2022 Service Awards Program Book
Recognizing and honoring UMBC's staff employees for their service milestone and contributions to UMBC and state service.
Recognizing and honoring UMBC's staff employees for their service milestone and contributions to UMBC and state service.
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December 8, <strong>2022</strong><br />
Dear Colleagues:<br />
What a joy and privilege it is to call myself a UMBC employee. In the few months I’ve<br />
been on campus, I have witnessed the grit and greatness that is UMBC. I have been<br />
inspired by your creativity, touched by your thoughtfulness, and energized by your smiles. I<br />
am thrilled to be your president and work beside you to make UMBC all it can be.<br />
Today, we acknowledge the many contributions of our colleagues. Some have been part<br />
of the team for five years, some for 40 years, and some have retired from a lifetime of<br />
service. Wherever you are on the timeline of service to UMBC, we salute you and<br />
celebrate you. Thank you for consistently landing UMBC on the list of “best workplaces”<br />
in Maryland and on lists of “best colleges to work.” Thank you for all that you do each<br />
day. Join me in celebrating all that is UMBC.<br />
All my best,<br />
Valerie Sheares Ashby<br />
President
fxÜä|vx TãtÜwá cÜÉzÜtÅ<br />
Greetings. . . . . . . . Dr. Lynne Adams, Chief Human Resources Officer<br />
Dr. Valerie Sheares Ashby, President<br />
Memoriam. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Dr. Valerie Sheares Ashby<br />
Kahoot Trivia<br />
Presentation of <strong>Awards</strong><br />
Office of the President<br />
Academic Affairs<br />
College of Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences<br />
College of Engineering and Information Technology<br />
College of Natural and Mathematical Sciences<br />
Division of Student Affairs<br />
Division of Administration and Finance<br />
Division of Undergraduate Academic Affairs<br />
The Graduate School<br />
Office of the Vice President for Research<br />
Division of Information Technology<br />
Division of Professional Studies<br />
Office of Institutional Advancement<br />
Digital Stories<br />
Raffle Drawings<br />
Closing Remarks<br />
UMBC reserves the right to keep and utilize any pictures and/or videos of persons at, or participating in, this<br />
University event. The University will use these pictures/videos in promotional materials. Persons' names may be<br />
listed in relation to the photo/video. Requests to not use a person's photo/video should be made in writing to<br />
the HRIS Manager in the Human Resources Department.
<strong>2022</strong> Memoriam<br />
On January 6, <strong>2022</strong>, John P. Cook of Bel Air, MD, a lifelong Harford County resident, passed<br />
away at the age of 76 after a courageous fight against brain cancer. He enjoyed annual family<br />
vacations to Ocean City, MD and several family trips to Walt Disney World. He also enjoyed<br />
gardening and the family pool; was an avid fan of NASCAR and football. He retired from the<br />
Maryland State Police as a Major after 29 years of service. He joined the UMBC Police<br />
Department in 1996 and then was appointed as the Chief of Police in 1998. He served as Chief<br />
of Police for over 10 years.<br />
Dr. Chintan Arvind Patel passed away on August 9, <strong>2022</strong>. He was born to Arvind and Dipti<br />
Patel in Ahmedabad, India and moved to Maryland in 1999 to study Computer Science at The<br />
University of Maryland Baltimore County (UMBC). Chintan completed his Ph.D. in Computer<br />
Engineering at UMBC in 2004 and had a very successful and accomplished career in academics,<br />
achieving the status of tenure in 2016. Throughout his career, he was a well-respected colleague<br />
and mentor and made an everlasting impact on the lives and careers of his students. He was a<br />
beloved husband, son, nephew, brother, uncle, and professor. He is survived by his wife, Uma; his<br />
mother, Dipti and countless relatives who will miss him dearly.<br />
Brian Schropp joined the AOK Library this past June, and made a lasting impression during his<br />
brief tenure. His passing on October 26 is a loss to everyone who had a chance to interact with<br />
him. Brian was an avid reader and music lover and he was passionate about encouraging a love<br />
of literature for all ages. This was reflected in his employment at Borders <strong>Book</strong>s and Music,<br />
Daedalus <strong>Book</strong>s, the Howard County Public Library System and the Albin O. Kuhn Library.<br />
Brian also was passionate about his artwork and was a member of the Baltimore County Art<br />
Guild where he had his studio. Brian will be greatly missed by his family, friends, and colleagues.<br />
Patricia (Trisha) Watson-Gary started her UMBC career in the bookstore in 2001. She spent 4<br />
years in Student Accounts Receivable beginning in 2004. From 2008 until she retired in 2016,<br />
Trisha served as an accountant in the Graduate School working closely with academic offices<br />
across campus to process tuition remission for graduate assistantships. She enjoyed helping to<br />
solve problems of all kinds and was the "go to" staff member for any variety of issues, from<br />
procuring light bulbs to who to contact on campus for blown glass figurines. She had a zest for<br />
life and enjoyed camping with her grandchildren and eating crabs with her family on her back<br />
deck. Often she would share with her colleagues how much she loved working at UMBC and they loved working with<br />
her.
Office of the President<br />
President Valerie Sheares Ashby<br />
10 years<br />
Bobbie Hoye, General Counsel<br />
October - December Non-Exempt Employee of the Quarter<br />
Michele Conner, Office of the President<br />
Retiree<br />
Freeman A. Hrabowski, Office of the President<br />
Academic Affairs<br />
Provost Philip Rous<br />
5 years<br />
David Di Maria, Center for Global Engagement<br />
Keith Bowman, College of Engineering and Information Technology<br />
Sarah Swatski, Faculty Development Center<br />
Miriam Ezeh, Institutional Research-IRADS<br />
Dakota Boodhoo, Library<br />
Rebecca Hertl, Library<br />
Audrey Nzombet, Library<br />
Katharine Cole, Office of Vice Provost/Dean<br />
Bethany Spore, Office of the Registrar<br />
Andrew Gribben, Office of Undergraduate Admissions and Orientation<br />
Peter La Marsh, The Hilltop Institute<br />
Sarah Rolf, The Hilltop Institute<br />
Todd Switzer, The Hilltop Institute<br />
10 years<br />
Emily Cullen, Gallery<br />
Len Mancini, Office of the Provost
15 years<br />
Sandra Lindsay, Office of the Registrar<br />
Dolly Mitra, The Hilltop Institute<br />
Marsha Willis, The Hilltop Institute<br />
20 years<br />
Stephanie Lazarus, Office of Accessibility and Disability <strong>Service</strong>s<br />
Cory Ziegenfuss, Office of Financial Aid and Scholarships<br />
Sheryl Gibbs, Office of the Provost<br />
25 years<br />
Margaret Re, Office of the Provost<br />
30 years<br />
William (Bill) LaCourse, College of Natural and Mathematical Sciences<br />
Marcus Dagold, Library<br />
Dawn Aul, The Hilltop Institute<br />
40 years<br />
Susan Mocko, Office of the Provost<br />
January - March Non-Exempt Employee of the Quarter<br />
Lori DeThomas, Office of the Registrar<br />
October - December Exempt Employee of the Quarter<br />
Gina King, Office of Undergraduate Admissions and Orientation<br />
Karen L. Wensch Endowment Award for Outstanding Nonexempt Staff<br />
Nichole Zang Do, Office of the Registrar<br />
Retirees<br />
Arthur Brown, Center for Global Engagement<br />
Michael Glasser, Institutional Research-IRADS<br />
Katrina Payne, Institutional Research-IRADS<br />
Stephen Jones, Library<br />
Arthur Bezwada, Office of the Registrar<br />
Angela Blair, Office of the Registrar<br />
Lori DeThomas, Office of the Registrar<br />
Sarah Hill, Office of the Registrar
College of Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences<br />
Dean Kimberly R. Moffitt<br />
5 years<br />
Meredith Power, Asian Studies<br />
Amy Barnes, Center for Social Science Scholarship<br />
Grace Castle, Global Studies <strong>Program</strong><br />
Samantha Moran, Psychology<br />
Melissa Cox, Sociology, Anthropology and Public Health<br />
Courtney Hobson, The Dresher Center for Humanities<br />
Sharda’ Ham-Alston, Visual Arts<br />
10 years<br />
James Hamilton, College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences<br />
Cael Mulcahy, College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences<br />
Robert Pawloski, College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences<br />
Lisa Thomas, College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences<br />
James Zuber, Imaging Research Center<br />
Elizabeth (Liz) Steenrod, Language Literacy and Culture<br />
Priscilla (La) Atwater, The Dresher Center for Humanities<br />
Laurie Newton, Theater<br />
15 years<br />
Jeffrey Barbers, Education<br />
Marsha Scott, English<br />
Debra Sanford, Sociology, Anthropology and Public Health<br />
20 years<br />
Rachel Brubaker, The Dresher Center for Humanities<br />
25 years<br />
Wanda Soares Nottingham, Africana Studies<br />
Fontella Bateman, Modern Languages and Linguistics<br />
30 years<br />
Janet Magruder, Center for Art and Visual Culture<br />
Patricia (Patty) McGonigle, Education<br />
Diane M. Lee Teaching Award<br />
Jonathan Zwi, Music
Marilyn E. Demorest Award for Faculty Advancement<br />
Tamara Bhalla, American Studies<br />
Margaret Holland, Geography and Environmental Systems<br />
<strong>2022</strong> Excellence in Scholarship, Research, or Creative Activity<br />
Marjoleine Kars, History<br />
Retirees<br />
Symmes Gardner, Center for Art, Design and Visual Culture<br />
Susan Velli, Music<br />
College of Engineering and Information Technology<br />
Dean Keith Bowman<br />
5 years<br />
Lina Da Graca, Business Shared <strong>Service</strong>s Center<br />
Brittney Liles, Business Shared <strong>Service</strong>s Center<br />
Nikki Monczewski, iHARP<br />
10 years<br />
Emily Abrams-Stephens, Undergraduate Student <strong>Service</strong>s<br />
15 years<br />
Connie Bailey, Mechanical Engineering<br />
25 years<br />
Pamela Raley, Business Shared <strong>Service</strong>s Center<br />
<strong>2022</strong> Excellence in Teaching<br />
Lee Blaney, Chemical, Biochemical, and Environmental Engineering<br />
Diane M. Lee Teaching Award<br />
Mark Berczynski, Engineering and Computing Education <strong>Program</strong><br />
Jamie Gurganus, Mechanical Engineering<br />
Jakubik Family Endowment Award<br />
Danyelle Tauryce Ireland, Center for Women in Technology
UMBC Faculty Research Excellence Award<br />
Narsingh B. Singh, Chemistry and Biochemistry and Computer Science and Electrical Engineering<br />
2020-2021 Exceptional Contribution to the Institution or Unit to Which the Person Belongs<br />
Victor Fulda, Chemical, Biochemical, and Environmental Engineering<br />
Spring <strong>2022</strong> Job Well Done - First Generation Network<br />
Kim Casimbon, Undergraduate Student <strong>Service</strong>s<br />
Retirees<br />
Catherine Bielawski, Undergraduate Student <strong>Service</strong>s<br />
Timothy Buckheit, Micro-Fabrication, Machining and Electronics<br />
John Cataldi, Micro-Fabrication, Machining and Electronics<br />
College of Natural and Mathematical Sciences<br />
Dean William LaCourse<br />
5 years<br />
Sandra Johnson, Biological Sciences<br />
Ramona Patel, Chemistry<br />
10 years<br />
Thomas Frechette, College of Natural and Mathematical Sciences<br />
Michael Swierczewski, College of Natural and Mathematical Sciences<br />
15 years<br />
Sarah Jackson, College of Natural and Mathematical Sciences<br />
20 years<br />
Janet Burgee, Mathematics and Statistics<br />
40 years<br />
Ralph Murphy, Biological Sciences<br />
<strong>2022</strong>-2025 Presidential Teaching Professor Award<br />
Tamra Mendelson, Biological Sciences<br />
<strong>2022</strong>–2025 Presidential Research Professor Award<br />
Yonathan Zohar, Marine Biotechnology
Division of Student Affairs<br />
Vice President Nancy Young<br />
5 years<br />
David Royer, Business <strong>Service</strong>s Center<br />
Tanya Voronin, Business <strong>Service</strong>s Center<br />
Chris Giannakaris, Career Center<br />
Jennifer Spencer Heilman, Career Center<br />
Emma Muccioli, CommonVision<br />
Carlos Turcios, Initiatives for Identity, Inclusion and Belonging<br />
Dotty Fefel, Retriever Integrated Health<br />
Je’Nae Parker, Retriever Integrated Health<br />
10 years<br />
Dann Malihom, Campus Life<br />
William Helm, Residential Life<br />
Addisu Yimer, Transportation <strong>Service</strong>s<br />
35 years<br />
Kim Leisey, Student Affairs<br />
Spring <strong>2022</strong> Job Well Done - First Generation Network<br />
Chris Giannakaris, Career Center<br />
Susan Hindle, Career Center<br />
Jennifer Spencer Heilman, Career Center<br />
Fall <strong>2022</strong> Job Well Done - Graduate School Welcome Event<br />
Jennifer Dress, Campus Life<br />
Retirees<br />
Michele (Shelly) Graham, Student Affairs<br />
Larry Carter, Transportation
Division of Administration and Finance<br />
Vice President Kathy Dettloff<br />
5 years<br />
Joseph Fischer, Facilities Management<br />
John Savage, Facilities Management<br />
Richard Williams, Facilities Management<br />
Kenneth Gruber, Financial <strong>Service</strong>s<br />
Aaron Long, Financial <strong>Service</strong>s<br />
Desiree Stonesifer, Financial <strong>Service</strong>s<br />
Brett Sanders, Human Resources<br />
Elizabeth Moss, Office of Procurement<br />
Charles Boddy, Parking <strong>Service</strong>s<br />
Gina Hurny, Parking <strong>Service</strong>s<br />
Scott Yokum, Parking <strong>Service</strong>s<br />
Charlemagne Marc, University Police<br />
Aisha Miller, University Police<br />
Brett Morris, University Police<br />
10 years<br />
Linda Zepp, Facilities Management<br />
Stephen Sunderlin, Facilities Management<br />
Steven Rauser, Facilities Management<br />
Jose Lamboy, Facilities Management<br />
Christine Likakis, Financial <strong>Service</strong>s<br />
Diana Spake, Financial <strong>Service</strong>s<br />
Lisa Bullock, University Police<br />
15 years<br />
Frederick Rowe, Environmental Safety and Health<br />
Shawn Blum, Facilities Management<br />
Lawrence Hennessey, Facilities Management<br />
Thomas Myers, Facilities Management<br />
Kristy Michel, Financial <strong>Service</strong>s<br />
Denise Whittle, Financial <strong>Service</strong>s<br />
Jill Wardell, Human Resources<br />
Jamie Cheatem, University Police
20 years<br />
Renay Horton, <strong>Book</strong>store<br />
Michael Paszkiewicz, Columbus Center<br />
Kevin Blades, Facilities Management<br />
Gayle Chapman, Financial <strong>Service</strong>s<br />
Samantha Sutton, Human Resources<br />
Derrick Johns, University Police<br />
Johnny Peterson, University Police<br />
25 years<br />
Brian Shipley, Facilities Management<br />
40 years<br />
William Wiley, Facilities Management<br />
<strong>2022</strong>-2023 Presidential Distinguished Professional Staff Award<br />
Michael Pound, Environmental Safety and Health<br />
Honorary <strong>Service</strong><br />
Chip (UMBC Comfort Dog), University Police<br />
Retirees<br />
Kay Smith, <strong>Book</strong>store<br />
Pamela Davis, Facilities Management<br />
Larry Hennessey, Facilities Management<br />
Barbara Jackson, Facilities Management<br />
Robert Jones, Facilities Management<br />
Joseph Klein, Facilities Management<br />
Raymon Soellner, Facilities Management<br />
Peggy Ingle, Financial <strong>Service</strong>s<br />
Marlo Zeroth, Financial <strong>Service</strong>s<br />
Valerie A. Thomas, Human Resources<br />
Donna Von Paris, Office of Procurement
Division of Undergraduate Academic Affairs<br />
Dean Katharine Cole<br />
5 years<br />
Ira Fabri, Academic Success Center<br />
Holly Cudzilo, Individualized Study <strong>Program</strong><br />
Michael Hunt, Office of Academic Opportunity <strong>Program</strong>s<br />
Shirelle Ellis-Williams, Sherman STEM Teacher Scholars <strong>Program</strong><br />
10 years<br />
Victoria Skinner, Academic Success Center<br />
20 years<br />
Denise Kedzierski, Academic Engagement and Transition <strong>Program</strong>s<br />
Amanda Knapp, Academic Success Center<br />
April - June Exempt Employee of the Quarter<br />
Ira Fabri, Academic Success Center<br />
Teresa Lupinek Endowment Staff Award<br />
C. Jill Randles, Academic Engagement and Transition <strong>Program</strong>s<br />
Spring <strong>2022</strong> Job Well Done - First Generation Network<br />
Delana Gregg, Academic Success Center<br />
Carlos Williams, Academic Success Center<br />
Peter DeCrescenzo, Lois Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation <strong>Program</strong><br />
Corris Davis, Office of Academic Opportunity <strong>Program</strong>s<br />
Michael Hunt, Office of Academic Opportunity <strong>Program</strong>s<br />
Antoinette Newsome, Office of Academic Opportunity <strong>Program</strong>s<br />
Retirees<br />
C. Jill Randles, Academic Engagement and Transition <strong>Program</strong>s<br />
Alicia Hall, Meyerhoff<br />
Sharon Johnson, Meyerhoff
The Graduate School<br />
Dean Janet C. Rutledge<br />
5 years<br />
Farah Ali, Graduate School<br />
15 years<br />
Nicole Mooney, Graduate School<br />
Fall <strong>2022</strong> Job Well Done - Graduate School Welcome Event<br />
K. Jill Barr, Graduate School<br />
Megan Dignan, Graduate School<br />
D. Mike Suica, Graduate School<br />
Retiree<br />
Denise Atkinson, Graduate School<br />
Office of the Vice President for Research<br />
Vice President Karl Steiner<br />
5 years<br />
Denise Sanoy, Office of Center Administration and Management<br />
10 years<br />
Daniele Franz, Office of Sponsored <strong>Program</strong>s<br />
Emily Redding, Research Protections and Compliance<br />
15 years<br />
James Hale, Earth and Space Research Administration<br />
Margo Young, Earth and Space Research Administration<br />
Michael Walsh, Office of Sponsored <strong>Program</strong>s<br />
Diane Markellos, Office Technology Development<br />
25 years<br />
Keith Evans, Earth and Space Research Administration<br />
30 years<br />
Timothy Sparklin, Research Protections and Compliance
Division of Information Technology<br />
Vice President Jack Suess<br />
5 years<br />
Dondre Hatef, Business Systems<br />
Courtney Burkett, Infrastructure and Support<br />
Jason Paluck, Infrastructure and Support<br />
Roy Prouty, Infrastructure and Support<br />
10 years<br />
Kenneth Schreihofer, Information Technology Administration<br />
Adrian Geiger, Infrastructure and Support<br />
Joshua Abrams, Instructional Technology/Media<br />
Andrea Mocko, Instructional Technology/Media<br />
15 years<br />
Katarzyna Donaldson, Business Systems<br />
Deborah Michaels, Infrastructure and Support<br />
20 years<br />
Melissa Manthorne, Business Systems<br />
Timothy Champ, Infrastructure and Support<br />
25 years<br />
Donald Steinke, Information Technology<br />
30 years<br />
Steven Anderson, Infrastructure and Support<br />
<strong>2022</strong>-2023 Presidential Distinguished Non-Exempt Staff Award<br />
Helena Dahlen, IT Administration
Division of Professional Studies and Shriver Center<br />
Vice Provost Christopher Steele<br />
5 years<br />
Elliot Talbert-Goldstein, Division of Professional Studies<br />
Charlotte Keniston, Shriver Center<br />
Jarrett Kobin, Shriver Center<br />
Jacqueline Winning, Shriver Center<br />
10 years<br />
Kim Edmonds, Division of Professional Studies<br />
Chelsea Moyer, Shady Grove <strong>Program</strong><br />
Eloise Grose, Shriver Center<br />
Bejide Wilson, Shriver Center<br />
15 years<br />
James Northrop, Division of Professional Studies<br />
Dennise Cardona, Division of Professional Studies<br />
Theresa Mabe, Division of Professional Studies<br />
Dustin Hodgson, Division of Professional Studies<br />
20 years<br />
Sarah Gardenghi, Division of Professional Studies<br />
January - March Exempt Employee of the Quarter<br />
Eloise Grose, Shriver Center<br />
April - June Non-Exempt Employee of the Quarter<br />
Nancy Clements, Division of Professional Studies<br />
July - September Exempt Employee of the Quarter<br />
Evie Hoff, Division of Professional Studies<br />
July - September Non-Exempt Employee of the Quarter<br />
Ella Sagan, Division of Professional Studies<br />
Retiree<br />
Michele Wolff, Shriver Center
Office of Institutional Advancement<br />
Vice President Gregory Simmons<br />
5 years<br />
Sara Lerma Jones, Alumni Relations<br />
Samantha Reynolds, Intercollegiate Sports<br />
Catalina Dansberger Duque, Office of Marketing and Creative <strong>Service</strong>s<br />
Corey Jennings, Undergraduate and Graduate Marketing<br />
Kaitlin McCaffrey, Undergraduate and Graduate Marketing<br />
10 years<br />
Leslie Waters, Corporate Relations<br />
Alexandra Benedict, Intercollegiate Sports<br />
Nicholas Bozeka, Intercollegiate Sports<br />
Marlayna Desmond, Undergraduate and Graduate Marketing<br />
15 years<br />
Carmel Krause, Institutional Advancement<br />
20 years<br />
Brenda Jackson, Technology Center<br />
Bobbie Soellner, Technology Center<br />
25 years<br />
Anthony Adams, Intercollegiate Sports<br />
Retiree<br />
Jessica Hammond-Graf, Physical Education
Stories are powerful meaning making devices that can also be linked to our shared UMBC values.<br />
We can’t have inclusive excellence without first understanding and believing in the stories and<br />
lived experiences of our community members. When we listen to each other’s stories, we uncover<br />
unique strengths and capabilities that enable us to collaborate more deeply. When we collaborate<br />
deeply, bringing to the table the richness of diversity in all its forms, we can’t help but innovate.<br />
And when we consistently innovate, actively addressing intractable issues both at home and<br />
abroad from a servant-oriented mindset, impact becomes the natural byproduct.<br />
We are proud for the 13th consecutive year to be featuring the digital stories of several of<br />
UMBC’s most dedicated employees with 30+ years of service. Every year we partner with the<br />
talented staff at New Media Studios to produce the stories that you see. Each story is 30-45<br />
minutes in its original form and spans the entire length of the employee’s career and often<br />
beyond, venturing into other aspects of their life to capture highlights, lessons learned, and pivotal<br />
turning points, as well as inspiration for future generations to come. The real magic happens after<br />
the interviews as each story is explored deeply to extract those gems that create a concise story arc<br />
that you will see today at the <strong>Service</strong> <strong>Awards</strong> Ceremony.<br />
The theme and interview questions for the digital stories are typically rotated every 5 years, linking<br />
them to significant community and/or national events, transitions, and/or other important rites<br />
of passage. We are living in a time of tremendous change and transition both in our organization<br />
and the wider world. There is much to be grateful for from our past, much to reflect on and savor<br />
in this present moment, and much to look forward to in the future ahead. This year’s digital<br />
stories recipients answered the following questions:<br />
Together We Celebrate, Together We Rise:<br />
Wisdom from the Past, Reflections on the Present & Hope for the Future<br />
1. Tell us how you came to the State and/or the University, the positions you've held and the<br />
departments that you've worked in over the years.<br />
2. What are you most proud of during your time at the University - think of either a personal<br />
or an organizational accomplishment that feels worthy of celebration.<br />
3. Share with us a challenging moment and how that moment positively shaped you (if a<br />
personal story) or us (if a collective story). How was that experience a profound teacher in<br />
terms of our learning, growth, etc.? What did you and/or we learn by going through that<br />
time?
4. As you reflect on our current time (with COVID, racial unrest, uncertainty in professional<br />
and/or personal life), what gifts are present even amidst difficulty? What perspective<br />
might help us move through this time with a little more grace and ease?<br />
5. When you look to the future, what are you hopeful about? What wish do you have for<br />
yourself? What wish do you have for UMBC?<br />
We can all agree that the past two years have been full of ‘unprecedented’ changes and<br />
uncertainty, however none of us is a stranger to adversity. We have all been touched, challenged,<br />
and have been transformed by these circumstances in our lives and in our UMBC community. We<br />
know that change is the only constant and just like we do in all things, we can pull through these<br />
times together. The Hopi have a saying: “We are the ones we’ve been waiting for.” Let’s remember<br />
to look inward - everything we need is already present within ourselves and each other. We hope<br />
these stories serve to not only honor the service of our employees but to spark your own<br />
remembrance of inner strength and sufficiency during times of change and transition.<br />
Regardless of external circumstances, we can always reclaim ease in this moment by focusing on<br />
self-care and taking care of each other. Find the activities that bring you a sense of ease and<br />
conditionless joy – that is, joy that can be tapped regardless of how life shows up. We all need to<br />
take care of ourselves and advocate for what we need to that end. We also need to take care of<br />
each other. Let’s remember the power of connection in helping us move through challenges. We<br />
can always offer our listening, empathy, and appreciation for each other in little ways, whether by<br />
taking a walk on campus, grabbing a coffee outdoors, or setting up a regular Webex chat. When<br />
we are present for each other we can learn so much...how we see the world, what matters to each<br />
of us, how we have been shaped by our experiences. Often our assumptions about each other are<br />
revealed and expanded through story.<br />
As you listen to these stories, we invite you to reflect on your own lived experience.<br />
What do you appreciate about your own story?<br />
What can you appreciate and discover in every story you hear?
Susan Mocko began her career at UMBC in 1988 as an Office Secretary II for the Department of<br />
Chemical, Biochemical and Environmental Engineering. In 1992 she was promoted to an Office<br />
Secretary III. She became an Administrative Aide I in the Division of Professional Studies in 1995<br />
and then promoted to Executive Administrative Assistant I in 1996. In 2000 she started working as<br />
an Executive Administrative Assistant I in the Office of the Provost. Susan has served in the past as<br />
a Senator on the Classified Staff Senate and now serves as the webmaster on the Nonexempt Staff<br />
Senate. She has volunteered at many UMBC events over the years such as Graduate and<br />
Undergraduate Commencements, Homecoming, and Convocation. Susan received the College of<br />
Engineering and Information Technology’s Extra Mile Award in 1994 and was the recipient of<br />
UMBC’s Nonexempt Employee of the Quarter Award for the period of July 1 through September 30, 2015. She was<br />
nominated by her fellow colleagues who provided letters of enthusiastic support. Susan has a true love of UMBC. She is<br />
an excellent historian and resource and has great skills and abilities she is always willing to share.<br />
It turns out that Ralph Murphy’s roots to UMBC go back before the campus was built. His father<br />
did the original heating design that is still used today. A firm, he and two others started but was retired<br />
from, did the mechanical and electrical design when the Biology building was redesigned. Ralph<br />
followed his two brothers to UMBC and he graduated with a BA in Biology in the Spring of 1981. In<br />
May of 1982, Ralph started fruit fly research with Dr. Gethmann. In 1984, Ralph was hired as the<br />
teaching lab tech and continues to prosper in that position. Ralph was recognized for his hard work<br />
and contributions as he was a Board of Regents honoree.<br />
Prior to beginning his State <strong>Service</strong> with the Charles Hickey School in March 1982, William Wiley<br />
received his Bachelor’s Degree from Towson University. After working for the Charles Hickey<br />
School, Will transferred to University of Maryland College Park in 1987 in the Physical Plant<br />
department. In January 1990, he transferred to UMBC, where he worked in the Facilities<br />
Management Paint shop as a MT MLT Trade Supervisor I. In 1999, Will received his Bachelors of<br />
Science Degree in Geography and Environmental Systems, earning senior honors. Will now works as<br />
an IT Support Specialist, serving as the G/S Mapping Specialist for Campus Planning in the Facilities<br />
Management department. Will offers his “sincere thanks to certain UMBC individuals and to this great<br />
university for which I work”
Steven Anderson, Visual Arts ‘87, joined the former Instructional Technology department in 1985<br />
as a student employee in AV <strong>Service</strong>s. He also worked as a student employee for UMCP Facilities<br />
Management during semester breaks. Following graduation, he worked as a carpenter’s assistant,<br />
spent a month traveling and photographing in Europe, and worked as a portrait photographer. From<br />
1988-1990, he served as a photographer for Md Institute for Emergency Medical <strong>Service</strong>s (Shock<br />
Trauma Center). During 1990-1992, Steven worked for a pioneering electronic imaging company to<br />
help create the first computerized image databases at National Geographic and the Library of<br />
Congress. Tired of the DC commute and wishing to work on a master’s degree, Steven returned to<br />
UMBC in 1992. He served as an AV Technician, Supervisor, and now Manager. As part of the Division of Information<br />
Technology, Steven has worked across departments to shift to installed AV systems in all classrooms, and served on<br />
many new building and renovation teams. He and the DoIT AV <strong>Service</strong>s team are focused on ensuring campus AV<br />
systems are intuitive, reliable, and relevant to users' needs. Steven is proud that he, his wife Juli, son Ian, and daughter-inlaw<br />
Rosie are all UMBC alum. Interests include photography, music, outdoor activities, and horseback riding.<br />
Dawn Aul is a senior programmer at The Hilltop Institute. She provides programming support for<br />
staff involved in Medicaid managed care and rate setting. She restructured the nursing home rate<br />
setting process on behalf of the Maryland Department of Health. In 2014, Dawn was a recipient of<br />
the Hilltop Award for Innovation for the development of a methodology to measure the acuity level<br />
of former Primary Adult Care (PAC) members so that capitation rates could be set for them as they<br />
transitioned to the HealthChoice program. Dawn was previously a research analyst at the University<br />
of Maryland, Baltimore, where she carried out investigations of fraud, abuse, and inappropriate<br />
prescribing practices for both the Maryland and Pennsylvania Medicaid programs. Prior to that, she<br />
was a research associate with the Maryland Psychiatric Research Center. Dawn graduated cum laude from Salisbury State<br />
University with a BS in mathematical statistics.<br />
Marcus Dagold began his tenure at UMBC’s Albin O. Kuhn Library & Gallery in 1992. He came to<br />
UMBC from the audio-visual equipment circulation department at Towson University and the Loch<br />
Raven branch of the Baltimore County Public Library. Initially, he worked in two departments in the<br />
Kuhn Library. He worked in the Reference Department, where he shelved state and federal<br />
documents and entered state document bibliographic information into dBase. He also worked in the<br />
Serials Department and moved to work full-time in that department after a few years. Marcus is an<br />
invaluable member of the Library’s Serials Department. He is always ready to help users find<br />
materials and journal articles and help people use the little-understood microfilm readers; users even<br />
ask for him by name. Behind the scenes, Marcus has an amazing ability to determine exactly how to<br />
move journals and shelving, which is necessary when relocating, consolidating, or deselecting materials. The task is akin<br />
to trying to solve a giant sliding puzzle, and Marcus has helped shift our journal collection numerous times. Over the<br />
years, he has managed the department’s student assistants, assisted in processing journal invoices, and managed our<br />
bindery shipments. In his free time, Marcus enjoys reading early to mid-20 th Century fiction, watching period British<br />
television, proofreading, hiking, and trying new outdoor adventures.<br />
Dr. William LaCourse received his Bachelor’s of Science degree from Charter Oak College and his<br />
PhD in Chemistry from Northeastern University. His Post-Doctoral work at Iowa State University. Bill<br />
came to UMBC as a professor in 1992, taking over as Dean in 2011. As Dean of the College of<br />
Natural and Mathematical Sciences (CNMS), Bill actively works to improve higher education structure,<br />
particularly as it impacts student success. He was integral in developing the Chemistry Discovery<br />
Center, an interactive, team-based supplement to lecture courses, improving grades and retention in<br />
introductory chemistry courses. He impacted transfer student success through curriculum alignment<br />
between community colleges and four-year institutions as well as creating a comprehensive,<br />
multidimensional model for public research universities to increase the number of students from all backgrounds<br />
completing majors in the biomedical and behavioral sciences through the STEM BUILD NIH grant. He was also<br />
instrumental in creating revitalized core facilities at UMBC to allow members of the university and surrounding research<br />
community to have increased access to advanced instrumentation for chemistry, biology, imaging, and design. Bill’s
passions lie in analytical chemistry, research, teaching, and mentoring. His research passions play out in many practical<br />
ways, including applying Pulsed Electrochemical Detection (PED) to (bio) analytical problems of critical significance in<br />
pharmaceutical, toxicological, forensic, environmental, and life sciences arenas. More recent pursuits have expanded to<br />
mass spectrometry, with graduate student research resulting in the development of a novel source platform for mass<br />
spectrometry. The LaCourse lab hosts both undergraduate and graduate students learning techniques of liquid<br />
chromatography (LC), gas chromatography (GC), mass spectrometry (MS), and spectroscopic detection.<br />
Janet Magruder currently is the Business Manager of the Center for Art Design and Visual Culture<br />
(CADVC) at the University of Maryland Baltimore County (UMBC). Janet has been with UMBC<br />
since 1992 and has served in many areas throughout the campus from working in the Academic<br />
Outreach / Freshman Experience departments where she worked with the Meyerhoff Scholarship<br />
<strong>Program</strong> (M3&M4’s) and with the SAT/PSAT workshops for High School students. She also worked<br />
in the AOK, Library; Department of Financial Aid, and the College of Engineering during her 30<br />
years of service at UMBC. Janet has been a leader in developing and improving the Shared<br />
Governance, which defines UMBC. She accomplished this by serving on various committees<br />
throughout her 30-year career. She was a Senator for the Classified Staff Senate from 1995 – 2002, nominated as VP, of<br />
the Classified Staff Senate the same year and served from 1995 – 2001; she served on the Senator, Steering Committee,<br />
1996 – 1997; Chair of the Review Committee from 1995 – 1997; and was the UMBC campus representative on the<br />
Council University State System and served on the Executive Committee from 1998 – 2001. In addition to the numerous<br />
search committees, she participated in across campus. Janet came to the Center for Art Design and Visual Culture<br />
formally known as the Fine Arts Gallery in 1999. As the Business Manager, she managed three centers, the CADVC,<br />
Imagining Research Center, and the Innovation and Design Lab under the Chair and Executive Director, David Yager.<br />
Janet earned a BA degree in the Management of Aging <strong>Service</strong>s from the UMBC Erickson School in 2020 and will<br />
pursue her Master’s degree in the spring 2023. When she is not at UMBC, she operates a small business called, Creative<br />
and Holistic Aging <strong>Service</strong>s where she consults with the aging population and families to offer her expertise and services<br />
while providing valuable resources that will allow them to age in place in a creative and holistic way, while remaining<br />
independent in their home and safe haven. Janet enjoys spending time with her family -- her husband Rodney of 36<br />
years, their furry pet, Gunner a 4-year-old Rottweiler, and her son Nicholas. Congratulations of 30 years of service to<br />
the mission of UMBC.<br />
Patty McGonigle, often called “the money lady” began working at UMBC in MIPAR in July<br />
1992 as an Office Secretary II. After two years, she moved onto CHPDM, which is now the<br />
Hilltop Institute, where she advanced from an Office Secretary III to an Administrative Aide to<br />
an Executive Administrative Aide I and finally to a Business <strong>Service</strong>s Specialist. Patty left the<br />
Hilltop Institute in December 2003, moving to Chemistry where she was a Contract and Grant<br />
Associate. When a Business <strong>Service</strong>s Specialist in the Education Department opened in August<br />
2005, she knew that was where she belonged and is where she plans to retire in January,<br />
2023. Patty is known to always go the extra mile and was awarded “Employee of the Quarter” in July 2013. She is well<br />
loved by faculty, staff and students. Patty is also a huge fan of the Baltimore Ravens.<br />
Tim Sparklin, is the Director of the Office of Research Protections and Compliance (ORPC), in the<br />
Office of Research and Creative Achievement (ORCA). Tim obtained his UMBC BA in Sociology in<br />
1981 and his Masters of Social Work from UMB in 1983. So, his connection to UMBC started as a<br />
freshman in 1977! Tim’s family connections run deep. Two of Tim's children graduated from UMBC,<br />
his wife, Kim, spent two years at UMBC to obtain a Bachelor's of Nursing at UMB, and two siblings<br />
and two nieces received UMBC degrees. In 1992, the former College of Arts and Sciences hired Tim as<br />
a Grants Manager. In 2004, his responsibilities then moved to ensuring compliance conducted in<br />
research consistent with federal & state regulatory requirements under the Human and Animal Research Protections<br />
Office (HARPO). Seven years later, HARPO was rebranded to the ORPC to include areas such as IBC, EC, COI, RCR<br />
and ORI (look them up!) and the implementation of a compliance system (Kuali). Tim’s unwavering drive to support<br />
UMBC in a positive manner led to recognition by UMBC faculty, staff and peers for his skills, knowledge, and<br />
willingness to help. His leadership of ORPC and work by his team were recognized by investigators as being “…helpful,<br />
informed, patient, and responsive…” asking “….great questions, handling emergency requests gracefully…” and made it “… possible for<br />
me to do better research...” Tim is scheduled to retire January 31, 2023. A transition plan is in place and ORPC will continue<br />
the strong customer service. While we will all miss Tim, we wish him well as he embarks on his next journey.
Denise Atkinson began working for the UMBC Graduate School 17 years ago as a contingent 2<br />
employee, greeting and assisting visitors at the front desk. Not long after, she was promoted to the<br />
Dean's office as an Executive Administrative Assistant II. She has loved her time working with the<br />
students and staff of the Graduate School and will greatly miss them. Denise plans to pursue<br />
opportunities that will cater to her many talents and desires while enjoying the freedom of retirement.<br />
Catherine Bielawski served at UMBC for 44 years and retired as Assistant Dean of Undergraduate<br />
Student <strong>Service</strong>s in the College of Engineering and Information Technology. She began her career as a<br />
student in 1973 and participated on the first UMBC Gymnastics Team. In her senior year she was<br />
awarded Athlete of the Year and Senior Athlete of the Year. In 1981 she was inducted into the UMBC Athletic<br />
Hall of Fame. Following graduation in 1977, she was hired as the Women’s Gymnastics and Cross<br />
Country Coach, and also served as Advisor to the Cheerleaders. In 1991 she began working for<br />
Academic <strong>Service</strong>s as an Academic Advisor, and in 2001 she transitioned to the College of<br />
Engineering and Information Technology. Cathy is a strong, skillful, and compassionate advocate for students, and is a<br />
valued member of numerous university committees. She was honored by students as Advisor of the Year in Engineering<br />
2003-04 and served as a member of the UMBC Alumni board from 2009-15. In 2008-09 she was the recipient of<br />
the University System of Maryland Board of Regents Award for Outstanding <strong>Service</strong> to Students in an Academic Setting. The Staff<br />
Award represents the highest honor bestowed by the Board of Regents for achievements of exempt and nonexempt<br />
employees from institutions of the University System of Maryland.<br />
Arthur Bezwada joined the Registrar’s Office at UMBC as a Coordinator in 2004, after previously<br />
serving at UMCP. In this role he managed front counter operations, the Registrar’s Office web site<br />
and the fulfillment of report requests. In 2008 Arthur became an Assistant Registrar and was<br />
responsible for undergraduate graduation reviews before taking over the management of academic<br />
records and transcript services. Arthur was instrumental in helping to add electronic transcript and<br />
verification options to the Registrar’s Office services and was known to many faculty members across<br />
academic departments as a helpful and supportive partner in grade processing. Arthur served as a<br />
UMBC Council of University System Staff representative and was always ready to lend his photography skills to help<br />
capture office milestones and events.<br />
Angela (Angie) Blair has worked in the Registrar’s Office since 1999, when she came on board as an<br />
Office Clerk II. In 2009 she moved to the role of Academic <strong>Program</strong> Specialist. Angie’s primary role<br />
has been to fulfill transcript requests. Over the years, her role has grown and changed significantly as<br />
UMBC added electronic transcript delivery options to our services. Angie is known to her colleagues<br />
and to students for her friendly, caring and timely responses. In addition to transcript processing,<br />
Angie has served as a mainstay in the Registrar’s Office telephone and front counter reception<br />
services, always greeting visitors and callers with warmth and a helpful demeanor. She has also assisted in various student<br />
records processing activities. Angie is also a talented artist and decorator who has brightened the Registrar’s Office space<br />
over the years with her creativity.
Arthur Brown began his career at UMBC 1996 as a temp employee from Kelly <strong>Service</strong>s in the Office<br />
of Undergraduate Admissions. After two contingent I contracts, he was hired to a permanent position<br />
in 1998 as an Administrative Assistant. In 2005, he transferred to the International Education <strong>Service</strong>s<br />
department and was promoted to <strong>Program</strong> Management Specialist. Arthur was responsible for the<br />
daily operations of the department and initial contact for both students and scholars. During his tenure<br />
in IES, he was promoted to <strong>Program</strong> Administrative Specialist and served as the department<br />
coordinator for the Maryland Charity Campaign and served on the Employee of the Quarter committee. In 2019,<br />
Arthur was chosen to be part of the Building Bridges Across Maryland <strong>Program</strong> (The Building Bridges <strong>Program</strong> for<br />
administrative support staff fosters professional/leadership development, collaboration, and idea sharing between<br />
select employees at McDaniel College, Maryland University Integrative Health, Notre Dame of Maryland University,<br />
Towson University, the University of Baltimore, the University of Maryland, Baltimore, and the University of Maryland,<br />
Baltimore County). He also received the Employee of the Quarter Award during his tenure in IES, now known as the<br />
Office of Global Engagement. Arthur found great joy in assisting students, scholars, and everyone in and out of the<br />
UMBC community.<br />
Pamela Davis began her career at UMBC in May 2006 as a Signage Technician I in Facilities<br />
Management’s Sign shop. In 2011, she became a Signage Technician II. In her duties as a Signage<br />
Technician there was nothing signage related at UMBC her hands or mind did not touch, both interior<br />
and exterior, stop sign to vehicular wayfinding, and she relished every second of it. “I will remember with<br />
grateful heart the reciprocal friendships of a few core who together navigated the up’s and down’s, laughter and tears of<br />
our lives while employed at UMBC.”<br />
Lori DeThomas came to the Registrar’s Office in 2006 as an Office Assistant and became an Academic<br />
<strong>Program</strong> Specialist in 2009. Lori supported data entry and customer service in many areas over her years<br />
in the office. Her roles over time included Veterans Certifying Official and UMBC’s Interinstitutional<br />
Enrollment Coordinator. When UMBC moved to Peoplesoft, Lori played a key role in validating<br />
academic data that had been converted from our former systems and helped to build new catalog and<br />
course prerequisite information. She became a “go to” for troubleshooting data issues and rebuilding<br />
older records in the new system. Most recently, she assisted with transcript services, major changes,<br />
enrollment verifications and grade processing. Lori was known for going the extra mile to help students and fellow staff<br />
members and being a problem solver. She was a 2021 Employee of the Quarter Award recipient.<br />
Michelle (Shelly) Graham began her career at UMBC in February of 1988 in the Student Affairs Office. Since<br />
her retirement on April 30, <strong>2022</strong>, she is enjoying time with her family and friends while working from home two days a<br />
week for her brother-in-law. She served in the Vice President for Student Affairs Office her entire time (34 years) at<br />
UMBC providing service and leadership for three generations of DoSA Vice Presidents.<br />
Alicia Hall began with the Meyerhoff Scholars <strong>Program</strong> in 1999. Serving as the first point of contact<br />
for the program, Alicia's voice and face was well-known to scholars, alumni, parents, UMBC<br />
colleagues, partners across the nation, and guests as they called or entered the program office. Her<br />
warmth, calm, sincerity, professionalism, wisdom, and knowledge established her as a cornerstone of<br />
the Meyerhoff <strong>Program</strong> staff and family. In addition to supporting three program directors over her<br />
tenure, Alicia scheduled and coordinated logistics (space, catering, communications, etc.) for the vast<br />
majority of Meyerhoff and Meyerhoff Parent Association (MPA) events, processed travel, cocoordinated<br />
the selection process, and was instrumental in the success of key program components such as Selection<br />
Weekend and Summer Bridge.
Dr. Jessica Hammond-Graf joined UMBC Athletics' staff in 2003, serving as a valued member<br />
of the team for almost 20 years. Dr. Hammond-Graf joined UMBC as assistant athletics director<br />
of academic services, where she supervised and coordinated the student support services for<br />
UMBC’s varsity sports teams. She also oversaw student registration and served as the advisor to the<br />
Student-Athlete Advisory Council, while acting as a liaison with campus student support services.<br />
Over time, she earned additional responsibilities, including serving as senior woman administrator<br />
in the department. In April of 2019, she was promoted to deputy athletics director while retaining<br />
her title as senior woman administrator, and served as interim athletics director from August of 2019 through the end of<br />
the calendar year. Hammond-Graf earned her Ed.D. from Frostburg State University in higher education and leadership<br />
in 2021. Her doctoral dissertation was entitled, "Utilizing Sport as a Vehicle for the Process of Empowerment for Women." She<br />
also earned a masters degree in sports psychology from Temple University in 1997, and a BS in sports psychology from<br />
the University of Connecticut in 1995. In 2010, she was selected to hold the position of Region I Director for the N4A<br />
organization (National Association of Academic Advisors for Athletics). Among her many accolades and recognitions,<br />
Dr. Hammond-Graf was awarded the Division of Student Affairs Outstanding Staff Award in 2014 and Jakubik Family<br />
Endowment Award, UMBC Staff Award in April 2019.<br />
Larry Hennessey is a registered professional engineer with more than 40-years of experience in the<br />
architectural, engineering, and construction industry. Larry came to UMBC in 2007 as Assistant<br />
Director in the office of Design and Construction <strong>Service</strong>s. In addition to his regular duties, Larry is<br />
known for numerous acts of volunteerism. In 2019, Larry received the USM Board of Regents Award<br />
for Exceptional Public <strong>Service</strong>. As principal investigator, Larry received a Keep Maryland Beautiful<br />
grant to support conservation landscaping installed by students and a Chesapeake and Atlantic Coastal<br />
Bays grant for the stream restoration project near the stadium.<br />
Sarah Hill came to UMBC in 1985, supporting both Undergraduate Admissions and the Registrar’s<br />
Office. When Undergraduate Admissions moved from the Academic <strong>Service</strong>s Building to the<br />
Library, Sarah remained in Academic <strong>Service</strong>s with the Registrar’s Office as a full-time Office Clerk<br />
II. “Ms. Sarah” remained with the Registrar’s Office until her retirement in <strong>2022</strong>, becoming an<br />
Academic <strong>Program</strong> Specialist in 2009. Over the years, she was responsible for processing a wide<br />
variety of records updates ranging from student biographical information to grade changes. She also<br />
provided enrollment verification letters, completed change of major updates and assisted with<br />
transcript services. She served as part of the frontline customer service team and noted that she found working with<br />
students exciting.<br />
Peggy Ingle began working at UMBC in 2004 as an Accounting Associate in the Student Business<br />
<strong>Service</strong>s department of Financial <strong>Service</strong>s. In 2006 she transitioned to another position in Financial<br />
<strong>Service</strong>s Accounts Payable Department as a Financial Transaction Supervisor with her last position<br />
change occurring in 2014 becoming the Assistant Manager of Accounts Payable. Peggy worked with<br />
banking services, the campus travel reimbursement system and aided the AP manager as needed. She<br />
was an excellent campus resource and liked by all. Her infectious personality created a positive<br />
atmosphere at work and in her personal life. An avid Ravens fan, Peggy was always ready to celebrate<br />
purple Friday with her Ravens gear or purple hair. Peggy is enjoying her retirement spending time with her beloved<br />
granddaughter when she is home from college and visiting her daughter and grandchildren in Florida when she is not<br />
traveling with her husband in their RV.
Sharon Johnson was recruited to UMBC by former Meyerhoff Director LaMont Toliver who<br />
instructed her to “take care” of the students. Sharon succeeded in that mission. During her tenure she<br />
played a key role securing and administering a significant number of grants and contracts from federal<br />
and private sources which provided critical scholarship, programming, and operational support. In<br />
addition, she instituted processes, procedures, and controls allowing our program to operate more<br />
efficiently and effectively as the program population grew. Across campus Sharon is well-known and<br />
well-respected for her collaborative spirit, imitable work ethic, and deep knowledge of financial and<br />
business processes. Her thoughtful, calming, and encouraging approach made her office a popular stop for students (and<br />
colleagues) over the years.<br />
Bob Jones began his career digging ditches for a plumbing company before becoming an apprentice<br />
and earning a Journeyman Plumber's license. In 1979, he was hired by Bethlehem Steel Corporation as<br />
a Pipefitter, also trained in welding & lubrication, where he worked for 33 years until closing. He<br />
began working at UMBC in February 2013 in the Plumbing shop. “It has been my pleasure to work with the<br />
Plumbing Shop personnel, as well as my coworkers on the Dock & the Facilities Management staff. I've been married<br />
to my Wonderful wife Gail for 44 years, have a daughter Becki, son Blair, son-in-law Frank, daughter-in-law Danielle,<br />
2 granddaughters & 4 grandsons, a Blessed life!”<br />
Stephen Jones began his career at UMBC in June 1996 as the Coordinator of Computing Facilities<br />
and eventually became the Manager of Library Technology Operations. From 1996, he was involved<br />
in almost all aspects of technology for the Library including moving to a new library system (Victor<br />
to ALEPH), implementing a new version of Illiad for Interlibrary Loan, and installing self-check<br />
machines. Given the breadth of responsibilities for the Library Information Technology <strong>Service</strong>s<br />
(LITS) unit, Stephen always managed to hire and train wonderful student workers to work in LITS.<br />
Not only did he and LITS keep the public computers, printers, and scanners up and running, he also<br />
supported his colleagues with their day-to-day technology needs. With Stan Kahn, Stephen co-founded the<br />
Departmental IT (DIT) Group on campus. This group filled a void by providing a forum for departmental IT staff to<br />
gather, share ideas, and support professional development. It eventually grew to include the Division of Information<br />
Technology staff. And close to 17 years later, it is still going strong. Stephen's patience and wry sense of humor was<br />
greatly appreciated as the library tackled many changes in technology throughout the years. Stephen was also committed<br />
to supporting his colleagues in non-technology related activities. He was a long-time member of our Cheers committee<br />
which organizes library-wide events such as the annual picnic. On several occasions he participated in our Library Staff<br />
Day as an organizer and as a presenter. His coffee roasting skills are legendary; he has a wonderful appreciation for<br />
music (he plays the trombone); and is fluent in Chinese. We would not be where we are if not for his steadfast<br />
management of Library IT <strong>Service</strong>s. We wish him all the very best!<br />
Joseph (Joe) Klein Jr began working at UMBC in September 1991 as an HVAC Student Helper. In<br />
1993, he became a full-time Maintenance Mechanic. He continued his career in Facilities Management<br />
as an HVAC Mechanic I, before being promoted in 2000 to HVAC Mechanic II. In 2020 he was<br />
promoted to HVAC Mechanic III. “I have made many friends along the in my journey at UMBC. I will always<br />
treasure those friends. I am enjoying my retirement in Arizona with my family.”
Jill Randles, former Assistant Vice Provost & Assistant Dean in the Division of Undergraduate<br />
Academic Affairs, recently retired after an incredible 30 years of service to the UMBC community. Jill<br />
joined UMBC in 1992, the same year that Dr. Hrabowski was named President. She held several<br />
positions over her years on campus including the Evening Student <strong>Service</strong>s Advisor and Coordinator<br />
then Director of Undergraduate Student <strong>Service</strong>s in the College of Engineering & IT from 1992 to<br />
2001. After her tenure with COEIT, Jill worked alongside Dr. Diane M. Lee as one of the founding<br />
members of the Office of Undergraduate Education (now the Division of Undergraduate Academic<br />
Affairs). To this day, this unit is tasked with implementing and supporting initiatives that enhance the<br />
education of the entire undergraduate population at UMBC. Jill spent the second half of her time at UMBC working<br />
closely with academic transition opportunities including first-year courses, courses and initiatives to support transfer<br />
students, summer bridge, and the campus living-learning communities. In addition to her commitment to our students,<br />
Jill was an extremely involved member of the campus community, supporting faculty and staff across departments in<br />
many different capacities. Our entire campus community benefits from Jill's outstanding commitment to UMBC from<br />
1992 to <strong>2022</strong>!<br />
Ray Soellner began his career with UMBC Facilities Management when he joined the UMBC Electric<br />
Shop as a Master Electrician in April 1990. Ray advanced to Zone Maintenance Supervisor and Multi-<br />
Trades Supervisor before being promoted to Manager of Structural and Electrical Trades in 2004.<br />
Before his retirement, he was Manager of Structural Maintenance, Sign, Paint and Door/Locks Shops<br />
within FM. Ray’s team also executed many small projects on campus. Ray’s daughter Nicole and son<br />
Ray Jr. both graduated from UMBC. Ray enjoys spending time with his three grandchildren.<br />
Kay Smith joined the University in June of 1992 as a part time Receiving Clerk in the UMBC<br />
<strong>Book</strong>store, when it was still located in the UC! She quickly moved from the Receiving Department to a<br />
full time role in the Accounting Office as an Account Clerk I in 1993. In 1998, she was promoted to<br />
Accounting Associate and for the last 20 years, she has been the Accounting Coordinator, until her<br />
retirement at the end of June <strong>2022</strong>. In 2007, she was named Employee of the Quarter. When asked<br />
about her experience at UMBC, she said, "All of those years, all of that work put in to make the<br />
<strong>Book</strong>store the best it can be, would be meaningless without the people. That is what made everyday<br />
fun and exciting when I walked through those doors, the UMBC community and most especially, my<br />
<strong>Book</strong>store family."<br />
Donna von Paris joined UMBC in 2015 as a Contract Administrator in the Procurement<br />
Department before retiring on June 1, <strong>2022</strong>. During her tenure, her achievements included the<br />
successful furnishing and equipping of multiple capital projects, including the CEI arena, ILSB,<br />
RAC renovation, and the Center for Well-Being. She also handled contracts and transactions that<br />
covered a wide variety of areas, such as marketing, athletic travel, office supplies, scientific<br />
equipment, and fleet vehicles. Prior to UMBC, Donna worked in the Procurement Department at<br />
UMB after transitioning from designing interior furnishings in commercial properties. Donna’s<br />
enthusiasm, tenacity, and friendly nature will be greatly missed!<br />
Marlo Zeroth came to UMBC in July of 2012 as the Assistant Budget Director and retired after<br />
nearly ten years of dedicated service to the University as the Associate Budget Director. Fluent in at<br />
least two languages, English and Microsoft Excel, Marlo saw the UMBC Budget Office through many<br />
changes during his tenure. Marlo was an incredible asset to the Budget Office and the larger campus<br />
community often serving as a trusted resource for those he interacted with. It is a rare pleasure to<br />
work with someone with the dedication, conscientiousness, and work ethic that Marlo demonstrated<br />
during his time at UMBC. We wish Marlo well in this next chapter and hope he is spending lots of<br />
quality time with his family and friends, especially his grandchildren.
Thank you for over 40 years of serice!<br />
Since joining UMBC in 2002, Valerie A. Thomas has led UMBC’s Human Resources organization with<br />
integrity, empathy, and excellence. She has helped build and integrate campus-wide systems and policies,<br />
established an open and honest dialogue with shared governance units, and negotiated on behalf of the<br />
University and its people with patience, an open mind, and a consensus-building mind-set. Valerie is<br />
particularly appreciated for building a strong human resources team that partners with the<br />
campus community and celebrates the excellence of our faculty and staff with energy, enthusiasm, and<br />
creativity.<br />
Valerie is completing more than 40 years of service with University System of Maryland (USM) institutions.<br />
She started her higher education career in 1979 as a temporary employee working for Dr. Freeman A.<br />
Hrabowski, then Dean of Arts and Sciences at Coppin State College. Valerie went on to other opportunities<br />
at Coppin State, including as Assistant to the Dean of the Lower Division and Assistant to the Vice President<br />
for Academic Affairs, and 10 years as head of Human Resources. With her 20 years at UMBC, Valerie is the<br />
longest-serving head of HR in the University's history.<br />
President Hrabowski, her original supervisor and mentor notes, “Valerie has always emphasized the ‘human’ in<br />
human resources. Her ability to navigate the complex relationships of a campus community has earned her a<br />
stellar reputation as a fair, caring, understanding, and reliable colleague. Most of all, she has focused on<br />
establishing and nurturing relationships, inspiring those who interact with her to accomplish more than they<br />
thought possible.”<br />
As our senior HR leader, Valerie is responsible for talent acquisition and retention, benefits, classification and<br />
compensation, organization development, workforce learning, wellness, payroll, HRIS, union negotiations,<br />
staff recognition and serves as the UMBC liaison to the Y-Preschool. Over the twenty the years working in<br />
this position, she has been instrumental in the implementation of several electronic systems for improved data<br />
management including PeopleSoft, PageUp and GLACIER; effectively integrated campus-wide policies;<br />
chaired numerous committees; lead change management initiatives; and successfully negotiated union<br />
contracts on behalf of the University. She has also been a staunch advocate for work/life balance, encouraging<br />
the campus to adopt alternative work arrangements to support employees and allow for more<br />
accommodations. Today, UMBC is recognized as one of the most family-friendly institutions in work/life
alance policies for faculty and staff. UMBC has also been recognized for 13 years running by the Chronicle of<br />
Higher Education for being one of the nation’s “Great Colleges to Work For,” in large part due to Valerie's work.<br />
Valerie not only has a heart for UMBC, but also serves many professional and civic organizations. She is a<br />
long-standing member of the College and University Professional Association, the Society for Human<br />
Resources Management, Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority, Inc., The Girl Friends. Inc., and the National Coalition<br />
of 100 Black Women. Her tireless service to these organizations has earned her awards and accolades from<br />
each.<br />
Through her dedication to exceptional service to the campus community, Valerie has transformed the Human<br />
Resources department into a model for institutional excellence. We thank Valerie for her tireless work to<br />
ensure that UMBC's HR department is one to emulate.<br />
Your UMBC Family!
Eloise Grose<br />
Exempt<br />
Shriver Center<br />
January—March<br />
Lori DeThomas<br />
Non‐Exempt<br />
Office of the Registrar<br />
January—March<br />
Ira Fabri<br />
Exempt<br />
Academic Success Center<br />
April—June<br />
Nancy Clements<br />
Non‐Exempt<br />
Division of Professional Studies<br />
April—June
Evie Hoff<br />
Exempt<br />
Division of Professional Studies<br />
July—September<br />
Ella Sagan<br />
Non‐Exempt<br />
Division of Professional Studies<br />
July—September<br />
Gina King<br />
Exempt<br />
Office of Undergraduate Admissions<br />
October—December<br />
Michele Conner<br />
Non‐Exempt<br />
Office of the President<br />
October—December
Tamra Mendelson<br />
Professor<br />
Biological Sciences<br />
<strong>2022</strong>‐2025 Presidenal Teaching Professor Award<br />
Yonathan Zohar<br />
Professor and Chair<br />
Marine Biotechnology<br />
<strong>2022</strong>–2025 Presidenal Research Professor Award<br />
Michael Pound<br />
Director<br />
Environmental Safety and Health<br />
<strong>2022</strong>‐2023 Presidenal Disnguished Professional<br />
Staff Award<br />
Helena Dahlen<br />
Execuve Administrave Assistant<br />
Division of Informaon Technology<br />
<strong>2022</strong>‐2023 Presidenal Disnguished<br />
Non‐Exempt Staff Award
Marjoleine Kars<br />
Professor<br />
History<br />
<strong>2022</strong> Excellence in Scholarship, Research, or<br />
Creave Acvity<br />
Lee Blaney<br />
Associate Professor<br />
Chemical, Biochemical, and<br />
Environmental Engineering<br />
<strong>2022</strong> Excellence in Teaching<br />
Victor Fulda<br />
Engineering Technician<br />
Chemical, Biochemical, and<br />
Environmental Engineering<br />
2020‐2021 Exceponal Contribuon to<br />
the Instuon or Unit to Which the Person Belongs<br />
Narsingh B. Singh<br />
Research Professor<br />
Chemistry and Biochemistry and<br />
Computer Science and Electrical Engineering<br />
2021‐<strong>2022</strong>
Mark Berczynski<br />
Lecturer<br />
Engineering and Computer Educaon <strong>Program</strong><br />
2021‐<strong>2022</strong><br />
Jamie Gurganus<br />
Faculty<br />
Mechanical Engineering<br />
2020‐2021<br />
Jonathan Zwi<br />
Instructor<br />
Music<br />
2020‐2021<br />
Tamara Bhalla<br />
Associate Professor<br />
American Studies<br />
2021‐<strong>2022</strong>
Margaret Holland<br />
Associate Professor<br />
Geography and Environmental Systems<br />
2021‐<strong>2022</strong><br />
Danyelle Tauryce Ireland<br />
Associate Director<br />
Center for Women in Technology<br />
2021‐<strong>2022</strong><br />
Nichole Zang Do<br />
<strong>Program</strong> Management Specialist<br />
Biological Sciences<br />
2021‐<strong>2022</strong><br />
C. Jill Randles<br />
Assistant Vice Provost and Assistant Dean<br />
Academic Engagement and<br />
Transion <strong>Program</strong>s<br />
2021‐<strong>2022</strong>
Spring <strong>2022</strong> Winners<br />
The First Generation Workgroup was formed to create a structure and system of programs to<br />
support UMBC’s First Gen students. The work of the workshop resulted in UMBC being<br />
recognized as a First Gen Forward institution by NASPA’s First Generation Success Center and as<br />
participants in the 3rd cohort of the First Scholars <strong>Program</strong>. From the work of the First Gen<br />
Workgroup we have formed a First Gen Steering Committee to plan future programming for First-<br />
Gen Students, Faculty, Staff, and Alumni.<br />
Project Team Members: Kim Casimbon, Corris Davis, Peter DeCrescenzo, Chrisi Giannakaris,<br />
Delana Gregg, Susan Hindle, Michael Hunt, Antoinette Newsome, Jennifer Spencer Heilman, and<br />
Carlos Williams.
Fall <strong>2022</strong> Winners<br />
Graduate School Welcome Event<br />
The Graduate School hosted its first ever “Welcome Event” this August. The orientation program was<br />
previously moved to a completely online format based on demand as well as the pandemic effects of<br />
limited contact with large groups. But we knew that we had the largest incoming group of graduate<br />
students in the history of UMBC and wanted to find a way to welcome them. So we planned a large<br />
series of events using multiple campus spaces to accommodate both the size of the crowd as well as<br />
offering various activities.<br />
Our goal was to simply provide a kickoff event to let new graduate students know they were welcomed<br />
to campus. We knew that, based on Fall 21 experiences, students were hungry for community, for t-<br />
shirts(!), and for a chance to just feel connected. With over 20 university partners during our Community<br />
Fair, with the support of the President’s Office (President Sheares Ashby spoke in person), help from<br />
the GSA, and the support of folks in Student Affairs for space, and Chartwells for food, we were able to<br />
welcome 550 new graduate students on that day. This was more than twice the number we have had in<br />
the past.<br />
This was the first event of its kind. It was double the size of any event we have had in the past. The<br />
new students walked away with both a smile on their faces, and a UMBC tote bag filled with UMBC<br />
goodies! All in all, both the students and the UMBC staff who participated or volunteered during the<br />
event walked away with positive vibes and what we hope was a good start to their semester.<br />
Project Team Members: K. Jill Barr, Megan Dignan, Jennifer Dress, and D. Mike Suica (not pictured)
The University System of Maryland (USM) Board of Regents has appointed Valerie Sheares Ashby as the next<br />
president of UMBC. She will become UMBC’s sixth chief executive on August 1, <strong>2022</strong>, following current<br />
UMBC President Freeman A. Hrabowski’s retirement from UMBC. She will be the first woman to serve in this<br />
role.<br />
Ashby will join UMBC from her current position as dean of Duke University’s<br />
Trinity College of Arts & Sciences, where she has served since 2015. She received<br />
her B.A. and Ph.D degrees in chemistry from the University of North Carolina at<br />
Chapel Hill (UNC) and completed postdoctoral research at University at Mainz in<br />
Germany. She came to Duke from UNC, where she served on the faculty since<br />
2003 and chaired the chemistry department from 2012 to 2015.<br />
While at UNC, Ashby served on the university’s Arts & Sciences Foundation<br />
Board of Directors and Research Advisory Council, and chaired the College of<br />
Arts & Sciences Faculty Diversity Task Force. She also directed UNC’s National<br />
Science Foundation (NSF) Alliance for Graduate Education and the Professoriate,<br />
working to increase the number of underrepresented students completing doctoral<br />
degrees and becoming professors in STEM and social, behavioral, and economic<br />
sciences.<br />
Dr. Valerie Ashby with students at move-in day.<br />
Photo courtesy of Duke University.<br />
“It is an incredible honor to be asked to lead a university that has excelled in so many ways that are essential<br />
both nationally and to me personally—particularly in regards to foregrounding inclusive excellence,” Ashby<br />
says.
Selection process<br />
Ashby was selected as UMBC’s next president through an intensive national search chaired by USM Regent<br />
Michelle Gourdine. The USM Board of Regents conducted the search, and a diverse group of UMBC faculty,<br />
staff, students, alumni, and community members served on the search committee.<br />
“Dr. Ashby is clearly the impressive scholar and dynamic leader we need to build on the strong foundation of<br />
inclusive excellence at UMBC,” says USM Board Chair Linda R. Gooden. “UMBC is a jewel—nationally and<br />
internationally recognized for its innovative teaching and pathbreaking research. All of this success is due to<br />
the dedication and hard work of President Hrabowski and his outstanding team. The Board of Regents knows<br />
this legacy will be in good hands with Dr. Ashby.”<br />
“I am grateful to the UMBC presidential search committee, chaired by Regent Michelle Gourdine, for finding<br />
such a distinguished leader among so many great candidates,” says Gooden.<br />
“I’m excited to see how Dr. Ashby’s vision will shape the next chapter for UMBC,” says USM Chancellor Jay<br />
A. Perman. “Without question, she has the experience and the attributes needed to grow UMBC’s academic<br />
and research prominence, and she’s steeped in the culture of inclusive excellence that has made the university a<br />
national exemplar of access, equity, and achievement. It’s hard to imagine finding a better fit for a school<br />
whose future is as bright as UMBC’s.”<br />
Legacy of momentum<br />
President Hrabowski announced his anticipated retirement from UMBC in August 2021. The university has<br />
risen to national prominence over his three decades of leadership. In February, the Carnegie Classification of<br />
Institutions of Higher Education recognized UMBC as a doctoral university with very high research activity,<br />
popularly known as Research 1 (or R1). UMBC is now one of three R1s in Maryland, joining Johns Hopkins<br />
University and University of Maryland, College Park.<br />
In January 2020, UMBC received Carnegie Community Engagement Classification in recognition of a deep<br />
commitment to strengthening the bonds between campus and community. UMBC also recently joined the<br />
University Innovation Alliance, a consortium of public research universities focused on student success. U.S.<br />
News consistently ranks UMBC among the nation’s top leading institutions for both innovation and<br />
undergraduate teaching.<br />
Aerial view of UMBC, with the Baltimore City skyline in the distance.<br />
Together, these honors highlight that at UMBC top-quality education and research go hand-in-hand, and<br />
community engagement is essential to both.<br />
“To follow President Freeman Hrabowski is a distinct privilege, as he has been a role model for so many in<br />
higher education over the last 30 years, including myself,” Ashby says. “His extraordinary leadership and<br />
dedication to UMBC ensures that I am arriving at a university that is already performing at a very high level.<br />
There is no ceiling on what we can achieve from here.”
Welcoming UMBC’s next president<br />
“My colleagues and I are thrilled to learn of this great news,” says President Hrabowski. “Dr. Ashby is<br />
nationally known as a chemist and as a proven academic leader across the liberal arts and sciences. We are very<br />
fortunate to have attracted such a talented visionary executive. She is both brilliant and a wonderful human<br />
being.”<br />
Ashby’s research in synthetic polymer chemistry emphasizes designing and synthesizing materials for<br />
biomedical uses. She is the recipient of an NSF Faculty Early Career Development Award, DuPont Young<br />
Faculty Award, 3M Young Faculty Award, and numerous other teaching and research awards.<br />
She is also a university leader committed to elevating all disciplines. As dean at Trinity College, she increased<br />
the national and global prominence of the humanities and social sciences by investing in faculty- and studentdriven<br />
strategic areas. And she completed the Duke Forward campaign, exceeding the college’s $435 million<br />
fundraising goal by $45 million. This included $200 million raised for financial aid.<br />
Dr. Valerie Ashby speaks with students. Photo courtesy of Duke University.<br />
Ashby has shown a deep commitment to supporting students of all backgrounds, elevating public impact<br />
research across all fields, prioritizing effective teaching and learning, and creating a welcoming and supportive<br />
university community. In these ways, her work closely aligns with UMBC’s values and strategic priorities.<br />
“I have tremendous respect for all the members of the UMBC community,” Ashby says, “and I am looking<br />
forward to working in partnership with the students, faculty, staff, alumni, and friends who are the heart of this<br />
institution.”<br />
Featured image: UMBC’s presidential medallion. Photo by Marlayna Demond ’11 for UMBC.
At UMBC’s <strong>2022</strong> Presidential Faculty and Staff <strong>Awards</strong> (PFASA), Tamra Mendelson, professor of biological<br />
sciences and recipient of the <strong>2022</strong> – 2025 Presidential Teaching Professor Award, said she loves “getting to the<br />
core of a concept” in her research and teaching. In her large introductory biology courses, which Mendelson<br />
has been teaching with humor, creativity, and enthusiasm since her arrival on campus in 2006, the concept<br />
might be an idea like natural selection. But as awardee after awardee addressed the audience, both in person<br />
and online, it became clear that all shared the same “core concept” of UMBC: community.<br />
“Teaching and research make me want to come to work every day, but it’s the community here, and Dr.<br />
Hrabowski in particular, who’ve made me want to come to UMBC every day,” Mendelson said.<br />
Yonathan Zohar, professor and chair of marine biotechnology and the <strong>2022</strong> – 2025 Presidential Research<br />
Professor, added, “This recognition is not about me, it’s about us,” adapting the opening quote from President<br />
Hrabowski’s book, The Empowered University. Zohar’s work, nurtured diligently over more than three decades,<br />
has in the last few years brought in more than $10 million dollars of research funding, earned international<br />
awards, and is poised to reimagine the seafood industry as we know it.<br />
And yet, Zohar says, “None of my research accomplishments would have been possible without the ‘about us’<br />
spirit at UMBC—the spirit that together we can make everything and anything happen.”<br />
Yonathan Zohar, right, accepts his award from Bill LaCourse, dean of the<br />
College of Natural and Mathematical Sciences.
Supporting each other<br />
Helena Dahlen, executive administrative assistant in the Division of Information Technology and the <strong>2022</strong> –<br />
2023 Presidential Distinguished Staff Award for Non-exempt Staff recipient, recalled becoming an active<br />
member of the community when she started at UMBC in 2015. She joined book clubs, participated in wellness<br />
events, attended lectures, and more.<br />
“It felt like I had moved into a small community,” she says. “Almost like a village, surrounded by brilliant<br />
people of all ages.” The supportive environment has allowed Dahlen to do her best work at UMBC and to give<br />
back. She generously contributes her energy to programs like Retriever Essentials and the Maryland Charity<br />
Campaign, and she serves as president of the Non-exempt Staff Senate.<br />
Finally, Michael Pound, director of environmental safety and health and the <strong>2022</strong> – 2023 Presidential<br />
Distinguished Staff Award recipient, got to the heart of the matter. Recalling the challenges of managing the<br />
university’s response to the pandemic with a team of dedicated colleagues, he says, “I just couldn’t be prouder<br />
to work with these great folks.”<br />
Danyelle Ireland, right, accepts her award from Marc Olano, associate dean of<br />
academic programs and learning in the College of Engineering and IT.<br />
Beyond imagination<br />
The UMBC community, all of the awardees emphasized, has grown through years of thoughtful care and<br />
collaboration. It’s taken decades to cultivate the UMBC ethos of community support and shared leadership.<br />
“It’s hard to express how far we’ve come,” reflected President Hrabowski, as he offered remarks at his final<br />
PFASA as UMBC president. “Growing up, I could never have imagined the concept of UMBC—people from<br />
all over the world coming to study, to seek the truth, to get to know people different from themselves.”<br />
UMBC’s newest awardees highlighted how that vision has become a reality, and Pres. Hrabowski honored all<br />
that they have contributed. “Leadership isn’t about one person at the top; it’s about what we all do,”<br />
Hrabowski said. “When we say we care about UMBC, what we’re saying is we care about each other.”
The audience applauds President Hrabowski as he makes remarks at his final Presidential Faculty and Staff <strong>Awards</strong>.<br />
Honoring excellence<br />
UMBC’s other named awards honor members of the UMBC community who embody the university’s ethos,<br />
such as Diane Lee, retired vice provost and dean of undergraduate education; Marilyn E. Demorest, professor<br />
emerita of psychology and former vice provost for faculty affairs; and Teresa Lupinek, the late former<br />
executive administrative assistant to the president. This year’s recipients include:<br />
Mark Berczynski, M.S. ’17, lecturer, engineering and computing education program<br />
Diane M. Lee Teaching Award<br />
Danyelle Tauryce Ireland, associate director, Center for Women in Technology<br />
Jakubik Family Endowment Staff Award<br />
Nichole Zang Do, M.A. ’15, program management specialist, biological sciences<br />
Karen L. Wensch Endowment Award for Outstanding Non-exempt Staff<br />
C. Jill Randles, assistant vice provost and assistant dean, Academic Engagement and Transition <strong>Program</strong>s<br />
Teresa Lupinek Endowment Award<br />
Tamara Bhalla, associate professor, American studies<br />
Marilyn E. Demorest Award for Faculty Advancement<br />
Margaret Holland, associate professor, geography and environmental systems<br />
Marilyn E. Demorest Award for Faculty Advancement<br />
Narsingh B. Singh, research professor, chemistry and biochemistry, and affiliate faculty, computer science<br />
and electrical engineering<br />
UMBC Research Faculty Excellence Award
Margaret Holland, right, accepts her award from Kimberly Moffitt, dean of<br />
the College of Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences.<br />
USM Board of Regents awardees<br />
This year, UMBC also had two University System of Maryland (USM) Board of Regents Award recipients.<br />
These awards represent the highest honor bestowed on faculty and staff across the USM by the Board of<br />
Regents. Awardees are selected by the Council of University System Staff and approved by the Board. The<br />
awards recognize faculty and staff for excellence in teaching; research, scholarship, and creative activity; public<br />
service; mentoring; or innovation.<br />
UMBC has received an outsize share of these awards over the years, demonstrating the strength of our faculty<br />
and staff across all areas of achievement. This year, Marjoleine Kars, professor of history, received the <strong>2022</strong><br />
USM Board of Regents Award for Excellence in Scholarship. Her latest book, Blood on the River: A Chronicle of<br />
Mutiny and Freedom on the Wild Coast, has received widespread acclaim for its discussion of a nearly successful<br />
rebellion of enslaved African and Indigenous people in the Dutch colony of Berbice in the 1860s.<br />
Lee Blaney, associate professor of chemical, biochemical, and environmental engineering, received the <strong>2022</strong><br />
USM Board of Regents Award for Excellence in Teaching. Blaney has received awards previously for<br />
exceptional mentoring and for engaging his students in high-impact research. His laboratory focuses on<br />
contaminants of emerging concern, such as compounds found in pharmaceuticals and personal care products,<br />
in waterways such as Chesapeake Bay.<br />
From left to right: Lee Blaney, Marjoleine Kars, and Victor Fulda.
Celebrating together<br />
This year’s ceremony was the first in-person PFASA event since 2019. With that in mind, the ceremony also<br />
honored awardees from 2020 and 2021.<br />
Victor Fulda, engineering technician, chemical, biochemical, and environmental engineering<br />
2021 University System of Maryland Board of Regents Award for Exceptional Contribution to the Institution or Unit to which<br />
the Person Belongs<br />
Jamie Gurganus ‘04, M.S. ‘11, Ph.D. ‘20; faculty, mechanical engineering; associate director, engineering<br />
education initiatives; and director, Center for the Integration of Research, Teaching, and Learning<br />
2020 – 2021 Diane M. Lee Teaching Award<br />
Jonathan Zwi, instructor and affiliate artist, music<br />
2020 – 2021 Diane M. Lee Teaching Award<br />
Header image: Recipients of awards who accepted them in person at this year’s PFASA. From left to right: Marjoleine Kars,<br />
Michael Pound, Jamie Gurganus, Maggie Holland, Nichole Zang Do, Jill Randles, Danyelle Ireland, Tamra Mendelson,<br />
Yonathan Zohar, Helena Dahlen, Freeman Hrabowski, Tamara Bhalla, Victor Fulda, Jonanthan Zwi, Narsingh Singh, Lee<br />
Blaney, Philip Rous.<br />
All photos by Marlayna Demond ’11 for UMBC.
.<br />
Kimberly R. Moffitt is the new dean of UMBC’s College of Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences (CAHSS).<br />
Moffitt, a professor of language, literacy, and culture (LLC) and affiliate professor of Africana studies, has<br />
served as interim dean since August 2020, leading CAHSS through the challenges of COVID-19 while<br />
achieving several notable milestones.<br />
As Provost Philip Rous shared in his announcement to the university community, “Moffitt has served with<br />
distinction as interim dean of the College by providing outstanding leadership during one of the most<br />
challenging times for our entire campus community.”<br />
Dean Moffitt earned a Ph.D. in mass communication/media studies from Howard University and holds an<br />
M.A. in mass communication from Boston University and B.A. in political science from UNC-Charlotte.<br />
Moffitt began her career at UMBC in 2006 as an assistant professor of American studies and she became<br />
director of the LLC program in 2018. She is UMBC’s first Black dean of a college. She brings an exceptional<br />
record of leadership in shared governance, having previously served as president and vice president of<br />
UMBC’s Faculty Senate, among other key leadership roles.<br />
“The campus is delighted by the appointment of Dr. Moffitt as dean—in many ways, she represents the best<br />
of UMBC,” shares President Freeman Hrabowski. “Most importantly, she will be a strong voice for the arts,<br />
humanities, and social sciences, both on and off campus.”<br />
Dean Moffitt interviewing President Hrabowski at the <strong>2022</strong> RetriEVER Grateful Tour.
“I am excited about the opportunity to continue serving the College of Arts, Humanities, and Social<br />
Sciences,” says Dean Moffitt. “As a communication scholar I’m hopeful to use my expertise to elevate the<br />
great scholarship of our faculty colleagues and the initiatives carried out by our staff for all to see, learn,<br />
and experience.”<br />
Dedication to CAHSS<br />
As interim dean, Moffitt led a series of key projects to advance and support faculty and student research,<br />
teaching and learning, and development.<br />
Moffitt and co-PI Patrice McDermott, vice provost for faculty affairs, received a $3 million grant from the<br />
Andrew W. Mellon Foundation to launch Breaking the M.O.L.D. (Mellon/Maryland Opportunities for<br />
Leadership Development) with partners Morgan State University and the University of Maryland, College<br />
Park. This program will develop a pipeline to higher ed leadership for scholars in the arts and humanities. It<br />
will focus on interested faculty members at the rank of associate and full professor, particularly women<br />
faculty and Black, Hispanic, and American Indian/Alaska Native faculty.<br />
Dean Moffitt and Patrice McDermott, 2021.<br />
Speaking of the project collaborators, Moffitt shared, “This experienced team of diverse senior leaders has<br />
an opportunity to create a structural answer to elevate diverse leaders from the arts and humanities. This<br />
will enable faculty to apply distinct knowledge, skills, and perspectives to address our communities’ needs as<br />
leaders at their respective institutions.”<br />
Moffitt has long been committed to diversity, equity, and inclusion at UMBC and in Baltimore. Following<br />
the recent global call for social justice for Black lives and rise of anti-racist work Moffitt developed the<br />
“Looking in the Mirror” speaker series with Patricia Young, professor of education and special assistant to<br />
the dean for strategy and innovation. Over the past two semesters, UMBC faculty and staff have discussed<br />
topics related to microaggressions, mental health in academia, equity, and systemic racism to create<br />
strategies for moving forward as a college.<br />
Additionally, she has led a redesign of the CAHSS website to better reflect the college’s vast range of<br />
majors, programs, and diverse student and faculty scholarship. In fall 2021 and spring <strong>2022</strong>, Moffitt also<br />
spearheaded faculty media workshops to provide faculty with strategies and resources to share their work<br />
with the greater public.
Commitment to Baltimore<br />
Moffitt is also known for her dedication to Baltimore. Her community-engaged work has benefited Baltimore<br />
families and community organizations.<br />
In addition to being a board member of Maryland Humanities and the Greater Baltimore Cultural Alliance,<br />
she is a founding board member of the Baltimore Collegiate School for Boys. The school aims to “provide<br />
the finest liberal arts education possible to Baltimore’s next generation of young men, ensuring that they will<br />
become global citizens trained to learn, lead, and serve our community, our nation, and our world.”<br />
As a frequent guest host on WYPR’s former The Marc Steiner Show, she has spoken about race, politics,<br />
education, and culture in Baltimore. She has also shared her work through The Baltimore Sun and other local<br />
media outlets, reaching broad public audiences.<br />
(L-R) Marc Steiner; Kimberly Moffitt; Kalima Young, assistant professor of electronic media and film at<br />
Towson University; and Nathan Connolly, the Herbert Baxter Adams associate professor of history at<br />
Johns Hopkins University, on “The Black Panther: Academic and Visceral Readings” episode.<br />
Photo courtesy of The Marc Steiner Show.<br />
National engagement<br />
In conjunction with her collaborations in Baltimore, Moffitt has also taken her scholarship to national<br />
audiences. This includes her work on mediated representations of marginalized groups as well as the<br />
politicized nature of Black hair.<br />
Moffitt is co-editor of Blackberries and Redbones: Critical Articulations of Black Hair/Body Politics in Africana<br />
Communities. She also co-created the Black Hair Syllabus with Tunisia Lumpkin, a language, literature, and<br />
culture doctoral student. This is the first website with resources and scholarship about Black hair in media,<br />
business, children’s literature, and more.<br />
This February, she launched ColorStuck? a podcast interrogating color and hair politics among Diasporic Black<br />
women.<br />
Dean Moffitt has published numerous articles and book chapters, as well as five co-edited volumes. In<br />
addition to Blackberries and Redbones, these include Michelle Obama and the FLOTUS Effect: Platform, Presence, and<br />
Agency (2019), Gladiators in Suits: Race, Gender, and the Politics of Representation in Scandal (2019), The Obama Effect:<br />
Multidisciplinary Renderings of the 2008 Campaign (2010) and The 1980s: A Transitional Decade? ( 2011).
Moffitt doing research.<br />
Her work on media representation includes exploration of the Black body in Disney<br />
programming (presented at Grit-X 2018) and the impact of colorism on Black girls and mother-daughter<br />
relationships. Moffitt serves as vice president of the National Association for Media Literacy Education as a<br />
national expert in this field.<br />
Dean Moffitt speaking at UMBC’s Grit-X 2021.<br />
Next steps<br />
As dean, Moffitt looks forward to collaborating with colleagues to promote innovative interdisciplinary<br />
teaching and research, as well as fruitful partnerships. She recently contributed to UMBC securing the largestever<br />
gift in university history – $21 million from the Sherman Family Foundation to support UMBC’s K-12<br />
and early childhood education work.<br />
Also, with Moffitt as interim dean, UMBC established its first endowed professorship in economics, with a $1<br />
million gift plus a $1 million Maryland state match in memory of Fred and Virginia Pausch. Moving this<br />
work forward will be a priority.
Dean Moffitt with Tim Gindling, professor of economics, and Denise Meringolo,<br />
associate professor of history and acting director of UMBC’s Dresher Center for<br />
the Humanities.<br />
“On behalf of our faculty, staff, students and the UMBC leadership team I would like to take this<br />
opportunity to thank Dean Moffitt for her hard work and commitment as interim dean and welcome her to<br />
her new permanent position,” says Provost Rous.<br />
“I look forward to being a part of UMBC’s bright future as a newly-designated R1 institution that has much<br />
to offer higher education and our students,” says Moffitt.<br />
Featured image: Kimberly Moffitt. All photos by Marlayna Demond ’11 unless otherwise noted.
Dear UMBC Community,<br />
I am pleased to announce that Bruce Perry ‘97 has agreed to serve as the next UMBC<br />
Chief of Police, effective immediately. Chief Perry has been serving in the role of Acting<br />
Chief of Police since February <strong>2022</strong>.<br />
Bruce has impressed me with his broad knowledge of the physical campus and dedication<br />
to our community. He has strong relationships with students, faculty, and staff across<br />
campus. His team is always present, supportive, and reliable, from their work directing<br />
traffic at major campus events to safety and security during significant crises. I am<br />
particularly appreciative of Bruce’s role with committees such as the Behavioral Risk<br />
Assessment and Consultation Team (BRACT). He and his colleagues help community<br />
members struggling with or witnessing concerning or disruptive behaviors, all with the<br />
goal of creating an inclusive and safe campus.<br />
Bruce grew up in Montgomery County and joined the police department in 1994 as a<br />
student aide. At the time, he said he hoped to be UMBC’s Chief of Police one day! Bruce<br />
graduated from UMBC with a degree in psychology and rejoined the police department in<br />
1998 as an officer. He has spent his career at UMBC and has been promoted multiple<br />
times within the department. He previously served as both Operations Commander and<br />
Deputy Chief.<br />
Please join me in congratulating Bruce and thanking him for his service to the UMBC<br />
community.<br />
Kathy L. Dettloff, Vice President for Administration and Finance
UMBC ascends to the nation’s highest level<br />
as a research university<br />
Members of the Race and Social Justice CoLab group work on pulling their research together, summer 2018.<br />
Photo by Marlayna Demond '11 for UMBC.<br />
UMBC has officially reached the nation’s highest level of research performance. The Carnegie Classification of<br />
Institutions of Higher Education today announced that UMBC has been placed into the category of doctoral<br />
universities with very high research activity, popularly known as Research 1 (or R1). UMBC is now ranked as one<br />
of only 146 R1 institutions nationally, including 107 public and 39 private universities.<br />
“This is an amazing accomplishment by faculty, staff, and administrative leaders who have built a research<br />
culture that nurtures undergraduate and graduate students,” says President Freeman Hrabowski. “This<br />
milestone reflects our commitment to excellence across the disciplines, from the humanities to the sciences.”<br />
Carnegie’s research activity index is based on many factors, including productivity in research and creative<br />
achievement, graduate education, and research expenditures across a broad range of fields. The university’s<br />
classification as an R1 university with comprehensive doctoral programs reflects the strength and diversity of<br />
UMBC’s research portfolio.<br />
Reputation for research<br />
UMBC’s research enterprise has grown steadily over the course of decades, ascending to new heights in recent<br />
years. Faculty secured more than $200M in new research awards in 2021 alone.<br />
“This historic moment for our campus is an outcome of long-term strategic priorities and investments in the<br />
research and creative achievement community at UMBC—people, facilities, and programs,” says Karl Steiner,<br />
vice president for research. “It is essential to recognize that this reflects the work of our entire campus<br />
community, including engineering, natural sciences, social sciences, arts, and humanities. UMBC faculty from all<br />
fields successfully compete for research funding and national recognition at the highest level.”<br />
Recent examples of high-impact research awards abound.
Yonathan Zohar, professor and chair of marine biotechnology, leads a new $10 million award from the U.S.<br />
Department of Agriculture to advance large-scale, sustainable land-based aquaculture—raising fish on land.<br />
This work has particular resonance at a time of global supply chain issues and sustainability concerns.<br />
Yonathan Zohar (l) and Jorge Gomezjurado (r) at IMET aquaculture research facility in 2016.<br />
Kimberly Moffitt, interim dean of UMBC’s College of Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences, is leading a<br />
partnership with Morgan State University and the University of Maryland, College Park (UMD) focused on<br />
developing a pipeline to higher ed leadership for arts and humanities scholars, particularly faculty from<br />
underrepresented groups. Patrice McDermott, vice provost for faculty affairs, is joining Moffitt in leading<br />
UMBC’s implementation of the project, supported through $3 million from the Andrew W. Mellon<br />
Foundation.<br />
Kimberly Moffitt (l) and Patrice McDermott (r)
UMBC is also partnering with the UMD and the DEVCOM Army Research Lab (ARL) on a $68-million,<br />
five-year endeavor, funded by ARL, to strengthen the U.S. Army’s artificial intelligence technology. UMBC’s<br />
work on the project is led by Aryya Gangopadhyay, professor of information systems.<br />
Aryya Gangopadhyay<br />
Among UMBC’s many interdisciplinary research initiatives is a new $72 million NASA award, with UMBC<br />
leading a national consortium supporting over 120 researchers.<br />
Left to right: Belay Demoz, Freeman Hrabowski, Margo Young, and Karl Steiner.<br />
An expansive mission<br />
This new classification reflects UMBC’s reputation as a leader both in research and education. While these two<br />
areas are regarded by some universities as separate or even competing components of their institutional<br />
mission, at UMBC they are inextricably linked. Both graduate and undergraduate research contribute to the<br />
campus’s overall research endeavor, and UMBC sees the research experience as a critical component of<br />
undergraduate and graduate education.<br />
Janet C. Rutledge, vice provost and dean of the Graduate School, firmly believes that intellectual breadth has<br />
been key to UMBC’s success. “The strength of our Ph.D. programs across all disciplines contributed both to<br />
our R1 classification and our graduate program portfolio being recognized as comprehensive,” she says.<br />
Provost Philip Rous shares that the R1 designation “recognizes our commitment to our shared values, strategic<br />
priorities, and our mission as a public research university. This includes advancing research and creative<br />
achievement across disciplines and inter-disciplines, community-engaged scholarship, high-quality graduate<br />
education, and the authentic engagement of our undergraduate students in advancing knowledge.”
Howard Nicholson ’21, chemical engineering, shares his research on biosensors at UMBC’s 23rd annual<br />
Undergraduate Research and Creative Achievement Day (URCAD) in 2019. Students moved outside briefly<br />
in response to a fire drill.<br />
Prioritizing students and research impact<br />
This research designation comes on the heels of UMBC’s joining the University Innovation Alliance, a<br />
consortium of public research universities focused on student success, and receiving the Carnegie Community<br />
Engagement Classification in recognition of a deep commitment to strengthening the bonds between campus<br />
and community. UMBC’s U.S. News rankings also recognize the university for national leadership in both<br />
innovation and teaching.<br />
Vanessa Gonzalez ’19 works on a project with Lakeland Elementary School students, 2019.<br />
Maryland is fortunate also to be home to R1 universities UMD and Johns Hopkins University, as well as the<br />
specialized research powerhouse, the University of Maryland, Baltimore. The Carnegie Classification also<br />
recognizes both the University of Maryland, Eastern Shore, and Morgan State University as high research<br />
activity (R2) institutions. UMBC has established partnerships with each of these universities, as well as<br />
numerous others nationwide.<br />
Shares President Hrabowski, “Now that we have reached this milestone, I encourage our community to pause<br />
and savor this moment. I look forward to seeing what UMBC achieves in the next chapter.”<br />
Featured image: Members of the Race and Social Justice CoLab student research group in summer 2018, with Frank<br />
Anderson, LLC PhD candidate and then-associate director of the Shriver Center’s Choice <strong>Program</strong> (center foreground), and<br />
Lee Boot, research associate professor and director of the Imaging Research Center (right). All photos by Marlayna Demond<br />
’11 for UMBC.
The Hilltop Institute at UMBC revolutionizes data analytics<br />
to advance health and wellbeing<br />
Hilltop researchers. (Image courtesy of Hilltop)<br />
Two researchers from The Hilltop Institute at UMBC just received a National Science Foundation (NSF)<br />
grant to investigate hospital price transparency. With the nearly $300,000 award funded by the Build and<br />
Broaden initiative, Morgan Henderson, principal data scientist and affiliate professor of economics,<br />
and Morgane Mouslim, policy analyst, will collect and synthesize prices for common health services now<br />
being posted by hospitals in response to a 2021 federal mandate intended to help patients “shop” for lowerpriced<br />
care. Henderson and Mouslim will use the data to study hospital pricing behavior, and they will also<br />
make the data available to other researchers.<br />
Morgan Henderson<br />
Morgane Mouslim<br />
Hospital care is a major driver of spiraling health care costs and this work has the potential to refocus the<br />
conversation among policymakers, practitioners, and consumers. It’s also just one of Hilltop’s numerous<br />
high-impact research projects from a nearly 30-year history at UMBC. A hallmark of that research is<br />
partnership.<br />
Collaboration from day one<br />
Hilltop launched at UMBC in 1994, in partnership with the Maryland Department of Health. One of Hilltop’s<br />
first tasks was to design HealthChoice, the state’s Medicaid managed care program that now serves more than<br />
1.7 million Marylanders.
More than a quarter of a century later, the partnership has grown to advance access to high-quality health care<br />
by providing Maryland policymakers and state agencies with the information they need to make well-informed,<br />
evidence-based decisions about health care delivery and financing.<br />
This collaborative work has garnered Hilltop national recognition as a model public university-state agency<br />
partnership. State officials and university researchers from across the country turn to Hilltop for advice on<br />
forming productive partnerships. Hilltop is also a founding member of a national network of partnerships<br />
representing 27 states that are a leading force in advancing sophisticated analytics to inform state health policy.<br />
Advancing Medicaid<br />
Hilltop pairs novel problem-solving and big data to address pressing issues related to access to health care and<br />
the delivery and financing of services. A major piece of this involves working with the Maryland Department<br />
of Health to advance the health of Marylanders with low incomes and disabilities in the Medicaid program.<br />
Hilltop’s interagency agreement with the Department for policy analysis and analytical support for the<br />
Medicaid program—renewed annually since 1994—topped $10 million in <strong>2022</strong>.<br />
Hilltop maintains an extensive data repository to house Maryland Medicaid data. Using this data, Hilltop<br />
calculates the fixed monthly payments the state pays to health plans for each of its members participating in<br />
HealthChoice, totaling more than $7 billion in <strong>2022</strong>. The repository also houses Maryland hospital discharge<br />
data, Medicare data, nursing home assessment data, data on commercially insured individuals, and more.<br />
Hilltop is building interactive data dashboards and visualizations that the Department can use daily to guide<br />
decision-making on programs and services.<br />
Cynthia Woodcock<br />
“Hilltop has expanded and solidified its role as a vital resource for high-quality data analytics for Maryland’s<br />
Medicaid program,” says Cynthia H. Woodcock, executive director of Hilltop and an adjunct professor at<br />
UMBC’s Erickson School of Aging Studies.<br />
Tools for the health system<br />
In addition to its Medicaid-related work, Hilltop has developed a series of innovative analytical tools that are<br />
supporting Maryland’s state-of-the-art health care system, called the Total Cost of Care Model.<br />
Maryland hospitals use Hilltop’s web-based tool to report community benefit activities and expenditures. The<br />
tool streamlines data collection and enables statewide longitudinal analysis of community benefit data. The<br />
findings inform efforts to improve population health under the Total Cost of Care Model.
Ian Stockwell, an associate professor in information systems<br />
and former chief data scientist at Hilltop, worked with Hilltop<br />
senior data scientists Fei Han and Morgan Henderson for over a year.<br />
Then, in October 2019, they launched the Hilltop Pre-AH Model.<br />
Hilltop launched the Hilltop Pre-AH Model to help identify patients in the Maryland Primary Care<br />
<strong>Program</strong>—part of Maryland’s Total Cost of Care Model—who would benefit most from intensive primary<br />
care coordination, which can help to prevent unnecessary hospitalizations. Innovations like these are<br />
designed to simultaneously improve the health care patients receive and decrease unnecessary costs to the<br />
health care system.<br />
Fei Han, principal data scientist at Hilltop and affiliate assistant<br />
professor of computer science and electrical engineering, received a<br />
COVID-19 Accelerated Translational Incubator Pilot (ATIP) award<br />
to further develop the Hilltop Pre-AH Model, to help predict<br />
and reduce patients’ risk of being hospitalized due to COVID-19.<br />
Rapid response to COVID-19<br />
Thanks to its strong relationships with the Department of Health and other state agencies, when the<br />
coronavirus pandemic began, Hilltop was able to quickly respond to requests for data on COVID-19 testing,<br />
hospitalizations, and vaccinations. They also provided daily support to the Department on implementing datainformed<br />
emergency measures and guidance for health care providers.<br />
Now in the third year of the pandemic, Hilltop continues to support the state with COVID-related analytics to<br />
inform a wide range of infrastructure and service needs. Hilltop researchers also expanded the<br />
groundbreaking Pre-AH Model to predict a patient’s risk of being hospitalized for COVID-19, funded by<br />
a COVID-19 Accelerated Translational Incubator Pilot (ATIP).
Public health impact<br />
Hilltop continues to address long-standing critical public health concerns, from HIV to tobacco use to the<br />
opioid epidemic.<br />
Hilltop is a member of the Maryland HIV Medicaid Affinity Group and the Greater Baltimore HIV Health<br />
<strong>Service</strong>s Planning Committee and provides technical support and analytics for HIV services offered to<br />
Medicaid participants.<br />
In collaboration with the Center for Mississippi Health Policy, Hilltop researchers quantified the financial<br />
impact of tobacco use on Mississippi’s Medicaid program and estimated the economic impact on the state<br />
budget and hospitals if the state were to expand Medicaid as the Affordable Care Act allows.<br />
With funding from the National Institute on Drug Abuse, Hilltop and twelve other states’ university partners<br />
are assessing the quality of opioid use disorder treatment and its outcomes for Medicaid participants.<br />
Another project includes researchers at Virginia Commonwealth University. This study examines the effect of<br />
new Medicaid programs in Maryland and Virginia that increase access to the full continuum of addiction<br />
treatment services, seeking to reduce overdose deaths.<br />
Hilltop’s visionary work continues to set the bar for health care data analytics. It illustrates how the emerging<br />
field of data science can tangibly improve health care access and affordability and can reshape the<br />
understanding of the social determinants of health.<br />
Woodcock reflects, “The Hilltop Institute epitomizes the spirit of UMBC’s mission to integrate teaching,<br />
research and engaged scholarship, and service to benefit communities in Maryland and beyond.”<br />
By: Catalina Sofia Dansberger Duque
Former first lady Michelle Obama<br />
promotes UMBC during College Signing Day<br />
https://www.baltimoresun.com/education/bs-md-ci-michelle-obama-umbc-<strong>2022</strong>0508-mhnnhbioqnhgrom7sc3zdvv7uistory.html
Pres. Freeman Hrabowski honors Class of <strong>2022</strong><br />
at final commencement as UMBC leader<br />
President Hrabowski waves to the crowd during his final commencement exercises.<br />
(Marlayna Demond '11/UMBC)<br />
Nearly 1,800 students walked across the stage at Chesapeake Employers Insurance Arena this week during<br />
UMBC’s 78th graduate and undergraduate commencement ceremonies. After pausing to receive their<br />
congratulatory elbow bumps from President Freeman Hrabowski and other leaders, they could breathe a sigh<br />
of relief, knowing their hard work and perseverance paid off.<br />
After another unprecedented year, many of the commencement speeches touched upon the resilience and drive<br />
of the Class of <strong>2022</strong>. Their time at UMBC was marked by tradition and change, a new normal and questioning<br />
“what is normal?,” and a collective focus on supporting each other and having a positive impact.
Joel Tyson ‘18, chemical engineering, president of UMBC’s Graduate Student Association, addressed master’s<br />
and Ph.D. graduates saying, “I’ve seen you reach forward for help and for mentorship, looking ahead not just at<br />
a path of personal success, but a path in service of making the world a better place.”<br />
Encouraging graduates to build upon the lessons they learned at UMBC, honorary degree recipient<br />
Judge Ricardo Zwaig ‘77, Spanish, said, “Whatever your calling, the elevation of humanity should be your<br />
primary goal regardless of boundaries.”<br />
A legacy of mentorship<br />
This year, six Retriever alumni were awarded honorary degrees and served as distinguished speakers during the<br />
ceremonies. Now in their own established careers, they’ve continued the UMBC tradition of paying it forward<br />
as mentors.<br />
Kafui Dzirasa ’01, M8, chemical engineering, mentioned what an impactful mentor President Hrabowski has<br />
been to him. “Every time I tripped and fell, when the world saturated me with adversity and tribulation, he<br />
would gently reach back his hand and pull me forward with a word of encouragement,” he recalled.<br />
Dzirasa addresses the master’s and Ph.D. students. (Marlayna Demond ’11/UMBC)
“As Doc’s grandmother would tell him, the higher you go, the more people will try to pull you down,” Dzirasa<br />
said. He went on to let the audience know with levity that that’s “the modern day translation of ‘haters gonna<br />
hate.’ And when they do, it’s the mentors that will be there to sustain you. They are a refuge in the midst of the<br />
storm.”<br />
The speakers promised to keep that legacy of support going amongst themselves, as well. In a tweet, Kaitlyn<br />
Sadtler ’11, biological sciences, responded to a shout-out from fellow speaker Kizzmekia Corbett ’08, M16,<br />
biological sciences and sociology, saying, “I credit you to being a huge reason why I’m on this list. Your email<br />
saying ‘Hey there’s another UMBC alum at NIH doing some COVID work’ was a catalyst. I’ll do my best to pay<br />
it forward.”<br />
Combining potential with support<br />
Corbett delivered her remarks by video, as she was at a meeting with Nobel Laureates at the time of<br />
commencement. She has often commented on the profound role President Hrabowski and other mentors have<br />
had on her life and career, and has carried that forward through mentoring emerging scientists.<br />
Focusing on what people can achieve when they have support and a belief in themselves, she shared, “I hope<br />
you dare to dream so big that no one else can imagine the possibility. I hope that you take this degree and you<br />
make this world a better place. I hope for you scientists out there, that you take this degree and you cure cancer.<br />
I hope for you humanitarians that you stop world hunger. And I hope that you live and I hope that you love.”<br />
Reilly Moloney ’22, visual arts, poses with Reilly Moloney and Reilly Moloney<br />
and Reilly Moloney and Reilly Moloney after the commencement ceremony.<br />
(Kait McCaffrey/UMBC)
Co-valedictorian Shahreen Zannat ‘22, biological sciences, also spotlighted the greatness that students and<br />
communities can achieve with the right support.<br />
Zannat addresses her classmates during the afternoon commencement ceremony. (Marlayna Demond ’11/UMBC)<br />
“Our journey at UMBC was not one we took alone—advisors came to our rescue during moments of panic,<br />
professors connected us with their networks for employment opportunities, and all of the support staff<br />
ensured our safety and well-being on campus,” said Zannat. “This support has helped shape leaders, resulting in<br />
international recognition of UMBC’s innovative research, creative teaching methods, and its cultural and ethnic<br />
diversity.”<br />
Sadtler recognized that support can also come from unlikely places saying, “You will meet people that will bring<br />
out the best and worst in you. Learn from both because if you don’t get lost, you will never find your way.”<br />
A graduate stops for an elbow bump on the commencement stage. (Marlayna Demond ’11/UMBC)
The importance of you<br />
While many speakers touched on the idea of mutual support and “paying it forward,” others recognized the<br />
need to couple that with taking care of oneself.<br />
Co-valedictorian Viola Lis ‘21, psychology, reminded her classmates that, “To make a difference once we leave<br />
UMBC, we have to be doing the things that bring us joy, the things we find fulfilling and meaningful. Otherwise,<br />
our imprint will be faint. In order to show up for others, you have to show up for yourself first.”<br />
Co-valedictorian Viola Lis addresses the crowd. (Marlayna Demond ’11/UMBC)<br />
Echoing these statements, honorary degree recipient Mark Doms ’86, economics and mathematics, admitted<br />
that the road would be hard for graduates, but implored them to listen to themselves and their abilities.<br />
“You will hit roadblocks, setbacks will blindside you,” he said. “But please, don’t surrender to self-doubt.<br />
Instead, persevere. You are extremely gifted and, please, don’t deprive us of your gifts.”
Tiffany Holmes, M.F.A. ’99, imaging and digital arts, was once a student who thought she had her life figured<br />
out. But as she shared in her address, the “key message to you today is to have a plan that is endlessly adaptable.<br />
Work hard at something that brings you joy, and your path will lead you somewhere fascinating that is just right<br />
for you.”<br />
The places you will go<br />
The ceremonies were bittersweet—an important moment of transition for both the graduates and President<br />
Hrabowski.<br />
“In many ways, today we’re really celebrating two commencements: all of you, most of you, who graduated in<br />
four years. And then the second commencement is my buddy Freeman. Now, it took him 31 years to finish his<br />
work,” joked Mike Gill from the University System of Maryland Board of Regents.<br />
Gill went on to share the news of a significant new way in which Hrabowski’s legacy would be carried forward:<br />
the $1.5 billion Freeman Hrabowski Scholars <strong>Program</strong> just launched by the Howard Hughes Medical Institute.<br />
Presiding over his final commencement exercises ahead of his July <strong>2022</strong> retirement from UMBC, Hrabowski<br />
looked upon the audience a final time. Keeping his final message simple, he said, ”Be confident knowing that<br />
we are so proud of you, knowing you must never let anyone else define who you are. You define who you are.”
Congratulations to the Class of <strong>2022</strong>! Please continue to share your messages of congratulations on social<br />
media using #UMBCgrad. Captioned versions of all three ceremonies can be found on UMBCtube. Read<br />
more about this remarkable class on the UMBC News site.<br />
By: Kait McCaffrey
UMBC is a <strong>2022</strong> Great College to Work For—the nation’s<br />
only R1 university to excel in every category<br />
UMBC celebrates the first day of classes, fall 2021. (Marlayna Demond '11/UMBC)<br />
This week, ModernThink’s Great Colleges to Work For program again recognized UMBC as a top institution<br />
nationwide in every measured category, from well-being and shared governance to mission and pride. UMBC is<br />
the only R1 university in the nation to achieve this honor, which is based on employee ratings.<br />
“I believe we continue to receive this honor because of our commitment to the development and support of<br />
our employees,” says Valerie Thomas, UMBC’s chief human resources officer. “The past two years have been<br />
difficult for everyone, but we worked tirelessly together to determine how to best serve our students and how<br />
best to make changes in the way we work, focused on continuous improvement.”<br />
Staff and students in UMBC’s Academic Success Center, 2019. (Marlayna Demond ’11/UMBC)<br />
Caring community<br />
Published in The Chronicle of Higher Education, the Great Colleges to Work For ratings include 10 categories:<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Mission & Pride<br />
Job Satisfaction & Support<br />
Confidence in Senior Leadership
Compensation & Benefits<br />
Diversity, Inclusion & Belonging<br />
Shared Governance<br />
Professional Development<br />
Faculty Experience<br />
Faculty & Staff Well-Being<br />
Supervisor/Department Chair Effectiveness<br />
“I am reminded every day of what makes UMBC a great place to work,” says Faculty Senate President Susan<br />
McDonough, associate professor of history and vice-chair of the University Steering Committee.<br />
“I have the privilege to work alongside university leaders and colleagues who care deeply about ideas and their<br />
impact on society. I have seen us grow and deepen our commitment to research and discovery as we<br />
transformed into an R1 university. And I have watched our students, faculty, and staff face innumerable<br />
challenges these past few years and meet them with the compassion, tenacity, and imagination that makes me<br />
excited and humbled to be part of this community,” says McDonough. “I look forward to working with Dr.<br />
Sheares Ashby, our faculty, and our entire community to keep building an even better UMBC.”<br />
Valerie Sheares Ashby speaks with faculty, staff, and students on her first day as UMBC president, August 1, <strong>2022</strong>. (<br />
Marlayna Demond ’11/UMBC)<br />
Leadership and partnership<br />
This theme of excitement for UMBC’s future with President Sheares Ashby, who began her tenure at UMBC in<br />
August, is a common thread among UMBC leadership.<br />
“UMBC encourages staff growth and development, while ensuring equity through their focus on inclusion,”<br />
says Desiree Stonesifer, president of UMBC’s Non-exempt Staff Senate and executive administrative assistant<br />
in financial services, emphasizing a core value long-shared by UMBC and President Sheares Ashby. “As we<br />
welcome our new president, we look forward to the new opportunities for growth and experiences while<br />
maintaining our strong sense of UMBC family.”
Laila Shishineh, director of academic engagement and transition programs and<br />
Council of University System Staff past-chair, celebrates earning her Ph.D. on<br />
UMBC’s Academic Row with beloved honorary staff member Chip,<br />
the campus comfort dog. (Photo by Poulomi Banerjee ’16, M.P.P. ’21)<br />
Jess Wyatt, president of UMBC’s Professional Staff Senate (PSS), chair of the University Steering Committee,<br />
and associate director of alumni engagement, notes, “While it’s exciting to see UMBC as a perennial addition to<br />
this list, it is even more exciting to see where we will go as we move into a new era of UMBC in partnership<br />
with President Sheares Ashby.”<br />
This is UMBC’s 13th year of recognition and 11th year on the Great Colleges Honor Roll.<br />
Staff from UMBC’s Office of Institutional Advancement at Fall Opening Meeting <strong>2022</strong>, including PSS President Jess Wyatt, second<br />
from the left (Marlayna Demond ’11/UMBC)<br />
By: Dinah Winnick
UMBC Pres. Valerie Sheares Ashby<br />
named <strong>2022</strong> Technologist of the Year<br />
Pres. Valerie Sheares Ashby receives the Technologist of the Year Award, October <strong>2022</strong>.<br />
(Image courtesy of Career Communications Group)<br />
Women of Color Magazine has named UMBC President Valerie Sheares Ashby <strong>2022</strong> Technologist of the Year.<br />
Sheares Ashby celebrated the honor surrounded by joyful UMBC students at the Women of Color STEM<br />
DTX Conference in Detroit earlier this month. The annual event is designed to connect members of the<br />
STEM community at all career stages and to support the continued advancement of diversity in the STEM<br />
workforce.<br />
Several UMBC attendees at the Women of Color STEM DTX Conference (l-r):<br />
Janerra Allen, Meyerhoff Graduate Fellow; Mitsue Wiggs, assistant director of the<br />
Meyerhoff Scholars <strong>Program</strong>; Ngozi Emezienna ’25, M33, biological sciences;<br />
President Sheares Ashby; Natolya Barber ’23, M31, computer science;<br />
Samara Pyform ’24, M32, environmental science; Maki Negesse, Meyerhoff Graduate Fellow.<br />
(Image courtesy of Wiggs/UMBC)
Sheares Ashby’s award is highlighted on the cover of Women of Color Magazine this month in a special feature<br />
that explores her life and career. The article begins with her love of math and science while growing up in a<br />
small town in North Carolina and details the twists and turns of her college experience at UNC Chapel Hill.<br />
She details the joy of her first real chemistry lab experience and the moment she realized, “I made a<br />
compound that nobody else had made before.”<br />
Women of Color Magazine cover featuring<br />
Pres. Valerie Sheares Ashby.<br />
Mentorship is central to Sheares Ashby’s approach as an educator and leader, and the article recognizes several<br />
mentors who shaped her experience. She recalls Henry Frierson as the first mentor who encouraged her to get a<br />
Ph.D. and Joseph DeSimone, her Ph.D. supervisor, as “the person who told me I could be a faculty member.<br />
Not just a scientist, but a faculty member.”<br />
She highlights Holden Thorp, who served as provost and chancellor at UNC Chapel Hill, as the person who<br />
helped her transition from faculty to administrator and Freeman Hrabowski, UMBC president emeritus, who<br />
predicted that someday she would be a university president.<br />
Vision and values<br />
The feature article also emphasizes the value that Sheares Ashby places on talking openly about the challenges<br />
of academia, and how that openness has helped her become an effective teacher, mentor, and scholar.<br />
“I don’t know how many times I’ve given workshops on imposter syndrome, because I had it until I was 40,”<br />
she says in the magazine. “If you struggle and use it to help other people who are struggling…that’s your<br />
superpower because there’s nothing like authenticity.”<br />
Sheares Ashby often speaks about the connection she feels with UMBC’s vision. Describing her thoughts on<br />
UMBC’s future, she shares, “There’s no change of vision needed. The question is, what does that look like in<br />
the next decade?”
Legacy of excellence<br />
Joining Sheares Ashby as a featured participant at the Women of Color STEM Conference was UMBC alumna<br />
retired Rear Admiral Sylvia Trent-Adams, Ph.D. ’06, public policy.<br />
Sylvia Trent-Adams at UMBC’s 2017 Alumni <strong>Awards</strong> ceremony. (Marlayna Demond ’11/UMBC)<br />
Trent-Adams previously served as principal deputy assistant secretary for health (2019 – 2020) and deputy<br />
surgeon general of the United States (2015 – 2019). She was named UMBC’s Outstanding Alumna in the<br />
Social and Behavioral Sciences in 2017 and received the Technologist of the Year Award in 2020. This<br />
September, Trent-Adams was named president of the University of North Texas Health Sciences Center at<br />
Fort Worth.<br />
By: Dinah Winnick
Through the years,<br />
your talents, efforts and “grit”<br />
have continued to help pave the University’s<br />
path to success and “greatness.”<br />
Together, we take pride in your<br />
contributions,<br />
accomplishments and<br />
commitment to excellence.<br />
Congratulations on a<br />
well-deserved recognition!
Our UMBC<br />
Hail alma mater!<br />
OUR UMBC,<br />
Boldly bearing your<br />
colors, the whole<br />
world to see,<br />
Striving together<br />
in true unity,<br />
Black, gold forever<br />
we’re reminded of thee,<br />
Proudly we hail to thee,<br />
OUR UMBC!<br />
Throughout the ages,<br />
OUR UMBC,<br />
Songs and memories still<br />
echo with true clarity,<br />
Knowledge and wisdom<br />
and truth we found here,<br />
Friendships we treasure<br />
that will last through<br />
the years,<br />
Proudly we hail to thee,<br />
OUR UMBC!
DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN RESOURCES<br />
Dr. Lynne Adams, CHRO/Associate Vice President<br />
Kelly Coleman, Director ‐ Benefits, Classification & Compensation, and<br />
Employment & Talent Acquisition<br />
Michale Sheckleford Tallon, Director ‐ Employee and Labor Relations<br />
Lisa Drouillard, Director ‐ Information Systems/Payroll<br />
Jill Weinknecht Wardell, Director ‐ Workplace Learning, Organization<br />
Development & Wellness<br />
Benefits<br />
Ayana Thompson, Manager<br />
Sara Shannon, Specialist<br />
Classification and Compensation<br />
Brett Sanders, Manager<br />
Employment/Talent Acquisition<br />
Kimberly Harris, Manager<br />
Annie Byrd, Specialist<br />
Joseph Michelizzi, Specialist<br />
Information Systems<br />
Sherrell McNamara, Manager<br />
Nadah Ali, Specialist<br />
Crystal LaBeau, Human Resources Specialist<br />
Payroll<br />
Carolina Ethridge, Manager<br />
Valentina Berterman, Specialist<br />
Samantha Sutton, Payroll Processing Associate<br />
Daniel Umberger, Payroll Processing Associate<br />
Support Staff<br />
Cathy Myers, Executive Administrative Assistant<br />
Andrea Phimphanh, Human Resources Associate<br />
Workplace Learning, Organization Development & Wellness<br />
Melody Wright, Coordinator<br />
Consultants<br />
Rochelle Sanders ‐ Benefits and Classification & Compensation<br />
Elmer Falconer ‐ Employee and Labor Relations
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