People | The Elm Archive

February President’s Message

Check out the February issue of The President’s Message. It includes Dr. Perman’s column on his Panel on Politics and Policy; sexual harassment addressed at Q&A; the new Elm is coming to the UMB website; Police Chief Cary reflects on her first six months; art and literary journal, 1807, to launch; 20 employees benefit from Live Near Your Work Program in 2018; campus climate survey coming in mid-February; and a roundup of student, faculty, and staff achievements.

Back issues of the newsletter can be found in the archives.

Chris ZangABAE, Bulletin Board, Clinical Care, Collaboration, Community Service, Contests, Education, For B'more, People, Research, Technology, UMB News, University Life, USGAFebruary 5, 20190 comments

Library Supports Children’s Dental Health Month

Did you know that selected children’s oral health books can be checked out from the Health Sciences and Human Services Library (HS/HSL) to use when you talk with children?

Children’s Dental Health Month is a perfect opportunity to select from the list of 22 recommended children’s books on oral health care, visiting the dentist, and general information about teeth. Many of the books also are available in Spanish. The book list was created by the Maryland Dental Action Coalition in conjunction with the HS/HSL.

To view the list, click here.

Parents, grandparents, aunts, and uncles are welcome to check out the books, too!

Everly BrownClinical Care, Community Service, Education, PeopleFebruary 5, 20190 comments

Compassion, Connection Urged at Homeless Outreach Symposium

B.B. St. Roman says she carries a weapon in her role as executive director of the Homeless Assistance Unit of the New Orleans Police Department, but it’s not what you might think.

“In my job, my smile is my weapon,” says St. Roman, who has been leading her department’s homeless outreach efforts since 2004. “In working with the homeless, the most important thing is that you go out there with a smile, showing that you’re happy to see them. You need a friendly, calm, and kind approach, because that’s what they’re missing. They’re missing that attention. They’re missing that love.”

Compassion was a major theme as St. Roman shared stories of her work and suggestions for how to confront homelessness during a symposium Jan. 31 at the University of Maryland School of Social Work. The 90-minute event, which drew a crowd of 60-plus, was sponsored by the University of Maryland, Baltimore (UMB) Police Force and its Campus Outreach and Support Team (COAST), which was launched last fall by Chief Alice Cary, MS.

Cary attended the symposium along with COAST leader Lt. Matthew Johnson, other UMB police officers, members of the Baltimore Police Department’s Homeless Outreach Team (HOT), and University students, staff, and faculty. Johnson introduced St. Roman, who spent a week in Baltimore observing the homeless outreach efforts of UMB and city agencies and offering insights from her 15 years of service in the Big Easy.

Connecting the homeless to services was stressed, as was the need for police, local government, nonprofits, and the community to work together. Indeed, after the event, attendees milled around sharing contact information and a student who chairs a homelessness council at the School of Social Work was gathering names and numbers.

“We’ve got to start talking to each other,” says Cary, who considers the launch of the COAST unit as the proudest moment of her first six months on the job. “We need forums like this, because look at all the networking that’s being done. It’s the start of good things, just improving our communication with Baltimore City partners.”

St. Roman began her talk stressing that it’s important to find out the homeless person’s backstory, recalling a man who couldn’t renew his riverboat captain’s license because of diabetes, a bricklayer who became blind, and a mother of five who suffered from schizophrenia.

“If you ever get a chance to sit down with a homeless person and find out what they used to do, you would be so surprised at how they had regular lives,” St. Roman says. “They had jobs, families, everything was going fine, and then suddenly — bam! — they fell out of the situation and they’re out in the street with nothing.”

Transportation is a major issue for the homeless, so St. Roman uses a 10-passenger van in New Orleans to take people to medical appointments, shelters, and government agencies to get state IDs, which are needed to receive services. She also hands out cards with information about emergency or domestic violence shelters, detox facilities, permanent housing programs, meals, veterans’ services, mental health centers, and more.

“From talking to people in Baltimore, there seems to be a bit of a gap here in the area of transportation,” St. Roman says. “You might have some good services available around the city, but you need to get the homeless there, instead of having them walk everywhere, which is often discouraging for people.”

Making Strides in New Orleans

St. Roman touted the success of a new “low-barrier” homeless shelter in New Orleans that features 100 beds, places no restrictions on length of stay or sobriety, and is open around the clock for both men and women. She says it follows the model of Haven for Hope, a successful program in San Antonio that features an array of homeless services located in one physical space.

“If you have mental health issues, if you have substance abuse issues, or if you need just a place to stay, it can be all in one area,” says St. Roman, who also advocates for a tent-city approach, where the homeless can be concentrated under individual tents.

Cary, who worked in Oregon before coming to UMB, says tent cities are more prevalent on the West Coast. She calls herself “a strong proponent” of the concept but recognizes there are negatives and that the idea is controversial. Last year in Baltimore, an encampment that had sprouted under an I-83 overpass was dismantled by the city, which worked to move the population into shelters.

“A tent city is a common place for the homeless to go and for them to get one-stop shopping, so to speak,” Cary says. “But we need to consider sanitary issues, because it can get messy, and the main obstacle we face is ‘Not In My Backyard.’ But between the city, the HOT team, and UMB, maybe we could get together and find a best-case scenario, because I think the concept needs to come to the East Coast.”

Joining the Fight

Nate Fields, vice president of public space maintenance for the Downtown Partnership of Baltimore, praised Cary’s outreach initiative and pleaded with the audience to get involved. He lamented the “Not In My Backyard” attitude and urged more cooperation to better disseminate information to the homeless and to the public at large about available services.

“We go out there fighting tooth and nail to connect people to services, but there are many barriers,” Fields says. “We need a homeless outreach team in every single district of the city. We’re trying to educate more and more people every single day about the different drop-in centers and locations you can go to.”

Praising St. Roman, he added, “We need more people like everybody in this room to stand up and talk to your city councilman, talk to your local government, and let them know there are people trying to win the fight against homelessness. And when I get enough people who want to fight with me, versus people who want to see them removed, then we can see the city change.”

UMB Pfc. Yale Partlow, who is taking up the fight as the COAST team’s homeless liaison, called the symposium “highly productive.”

“It’s a great opportunity for a lot of representatives of different agencies to connect,” he says. “Some of our officers have done ride-alongs with the Baltimore City HOT team, to get a feel for their program. We’re looking to expand on what they’re doing, tailoring it to the needs of our jurisdiction. I’m optimistic, because a lot of fresh ideas are being put forward.”

— Lou Cortina

Lou CortinaCollaboration, Community Service, For B'more, People, UMB NewsFebruary 5, 20190 comments

VisualDx Clinical Support Tool Now Available

VisualDx is a visual diagnostic clinical support tool that includes over 2,800 adult and pediatric conditions and thousands of images. Search by a diagnosis, build patient-specific differentials, or review medication reactions and adverse events. This versatile tool delivers speed and diagnostic accuracy in your clinical work.

Find it in the Databases list on the Health Sciences and Human Services Library’s website. Download the iOS or Android app from the library’s VisualDx account for use off campus.

Access over 40,000 medical images. See the variations of disease presentation by age, skin type, etc.
Build a differential diagnosis in seconds.
Review succinct disease information.
Provide patients with images and information designed to improve follow-up.

To learn more, watch these VisualDX video tutorials.

Everly BrownClinical Care, Education, People, Research, TechnologyFebruary 5, 20190 comments

UMB Scholars for Recovery: Substance Use Disorder Peer Support Group

The mission of UMB Scholars for Recovery is to create a recovery-friendly environment on campus and increase peer support among students suffering with, and in recovery from, substance use disorders. Student input is welcome as we build this community.

Please join us each Monday, Feb. 25 to May 6, from 12:30 p.m. to 1:30 p.m. for our substance use disorder peer support group at the School of Social Work, Room 3E29H. Attendance at our peer support meeting is open to all students in recovery from or seeking recovery from substance use disorders.

Rebecca GibsonPeople, University LifeFebruary 4, 20190 comments

Join Us in March for the ‘Me and White Supremacy Workbook’ Circle

Part education, part activation, the Me and White Supremacy Workbook by Layla F. Saad is a first-of-its-kind personal anti-racism tool for people holding white privilege to begin to examine and dismantle their complicity in the oppressive system of white supremacy.

The Me and White Supremacy Workbook is meant to be completed over the course of 28 days, which includes reading and completing journal prompts each day.

The Anti-Oppression Work Group, the Alliance for Anti-Racist Social Work Practitioners, and the Intersectional Feminist Social Workers are working together to organize a weekly meeting in March where a group can meet to reflect upon this journey and this work.

Attendance at the meetings is not required to complete the workbook and you are more than welcome to join the groups as much or as little as you would like during this process.

What’s next? For now, the Anti-Oppression Work Group is collecting information to come up with a plan for these weekly meetings. If you are interested, please fill out our Google form and you will be included in the emails as we finalize our plans for the group.

To look further into the work and the author, and to download the entire workbook for free, go to this link.

Please contact sswantioppressionworkgroup@gmail.com if you have any questions.

Chelsea GrayBulletin Board, Collaboration, Education, People, University LifeFebruary 4, 20190 comments

School of Law’s Gibson Wins MLK Faculty Award

The Elm is featuring stories on the keynote speaker and three Diversity Recognition Award winners leading up to UMB’s Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and Black History Month celebration on Wednesday, Feb. 6, at MSTF Leadership Hall. You can register to attend the event here.

Today: Outstanding UMB Faculty Larry S. Gibson

Larry S. Gibson, LLB, has filled many roles in a lifetime dedicated to advancing equality, justice, and opportunity for African-Americans: law professor, civil rights attorney, political strategist, author, historian, and deputy attorney general of the United States, just to name a few.

But there’s another role that hits home at the University of Maryland Francis King Carey School of Law, where he teaches: mentor.

“There are countless examples of people who have attributed their success to Professor Gibson,” says Andrew Altshuler, MS, director of alumni engagement in the Office of Development and Alumni Relations at Maryland Carey Law. “He’s always willing to assist students and alumni, no matter their background, in making connections, providing mentorship, and supporting them in any way he can, in a selfless manner, for their betterment.

“As someone who meets with staff and alumni frequently, whenever Professor Gibson’s name comes up in my conversations, it is always in the most positive way,” Altshuler adds. “He has truly impacted many people throughout his career and will continue to do so.”

Gibson founded and organizes the Black Law Alumni Reunion & Symposium, which has been held every five years at Maryland Carey Law since 2003. The most recent symposium, held in September 2018, provided opportunities for former classmates to reconnect and featured an event that honored the founding members of the Black Law Students Association as well as faculty presentations titled “Frederick Douglass’ Escape from Maryland” and “Racial Epithets in the Workplace.”

For his efforts in organizing the symposium, as well as his distinguished career of promoting civil rights and social justice, Gibson earned the University of Maryland, Baltimore (UMB) Diversity Recognition Award as Outstanding UMB Faculty and will be honored at the University’s Martin Luther King Jr. and Black History Month ceremony Feb. 6.

“Ever since Professor Gibson started at Maryland Law more than four decades ago, promoting equality, justice, and opportunity for all has been one of his main goals,” Altshuler said in his nomination. “The Black Law Alumni Reunion is a celebration of the history of African-American alumni and law students. It highlights the ability to enact change through legal justice both in the Baltimore community and in the world, providing the ability for all individuals to be treated equal. Attendees of the reunion and other alumni who have had the opportunity to learn from Professor Gibson have greatly benefited from being part of his network.”

The seeds of that vast network were planted in Baltimore, where Gibson grew up, earned his high school diploma from Baltimore City College, and was the school’s first African-American class officer. In 1964, he graduated from Howard University in Washington, D.C., where he was the student body president and chair of D.C. Students for Civil Rights. In 1967, he earned his law degree from Columbia University in New York.

In 1972, Gibson became the first African-American law professor at the University of Virginia, and two years later he accepted a faculty position at the University of Maryland School of Law.

He was associate deputy attorney general of the United States under President Jimmy Carter and has run local, state, and national political campaigns, including as Maryland chairman for the Clinton-Gore presidential ticket in 1992.

Gibson’s extensive civic engagement includes serving on the Board of Trustees of the Maryland Historical Trust, as chair of the Commission to Coordinate the Study, Commemoration and Impact of the History and Legacy of Slavery in Maryland, and on the Baltimore City Board of School Commissioners. He also has researched, written, and designed numerous exhibits, articles, newspaper serial stories, and other presentations on the history of civil rights and African-American lawyers in Maryland.

Gibson was the principal advocate for the 2005 law passed by the Maryland General Assembly that renamed the regional airport BWI Thurgood Marshall Airport. His 2012 book, Young Thurgood: The Making of a Supreme Court Justice, was the first to focus exclusively on Marshall’s formative years in Maryland.

In a 2012 Baltimore Sun article about the book, Gibson’s law partner and best friend, Ron Shapiro, said, “It takes people like Thurgood Marshall to change history by changing the law. And it takes people like Larry Gibson to use activism to implement those changes in the streets and homes and lives of African-Americans.”

Learn more about UMB’s Black History Month Celebration and read about all the 2019 Diversity Recognition Award winners.

Communications and Public AffairsCollaboration, Education, People, UMB News, University LifeFebruary 4, 20190 comments

Nurse and elderly man spending time together

Workshop Offers Tools to Help Enhance Patient Outcomes

Are you aware of your patients’ ability to understand and act on the information you give them? There is evidence that health care providers overestimate what patients are able to understand. Low health literacy is associated with higher mortality, higher rates of hospitalization and readmission, and poor self-management skills for chronic disease.

To learn how to better communicate with patients, attend the Enhancing Patient Outcomes Through Clear Health Communication workshop on March 14, 1:30 p.m. to 2:30 p.m., or on April 23, 10 a.m. to 11 a.m., at the Health Sciences and Human Services Library (HS/HSL), Classroom LL03.

Each workshop will cover the basics of health literacy, provide suggestions for putting difficult medical jargon into plain language, and introduce tools that will assist you in creating easy-to-read materials.

For details and to register, visit the HS/HSL workshop schedule webpage.

Lauren WheelerClinical Care, Community Service, Education, PeopleFebruary 4, 20190 comments

Human Resources’ Adams Wins MLK Staff Award

Today: Outstanding UMB Staff Cherita F. Adams

For Cherita F. Adams, MBA, MS, promoting career advancement is more than a full-time job, it’s a mission that extends beyond the workplace.

“Changing someone’s career trajectory can change their life,” says Adams, career development manager in the University of Maryland, Baltimore’s (UMB) Office of Human Resources (HR). “Outside of UMB — in the community and in my church — I do work to help others seek career advancement. Shirley Chisolm said, ‘Service is the rent that you pay for room on the Earth.’ And I believe when one is given a platform, no matter how big or small, it is their responsibility to use that platform to serve others.”

With her platform at UMB, Adams works to facilitate career advancement programs and pathways for University employees, especially staff at lower-paid positions, such as housekeepers, security guards, and maintenance workers — roles often filled by under-represented minorities. For these efforts, Adams earned a 2019 Diversity Recognition Award as Outstanding UMB Staff Member and will be honored at the University’s Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and Black History Month celebration Feb. 6. It’s a special honor, Adams says, because King’s legacy resonates.

“Over 50 years ago, Dr. King said, ‘Life’s most persistent and urgent question is, what are you doing for others?’ I often ask myself this very question and hope that my actions are positively contributing to others. And winning this award is proof positive!” Adams says with a smile.

“Dr. King’s words and legacy are timeless. He was courageous and selflessly fought for civil rights and social justice. My mission may not be as big as his was, but nonetheless I am committed to the fight.”

The seeds for Adams’ current mission were planted three years ago, when an HR study showed that nearly three-quarters of UMB employees reported they’d had no positive personnel actions, that there wasn’t sufficient opportunity for career advancement. To address this need, the career development manager position was created, and Adams quickly identified a major issue, particularly for those in lower-paid positions: the lack of basic computer skills.

Adams implemented an Introduction to Computers class that is open to all employees but specifically designed for housekeepers, security guards, and maintenance workers. The eight-week course, which provides an overview of the basic functions of personal computers and how to use them, has produced 20 graduates since its inception in April 2017 and led to a second, more advanced course.

In nominating Adams for the award, Ebony Nicholson, MSW, academic coordinator, diversity and inclusion initiatives, Office of Interprofessional Student Learning and Service Initiatives, says the introductory course has proved popular with UMB employees. And it gets results.

“Several participants have been able to use work email more effectively, independently complete electronic timesheets, improve personal home computing, and apply for positions at UMB,” she says while adding praise for the many hats Adams wears on the job. “Cherita serves as not only program creator, but also as an advisor, planner, coordinator, and collaborator for career services with the intent to build a high-performing and engaged workforce.”

Adams is particularly proud of the introductory class, saying the ability to use a computer is an indispensable life skill.

“One cannot grow their career without increasing their technology competencies,” says Adams, who has worked at UMB for six years. “Creating career ladders without an opportunity to learn requisite skills to ascend the ladder is problematic. So developing the Introduction to Computers class was a targeted learning opportunity for employees who might not otherwise have had an opportunity to sit in a classroom and learn.

“I’ve watched employees not only learn new computer skills that have aided them in applying for new positions, but they also have started new home businesses and can assist their children with homework and teach family members computer skills.”

In addition to the successful computer class, Adams helped to craft a coaching program for female employees through a collaboration with the University’s UMBrella Group. And she has other ideas percolating, including a program she’d like to implement that she calls Passport to Success.

“Passport to Success would be patterned after services provided as part of the workforce stability model aimed at improving the retention of lower-skilled, front-line employees by increasing employee engagement and growth through the removal of barriers that interfere with maintaining employment. As a result, the model aids employees in moving toward greater professional satisfaction and control over their lives.”

As for winning the Diversity Recognition Award, Adams says it was “amazing” to even be nominated, and she appreciates her supervisors for giving her the freedom to craft her position. But the award is about much more than herself, she says.

“It’s more so about the outcome of the work I do and the lives that have been positively impacted,” Adams says. “Removing barriers to employment opportunities is important, necessary work. This award acknowledges that work and its importance while honoring the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. I think that’s wonderful.”

— Lou Cortina

Learn more about UMB’s Black History Month Celebration and read about all the 2019 Diversity Recognition Award winners.

Lou CortinaCollaboration, People, UMB News, University LifeJanuary 31, 20191 comment

1896 Football Team from the Bones, Molars, and Briefs yearbook

Football at UMB: HS/HSL Historical Highlight

As we count down the days until the New England Patriots and Los Angeles Rams face off in Super Bowl LIII on Sunday, Feb. 3, what better time than now to revisit the history of football at the University of Maryland, Baltimore (UMB)? While it’s no longer a club or University sport, football, as well as other team sports such as ice hockey, was once supported at UMB.

Football at UMB was first organized by Dr. Norfleet Mann Gibbs, University of Maryland School of Medicine Class of 1896. Gibbs was called “the father of athletics at the University of Maryland,” by the 1896 Bones, Molar, and Briefs yearbook. The first team was fielded at midseason in 1895, playing two games against St. John’s College of Annapolis and City College of Baltimore. The following year, the Athletic Association of UMB was formed among faculty and students at the school. The association elected team managers and coaches for football, baseball, and hockey. Teams had no practice fields, no financial support, and at times little enthusiasm or backing from students or faculty, yet they played an average seven games a year with some success.

As time went by, football grew in popularity, yet the financial strain and lack of facilities continued to cause problems. The football team enjoyed a strong rivalry with Johns Hopkins University and occasionally played the Maryland Agricultural College (today’s University of Maryland, College Park).

The demands of coursework and labs worked to the detriment of UMB football teams that suffered from a low turnout of talented players. To put this into numerical perspective, only 2 percent of available students participated in athletics at UMB, while at other schools 10 to 25 percent of students joined teams. By 1908, only 12 years after its founding, the Athletic Association of UMB was disbanded. Football had a small resurgence in 1912 but was again disbanded in 1914. In 1920, when the University of Maryland and the Maryland Agricultural College merged, students at the Baltimore campus could again participate in athletics through the College Park campus. At that time, the football team was led by coach Harry Clifton “Curley” Byrd.

Perhaps while watching Super Bowl LIII, or at the next sporting event you attend, try out some of these Maryland cheers and yells from the 1903 Bones, Molars, and Briefs yearbook.

Air (Tune of Dooley)
Oh, Johnnie Hopkins,
Oh, Johnnie Hopkins,
The bummest team the College ever knew.
We’re going to beat you,
We will defeat you,
And Maryland will wave over J.H.U.

Yell
Heart, liver, kidney, spleen.
We’re sterile, aseptic, we like things clean:
Chew ’em up, tear ’em up, eat ’em alive,
U. of M., U. of M., 1905.

(Photo: 1896 football team from the Bones, Molars, and Briefs yearbook)

Everly BrownPeople, University LifeJanuary 30, 20190 comments

How to Write About a Criminal History on a Licensing or Employment Application

Do you have a criminal background and are unsure how to document it in your licensing and career applications? Do you know how to help a client with a criminal background land a job?

Don’t sweat it! Join us for a workshop led by a local attorney who will discuss everything you need to know about addressing a criminal history on a licensing or job application as well as answer any questions you might have.

The workshop, sponsored by Scholars for Recovery, will be held Feb. 18 at the School of Social Work, Room 2E06, from 12:30 p.m. to 1:30 p.m. Lunch will be provided.

For questions, please email Rebecca Gibson or Jenna Adler.

Rebecca GibsonBulletin Board, Education, PeopleJanuary 28, 20190 comments

School of Social Work’s Gonzalez-Wright Wins MLK Student Award

Over the next week, The Elm will feature stories on the three Diversity Recognition Award winners leading up to UMB’s Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and Black History Month celebration on Wednesday, Feb. 6, at MSTF Leadership Hall. You can register to attend the event here.

Today: Outstanding UMB Student Vanessa Gonzalez-Wright

Vanessa Gonzalez-Wright has turned advocacy for students into action along several avenues during her nearly three years at the University of Maryland, Baltimore (UMB), working tirelessly to make an impact that’s long-lasting and in at least one respect indelible.

A School of Social Work student set to earn her MSW degree this spring, Gonzalez-Wright has been a relentless advocate for students with diverse backgrounds, working with UMB’s Office of Interprofessional Student Learning and Service Initiatives (ISLSI), the student group Latinx Unidos for Community Healing and Awareness (LUCHA), and as co-chair of a Universitywide task force exploring the establishment of a multicultural center on campus.

“Activism has always been a part of who I am and what I strive to accomplish in my personal life as well as my career,” says Gonzalez-Wright, a Los Angeles native who earned a sociology degree from Cal State Northridge. “My parents are emigrants from Mexico and El Salvador who came to this country with a dream to provide their children with more opportunities than they could have ever imagined for themselves. They were only able to attend school up to third grade, which is why advocating for students to have an educational space that is validating and supportive is an important part of who I am.”

For these efforts, Gonzalez-Wright will receive a Diversity Recognition Award as Outstanding UMB Student at the University’s Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and Black History Month celebration on Feb. 6. Courtney J. Jones Carney, MBA, director of ISLSI and a member of UMB’s Diversity Advisory Council, says the award is well-deserved and quite fitting, particularly as it relates to a potential multicultural center.

“The exploration of a multicultural center directly connects to the ideals of Dr. King,” Jones Carney said in her nomination. “A multicultural center has the purpose of providing a safe place, lessons on advocacy for self and others, and examples of pride in one’s community. Vanessa’s role in shaping a multicultural center will have a direct impact on how traditionally underserved and under-represented racial minorities and LGBT+ students experience the UMB campus. Her efforts will help propel UMB toward its long-term diversity and inclusion goals.

“Vanessa’s dedication to working across disciplines and with various faculty and staff members on campus also shows her commitment to interprofessionalism and collaboration,” Jones Carney added. “Vanessa believes it’s important for all students to utilize their privilege to help create opportunity for students of all identities to have a supportive community on campus that provides an inclusive space for self-expression and a sense of belonging.”

Formed through student advocacy, the task force consists of representatives from UMB’s six professional schools and interdisciplinary Graduate School. Gonzalez-Wright and co-chair Patty Alvarez, PhD, UMB’s assistant vice president of student affairs, conducted focus groups with student leaders in each school and issued a survey to better understand the needs, attitudes, and recommendations related to a possible multicultural center. They plan to turn in a proposal to UMB leaders by the end of January.

“Participating as a co-leader of the student group LUCHA confirmed the need for students of color to have a space on campus where they can build community and solidarity,” says Gonzalez-Wright, who plans to stay in Baltimore after graduation and work to support students in higher education. “I look forward to witnessing the positive impact that a multicultural center can have on our campus.”

Asked how she found the time for these efforts while working on her master’s degree, Gonzalez-Wright admitted the balancing act was difficult. She thanked her husband, Jordan, for his support and encouragement and acknowledged fellow students, LUCHA co-leader BreeAnn Lopez, and mentors who champion diversity and inclusion efforts at UMB.

“Activism is working as a collective to impact the needs of the greater population. Working with other students, faculty, and staff as well as partnering with organizations is crucial to the success of student organizing at UMB,” Gonzalez-Wright says. “Receiving this award brings a moment of reflection and gratitude for the opportunities I’ve received the past three years to not only receive an education in a field I truly love, but also to advocate for UMB to be a place where students are validated and supported in their educational journey as well as in their identity.

“One of my favorite quotes from Dr. King is, ‘The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy.’ As a student advocating for systemic change, it was draining and uncomfortable at many times, but the lessons and growth that I have experienced have greatly outweighed the challenge.”

— Lou Cortina

Learn more about UMB’s Black History Month Celebration and read about all of the 2019 Diversity Recognition Award winners.

Lou CortinaCollaboration, Community Service, Education, People, UMB News, University Life, USGAJanuary 28, 20190 comments

The HS/HSL’s Library Genie Responds

The Health Sciences and Human Services Library’s (HS/HSL) Library Genie heard your calls for free printing, nap pods, more rolling/comfy chairs, coffee/snack options, and more standing desks. Some of these ideas are being investigated and others are on their way.

Look for more of your favorite chairs, new padded seat cushions, and more mobile standing desks in the near future. We are evaluating what can be done to ease those coffee and snack cravings as you spend hours studying in the library.

Free printing is an understandable wish but more difficult to tackle as we provide printing and copying paper on a cost-recovery basis to keep the equipment functioning. While we will not be investing in nap pods, we are committed to providing you with more comfortable furniture options such as the cushioned booths on the second and third floors, with more to come. The Library Genie is creative and is always watching for opportunities to make visiting the HS/HSL a super experience for you.

Everly BrownEducation, People, University LifeJanuary 25, 20190 comments

CURE Scholars See Higher Education on the Horizon

On a cold Saturday in January with snow in the forecast, 22 CURE Scholars braved the frigid air to tour the campus of Coppin State University in Baltimore. Their visit not only gave them a look at the university, but it also provided a window into what they could potentially accomplish.

The journey toward higher education started for these students four years ago when they became the first cohort of the University of Maryland, Baltimore (UMB) CURE Scholars Program, a unique mentoring/STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) education program aimed at reducing racial disparities in public health by establishing a pipeline to careers in STEM. The program is funded by a National Cancer Institute grant to the University of Maryland Marlene and Stewart Greenbaum Comprehensive Cancer Center.

Marcus Edwards, a CSU admissions counselor and CSU alumnus, took the CURE scholars on a private tour of Coppin State University.

Now in high school, these scholars have “graduated” to CURE Connections (C2). C2 is a continuation of the CURE Program, funded by the National Institute of General Medical Sciences Science Education Partnership Award (SEPA), that is specifically designed for ninth- and 10th-grade students.

“A main component of our grant from SEPA is to get the scholars college-ready,” explains Bret Hassel, PhD, principal investigator of the grant for C2 and an associate professor in the Department of Microbiology and Immunology at the University of Maryland School of Medicine. “We have great schools to choose from within the University System of Maryland, so taking them on an actual visit was an obvious activity.”

On Jan. 12, the scholars ventured over to Coppin State University (CSU) for a special day trip that included a full tour of the CSU Science and Technology Building and a hands-on lab activity in the university’s chemistry lab.

“We know that the CURE Program is all about helping students succeed in STEM, which is something we heavily support,” says Fred Nesbitt, PhD, MS, a CSU professor of chemistry who helped facilitate the visit. “It seemed like a perfect match for them to come to CSU and get a hands-on experience in one of our laboratories.”

Nesbitt was there to greet the scholars when they arrived on campus and introduce them to their tour guide, Marcus Edwards, a CSU admissions counselor and CSU alumnus. Edwards instantly grabbed the scholars’ attention with an ice-breaker game that got them up and moving, before sharing information and answering questions about CSU academics, financial aid, and campus life. Shortly after his presentation, Edwards and the scholars bundled up and headed out the door for a full tour of the campus.

“Some students never have the opportunity to visit a college campus,” explains Edwards. “Having them see the campus and be introduced to different universities at such an early age is vital in helping them choose a college.”

The scholars got to see all of the student hot spots on campus, including the dining halls, rec center, basketball court, and student quad. For Demetris Beatty, a Woodlawn High School student who dreams of working for NASA, this part of visit really helped her to visualize herself attending a university.

“It’s fun, and it feels more like I’m experiencing college,” says Demetris. “It’s really helping me to see all lot of capabilities that would come with going to college.”

Demetris also expressed interest in joining a sorority, so it was kismet when the tour group ran into a group of sisters from Alpha Kappa Alpha, a historically black sorority. The sorority women took a couple of minutes to talk to the scholars about the benefits of getting involved in Greek life as well as their experience attending CSU.

This spontaneous connection hit an important part of the C2 programming, which is to have the scholars interact with college students of their same background. According to Hassel, this is a vital step in helping the scholars see their own potential through the experience of others.

“The goal is to really get them to understand that higher education is a path that’s doable for them,” explains Hassel. “We want to get them comfortable with the college environment in general, and actually being on a campus — regardless of which one it is — really helps them to say to themselves, ‘Yes, I can do this.’ ”

The guides at CSU did their due diligence to show the scholars that higher education is possible for them both academically and financially. During the morning presentation, Edwards made sure to explain CSU’s “Finish 4 Free” program. This unique program would allow students who attend a Baltimore City high school and receive an associate degree from Baltimore City Community College the opportunity to finish their undergraduate education at CSU free of tuition charge.

“I think most kids are really taken with the idea about going away to school,” says Stephanie Alphee, one of the coordinators of the C2 program, “but showing them there’s such a great and affordable institution right in their backyard opens up their idea of college and what’s available to them.”

Within the University System of Maryland, there are more than a dozen great institutions for them to explore “in their own backyard.” In fact, earlier this semester the scholars had the opportunity to visit Towson University and tour that campus as well.

With two visits under their belts, the C2 scholars are already ahead of the curve in prepping for higher education. Many high school students do not normally begin visiting college campuses until their sophomore or junior year. In addition to touring campuses, the scholars are preparing for college in many other ways. They’re working with their mentors every week to prep for their PSATs, getting homework support, staying on track for advanced college prep courses, and making sure their grades stay up so that college remains an option for them.

“The whole point of the CURE Program is not just to expose kids to the pipeline toward careers in STEM, but to also make sure that they have the tools to be successful in that pipeline from high school to college and beyond,” says Alphee.

Looking ahead to 10th and 11th grade, Alphee hopes to be able to plan a couple of out-of-state college visits for the scholars. In the meantime, the next stop on their higher education tour will be the University of Maryland, Baltimore County.

View a photo gallery of the visit.

Jena FrickEducation, For B'more, People, UMB NewsJanuary 25, 20190 comments

Campus Climate Survey Coming in Mid-February

As a follow-up to a 2017 survey, UMB is launching a campus climate survey that will run between Feb. 18 and March 18, 2019.

The confidential survey will measure perceptions among segments of the University community on topics such as diversity and inclusion, job satisfaction, and campus environment.

Gallup, a respected research-based global consulting organization, is partnering with UMB on the project. When your invitation arrives from Gallup via email in the coming weeks, please take part in the brief survey. Your opinions will help UMB in its efforts to become a best place to work and learn. Your identity will be kept private by individual access codes.

Stay tuned for more on this survey, and thanks in advance for your participation.

Communications and Public AffairsPeople, Research, UMB News, University Administration, University Life, USGAJanuary 25, 20190 comments

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