Real People Profiles: Jerilyn Johnson
I’m asking some of the people you might encounter on the UMBC campus, including students, faculty and staff, to answer a few questions about themselves and their experiences. These are their responses. 

Name: Jerilyn Johnson

Hometown: Ellicott City, MD.

Q: How long have you been at UMBC?

 A:  2 1/2 years.

Q:  What is your current title (job or student organization position)? 

A:   Administrative Assistant.

Q: In 12 words or less, what role(s) do you play on campus? 

A: Provide administrative support to the Director of Student Life.

Q: What aspect of your UMBC role(s) do you enjoy most? 

A:Believe it or not I enjoy the rush of preparing for major events and ordering all the cool stuff that will be used during Quadmania, Welcome Week, Involvement Fest and Homecoming.  I enjoy rolling up my sleeves and pitching in for those events.  I feel like I have the art of grilling hamburgers and hotdogs on the grill down to a fine science.  It brings me satisfaction when I look out of my office window and see the big white tent, tables and chairs I ordered for Convocation all set up and ready to go.  I also have a absolute blast shopping and creating theme gift boxes to be raffled off during Big Crazy Fun Night! My position doesn't give me a lot of opportunity to work directly with the students, so when I do get a chance, I really enjoy it, for they bring such great energy to the day..

Q: What is the most important or memorable thing you learned in college/have learned at UMBC? 

A: I volunteered to be a learning partner for the Alternative Spring Break event "A Day in the life of the homeless".  There were several groups participating and we lived in the streets of Baltimore for one full day.  In addition, we were given roles to play and goals to meet.  The only things we had to meet our needs were a bus pass and $2.00 dollars. We ate at a homeless shelter, use restrooms in restaurants, sat on cold concrete and were often turned away when we tried to seek help.  It was a real eye opener and it was fun to watch the students really embrace the experience as we all learned so much that day.  Finally the day ended around 10 PM and I remember walking to my car anxiously looking forward to the ride home just so I could have something soft to sit on and cut on the heat.  After finally getting home, eating a meal, enjoying a hot shower and climbing into a nice soft bed, I was reminded of the many reasons I am so very thankful.  However,  I will always remember and have an even greater understanding and compassion for those who live homeless every day.

Q: Complete this sentence: “I am a big fan of __________” 

A: The Baltimore Ravens!  I have followed the Ravens for years and just love our team.  Last year I treated my husband to the "big game" against the Steelers.  It was electrifying from start to finish.  It so cold, but we didn't care, we just wanted to be there to cheer them to victory.  Although it turned out to be a closer game than we would have liked, we managed to pull it out in the end.  One of these days, I plan to make my basement into a  Ravens Sports Zone!

Q: Do you have any UMBC stories, little-known facts about UMBC, favorite spots on campus, or anything else you’d like to share? 

A:  My first year here on campus, I volunteered to work at the commencement ceremony at the 1st Mariner.  As I watched the graduates walk across the stage and receive their diploma, I was so inspired.  When I came to UMBC, I had already obtained 46 college credits, but circumstances in life caused me to put my education on hold.  I always wanted to go back, but the timing never seemed right.  However as they called out each name during that ceremony, I started envisioning myself walking across the stage.  I came back to the office and within that first week, I began exploring my options.  I am happy to say that I am currently enrolled at University of Maryland, University College pursing my Bachelor's degree in Communications.
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]]> I’m asking some of the people you might encounter on the UMBC campus, including students, faculty and staff, to answer a few questions about themselves and... http://cocreateumbc.blogspot.com/2010/09/real-people-profiles-jerilyn-johnson.html https://beta.my.umbc.edu/api/v0/pixel/news/2742/guest@my.umbc.edu/53a848df35ff0621336ca0da19ca89c6/api/pixel real-people-profiles Co-Create UMBC https://beta.my.umbc.edu/groups/co-create https://assets4-beta.my.umbc.edu/system/shared/avatars/groups/000/000/002/5b8f025dafb56cb8d3088b7259aadcfb/xsmall.png?1499890363 https://assets2-beta.my.umbc.edu/system/shared/avatars/groups/000/000/002/5b8f025dafb56cb8d3088b7259aadcfb/original.jpg?1499890363 https://assets1-beta.my.umbc.edu/system/shared/avatars/groups/000/000/002/5b8f025dafb56cb8d3088b7259aadcfb/xxlarge.png?1499890363 https://assets4-beta.my.umbc.edu/system/shared/avatars/groups/000/000/002/5b8f025dafb56cb8d3088b7259aadcfb/xlarge.png?1499890363 https://assets1-beta.my.umbc.edu/system/shared/avatars/groups/000/000/002/5b8f025dafb56cb8d3088b7259aadcfb/large.png?1499890363 https://assets1-beta.my.umbc.edu/system/shared/avatars/groups/000/000/002/5b8f025dafb56cb8d3088b7259aadcfb/medium.png?1499890363 https://assets2-beta.my.umbc.edu/system/shared/avatars/groups/000/000/002/5b8f025dafb56cb8d3088b7259aadcfb/small.png?1499890363 https://assets4-beta.my.umbc.edu/system/shared/avatars/groups/000/000/002/5b8f025dafb56cb8d3088b7259aadcfb/xsmall.png?1499890363 https://assets1-beta.my.umbc.edu/system/shared/avatars/groups/000/000/002/5b8f025dafb56cb8d3088b7259aadcfb/xxsmall.png?1499890363 Co-Create UMBC 13 2 true Mon, 27 Sep 2010 10:09:00 -0400 Today’s September 24th Dissertation House

Today, we dedicate a Dissertation House session to employees.  So many people are leaders in their respective careers, but they haven’t been able to take the time to finish the dissertation. This session is for them. Among them, we will have a couple of graduate students from our tri-campus who received special permission from Dr. Carter to join today’s group. These “experienced” grad students and alums from the other PROMISE Dissertation Houses at UMBC, UMB, UMCP, and Rocky Gap who are finishing their degrees within the next year will be able to provide our employees with motivation and encouragement. We believe that there is strength in numbers, so we are happy to have a full room today.  Today’s participants can enter their blog posts as comments to this message.


Filed under: UMBC Tagged: Employees, UMBC ]]> Today, we dedicate a Dissertation House session to employees.  So many people are leaders in their respective careers, but they haven’t been able to take the time to finish the dissertation. This... http://dissertationhouse.wordpress.com/2010/09/24/todays-september-24th-dissertation-house/ https://beta.my.umbc.edu/api/v0/pixel/news/2699/guest@my.umbc.edu/f0445c6a8ce6fcbe9cf86dd2a2a9a45e/api/pixel employees umbc Grad Student & Postdoc Development https://beta.my.umbc.edu/groups/gspd https://assets3-beta.my.umbc.edu/system/shared/avatars/groups/000/000/066/fd3771a0ce0803416cfb6a914448d0d0/xsmall.png?1695134616 https://assets4-beta.my.umbc.edu/system/shared/avatars/groups/000/000/066/fd3771a0ce0803416cfb6a914448d0d0/original.jpg?1695134616 https://assets1-beta.my.umbc.edu/system/shared/avatars/groups/000/000/066/fd3771a0ce0803416cfb6a914448d0d0/xxlarge.png?1695134616 https://assets1-beta.my.umbc.edu/system/shared/avatars/groups/000/000/066/fd3771a0ce0803416cfb6a914448d0d0/xlarge.png?1695134616 https://assets1-beta.my.umbc.edu/system/shared/avatars/groups/000/000/066/fd3771a0ce0803416cfb6a914448d0d0/large.png?1695134616 https://assets2-beta.my.umbc.edu/system/shared/avatars/groups/000/000/066/fd3771a0ce0803416cfb6a914448d0d0/medium.png?1695134616 https://assets1-beta.my.umbc.edu/system/shared/avatars/groups/000/000/066/fd3771a0ce0803416cfb6a914448d0d0/small.png?1695134616 https://assets3-beta.my.umbc.edu/system/shared/avatars/groups/000/000/066/fd3771a0ce0803416cfb6a914448d0d0/xsmall.png?1695134616 https://assets1-beta.my.umbc.edu/system/shared/avatars/groups/000/000/066/fd3771a0ce0803416cfb6a914448d0d0/xxsmall.png?1695134616 PROMISE @ UMBC: Support for Graduate Students 0 0 false Fri, 24 Sep 2010 07:28:26 -0400 Register to Vote: Time is Short!
In a little more than a month, Maryland voters will have the chance to elect a Governor, a U.S. Senator, members of the U.S. House of Representatives, state legislators and county officials, and to vote on ballot initiatives.  The deadline to register for the general election is just a few weeks from now.  Please take a few minutes to register now so you won't be left out.

Maryland Voter Registration Application Form (last day to register in Maryland before the general election is Tuesday, October 12, 2010.  If you want a paper copy of this form, you can pick one up on the table to the right of the entrance inside the Office of Student Life, Commons 336).

Maryland Absentee Ballot Request Form (must be received by the State Board of Elections by Tuesday, October 26, 2010 if you want to vote by absentee ballot in the primary election).

National Voter Registration Form (if your state of residence is not Maryland, use this form; all states other than North Dakota, Wyoming and New Hampshire accept it).

Information about all states' election deadlines (from Rock the Vote).

Contact information for all states' election offices (from Rock the Vote).

The general election will take place on Tuesday, November 2, 2010.

On a related note, the Democratic and Republican nominees for Baltimore County Executive will participate in a debate at UMBC on Tuesday, October 12th from 7:00 to 8:30 p.m. in the UC Ballroom.  A panel of civic leaders moderated by Professor Donald F. Norris will pose questions to the candidates.  This event is open to the public.
]]> In a little more than a month, Maryland voters will have the chance to elect a Governor, a U.S. Senator, members of the U.S. House of Representatives, state legislators and county officials, and... http://cocreateumbc.blogspot.com/2010/09/register-to-vote-time-is-short.html https://beta.my.umbc.edu/api/v0/pixel/news/2679/guest@my.umbc.edu/9f77345f37f538736ac97dbd203bc467/api/pixel state-and-national-elections Co-Create UMBC https://beta.my.umbc.edu/groups/co-create https://assets4-beta.my.umbc.edu/system/shared/avatars/groups/000/000/002/5b8f025dafb56cb8d3088b7259aadcfb/xsmall.png?1499890363 https://assets2-beta.my.umbc.edu/system/shared/avatars/groups/000/000/002/5b8f025dafb56cb8d3088b7259aadcfb/original.jpg?1499890363 https://assets1-beta.my.umbc.edu/system/shared/avatars/groups/000/000/002/5b8f025dafb56cb8d3088b7259aadcfb/xxlarge.png?1499890363 https://assets4-beta.my.umbc.edu/system/shared/avatars/groups/000/000/002/5b8f025dafb56cb8d3088b7259aadcfb/xlarge.png?1499890363 https://assets1-beta.my.umbc.edu/system/shared/avatars/groups/000/000/002/5b8f025dafb56cb8d3088b7259aadcfb/large.png?1499890363 https://assets1-beta.my.umbc.edu/system/shared/avatars/groups/000/000/002/5b8f025dafb56cb8d3088b7259aadcfb/medium.png?1499890363 https://assets2-beta.my.umbc.edu/system/shared/avatars/groups/000/000/002/5b8f025dafb56cb8d3088b7259aadcfb/small.png?1499890363 https://assets4-beta.my.umbc.edu/system/shared/avatars/groups/000/000/002/5b8f025dafb56cb8d3088b7259aadcfb/xsmall.png?1499890363 https://assets1-beta.my.umbc.edu/system/shared/avatars/groups/000/000/002/5b8f025dafb56cb8d3088b7259aadcfb/xxsmall.png?1499890363 Co-Create UMBC 6 0 true Thu, 23 Sep 2010 13:19:00 -0400 Thu, 23 Sep 2010 13:19:00 -0400 Dispatch from Post-Graduate Reality
UMBC alum Andrew Gordon ('07) was a keen cultural observer when he was a student.  He had a way of seeing beneath the surface of things, and a knack for writing about his insights in an accessible way.  Now he's been in the working world for several years, and he has posted some thoughts about what he wishes he had learned in college.

If reading Andrew's post about being a young professional inspires you to check out UMBC's Career Services Center resources, click here.
]]> UMBC alum Andrew Gordon ('07) was a keen cultural observer when he was a student.  He had a way of seeing beneath the surface of things, and a knack for writing about his insights in an accessible... http://cocreateumbc.blogspot.com/2010/09/dispatch-from-post-graduate-reality.html https://beta.my.umbc.edu/api/v0/pixel/news/2669/guest@my.umbc.edu/3a0ef6aedda244e74e68a77105161237/api/pixel alums careers Co-Create UMBC https://beta.my.umbc.edu/groups/co-create https://assets4-beta.my.umbc.edu/system/shared/avatars/groups/000/000/002/5b8f025dafb56cb8d3088b7259aadcfb/xsmall.png?1499890363 https://assets2-beta.my.umbc.edu/system/shared/avatars/groups/000/000/002/5b8f025dafb56cb8d3088b7259aadcfb/original.jpg?1499890363 https://assets1-beta.my.umbc.edu/system/shared/avatars/groups/000/000/002/5b8f025dafb56cb8d3088b7259aadcfb/xxlarge.png?1499890363 https://assets4-beta.my.umbc.edu/system/shared/avatars/groups/000/000/002/5b8f025dafb56cb8d3088b7259aadcfb/xlarge.png?1499890363 https://assets1-beta.my.umbc.edu/system/shared/avatars/groups/000/000/002/5b8f025dafb56cb8d3088b7259aadcfb/large.png?1499890363 https://assets1-beta.my.umbc.edu/system/shared/avatars/groups/000/000/002/5b8f025dafb56cb8d3088b7259aadcfb/medium.png?1499890363 https://assets2-beta.my.umbc.edu/system/shared/avatars/groups/000/000/002/5b8f025dafb56cb8d3088b7259aadcfb/small.png?1499890363 https://assets4-beta.my.umbc.edu/system/shared/avatars/groups/000/000/002/5b8f025dafb56cb8d3088b7259aadcfb/xsmall.png?1499890363 https://assets1-beta.my.umbc.edu/system/shared/avatars/groups/000/000/002/5b8f025dafb56cb8d3088b7259aadcfb/xxsmall.png?1499890363 Co-Create UMBC 1 0 true Wed, 22 Sep 2010 13:57:00 -0400 Grocery Reflections
When my wife Sharon and I make our trip to the grocery store each week, we fall automatically into a rhythm developed through years of shared experience.  Sharon carries the coupons and keeps track of which staple products (sugar, laundry detergent) we need to replenish.  I grab a cart outside the store and do most of the pushing.  When an aisle has products we both use, or items too heavy or numerous for Sharon to manage without the cart, we walk together.  Otherwise we might be an aisle or two apart, Sharon looking at chicken for dinners while I’m picking up frozen entrees for work-week lunches.  In the checkout line we unload the groceries onto the conveyor belt, me from the front of the cart and Sharon from the back.  I swipe my credit card and sign for the groceries; Sharon gets the receipt and the coupons spit out by the cash register.

It wasn’t always this easy and automatic.  For one thing, especially after we moved to the East Coast in 2003, it took a while to figure out which brands and products we liked.  More crucially, our ability to work in harmony has been honed through many trials and many errors: Sharon wandering through the store, arms full of cleaning products, trying to figure out where I went with the cart; both of us picking up bread but neither of us milk.  Sometimes we got impatient with each other, but we learned.

I’ve always been wary of routines because it’s easy for them to turn into ruts.  When I hear elders described as being “set in their ways,” I think to myself, “Not me.  Not ever.”  But as I look back on the turbulent years when more of my world was in flux, I feel relief and gratitude at having eliminated some variables.  I’ve found my calling, my mate and my home.  Now that Sharon and I have mastered even grocery shopping together, we can focus more eagerly and confidently on life’s other joys and challenges.  OK, what’s next?

(Note: When I read this to Sharon, she said, “And it’s only taken us nine years.”)
]]> When my wife Sharon and I make our trip to the grocery store each week, we fall automatically into a rhythm developed through years of shared experience.  Sharon carries the coupons and keeps... http://cocreateumbc.blogspot.com/2010/09/grocery-reflections.html https://beta.my.umbc.edu/api/v0/pixel/news/2665/guest@my.umbc.edu/059fbba191a504977879990dea2a35e2/api/pixel personal-stories Co-Create UMBC https://beta.my.umbc.edu/groups/co-create https://assets4-beta.my.umbc.edu/system/shared/avatars/groups/000/000/002/5b8f025dafb56cb8d3088b7259aadcfb/xsmall.png?1499890363 https://assets2-beta.my.umbc.edu/system/shared/avatars/groups/000/000/002/5b8f025dafb56cb8d3088b7259aadcfb/original.jpg?1499890363 https://assets1-beta.my.umbc.edu/system/shared/avatars/groups/000/000/002/5b8f025dafb56cb8d3088b7259aadcfb/xxlarge.png?1499890363 https://assets4-beta.my.umbc.edu/system/shared/avatars/groups/000/000/002/5b8f025dafb56cb8d3088b7259aadcfb/xlarge.png?1499890363 https://assets1-beta.my.umbc.edu/system/shared/avatars/groups/000/000/002/5b8f025dafb56cb8d3088b7259aadcfb/large.png?1499890363 https://assets1-beta.my.umbc.edu/system/shared/avatars/groups/000/000/002/5b8f025dafb56cb8d3088b7259aadcfb/medium.png?1499890363 https://assets2-beta.my.umbc.edu/system/shared/avatars/groups/000/000/002/5b8f025dafb56cb8d3088b7259aadcfb/small.png?1499890363 https://assets4-beta.my.umbc.edu/system/shared/avatars/groups/000/000/002/5b8f025dafb56cb8d3088b7259aadcfb/xsmall.png?1499890363 https://assets1-beta.my.umbc.edu/system/shared/avatars/groups/000/000/002/5b8f025dafb56cb8d3088b7259aadcfb/xxsmall.png?1499890363 Co-Create UMBC 12 2 true Wed, 22 Sep 2010 11:50:00 -0400 Real People Profiles: Richard Blissett
I’m asking some of the people you might encounter on the UMBC campus, including students, faculty and staff, to answer a few questions about themselves and their experiences. These are their responses. 

Name: Richard Blissett 

Hometown: Columbia/Ellicott City, MD.

Q: How long have you been at UMBC?

 A:  Six semesters.

Q:  What is your current title (job or student organization position)? 

A:   SGA Executive Vice President, Major Inspiration Director.

Q: In 12 words or less, what role(s) do you play on campus? 

A: I work to improve ways for people to find who they are.

Q: What aspect of your UMBC role(s) do you enjoy most? 

A:Through my roles on campus, I get to hear a lot about people’s goals for the future and what they hope to become. It’s exciting, knowing that I’m talking to someone who is a potential animal behaviorist, social worker, or classical musician. More than that, because I work with both K-12 and college-age students on this front, it’s a ton of fun seeing how these things evolve. From rockstar to researcher, it’s interesting to learn how people come to believe that one path or another is the right one for them.

Q: What is the most important or memorable thing you learned in college/have learned at UMBC? 

A: The process of reflection isn’t just about fluffy write-ups and colored pencils. If it’s done right, reflection serves not only to help you internalize the mission of what you’re doing, but also to help show you what needs to be done next.

Q: Complete this sentence: “I am a big fan of __________” 

A: Laser tag. Best first date? I think so.

Q: Do you have any UMBC stories, little-known facts about UMBC, favorite spots on campus, or anything else you’d like to share? 

A:  Fun fact: There apparently some machine in either the chemistry or the biology building that if you’re in the room when it gets turned on, it’ll rip holes in your clothes.

Favorite spot: I’m pretty fond of the space under the stairs in the Public Policy building. It’s open pretty late and it’s quiet, so it’s a good place to think and work.
]]> I’m asking some of the people you might encounter on the UMBC campus, including students, faculty and staff, to answer a few questions about themselves and... http://cocreateumbc.blogspot.com/2010/09/real-people-profiles-richard-blissett.html https://beta.my.umbc.edu/api/v0/pixel/news/2646/guest@my.umbc.edu/dd71c63666d7d712bcb2ece9df655f55/api/pixel real-people-profiles Co-Create UMBC https://beta.my.umbc.edu/groups/co-create https://assets4-beta.my.umbc.edu/system/shared/avatars/groups/000/000/002/5b8f025dafb56cb8d3088b7259aadcfb/xsmall.png?1499890363 https://assets2-beta.my.umbc.edu/system/shared/avatars/groups/000/000/002/5b8f025dafb56cb8d3088b7259aadcfb/original.jpg?1499890363 https://assets1-beta.my.umbc.edu/system/shared/avatars/groups/000/000/002/5b8f025dafb56cb8d3088b7259aadcfb/xxlarge.png?1499890363 https://assets4-beta.my.umbc.edu/system/shared/avatars/groups/000/000/002/5b8f025dafb56cb8d3088b7259aadcfb/xlarge.png?1499890363 https://assets1-beta.my.umbc.edu/system/shared/avatars/groups/000/000/002/5b8f025dafb56cb8d3088b7259aadcfb/large.png?1499890363 https://assets1-beta.my.umbc.edu/system/shared/avatars/groups/000/000/002/5b8f025dafb56cb8d3088b7259aadcfb/medium.png?1499890363 https://assets2-beta.my.umbc.edu/system/shared/avatars/groups/000/000/002/5b8f025dafb56cb8d3088b7259aadcfb/small.png?1499890363 https://assets4-beta.my.umbc.edu/system/shared/avatars/groups/000/000/002/5b8f025dafb56cb8d3088b7259aadcfb/xsmall.png?1499890363 https://assets1-beta.my.umbc.edu/system/shared/avatars/groups/000/000/002/5b8f025dafb56cb8d3088b7259aadcfb/xxsmall.png?1499890363 Co-Create UMBC 26 17 true Tue, 21 Sep 2010 10:29:00 -0400 Scenes from the Groundbreaking Photos taken at UMBC's ceremonial groundbreaking for the new Performing Arts and Humanities Building, Friday, September 17, 2010:

It appeared that some ground already had been broken . . .
Students, faculty, staff, alums and UMBC supporters turned out for the event
Signs highlighted UMBC's performing arts and humanities programs
University System of Maryland Chancellor William Kirwan, UMBC VP for Information Technology Jack Suess and UMBC Associate VP for Finance and Administration Ben Lowenthal
State Delegate Steven DeBoy (in sunglasses) points to Baltimore County Councilman Kevin Kamenetz
It was a beautiful day . . . (that's SGA Senate Assistant Speaker Gift Jayakar grinning on the right)
Dresher Center for the Humanities Director Rebecca Boehling kicked off the formal program and introduced the speakers
UMBC President Freeman Hrabowski and University System of Maryland Chancellor William Kirwan shared a fist pump

UMBC President Freeman Hrabowski recognized many UMBC supporters, including the Dresher and Linehan families (members of both were in attendance)
Baltimore County Executive Jim Smith
I didn't catch this UMBC sophomore's name (somebody please post it in a comment), but he spoke well.  The new building is scheduled to open at the beginning of his senior year, in fall 2012.

UMBC President Freeman Hrabowski, Maryland Governor Martin O'Malley and Congressman John Sarbanes
Governor O'Malley
UMBC junior Catherine Pasqualoni presented a certificate in Latin and English thanking Governor O'Malley for his support
  
The ceremonial groundbreaking took place in three rounds, starting with the elected officials . . .

. . . followed by two rounds of campus leaders and those involved in planning and constructing the new building.  To Governor O'Malley's immediate left are Ancient Studies Department Chair Marilyn Goldberg and SGA President Yasmin Karimian



]]> Photos taken at UMBC's ceremonial groundbreaking for the new Performing Arts and Humanities Building, Friday, September 17, 2010: It appeared that some ground already had been broken . . .... http://cocreateumbc.blogspot.com/2010/09/scenes-from-groundbreaking.html https://beta.my.umbc.edu/api/v0/pixel/news/2629/guest@my.umbc.edu/3559fb92b405d2d490c8695b0db82a1d/api/pixel scenes-from-photos Co-Create UMBC https://beta.my.umbc.edu/groups/co-create https://assets4-beta.my.umbc.edu/system/shared/avatars/groups/000/000/002/5b8f025dafb56cb8d3088b7259aadcfb/xsmall.png?1499890363 https://assets2-beta.my.umbc.edu/system/shared/avatars/groups/000/000/002/5b8f025dafb56cb8d3088b7259aadcfb/original.jpg?1499890363 https://assets1-beta.my.umbc.edu/system/shared/avatars/groups/000/000/002/5b8f025dafb56cb8d3088b7259aadcfb/xxlarge.png?1499890363 https://assets4-beta.my.umbc.edu/system/shared/avatars/groups/000/000/002/5b8f025dafb56cb8d3088b7259aadcfb/xlarge.png?1499890363 https://assets1-beta.my.umbc.edu/system/shared/avatars/groups/000/000/002/5b8f025dafb56cb8d3088b7259aadcfb/large.png?1499890363 https://assets1-beta.my.umbc.edu/system/shared/avatars/groups/000/000/002/5b8f025dafb56cb8d3088b7259aadcfb/medium.png?1499890363 https://assets2-beta.my.umbc.edu/system/shared/avatars/groups/000/000/002/5b8f025dafb56cb8d3088b7259aadcfb/small.png?1499890363 https://assets4-beta.my.umbc.edu/system/shared/avatars/groups/000/000/002/5b8f025dafb56cb8d3088b7259aadcfb/xsmall.png?1499890363 https://assets1-beta.my.umbc.edu/system/shared/avatars/groups/000/000/002/5b8f025dafb56cb8d3088b7259aadcfb/xxsmall.png?1499890363 Co-Create UMBC 5 1 true Mon, 20 Sep 2010 09:51:00 -0400 Alexia Van Orden Named Student Commissioner
UMBC graduate student Alexia Van Orden has been appointed by the Governor to serve as the sole student member of the Maryland Higher Education Commission (MHEC).  As the student Commissioner, Alexia will work with MHEC's ten other members to establish policies and make decisions regarding budgets and construction priorities, financial aid, the creation of new academic programs, the establishment of new colleges and universities and other matters relating to higher education in Maryland.  (Read more about what MHEC does here).

Alexia is pursuing her doctorate in Public Policy with a concentration in Education Policy.  She graduated from UMBC in 2006 with a BA in History, and earned her Master of Public Policy degree in 2009.  She is the second UMBC student to be appointed to this prestigious post in the past four years: Josh Michael served as MHEC Student Commissioner in 2007-2008.  

Congratulations, Alexia!
]]> UMBC graduate student Alexia Van Orden has been appointed by the Governor to serve as the sole student member of the Maryland Higher Education Commission (MHEC).  As the student Commissioner,... http://cocreateumbc.blogspot.com/2010/09/alexia-van-orden-named-student.html https://beta.my.umbc.edu/api/v0/pixel/news/2612/guest@my.umbc.edu/1cd720b93ab44eb8d5fbb7a811ed7d16/api/pixel alums state-policy Co-Create UMBC https://beta.my.umbc.edu/groups/co-create https://assets4-beta.my.umbc.edu/system/shared/avatars/groups/000/000/002/5b8f025dafb56cb8d3088b7259aadcfb/xsmall.png?1499890363 https://assets2-beta.my.umbc.edu/system/shared/avatars/groups/000/000/002/5b8f025dafb56cb8d3088b7259aadcfb/original.jpg?1499890363 https://assets1-beta.my.umbc.edu/system/shared/avatars/groups/000/000/002/5b8f025dafb56cb8d3088b7259aadcfb/xxlarge.png?1499890363 https://assets4-beta.my.umbc.edu/system/shared/avatars/groups/000/000/002/5b8f025dafb56cb8d3088b7259aadcfb/xlarge.png?1499890363 https://assets1-beta.my.umbc.edu/system/shared/avatars/groups/000/000/002/5b8f025dafb56cb8d3088b7259aadcfb/large.png?1499890363 https://assets1-beta.my.umbc.edu/system/shared/avatars/groups/000/000/002/5b8f025dafb56cb8d3088b7259aadcfb/medium.png?1499890363 https://assets2-beta.my.umbc.edu/system/shared/avatars/groups/000/000/002/5b8f025dafb56cb8d3088b7259aadcfb/small.png?1499890363 https://assets4-beta.my.umbc.edu/system/shared/avatars/groups/000/000/002/5b8f025dafb56cb8d3088b7259aadcfb/xsmall.png?1499890363 https://assets1-beta.my.umbc.edu/system/shared/avatars/groups/000/000/002/5b8f025dafb56cb8d3088b7259aadcfb/xxsmall.png?1499890363 Co-Create UMBC 3 0 true Fri, 17 Sep 2010 12:02:00 -0400 Real People Profiles: Jeff Cullen
I’m asking some of the people you might encounter on the UMBC campus, including students, faculty and staff, to answer a few questions about themselves and their experiences. These are their responses. 

Name: Jeff Cullen.  And for those fans of the Twilight series, my middle name is Edward, I drive fast and aggressively, and I have abnormally long canine teeth. Just sayin'.

Hometown:  It's complicated. I was born in Iowa, but grew up and graduated from high school in Fort Washington/Oxon Hill (PG County in the house!). Since then, it's been Colorado, Virginia, Massachusetts, Virginia again, Iowa again, and we are now pretty well settled in Odenton, Maryland. 

Q: How long have you been at UMBC?

 A:  Two years, which is like 14 in Retriever years. 

Q:  What is your current title (job or student organization position)? 

A:   Director of Student Judicial Programs 

Q: In 12 words or less, what role(s) do you play on campus? 

A: I jokingly call myself the "dean of mean." I'm a sweetheart, though. 

Q: What aspect of your UMBC role(s) do you enjoy most? 

A: When I can connect with a student whose life is in crisis and help them to see that there is light at the end of the tunnel (and that it's not the headlamp of an oncoming train). 

Q: What is the most important or memorable thing you learned in college/have learned at UMBC? 

A: Paradoxically, that I am both a lot dumber and a lot smarter than I thought I was. 

Q: Complete this sentence: “I am a big fan of __________” 

A: Mackenzie, age 10, and Nate, age 6. 

Q: Do you have any UMBC stories, little-known facts about UMBC, favorite spots on campus, or anything else you’d like to share? 

A:  I work in the temporary, modular units known as the Student Development & Success Center. I remember those temporary buildings from when I visited in 1992. Beware of the word "temporary!"
]]> I’m asking some of the people you might encounter on the UMBC campus, including students, faculty and staff, to answer a few questions about themselves and their... http://cocreateumbc.blogspot.com/2010/09/real-people-profiles-jeff-cullen.html https://beta.my.umbc.edu/api/v0/pixel/news/2578/guest@my.umbc.edu/66b2c889d479aed06ec5b34af3210e33/api/pixel real-people-profiles Co-Create UMBC https://beta.my.umbc.edu/groups/co-create https://assets4-beta.my.umbc.edu/system/shared/avatars/groups/000/000/002/5b8f025dafb56cb8d3088b7259aadcfb/xsmall.png?1499890363 https://assets2-beta.my.umbc.edu/system/shared/avatars/groups/000/000/002/5b8f025dafb56cb8d3088b7259aadcfb/original.jpg?1499890363 https://assets1-beta.my.umbc.edu/system/shared/avatars/groups/000/000/002/5b8f025dafb56cb8d3088b7259aadcfb/xxlarge.png?1499890363 https://assets4-beta.my.umbc.edu/system/shared/avatars/groups/000/000/002/5b8f025dafb56cb8d3088b7259aadcfb/xlarge.png?1499890363 https://assets1-beta.my.umbc.edu/system/shared/avatars/groups/000/000/002/5b8f025dafb56cb8d3088b7259aadcfb/large.png?1499890363 https://assets1-beta.my.umbc.edu/system/shared/avatars/groups/000/000/002/5b8f025dafb56cb8d3088b7259aadcfb/medium.png?1499890363 https://assets2-beta.my.umbc.edu/system/shared/avatars/groups/000/000/002/5b8f025dafb56cb8d3088b7259aadcfb/small.png?1499890363 https://assets4-beta.my.umbc.edu/system/shared/avatars/groups/000/000/002/5b8f025dafb56cb8d3088b7259aadcfb/xsmall.png?1499890363 https://assets1-beta.my.umbc.edu/system/shared/avatars/groups/000/000/002/5b8f025dafb56cb8d3088b7259aadcfb/xxsmall.png?1499890363 Co-Create UMBC 11 3 true Thu, 16 Sep 2010 14:47:00 -0400 We, the People
One of the more misguided protests I remember seeing (on television) occurred in the aftermath of a 1989 decision by the U.S. Supreme Court.  Gregory Lee Johnson had burned an American flag as an act of political protest, and the state of Texas had charged him with criminal flag desecration.  The Supreme Court had struck down the Texas law, holding that Johnson had a right under the First Amendment to express his point of view by burning a flag, despite the likelihood that many Texans would be offended.  Outraged at this decision, a group gathered on the steps of the Supreme Court building to burn a black judicial robe in order to communicate their disgust and disapproval.  The irony of exercising the freedom to burn one American symbol as a protest against a decision affirming people’s freedom to burn another American symbol seemed to be lost on them.
 
To me, the Constitution of the United States has always represented two things above all: co-creation and restraint.  Co-creation, because of those first three words in the Preamble: “We, the people.”  Ever since I first learned the Preamble from watching from a Schoolhouse Rock cartoon as a child, those words have fired my imagination, conjuring an image of a whole nation of individuals uniting to express their hopes and take action together.  Of course, the Schoolhouse Rock version of Revolution-era Americans as civic equals is a myth: It took a Civil War and a series of Constitutional amendments to end slavery and guarantee women and people of all races the right to participate in the political process.  But the inclusive depiction of ordinary Americans owning and co-creating the text strikes me as a useful symbol of the ideal.  When we talk about freedom of speech or freedom of religion, it ought to be from a place of shared, “we, the people” understanding developed through the experience of working together to give them meaning.

I associate the Constitution with restraint because the idea that people are different, and that those differences should be honored and not stifled or banned, runs through the document like an electric current.  The original (pre-Bill of Rights) text about the structure of the federal government is famously concerned with checks and balances, which is the idea that spreading power around to people with different perspectives and priorities is the best defense against tyranny.   The Bill of Rights, especially the First Amendment, is all about restraining the government, or a majority of the people, from imposing its perspective in a way that denies minorities the opportunity to say what they want, worship as they wish, own property, and enjoy other freedoms.  I find it deeply inspiring that we live in a society in which our foundational text declares that we treasure diversity and will never bully anyone to silence because we see things differently.

When I see a protest like the robe-burning on the Supreme Court steps (and many more recent variations on that theme), I don’t want to ban it.  But I do want to have a conversation with the protestors about their purported patriotism, which seems uncomplicated by an appreciation for the values that the Constitution embodies.  Co-creation and restraint: 223 years after the Constitution was signed in Philadelphia (on September 17, 1787), those are the ideals I’d like to see us all celebrate.

Note: You can read the original text of the Constitution here, and the 27 amendments adopted since that day in 1787 here and here.  For anniversary #222, I wrote a post proposing that U.S. Senators be apportioned among the states at least partly based on population (not two per state).  Read that post here:  The Real Problem with the U.S. Senate (hint: it’s in the Constitution)
]]> One of the more misguided protests I remember seeing (on television) occurred in the aftermath of a 1989 decision by the U.S. Supreme Court.  Gregory Lee Johnson had burned an American flag as an... http://cocreateumbc.blogspot.com/2010/09/we-people.html https://beta.my.umbc.edu/api/v0/pixel/news/2549/guest@my.umbc.edu/10403d9569921e973b8f9eef407c96b6/api/pixel constitution Co-Create UMBC https://beta.my.umbc.edu/groups/co-create https://assets4-beta.my.umbc.edu/system/shared/avatars/groups/000/000/002/5b8f025dafb56cb8d3088b7259aadcfb/xsmall.png?1499890363 https://assets2-beta.my.umbc.edu/system/shared/avatars/groups/000/000/002/5b8f025dafb56cb8d3088b7259aadcfb/original.jpg?1499890363 https://assets1-beta.my.umbc.edu/system/shared/avatars/groups/000/000/002/5b8f025dafb56cb8d3088b7259aadcfb/xxlarge.png?1499890363 https://assets4-beta.my.umbc.edu/system/shared/avatars/groups/000/000/002/5b8f025dafb56cb8d3088b7259aadcfb/xlarge.png?1499890363 https://assets1-beta.my.umbc.edu/system/shared/avatars/groups/000/000/002/5b8f025dafb56cb8d3088b7259aadcfb/large.png?1499890363 https://assets1-beta.my.umbc.edu/system/shared/avatars/groups/000/000/002/5b8f025dafb56cb8d3088b7259aadcfb/medium.png?1499890363 https://assets2-beta.my.umbc.edu/system/shared/avatars/groups/000/000/002/5b8f025dafb56cb8d3088b7259aadcfb/small.png?1499890363 https://assets4-beta.my.umbc.edu/system/shared/avatars/groups/000/000/002/5b8f025dafb56cb8d3088b7259aadcfb/xsmall.png?1499890363 https://assets1-beta.my.umbc.edu/system/shared/avatars/groups/000/000/002/5b8f025dafb56cb8d3088b7259aadcfb/xxsmall.png?1499890363 Co-Create UMBC 1 0 true Wed, 15 Sep 2010 20:20:00 -0400