to mind: maybe metallic and sleek, with glowing lights and big digital screens. 

The researchers at the Center for Advanced Sensor Technology (CAST) at UMBC, however, have a different adjective they aim for when designing tech: dirt cheap.

For these scientists and engineers, inexpensive doesn’t mean low-quality—it means challenging traditional ways of thinking to produce affordable and reliable products that meet vital needs. Toward this end, a CAST research team recently debuted a new environmental sensor made out of simple balsa wood sheets—the kind you could buy at a craft store for a few dollars. The wood was cut and assembled to make a central well to hold samples and channels for the electrochemical components of the sensor to be inserted. The researchers coated the wood to make it waterproof and stuck it together with wood glue. 

Inexpensive and sustainable

Choosing wood served two purposes: making the sensor low-cost and also environmentally friendly. 

“Sustainability was very important to us,” says Revati Kadolkar, a Ph.D. student in chemical engineering who is working on the project. Kadolkar is advised by professors Govind Rao, who directs CAST, and Douglas Frey in the department of chemical, biochemical, and environmental engineering (CBEE). “Using wood instead of plastic for the structural skeleton of the sensor was a key step toward that sustainability,” she says.

In collaboration with another UMBC team from the Center for Urban Environmental Research and Education led by CBEE professor Claire Welty, the CAST team tested the sensor in the field by measuring nitrate levels in streams in the Gwynns Falls watershed near Baltimore. Nitrate is a pollutant, often linked to agricultural activities, that can cause gut cancer, birth defects and a condition called methemoglobinemia, also known as the blue baby syndrome. Its concentration in tap water in the U.S. is regulated by the Safe Drinking Water Act. The accuracy of the sensor’s readings was on par with traditional equipment that cost hundreds of times more money, the researchers say. 

Testing in the lab, the team also found the sensor worked well across a range of conditions, including wide variations in temperature and pH levels, and continued to operate well for more than a year. 

A more comprehensive view of the world

Driving down the cost of technology should drive up its impact. Cheaper sensors could be deployed in higher numbers, yielding a more comprehensive view of the world and spotting potential problems earlier. 

“Let’s say you want to map the whole Chesapeake Bay and know every hour if there is contamination and how it is traveling down the bay,” says Venkatesh Srinivasan, a research associate professor at CAST who also worked on the project. “You can get these details more easily if you have lower-cost sensors.”

Spreading the benefits of science and technology to resource-limited communities has been a driving force behind CAST research for decades. The team has also developed low-cost infant incubators and a suitcase-sized device to make medicine on-demand. 

For now, the sensor operates by analyzing droplets of water added to its central well. Going forward, the team would like to create a sensor that could be submerged in the water and report continuous measurements.  

They are already working with the Maryland company NanoForge Systems to commercialize the new nitrate sensor. 

“Translating science into innovative products that can help people is what really excites me about this work,” Kadolkar says.

Maggie Williams ’24, physics, is a second-year physics Ph.D. student, a Quantum Science Institute (QSI) Graduate Fellow, and an officer in the Physics Graduate Student Association (PGSA). In her research with Sebastian Deffner, associate professor of physics, she studies biological processes at a microscopic scale, where the physics of atomic interactions—including quantum effects—come into play. Outside the lab, Maggie enjoys playing guitar, listening to music, hiking, and reading. 

On November 6, Maggie is giving an interactive live demo of quantum key distribution, where participants can experience firsthand how quantum physics makes eavesdropping detectable and secure communication possible. All are welcome. Take it away, Maggie! 

Q: What brought you to UMBC for graduate school, and how did your path at UMBC begin?

A: I applied to graduate school because I wasn’t done learning. As a UMBC undergraduate, my first upper-level physics course was Thermal and Statistical Physics, taught by Dr. Deffner. It was very challenging, but it sparked my interest in statistical physics, and soon I began sitting in on Dr. Deffner’s research group meetings to learn more about the field and what research involves. Not long after, I completed a research project under his guidance and presented a poster at UMBC’s 2023 Undergraduate Research and Creative Achievement Day.

Working with Dr. Deffner led me to begin reading current papers and graduate texts to better understand my work, which only made me want to learn more. Since I already knew about the strong, close-knit community at UMBC from my undergraduate experience, choosing UMBC for graduate school felt like the best option for my success. 

Earning my bachelor’s degree was not without challenges, though. After struggling through classes during the COVID-19 pandemic, I felt burned out and unsure about continuing my education, so I took a gap semester in spring 2022 to complete an internship at the tourism organization Visit Baltimore. After some time in the corporate world, I decided to finish my bachelor’s degree and returned to UMBC that fall. During my time away, UMBC advisors and faculty checked in and helped map out a clear path to graduating, which made my transition feel more manageable.

Q: Tell us about your current research and what fascinates you about it.

A: I study nonequilibrium statistical physics, which uses mathematics to model systems heavily affected by randomness. Right now, I’m finishing a project on small, active processes inside cells that are not in balance, with a particular focus on how cells copy information from DNA to RNA, and how tiny errors can build up as an organism ages. Because cells are so small, their behavior is naturally random, and events in the cell that are far apart in time barely affect each other.

That makes Markovian dynamics, which assumes the next step of a system depends only on its current state, a good framework for modeling these systems. This project also provides a simple testbed for future studies that aim to model microscopic biological processes.

In my graduate work, the idea that mathematics, combined with physical intuition, can effectively model complex quantum systems continues to fascinate me. I plan to focus my Ph.D. research on quantum many-body systems, which are large groups of tiny particles (like electrons or atoms) that follow quantum rules (such as being able to act like waves or exist in multiple states at once) and whose behaviors are tightly interconnected, so you have to consider how they all influence each other at the quantum level.

Q: What do you love about UMBC’s physics program and the community that supports you?

A: One thing I love about my program is its small-but-mighty community, which makes it easy to reach professors or senior grad students for support, advice, or just a chat. My cohort has inspired me to push toward my goals and has been a steady support network when classes or work get overwhelming, so I’m genuinely grateful for my peers at UMBC.

Q: How is being part of QSI benefiting your Ph.D.?

A: QSI fosters a welcoming community across disciplines that has helped me learn about fields I might not otherwise have the chance to explore. It also provides practical support, from funding for research materials and supplementary textbooks to travel support for conferences and meetings, and it offers chances to lead academic seminars!

Q: How are you involved on campus, and what do you enjoy about it?

A: I serve on the PGSA council. It’s a great way to boost morale among first- and second-year students, encourage socializing outside of class and work, and help us get to know each other. I also enjoy the event-planning side—it’s an opportunity to get creative and come up with fun group activities. The other council members are supportive and kind, and it’s been a great experience so far.

Q: What advice would you give to a high schooler or undergraduate interested in physics and/or quantum science?

A: Don’t hesitate to reach out to teachers and mentors: Ask questions, introduce yourself, and start conversations. Networking matters in every field, and it’s especially important in academia. I’d also encourage them not to dwell on setbacks. Graduate school is challenging, and I’ve had my own moments of discouragement and impostor syndrome. When that happens, I try to turn it into a chance to deepen my understanding, which has only fueled my curiosity about a subject.

In the end, a genuine interest in learning and the drive to keep pursuing knowledge are the most important ingredients. I believe these things have brought me to where I am today, and I’m excited to see where my journey through graduate school takes me. This is only the beginning!

UMBC’s greatest strength is its people. When people meet Retrievers and hear about the passion they bring, the relationships they create, the ways they support each other, and the commitment they have to inclusive excellence, they truly get a sense of our community. That’s what “Meet a Retriever” is all about.

Learn more about how UMBC can help you achieve your goals.

Pete Fitzpatrick ’96 completed his paramedic training in a speeding ambulance in West Baltimore over 30 years ago. It wasn’t the career he had envisioned, but after a friend gave him a textbook for an elective Emergency Medical Technician class, he switched his major to emergency and disaster health systems. “I kind of fell in love with it. As a kid, I never saw it as a profession for me,” says Fitzpatrick. “There are no firefighters or paramedics in my family.”

His ability to communicate clearly and calmly under pressure, foresee medical or technical issues, and notice the tiniest details led him to return to school for nursing. He first worked in an adult neuroscience unit at Johns Hopkins Hospital before returning to ambulance and helicopter transport, including pediatric transport. 

Fitzpatrick has spent the last 12 years at the Children’s National Hospital in Washington, D.C. As a transport team shift coordinator, he meets the needs and addresses the challenges of flight crews, medics, receiving hospitals, and families before, during, and after helicopter or ambulance transport. “I remember my surprise the first time somebody referred to me as a pediatric nurse,” says Fitzpatrick. “I guess I am.”

Addressing the opioid crisis

In light of Fitzpatrick’s background and relevant training, in May 2025, he was appointed as one of 12 members on Maryland’s Opioid Restitution Fund Advisory Council. Established in 2022, the council makes recommendations for the allocation of financial settlements from prescription opioid-related lawsuits to help fund programs and initiatives that address the opioid crisis. Fitzpatrick, who is married to Kim Fitzpatrick and father of Sam, Mikey, and Danny, a first-year chemical and environmental engineering student, serves as the council member representing those who have lost a family member to an opioid overdose.

“It’s really a sad story. My oldest child, Sam, died of a fentanyl overdose in May of 2020. He was 22,” says Fitzpatrick. Fentanyl is a highly addictive synthetic opioid used in hospitals to treat severe and chronic pain from cancer and surgery. The Maryland Department of Health reported that between September 2024 and August 2025, there were 631 opioid-related deaths in Baltimore City and County combined, 575 of which were fentanyl-related deaths.

“I tell my colleagues, in emergency pediatric transport, we deal with children in sometimes very tragic circumstances,” says Fitzpatrick. “I say to them, ‘When you lose a child in transport, there’s only one thing you can do—you have to go and try to save the next one.'” 

Broadening access to life-saving treatment

Coming from an emergency medical services (EMS) system approach, Fitzpatrick hopes the opioid crisis will be solved through similar measures. “The 1973 EMS Systems Act came about because of the rise in deaths due to a lack of emergency care,” he says. “The act created grants and programs to fund EMS training, equipment, and infrastructure.” UMBC established its emergency health services (EHS) baccalaureate program in 1980 to develop highly skilled emergency healthcare leaders, managers, and providers. In 1984, UMBC launched the first EHS graduate program in the U.S., and it remains a national leader in EMS education. Both programs are now part of UMBC’s emergency and disaster health systems department.

Broadening access to life-saving treatment for opioid use disorder is always on Fitzpatrick’s mind. Having access to good healthcare, a supportive family, education, and intervention resources helps, but he notes that not all families have that. For example, there were times when Sam was in crisis, and the family needed access to the police department. 

“Baltimore County has a great crisis response,” Fitzpatrick says, “but what if we had not felt comfortable accessing the police department when we needed that help?” He now serves on the Police Accountability Board for Baltimore County to help strengthen the relationship between police and the community and fundraises for the American Society for Addiction Medicine.

“Sam had a lot of things going for him, and it still didn’t work. That’s sad. There’s only one thing I can do at this point,” says Fitzpatrick, “and that’s to try to make a difference.”

Learn more about UMBC’s Department of Emergency and Disaster Health Systems.

Meet Sara Krauss, director of Sherman School Partnerships in the George and Betsy Sherman Center. Before coming to UMBC in 2021, Sara served in the Baltimore City Public Schools as a classroom teacher, math lead, and an Assistant Principal. She is a National Board Certified Teacher (NBCT) and also an adjunct professor for teacher preparation programs. Sara is an advocate for educational equity, has a love for developing budding and experienced educators, and aspires to convert everyone she meets into a lover of math. Take it away, Sara!

Q: What is your WHY? What brought you to UMBC?

A: Prior to UMBC, I was an educator and school administrator in Baltimore City Public Schools. I LOVE teaching, I LOVE the energy of a school building and interacting daily with families. However, after 15 years, I was ready to stretch myself in new ways and ready to make a greater impact.

Coming to UMBC and the Sherman Center, I was able to do all the things I loved in one job. I am an adjunct professor, I work in schools by providing academic programs in areas that I love (math and early childhood), and I support new teachers. Through my position, I have found my home living in the K-12 and higher education world, supporting communities and helping to bridge connections with UMBC and the Baltimore community.

Q: Where have you found support in the UMBC community?

A: My team at the Sherman Center has supported my why since day one. It’s so special to work among colleagues who have similar whys, but bring different experiences. I feel like we are accepting of each other every day, while we also push each other to be better and encourage each other to think about new ways of approaching the work.

Q: What do you love most about working in the Sherman Center?

A: My colleagues in the Sherman Center are stellar. As a team, we get to elevate students, families, and communities in the greater Baltimore area. I love building relationships with other people and organizations and finding ways to make connections to help strengthen the greater Baltimore ecosystem.

Last year, I had the opportunity to travel to Bulgaria for the International Step by Step Association (ISSA) conference, focused on improving early childhood education and development. I presented on “Why Universities Matter in Communities.” That experience was amazing to share the incredible work that UMBC is doing.

Pictured right: Krauss standing by a digital display announcing her presentation at the 2024 ISSA Conference in Bulgaria, “Why Universities Matter in Communities.”

Q: What would you tell someone who is considering a career at UMBC?

A: UMBC is one of the most diverse places I have ever worked, and what I love specifically about UMBC is that they encourage diversity, new ideas, and making new connections in everything they do.

Learn more about the George and Betsy Sherman Center

Established by a visionary gift to UMBC from George and Betsy Sherman, the George and Betsy Sherman Center is committed to excellent urban schools that transform lives in the communities they serve.

We believe that in every community, public schools have an extraordinary and unique capacity to offer opportunity and change lives. Within each school, committed teachers are the most important factor in whether the transformational power of education becomes real for students and families. Surrounding each school, community and family partners are essential for children to thrive, particularly in a child’s formative early years.

What we do:

• Support excellent teaching with an emphasis on STEM and Early Childhood;
• Build deep and transformative educational partnerships with schools and communities;
• Expand community and school capacity to provide strong early childhood experiences;
• Support pathways connecting students in partner communities with educational opportunities at UMBC;
• Apply engaged research to guide and assess our work.

Learn more about the George and Betsy Sherman Center.

* * * * *

UMBC’s greatest strength is its people. When people meet Retrievers and hear about the passion they bring, the relationships they create, the ways they support each other, and the commitment they have to inclusive excellence, they truly get a sense of our community. That’s what “Meet a Retriever” is all about.

Learn more about how UMBC can help you achieve your goals.