In May, Campus Life presented an opportunity for the UMBC community to learn how to develop inclusive practices to best support neurodivergent students and employees.

The virtual workshop was facilitated by Rowan University’s Chiara Latimer, co-director of the Center for Neurodiversity and program coordinator of the Autism Path Program, and John Woodruff, senior director of accessibility services and co-director of the Center for Neurodiversity.

The talk included information on the definition of neurodiversity and an overview of successful collaborations at Rowan University with offices such as Accessibility Services, Housing, Wellness Centers, Pet Therapy, the Center for Neurodiversity, and Autism Path.

Watch a recording of the workshop.

Dr. Bruce Herman, director of health and counseling for Retriever Integrated Health (RIH), is retiring from UMBC effective August 1, after four decades of service to higher education, including 26 years in the University System of Maryland and 12 years at UMBC. A campus wide reception will be held on Wednesday, July 10, from 2 to 4 p.m. in The Commons Skylight Room. 

"I am grateful to Dr. Herman for his commitment to UMBC and especially to our undergraduate and graduate students. He has been an engaged and collaborative campus partner focused on the changing needs of our diverse student population," says Dr. John Fox, acting associate vice president for student affairs and dean of students. "His leadership legacy is holistic student care created through health and counseling services operating together as Retriever Integrated Health. Clinicians work together in a collaborative, holistic approach to address both mind and body, which enhances the ability to better serve all students."       

Over the course of his career, Dr. Herman focused on services that reach, serve, and support students. At UMBC, he brought a public health approach to campus mental health promotion, which included creating mental health summits to introduce students to this approach and then working with them to help change campus practice and culture. 

In 2019, Dr. Herman oversaw the move of the RIH team into a new shared facility, the Center for Wellbeing. During the pandemic, he worked with the RIH team to set up systems to ensure students had access to mental health and health care.

Prior to UMBC, he worked at Towson University’s Counseling Center and as a psychologist at Loyola University Maryland. He also taught in the psychology and education departments at Towson, Loyola, and the University of Illinois. 

Dr. Herman graduated from Cornell University with a degree in Industrial and Labor Relations and obtained his Ph.D. in Counseling Psychology from the University of Illinois at Champaign-Urbana. 

The recent expansion of the Maryland Technology Internship Program (MTIP), administered by UMBC’s Career Center, was featured in the May 22, 2024 technical.y article, “Major state funding boost means more Maryland college students can get tech internships.” 

Created in 2018, MTIP provides funds for Maryland technology-based businesses, as well as state and local agencies,  to hire interns from colleges across the state, and recently received a $700,000 investment from the state. It also serves as a pipeline to keep tech talent in Maryland. The technical.y article includes information about MTIP, and that the investment " … will allow UMBC to double the program year’s offerings, starting with internships this summer. Before this funding, which kicks in on July 1, the number of internships averaged 160 per year. Now, 300 internships are expected. This funding, on top of a current base budget of $365,000, will make MTIP a $1 million-a-year program."

In addition to speaking with MTIP interns, the article includes an interview with Jen Spencer Heilman, the Career Center’s program director for workforce initiatives; Vamshi Krishna Ginna, M.S. '24, computer science; and Jake Weissmann, the associate vice president for government relations and community affairs, who noted that, “An infusion of cash into this program is just a real sign of faith from the governor and hopefully shows both the opportunity and longevity of the program.”

The MTIP expansion was also the subject of a May 22, 2024 UMBC News article, “UMBC-run program will support twice as many tech internships this summer,” and includes interviews with UMBC President Valerie Sheares Ashby; Spencer Heilman; Courtney Cavin '22, M.S. '23, chemical engineering; and Mustafa Al-Adhami, M.S. '15, Ph.D. '20.

Earlier this year, the Career Center's Christine Routzahn, director, and Spencer Heilman wrote a guest commentary for Maryland Matters, entitled, "Supporting Md.'s technology growth, innovation, and talent retention by increasing paid technical internships." The March 4, 2024 article focused on the success of the MTIP program.

The Division of Student Affairs congratulates three exempt staff who will begin serving as new exempt staff senators starting June 1, 2024:

*Dr. Griselda Flores, director, Off-Campus Student Services

*Tess McRae ’22, coordinator for civic design, Center for Democracy and Civic Life

*Dr. Samantha Smith, director, Office of Health Promotion

We know they will do a great job representing Student Affairs and the exempt staff community.

Thanks to all exempt and non-exempt staff senators who advocate for the university’s dedicated and hardworking staff!

Three Questions With … is an opportunity to celebrate and learn more about staff in the Division of Student Affairs. This month, get to know Vic Madrid from Retriever Integrated Health!

Name:

Vic Madrid, M.D.

Pronouns: He/him/his

Title:

Medical Director/Associate Director of Health Services

Retriever Integrated Health

Years in Student Affairs/UMBC:

5 (started August 2018 as Contingent I, then Regular FT staff October 2020)

What is something you do as part of your position that people may not be aware of?

I do not personally see many patients these days, but take pride and priority in ensuring that our amazing medical team has all the tools necessary to provide the highest quality care that they can.  I also cherish the many opportunities to work with other departments across campus to contribute to the health and safety of our entire community and beyond, not just those who come to our clinic in the Center for Well-Being.  One example is our work with the Dept. of Recreation and their summer youth camp.  When needed, I can zip over to the RAC to check out an injured camper or administer meds.  Another rewarding annual project is coordinating the vaccine clinics every fall, bringing a convenient option for our students and staff to be best protected against seasonal illnesses.  

What is one of the most important things you’ve learned during your time here? 

This is my first venture in higher education, coming from a 20-year career practicing primary care medicine.  I have thoroughly enjoyed learning how the young mind works, and figuring out myriad ways to better help our students navigate through their journey here.  I am also inspired by the dedication and expertise of so many UMBC colleagues who will stop at nothing to develop and deliver the best college experience possible. 

But the most important thing that I have learned is how to work with others across unfamiliar disciplines.  As a physician, much of the work and decision making is done alone.  But as an example of amazing collaboration, the pandemic opened up many opportunities to work with so many different departments, and it was an incredibly rewarding experience to be a part of the entire community coming together with a single purpose.

What do you like to do for fun and/or is something you are passionate about outside of work? 

After spending time with family, my next greatest passion is flying down mountain trails on skis in the winter and on my mountain bike year-round.  I love outdoor experiences, and am fortunate to have Patapsco Valley State Park as my backyard.  There you’ll find me riding for fun and fitness.  Sometimes I ride solo for a form of mental therapy, other times with my family and friends, and every fall you might catch me leading a bunch of teenagers as a coach with the Trolley Trail Tacocats, a middle and high school level mountain bike race team in the National Interscholastic Cycling Association.  When the weather doesn’t cooperate, I enjoy playing the guitar and fixing things- bikes, cars, tuning skis, and anything else in the house and garage.  

("Three Questions With Vic Madrid" will be published in the May 2024 issue of "DoSA Matters," the division's internal e-newsletter.)