Do you want to have an influence at Retriever Integrated Health (RIH), your campus medical and counseling center? 

Apply now to join the Retriever Integrated Health Student Advisory Council (RIHSAC).  In addition to being the voice of students’ needs and concerns, RIHSAC will have the opportunity to develop ideas and programs, facilitate communication with students, and participate in outreach events.  We hope to have a council of students who reflect the diversity of UMBC's community.  Undergraduate and graduate students majoring in any discipline are eligible.  RIHSAC will meet with RIH staff every other month during the academic year.  

The Center for Democracy and Civic Life's David Hoffman, Ph.D. ’13, director, and Tess McRae ’22, coordinator for civic design, co-authored “Together Beyond: Fostering Agency and Connection within Campus Communities” with former UMBC colleagues. The chapter is part of a new book, Civic Pedagogies: Teaching Civic Engagement in an Era of Divisive Politics.

The chapter describes the Together Beyond program the Center developed with Division of Student Affairs colleagues: guided conversations facilitated by UMBC stakeholders trained in advance of the 2020 election, knowing that there would be tension and anxiety in the election’s immediate aftermath.

On July 28, the MD Technology Internship Program [MTIP] was highlighted in the Baltimore Sun Education article, “From labs to launchpads: Experiential learning bolsters Maryland’s STEM career pipeline.” UMBC administers MTIP, a state-funded program that offers financial assistance to technology-based businesses, as well as state and local agencies, to hire more interns. The article shares that "Since its inception in 2018, MTIP has provided over $1.5 million in matching funds to more than 200 employers, funding internships for more than 1,000 students from 30 colleges across Maryland….Financial support is key for MTIP, which received an additional $700,000 this year, raising the budget to more than $1 million. This increase will allow MTIP to nearly double the number of interns it supports and increase the maximum annual reimbursement per intern from $3,000 to $5,500."

The article also includes interviews with Jen Spencer Heilman, program director for workforce initiatives, and Vamshi Krishna Ginna, M.S. ‘24, computer science. Heilman notes, "'...94% of MTIP interns feel better prepared for their careers after completing an internship. This hands-on experience is invaluable for students as they transition from academia to the professional world,’ she says. ‘Employers, particularly small businesses have also seen significant benefits. These companies report that 88% of their interns have contributed to business growth.’” 

Ginna completed an internship with Ardent Privacy, a data privacy company, and shared, “‘This internship provided me with invaluable back end development experience and highlighted the critical importance of data privacy in today's digital landscape. I envision this experience leading me to roles where I can continue to innovate and contribute to cutting-edge privacy solutions.’”

UMBC students who participated in the Career Center’s summer 2024 internships were the subject of the UMBC Stories article, “UMBC students expand skill sets, explore career opportunities with summer 2024 internships.”  Career Center Director Christine Routzahn stated, “‘Our students pursue applied learning in significant numbers, and these experiences have an impact on their career success following graduation.’” The article also includes an interview with Associate Director of Internships and Employment Marykate Conroy. Students who were interviewed for the story also received longer profiles: Luna Siesko (who is also student staff at commonvision), Parag Shinde, Leah Narat ‘24, Katherine Carver, Liz Willman, and Robert Barry. 

Nine members of the Division of Student Affairs were selected to participate in UMBC’s inaugural LEAP leadership development academy, which began in August. The Department of Human Resources and Strategic Talent Management (HRSTM) created the five-month program to provide the critical professional competencies and people skills that new people managers need to be effective at leading others and teams, as well as an opportunity for existing supervisors who want a tune-up on today’s critical foundational managerial competencies to better support their team. 

“I’m excited that so many members of our Student Affairs team were selected for this important program that will have a positive impact on our division and across our campus community,” said Dr. Renique Kersh, vice president for student affairs. “It speaks volumes about the strong leadership emerging as we work together to help students achieve their full potential. We are grateful to our colleagues in HRSTM for their partnership and support.”

Student Affairs staff selected are:

• Christopher Ambrose, Acting Associate Director for Residential Life

• Jennifer Artis, Senior Director for Student Belonging

• Joseph Fleshman, Assistant Director of Facilities and Operations

• Dr. Griselda Flores, Director of Retriever Essentials and Connections

• Luisa Gomez, Business Manager

• Lan Le, Business Services Manager

• Catherine Myers, Program Administrative Specialist, Student Conduct and Community Standards

• Morgan Simonds, Acting Assistant Director of Campus Life Engagement

• Jennifer Spencer Heilman, Program Director for Workforce Initiatives, Career Center