Three Questions With ... Dotty Fefel, Administrative Asst., Retriever Integrated Health

Wed, 10 Dec 2025 09:28:13 -0500
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Name: Dotty M. Fefel

Pronouns: she/her/hers

Title: Administrative Assistant II, Retriever Integrated Health

Years in Student Affairs/at UMBC: 8 years at UMBC and in the Department of Student Affairs

UMBC Parent: I am a proud mother of 2 amazing daughters. Amanda is in the UMBC Hall of Fame for Softball and Ashley graduated from UMBC with two science degrees.

What is something you do as part of your position that people may not be aware of? I am an advocate for everyone. Whether you are a student or member of our team in Retriever Integrated Health, I try to listen and help everyone both personally and professionally. There are times we all need to be heard. I am a great listener and things remain private with me. I have a seat beside my desk and everyday someone comes, sits and talks with me. I love it!

What is one of the most important things you've done during your time here? One important thing I have learned during my time here is that if you need help with anything ... just speak up. Someone is always here to lend a helping hand. Also , I came from Johns Hopkins' Department of Surgery and it was chaotic. So, I had to learn to slow down when I came to UMBC. I had to learn that everything is not an emergency. You can take your time and meet deadlines. I learned to take and make more time for myself.

What do you like to do for fun and/or is something you are passionate about outside of work? I like to read love stories taking place in Nantucket. I have a favorite author named Nancy Thayer. She writes a book a year, usually and I pre-order and have her autograph them. I have a bookshelf full of her writings. I am also passionate about helping the homeless cats in my neighborhood. I work with an organization through the Trap, Neuter, Release Program and have helped over 30 cats.

"Three Questions With ..." is a feature in DoSA Matters, the Division of Student Affairs' monthly newsletter.