Elijah Mugabe

Degree: B.S., Chemistry
Hometown: Greenbelt, MD
Post-grad plans: Ph.D., Pharmacology, Cornell University

Amongst the beakers, test tubes, and chemicals in a laboratory prep room of the Meyerhoff Chemistry Building Elijah Mugabe found friends, and a calling. A Meyerhoff Scholar, Mugabe worked as a lab assistant his sophomore year and enjoyed the behind-the-scenes view of research that it offered. The next year, he joined the lab of Songon An, associate professor of chemistry and biochemistry, embarking on research into how metabolic enzymes organize themselves in cells, and how disease affects that organization. The experience opened his eyes to the range of unanswered questions scientists are exploring. 

Mugabe’s academic achievements have been recognized with the Faculty Award for Excellence in Chemistry from the department of chemistry and biochemistry, among other honors. Away from the lab, Mugabe formed connections with the broader UMBC community. He volunteered with Retriever Essentials, an organization committed to tackling food insecurity. “It was a gratifying and enjoyable experience seeing the group’s impact and having a better understanding of our community,” he says.

Has there been a mentor or fellow student who influenced your time at UMBC?

“Karis Barnett graduated from here a few years ago, and she was a chemistry major like me and my personal peer advisor. She helped me a lot when it came to picking classes, helping me with assignments, and just being a good person to talk to when I wanted an ear from someone. She made my time at UMBC smoother than it would’ve been without her, and I am still in contact with her to this day. ”

What has been the best part of your UMBC experience?

“The best part of my UMBC experience would have to be being a part of the Meyerhoff Scholars Program, specifically in cohort M31. Knowing people who are working towards similar goals pushed me to be better academically, and as a person.”

Shaniah Reece

Degree: B.S., Information Systems
Hometown: Beltsville, MD and Georgetown, Guyana
Post-grad plans: Ph.D. in Computer Science, Emory University

When Shaniah Reece came to UMBC as a first-generation college student from Guyana, she already had a passion for technology, but she was worried about finding the right path and uncertain how to navigate the college experience. Tapping into a support network in the UMBC community, she skillfully navigated her doubts while excelling in academics, research, and community leadership.

A CWIT scholar, Reece has served in numerous leadership roles on the CWIT student council. She has also served as a lead resident assistant in on-campus housing and volunteered with organizations such as Retriever Essentials, which tackles food insecurity in the UMBC community, and Building Steps, which partners with Baltimore schools to equip promising students with the tools to pursue STEM careers. 

As Reece discovered a passion and aptitude for research, the McNair Scholars program and numerous mentors helped her navigate a successful path to graduate school. She enjoyed the opportunity to work with James Foulds, assistant professor of information systems, on improving the fairness of artificial intelligence systems and recently described to TV viewers how biases from the human world find their way into AI, with harmful effects.

Having found a career path that fits her values, Reece is more than prepared for the journey ahead.

Has there been a mentor or fellow student who influenced your time at UMBC?

“Dr. Maria Sanchez has been a mentor who has had a significant impact on my growth. Despite the numerous times I’ve experienced self-doubt, she consistently provided me with the support and encouragement I needed to realize my potential. As someone who shares a similar background, Dr. Sanchez has been a source of inspiration and motivation for me to overcome any challenges that come my way.”

What has been the best part of your UMBC experience?

“Without a doubt, the most rewarding aspect of my time at UMBC has been the sense of community I have experienced here. Since my freshman year I have been consistently surrounded by a diverse and supportive group of individuals who were committed to helping me achieve my goals. UMBC has been more than just an institution for higher learning to me. It has been a place where I have been able to thrive and show the world a version of me that I am proud of.”

Written by Jeffrey Gardner, associate professor of biological sciences, UMBC

One of the scariest things you can be told when at a doctor’s office is “You have an antimicrobial-resistant infection.” That means the bacteria or fungus making you sick can’t be easily killed with common antibiotics or antifungals, making treatment more challenging. You might have to take a combination of drugs for weeks to overcome the infection, which could result in more severe side effects.

Unfortunately, this diagnosis is becoming more common around the world.

The yeast Candida auris has recently emerged as a potentially dangerous fungal infection for hospital patients and nursing home residents. First discovered in the late 2000s, Candida auris has very quickly become a major health challenge due to its ease of spread and ability to resist common antifungal drugs.

How did this fungus become so strong, and what can researchers and physicians do to combat it?

I am a microbiologist researching new ways to kill fungi. Candida auris and other fungi use three common cellular tricks to overcome treatments. Luckily, exciting new research hints at ways we can still fight this fungus.

Targeting the sensitive parts of fungal cells

Fungal cells contain a structure called a cell wall that helps maintain their shape and protects them from the environment. Fungal cell walls are constructed in part from several different types of polysaccharides, which are long strings of sugar molecules linked together.

Two polysaccharides found in almost all fungal cell walls are chitin and beta-glucan. The fungal cell wall is an attractive target for drugs because human cells do not have a cell wall, so drugs that block chitin and beta-glucan production will have fewer side effects.

Some of the most common drugs used to treat fungal infections are called echinocandins. These drugs stop fungal cells from making beta-glucan, which significantly weakens their cell wall. This means the fungal cell can’t maintain its shape well. While the fungus is struggling to grow or is breaking apart, your immune system has a much better chance of fighting off the infection.

How fungi become drug resistant

Unfortunately, some strains of Candida auris are resistant to echinocandin treatment. But how does the fungus actually do it? For decades, scientists have been studying how fungi overcome drugs designed to weaken or kill them. In the case of echinocandins, Candida auris commonly uses three tricks to beat these treatments: hide, build and change.

The first trick is to hide in a complex mixture of sugars, proteins, DNA and cells called a biofilm. Made with irregular 3D structures, biofilms have lots of places for cells to hide. Drugs aren’t good at penetrating biofilms, so they can’t access and kill cells deep inside. Biofilms are especially problematic when they grow on medical equipment like ventilators or catheters. Once free of a biofilm, cells that have gained the ability to resist the drugs a patient was taking become more dangerous.

The second trick fungi use to evade treatment is to build cell walls differently. Fungal cells treated with echinocandins can’t make beta-glucan. So instead, they start to make more chitin, another important polysaccharide in the fungal cell wall. Echinocandins are unable to stop chitin production, so the fungus is still able to build a strong cell wall and avoid being killed. While there are some drugs that can stop chitin production, none are currently approved for use in people.

The third trick fungi rely on is to change the shape of the beta-glucan production enzyme so echinocandins cannot block it. These mutations allow beta-glucan production to continue even in the presence of the drug. It is not surprising that Candida uses this trick to resist antifungal drugs since it is very effective at keeping the cells alive.

New tactics to fight fungi

What can be done to treat echinocandin-resistant fungal infections? Thankfully, scientists and physicians are researching new ways to kill Candida auris and similar fungi.

The first approach is to find new drugs. For example, there are two drugs in development, rezafungin and ibrexafungerp, that appear to be able to stop beta-glucan production even in fungi resistant to echinocandins.

A complementary approach my research group is exploring is whether a class of enzymes called glycoside hydrolases might also be able to combat drug-resistant fungi. Some of these enzymes actively destroy the fungal cell wall, breaking apart both beta-glucan and chitin at the same time, which could potentially help prevent fungi from surviving on medical equipment or on hospital surfaces.

My lab’s work on discovering enzymes that strongly degrade fungal cell walls is part of a new strategy to combat antifungal resistance that uses a combination of approaches to kill fungi. But the end goal of this research is the same: having a physician tell you, “You’ve got a fungal infection, but we have a good treatment for it now.”

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article and see more than 250 UMBC articles available in The Conversation.

Beatriz Soriano Luna

Degree: B.S., Social Work
Hometown: Montgomery County, MD
Post-grad plans: M.S.W., University of Maryland School of Social Work

A Universities of Shady Grove (USG) Kendall Scholar, Beatriz Soriano Luna has worked to develop the knowledge, skills, and network needed to serve as a successful clinical social worker and a leader in her field.

Soriano Luna came to UMBC ready to pursue a career in service after earning her associate’s degree at Montgomery College in American Sign Language. She found clinical social work the ideal path to meet her interests in child and family psychology and human rights. During her senior year, Soriano Luna earned a highly competitive internship for senior social work students at the Title IV-E Education for Public Child Welfare Program, a partnership the Maryland Department of Human Resources that prepares social work students for public child welfare practice. She will continue the internship as a graduate student.

While making the dean’s list every semester, working as a caretaker, and completing a field placement with the Prince George’s County Family Preservation Unit, Soriano Luna also supported fellow students. She mentored more than two dozen current students as a member of the UMBC at USG’s Peer Advisory Team. She has also helped organize and facilitate events to connect incoming students with resources offered at USG.

In the summer of 2022, she led the Social Work in Action summer program in collaboration with Katie Morris, Ph.D. ’21, language, literacy, and culture, and director of the social work undergraduate program at USG. She also volunteered in UMBC’s Volunteer Income Tax Assistance program which offers free tax return preparation assistance to low income households.

Has there been a mentor or fellow student who influenced your time at UMBC?

“M. Nicole Belfiore, clinical instructor of social work, has been an amazing Kendall Scholar mentor and teacher. I had to write a lot of research papers and Dr. Belfiore gave me a lot of feedback to improve my writing for a professional audience. Now I get a lot of compliments about my writing. She was also my research and policy instructor and introduced me to legislative action. I had no idea that social workers could have such an important role in influencing national policy. This realization was really crucial for me because there are a lot of legislative changes that I would like to see, particularly to protect children and adolescents.”

What has been the best part of your UMBC experience?

“The best part of my UMBC experience has been the social aspect of being a student. Since the minute I started, I’ve noticed that USG students are close knit. Everyone is friendly and knows each other. I really do appreciate that. I think that was extremely important coming out of the pandemic and switching from being online to being in person. As a result, I have made invaluable personal and professional networks and relationships with the UMBC faculty, professors, and peers.”

Victoria Joya Euceda

Degree: B.A., Geography and Environmental Studies
Hometown: Gaithersburg, MD
Post-grad plans: Ph.D. in geography, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

McNair Scholar Victoria Joya Euceda feels honored to be in the first in family to earn a college degree, as well as a sense of responsibility to her family and Latinx community. Her parents, who are immigrants from Central America, never had the opportunity to prioritize academics. As she crosses the stage, she will be thinking particularly of her dad, who was deported to Central America during COVID-19.

Beyond excelling academically, Joya Euceda has participated in UMBC’s STRiVE Program and Multicultural Leadership Experience, served on the leadership of Moot Court, and completed research with faculty at UMBC, the BIG 10 Alliance, and the Ohio State University. She has also worked as a legal assistant and has volunteered with Baltimore’s Esperanza Center.

Joya Euceda has faced substantial challenges as a first-generation immigrant student, from financial challenges and housing insecurity to not feeling a sense of belonging (recently shared with The Chronicle of Higher Education).

She believes that succeeding despite these challenges offers a reassuring example for her younger family members and others, showing that taking the leap to attend college can be a risk, but it’s worthwhile.

Has there been a mentor or fellow student who influenced your time at UMBC?

“The person who has had the most direct impact on me is Yolanda Valencia, assistant professor of geography and environmental studies. I met her my first semester after I transferred to UMBC from American University. It was the first time in my entire college experience that I knew someone understood my story and all the challenges I have been through. Professor Valencia is also a McNair Scholars Program alum and was the first professor who encouraged me to apply to the program, to do research, and to keep going. My relationship with Dr. Valencia has inspired me to want to be a professor one day and inspire many other Latinx and first-generation students to complete their higher education.”

What has been the best part of your UMBC experience?

“Becoming an environmental justice intern for the White House Council on Environmental Quality was a big moment. I believe getting this internship allowed me to reflect on my full potential of what I bring to the table as a first-generation college student and Latina. It made me realize that if I set my mind to something, I should not be afraid to take risks as long as I am honest and demonstrate how passionate I am about my goal of supporting my community.”

Avi Newman

Degrees: B.S., Biochemistry and Molecular Biology; B.S., Biological Sciences; B.A., Philosophy
Hometown: Derwood, MD
Post-grad plans: Graduate school

Embracing all of the academic and social opportunities UMBC has to offer has been Avi Newman‘s approach to undergraduate life. He was originally scheduled to graduate sooner, but when complications from COVID extended his time at UMBC, he decide to take that as a chance to expand his learning, completing majors in biochemistry and molecular biology, biological sciences, and philosophy, plus minors.

He has pursued challenging research projects with chemistry faculty, supported peers as a chemistry and biological sciences teaching assistant, and held almost every leadership position in the UMBC Chemistry and Biochemistry Council of Majors. Appreciating the value of support, he has also served as a peer tutor with the Math and Science Tutoring Center and the Academic Success Center, sharing that he particularly enjoys helping fellow students learn and gain an appreciation for science.

Beyond academics, Newman has found meditation as a strategy to keep his mind and life grounded. He appreciates the art of teaching his brain to focus, to be mindful and cognizant of what is going on around him. Newman sees meditation and philosophy as having a reciprocal relationship, where both teach about having a broader outlook on life, to remain humble, and to remain open to different possibilities.

Newman has also volunteered with groups like UMBC’s chapter of Global Brigades, which enables students to provide public health support to communities worldwide.

Is there a particular academic achievement you’re most proud of?

“Introduction to moral theory was the first philosophy course I took at UMBC. It gave me such a different world view and outlook about how people think about their goals and their frame of mind. I began with a few classes then decided to do a certificate, then a minor, and finally decided to make it one of my majors. I loved philosophy of science with Jessica Pfeifer, associate professor of philosophy, so much that it became my focus area, along with philosophy of logic and probability. What guides me in philosophy, in science, and in life in general is that I’m a person who is always asking questions.”

Has there been a mentor or student who influenced your time at UMBC?

“There have been many, including my research advisor Songon An, associate professor of chemistry and biochemistry. He has been very influential on my growth as a scientist by giving me a ton of opportunities to explore different areas of research and work in his lab to help prepare me for graduate school. He has also helped me learn how to focus my energy and has been very supportive helping me work through personal hurdles.

Allison Tracy, senior lecturer in chemistry and biochemistry; Sarah Leupen, principal lecturer in biological sciences; and Daniel Jenkins, philosophy instructor, have helped me through some very rough times and given me the inspiration of how I want to be as a professor and a teacher for students of all different backgrounds, different knowledge levels, and abilities. Elizabeth Stanwyck, principal lecturer of mathematics and statistics, helped me connect a wide variety of statistic material.

Whitney Schwab,associate professor of philosophy, made ancient Greek and Latin come alive; and Blake Francis, assistant professor of philosophy, taught macabre topics like climate change ethics and ethics concerning rights of the dead in a sensitive and engaging manner. All of these faculty are so knowledgeable, kind, and passionate about teaching and helped shape my understanding of the world around me.”

Max Bobbin 

Degree: B.S., Chemical Engineering; B.A., Philosophy
Hometown: Joppa, MD
Post-grad plans: Ph.D. in chemical engineering, University of Delaware

Max Bobbin may still be an undergraduate, but he’s already made significant research contributions in the Artificial Intelligence and Theory-Oriented Molecular Science (ATOMS) lab, led byTyler Josephson, assistant professor of chemical, biochemical, and environmental engineering. Bobbin was the first in the research group to develop expertise in the programming language Lean. He took on a leadership role, teaching other lab members, including Josephson, about new ways to use Lean. He also selected appropriate projects for new team members, helped the group prepare for Josephson’s parental leave, and initiated new directions for the lab’s work.

Bobbin believes his additional philosophy major supported his engineering work in important ways. “For an engineer, the most important skills are problem-solving, critical thinking, and communication,” he says, “and philosophy is a major built around those three ideas.”

Bobbin also served as vice president of the UMBC American Institute of Chemical Engineers (AIChE) student chapter and led UMBC to the AIChE Jeopardy national championship in 2022.

What has been the best part of your UMBC experience?

“My first American Institute of Chemical Engineers Jeopardy competition was nationals in 2021, where we placed second. I worked very hard to make sure we were ready when we went back to nationals in 2022, because I wanted to bring back first place for UMBC. Our practice paid off, and after a tough final round, we won first place at nationals. I enjoyed attending the conferences and the opportunities to network, but competing is my favorite memory because it was the best representation of how well UMBC students work together to achieve their goals.”

Is there a particular academic achievement you’re most proud of?

“In the first couple of months after I joined the Josephson lab, I spent a considerable amount of time learning more about higher level math and coming to our weekly meetings with new information to teach the rest of the group. In the summer, I made my first breakthrough and moved into a leadership role in the group. This project helped me hone my skills relating to learning new subjects, leading a project, and leading a group of people in a new field of study. Plus, it gave me confidence as I continue doing research for my Ph.D.”

Sarah Turner 

Degree: B.A., Psychology
Hometown: Gaithersburg, MD
Post-grad plans: Ph.D. in Business Administration, Drexel LeBow College of Business

Sarah Turner, a McNair Scholar and Jacqueline C. Hrabowski Scholar, has immersed herself in research, leadership, and mentorship opportunities at UMBC, working to make the most of each new experience. On her research path to a Ph.D. program, she completed a summer research fellowship at the Harvard Business School, a research program at Michigan State University, and research with UMBC’s Susan Sonnenschein, professor of psychology, and Lauren Edwards, associate professor of political science.

As a first-generation college student and a mother, Turner has also skillfully leveraged available resources to support her success, including Generation Hope, an organization that supports college students who are parents. She has also actively sought and nurtured mentoring relationships with campus leaders, such as Yvette Mozie-Ross, vice president for enrollment management.

Even as she juggles so many responsibilities, she finds time to support students who are earlier in their journey. This includes volunteering as a middle school tutor and creating new events for UMBC’s McNair Scholars Program, which prepares underrepresented students for graduate education. She helps new students learn about the program and current scholars stay connected. Somehow, she also fits in gospel choir, club tennis, and other campus activities.

Turner has shared her story in UMBC’s episode of the College Tour (on Amazon Prime) and an in-depth feature in EdSurge (also appearing in The 19th).

Has there been a mentor or fellow student who influenced your time at UMBC?

“Dr. Yvette Mozie-Ross has been a mentor to me since January 2021. During our monthly meetings, we discuss anything from academic and professional plans to my well-being, relevant research and current events, and parenting tips. Dr. Mozie-Ross took the initiative to learn about my interests and connect me with numerous faculty at UMBC. She has consistently made time to support me and even came to visit me during my summer research internship at Harvard.”

What has been the best part of your UMBC experience?

“UMBC prepared me for my future by maintaining a welcoming environment with countless opportunities. The supportive faculty shared their wisdom and encouraged research collaborations. Organizations centered on the advancement of first-generation college students helped me gain access to knowledge and learn how to build a community to succeed in higher education. Lessons around research and community, combined with the diverse environment, helped fuel my passion for learning as I go on to pursue my Ph.D.”

Meet Rev. Bob Hall ’74, philosophy, president of the Christian Council of Delmarva and a planned gift donor to UMBC. Through his work, Rev. Hall is able to combinethestrengths of traditional churches to address needs in his community — and he sayshe got the grounding he needed for this work as a student at UMBC. We can’t waitto hear about who inspired him most. Take it away, Bob!

Q: What’s one essential thing you’d want the Retriever community to know about you?

A: I am a clergyperson who has worked in the faith-based non-profit sector for most of his career. I got a great liberal arts education at UMBC that created in me a love of learning and applying learning to participation in the community. My major was philosophy and its role as a parent to other disciplines led me to keep my interests varied.

Q: What’s the one thing you’d want someone who hasn’t joined the UMBC community to know about the support you find here?

A: I found the commitment to student success to be a foundational part of the UMBC culture, something that will not change. The faculty and administrators were accessible and engaged.

Q: Tell us about someone in the community who has inspired you or supported you, and how they did it.

A: I was inspired by several of my teachers, including Dr. John Titchener and Dr. Thomas Benson in philosophy, and Dr. Walter Sherwin, in ancient studies. They helped me to see my studies in these (very much related) areas as the beginnings of lifelong learning. I also am grateful to Dr. E. Richard Watts in physical education, who encouraged me to be a more active, well-rounded person.

Speaking of Dr. Watts, a friend and I asked him if we could have a fencing team at UMBC.  Both of us had fenced in high school but wanted to try our skills at the college level.  To our surprise, Dr. Watts agreed and the athletic department soon fielded a fencing team.  We played a pretty rigorous schedule, including Duke, College Park, Johns Hopkins, and the Naval Academy.  We were not great, but it was a fantastic experience.  I think that my Dad was more excited about my UMBC letter in fencing than he was my academic achievements.  

Q: Tell us about what you loved most about your academic program.

A: I attended seminary right after I graduated from UMBC. While most of the other seminarians had attended private, church-related undergraduate schools, I sincerely felt that I was better prepared for graduate study than most of them. My studies at UMBC helped me to see my church work within the context of the culture and to understand the role of the church as an agent of both cultural preservation and cultural change.

Q: What brought you to UMBC in the first place?

A: I did not experience a call into the Christian ministry until after high school. So I came to UMBC (as opposed to College Park) because it was smaller and I felt that it would be a better place to learn subjects such as philosophy, psychology and sociology. At the same time, I wanted to attend a public university because I wanted to have opportunities to build a program that would support future studies.

At UMBC I had the opportunity to take the courses that would lead to my degree and to take courses in related fields that would be useful in seminary.  Friends from high school who had gone to other schools, especially private colleges or universities, seemed to have much less flexibility in picking their courses.  I really enjoyed that at UMBC and I have continued to be interested in subject matter beyond my major. 

I was right in choosing UMBC because of the size of the classes and the accessibility of the faculty. The classes were never easy, but the encouragement of the instructional personnel and others, including peers, gave to me a lot of learning that I still value.

Q: Tell us about why you choose to continue to engage with UMBC as an alumnus and a planned gift donor.

A: I appreciate being engaged with the university community, especially the 1966 Society. I consider myself a Retriever for life. I am aware of how much UMBC is respected in the community, both in Maryland and beyond, and I want to help to sustain that. I also want to keep the humanities a strong part of the broader university.

* * * * *

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.
Make a planned gift to support UMBC’s mission today!

U.S. News announced its 2023-24 Best Graduate School rankings today, highlighting UMBC graduate programs in a broad range of fields, from public policy and several types of engineering to mathematics and other sciences. Among UMBC’s Best Graduate School rankings are 12 programs across all three of UMBC’s colleges, including eight top-100 programs.

Programs were ranked using criteria such as peer quality assessments, research activity, employer assessments, doctoral degrees awarded, student to faculty ratios, and acceptance rates, with methodology varying across discipline. 

Engineering excellence across subfields

UMBC’s engineering graduate programs continue to be cited among the top 100 in their subfields, with multiple programs moving up in rank. This year, UMBC environmental engineering moved up eight spots to #47 nationwide, chemical engineering moved up five spots to #72, and mechanical engineering moved up to #97. UMBC’s computer science graduate programs ranked #77 and computer engineering came in at #85. Electrical engineering jumped several spots to rank #100. Overall, UMBC engineering programs ranked #104.

Keith J Bowman, dean of the College of Engineering and Information Technology, shares, “We have experienced incredible synergy between the hiring of outstanding new full- and part-time faculty, growth in research, and the creation of innovative new graduate programs. Together, they have resulted in substantial growth of applications for our graduate programs.”

Growth in social, natural, and mathematical sciences

UMBC’s public policy graduate programs ranked #85 in the public affairs category. The university has offered robust graduate programs in policy sciences for more than four decades and formally established the School of Public Policy in 2014 within the College of Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences (CAHSS). 

Reflecting on what it takes to achieve this kind of position, CAHSS Dean Kimberly R. Moffitt has previously shared, “I am most appreciative of the tremendous efforts of the faculty, staff, and students that are reflected in these rankings and are worthy of such recognition.”

UMBC’s physics graduate programs remain within the top-100 rankings, coming in at #95. Additionally, chemistry moved up to #108, mathematics was ranked at #117, and Earth sciences (with applicable programs and faculty in multiple colleges) were also recognized.

William R. LaCourse, dean of the College of Natural and Mathematical Sciences (CNMS), notes that this recognition reflects how CNMS faculty, staff, and students are “committed to world-class research, mentoring, and inclusive excellence.” He says, “their long-standing efforts provide the foundation for UMBC’s growing reputation as a model for a new type of public university: one where a deep commitment to student education and success actively enhances research outcomes across the disciplines.” 

Reputation for excellence and support

UMBC’s distinctive reputation as a top research university committed to student success is expanding, says Janet Rutledge, vice provost and dean of the Graduate School at UMBC. She notes that one impact has been rising grad student interest and enrollment. 

“Our graduate students are a critical part of the thriving research and education community at UMBC,” Rutledge says. “Word of their experiences and contributions has spread and led to a record number of applications and record enrollment in our graduate programs.”

Beyond programs recognized today, additional UMBC graduate programs maintain rankings from prior U.S. News listings, including in the categories of statistics (#54), fine arts (#89), clinical psychology (#80), biological sciences (#118), and psychology overall (#122).