UMB News | The Elm Archive

The New ‘Elm’ Launches Thursday, Feb. 7

The Elm, the dynamic, collaborative website the Office of Communications and Public Affairs created in 2013 to allow the UMB community to interact online, is getting even better. The new Elm will debut Thursday, Feb. 7, offering the following features:

Each of UMB’s seven schools has a dedicated page of its own to tailor content to its specific audience.
Enhanced filters allow users to find information they are interested in, by filtering content by topic or audience, whether for students, faculty, staff, or alumni.
A section called Accolades has been added where UMB people can be acknowledged for the work they do — be it by co-worker or someone in the community.
Voices & Opinions allows you to share your perspective on an issue that matters to you.
An improved UMB social media component aggregates social media content from all UMB social media accounts.
The new Elm’s homepage and each school’s corresponding homepage include navigational links at the bottom that help you find the most important UMB resources fast.
An improved Elm Weekly, greater access to University news, and many other enhancements are part of the new Elm. See for yourself by visiting this preview.

Beginning Thursday, content from the original Elm will be available at wp.elm.umaryland.edu/

Communications and Public AffairsBulletin Board, UMB News, University Administration, University Life, USGAFebruary 6, 20190 comments

School of Pharmacy Joins UM Quality Care Network on Telehealth Grant

The University of Maryland School of Pharmacy is partnering with the University of Maryland Quality Care Network (UMQCN) on a $150,000 grant from the Maryland Health Care Commission that aims to improve health outcomes, enhance quality of primary care, and reduce costs associated with inpatient and emergency room visits for patients diagnosed with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Through this project, specially trained pharmacists at the School of Pharmacy in Baltimore use state-of-the-art telehealth technologies available in the school’s new Pharmacy e-Health Center to provide comprehensive medication therapy management services to patients receiving care for COPD on Maryland’s Eastern Shore.

“This grant represents an excellent opportunity for the School of Pharmacy to expand its successful partnership with UMQCN,” says Magaly Rodriguez de Bittner, PharmD, FAPhA, professor in the Department of Pharmacy Practice and Science (PPS) and associate dean for clinical services and practice transformation at the school. “We are working together to not only examine the clinical impact of using telehealth technologies to deliver medication therapy management services to patients, but also to understand the economic impact associated with offering this service to patients, particularly related to any reductions in costs associated with inpatient and emergency room visits.

“If successful, the results could truly transform the way pharmacists’ services are integrated in the health care team, especially in primary care practices.”

A Novel Approach to Patient Care

COPD is a progressive lung disease that makes it difficult for people to breathe. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, it is the third-leading cause of death in the United States. Recent studies have found that many patients with COPD do not adhere to their medications as prescribed, which can exacerbate symptoms associated with the illness. Although medication reviews are conducted as part of the routine care these patients receive, comprehensive medication reconciliation is often difficult to achieve due to a number of factors, such as patient literacy, frequent medication changes, hospitalization, and multiple transitions in patients’ care.

The specially trained pharmacists working on this project use evidence-based data and protocols to provide comprehensive medication management services to a variety of patient populations. They employ special videoconferencing software that is compliant with Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) regulations and allows them to work with patients and other health care providers via confidential, private, and secure videoconferences to optimize patient care in areas such as medication adherence, generic medication utilization, and patient medication reconciliation.

These pharmacists also serve as a hub to help centralize patient referrals, manage scheduling, and set patient appointments in collaboration with other health care providers.

“The use of telehealth tools represents a truly novel approach to patient care,” says Rodriguez de Bittner, who also serves as executive director of the school’s Center for Innovative Pharmacy Solutions, which houses the Pharmacy e-Health Center and oversees the School’s partnership with UMQCN. “We are able to conduct sessions led by pharmacists here at the School of Pharmacy and/or other locations, while the patient is in a completely different location, such as his or her home or physician’s office. It is a service not many pharmacies are able to offer.”

Embracing the Value Pharmacists Bring to the Health Care Team

Through its partnership with UMQCN and the grant from the Maryland Health Care Commission, the specially trained pharmacists at the school are leveraging the telehealth capabilities of the Pharmacy e-Health Center to provide 100 patients who have been diagnosed with COPD and are currently receiving care from a primary care physician on the Eastern Shore with comprehensive medication therapy management services. These services are delivered via videoconference from Baltimore and are designed to help improve medication adherence among patients and educate them about how to self-manage their illness, such as demonstrating how to correctly use an inhaler. Pharmacists also work with patients’ primary care providers to optimize and manage their medication regimens.

The ultimate goal is to develop a user-friendly telehealth model scalable to all Maryland health care practices that promotes medication safety and care coordination with an emphasis on the affordability, accessibility, and adaptability of the technology to the rural setting.

“The model that we are developing is truly unique — we are integrating pharmacists into primary care practice, but without needing a pharmacist to be physically present in the community setting,” says Rodriguez de Bittner. “We are demonstrating that the addition of these pharmacists to that practice brings value to the physicians, to the practice, and to the patient. It is opening the door for other practices to say, ‘We want to do this, too.’ And that will create more opportunities for us to partner with additional providers and help other patients with chronic illnesses achieve optimal health outcomes.”

— Malissa Carroll

Malissa CarrollClinical Care, Technology, UMB NewsFebruary 5, 20190 comments

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

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

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

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

Update: Quantum System Go-Live Date Postponed

After careful consideration, the Quantum Project managers, in coordination with the executive sponsors and Oracle Consulting managers, have decided to postpone the Quantum system go-live date.

Quantum Financials, Analytics, and Planning and Budgeting will not go live on May 6, 2019. Although project leadership confirms that the go-live date will be after the 2019 fiscal year ends, the group is still working to determine the appropriate reset date.

Work on the project continues at an urgent pace despite this change. Departments and schools are strongly encouraged to continue any preparations already undertaken in anticipation of a 2019 system go-live. As the revised project plan is finalized, we will share more detailed information.

Questions may be directed via email to the project team. Thank you for your continued support of the Quantum project.

Robin ReidTechnology, UMB NewsJanuary 31, 20190 comments

A Step Toward Precision Therapeutics in the Treatment of Complicated Infections

A new study from researchers at the University of Maryland School of Pharmacy and Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine uses non-invasive positron emission tomography (PET) scans and advanced pharmacometric modeling techniques to help optimize dosing recommendations for rifampin in patients diagnosed with tuberculosis meningitis (TBM), an often- deadly strain of tuberculosis that infects the brain. Published in Science Translational Medicine, the study recommends an increase in current dose recommendations to ensure a sufficient amount of rifampin can reach the infection in the brain and decrease patients’ risk of developing an antibiotic-resistant infection.

“Rifampin is an important drug in the treatment of tuberculosis,” says Vijay Ivaturi, PhD, assistant professor in the Department of Pharmacy Practice and Science (PPS) and pharmacometrician in the Center for Translational Medicine (CTM) at the School of Pharmacy. “However, although this drug has been around for nearly 50 years, information about the optimal dose to administer to patients remains limited. This study offered our team an opportunity to explore the use of non-traditional, non-invasive methods to help determine the optimal treatment regimen for rifampin for patients diagnosed with TBM.”

A Novel Approach to Dose Optimization

According to the World Health Organization, tuberculosis is responsible for more than 1 million deaths around the world each year, making it one of the top 10 causes of death worldwide. TBM, which results from tuberculosis bacteria spreading to a patient’s brain and cerebral spinal fluid, is the most devastating and deadly form of this disease. It disproportionately affects children under age five and individuals who have been diagnosed with other chronic illnesses, such as human immunodeficiency virus (HIV).

Researchers have long known that rifampin, when administered at the current recommended dose, is not able to adequately penetrate and treat infections in the brain. There also exists a lack of reliable data on how the small percentage of drug that reaches the brain is distributed throughout the tissue, as current methods to measure the drug at the infection site involve surgical resection of the infected tissue. These limitations have hampered previous pharmacokinetic modeling efforts to optimize treatments for TBM.

“Traditional dosing recommendations for rifampin have been based on measurements of the drug in the patient’s blood,” Ivaturi says. “But we know that the bacteria in TBM infections are sitting deeper in the tissue. Since it is incredibly difficult for us to measure the concentration of the drug at the tissue level, we must explore other options to help us best determine the right dose of medication needed to kill the bacteria where it lives.”

To help with this endeavor, Ivaturi collaborated with Sanjay Jain, MD, professor of pediatrics and international health and director of the Center for Infection and Inflammation Imaging Research at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. Jain and his team engineered a version of rifampin with a charged particle, known as a positron, attached to the drug. This allowed the researchers to track the movement of the drug throughout the body and measure its concentration at the site of infection using PET scans.

Taking the Results a Step Further

Equipped with data from these scans, Ivaturi and his team used advanced pharmacometric modeling and simulation techniques — which they combined with known clinical pharmacology information for rifampin — to show that the concentration of rifampin at the site of infection in the brain significantly decreased over time. They also were able to extrapolate those results to optimize the dose of rifampin for children diagnosed with TBM.

“Through the use of these integrated technologies, including state-of-the-art imaging and advanced pharmacometric modeling, we were able to optimize treatments for patients with TBM,” says Ivaturi, who also explained that the models showed that patients diagnosed with TBM should be given a much higher dose of rifampin than is currently recommended — a minimum of 30 milligrams/kilogram (mg/kg), compared to the currently prescribed 10 to 20 mg/kg.

However, perhaps the most significant finding from this research is that this novel method is not limited to rifampin and TBM, but is applicable to a wide range of antibiotic drugs and illnesses.

“In this study, we show proof-of-concept that PET scans are a clinically translatable tool to help clinicians non-invasively measure antibiotic distribution in infected tissues,” Jain says. “In the near future, we envision that this technology could be used to help us not only develop better treatments for TBM, but also to enable precision medicine techniques for patients with other complicated infections.”

“While we focused on individualizing treatment for TBM in this particular study, the techniques and tools that we used can be applied to a variety of other conditions,” Ivaturi adds. “In fact, we at CTM are currently working to develop a clinical decision support system that will be able to optimize treatments for a range of conditions and numerous therapeutics. This system will be available very soon, and it is going to revolutionize the field of precision therapeutics.”

— Malissa Carroll

Malissa CarrollResearch, Technology, UMB NewsJanuary 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

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

Strengthening Anti-Harassment Policies and Practices

University of Maryland, Baltimore (UMB) President Jay A. Perman, MD, devoted his first quarterly Q&A of 2019 to the issues of Title IX and sexual harassment. Beyond questions, answers, and the start of a new dialogue on these important topics, Perman announced actions he’s taking to promote anti-harassment and gender-equity efforts across the University.

With an eye on short- and long-term results, Perman says he will form a task force to strengthen the University’s anti-harassment policies and practices as well as create a permanent committee to advise him on women’s issues, a group similar to the Diversity Advisory Council he formed that promotes inclusion initiatives at UMB.

“I intend to put forth these working groups in the next 30 days,” Perman told the audience of 100-plus students, faculty, and staff that attended the Q&A on Jan. 17 at the University of Maryland School of Dentistry. “Our Diversity Advisory Council has moved the needle in terms of how we behave with one another and how we respect the differences among us. I regret not having the equivalent of a women’s advisory council, but now I will make that happen.”

Two of UMB’s core values — accountability and civility — are central to these issues and were touched upon throughout the hourlong discussion. In fact, to kick off the Q&A, Perman stood in front of a large screen displaying the seven values and held a framed poster that included their definitions.

“It might sound corny, but I look at this poster every day in my office,” he said. “When I came to UMB as president nine years ago, we put forth a strategic plan and decided it needs to stand on some core values. The matter of mistreatment, sexual harassment, and concerns about retaliation all relate to civility and accountability, but in fact this is a conversation about all of those values.

“I’m going to need the help of everybody on this campus in being committed to saying we live our core values as we tackle this problem. Because there is much work to be done.”

Perman was joined by two leaders in UMB’s Office of Accountability and Compliance (OAC) — Susan C. Buskirk, DM, MS, deputy chief accountability officer and assistant vice president, and Mikhel A. Kushner, JD, MSW, executive director, diversity and inclusion, and Title IX coordinator.

Buskirk said part of OAC’s mission is to respond to and investigate concerns about discrimination, sexual harassment, and Title IX, the law that prohibits discrimination on the basis of sex in any education program or activity that is federally funded. She urged the UMB community to seek out OAC on questions about compliance or ethics via an online consultation form or to report harassment concerns or incidents on the EthicsPoint hotline, a third-party website that is linked at the bottom of umaryland.edu webpages next to a whistle icon.

Saying he understands why many sexual harassment victims don’t come forward, Perman stressed the importance of the hotline, which protects anonymity but allows OAC to reply through a code that lets the complainant respond to follow-up questions if necessary or review the office’s report if one is generated.

“Too often in America victims become the villain, or they’re embarrassed to come forward, and I understand that,” Perman said. “With EthicsPoint, you can have your anonymity and still allow us a way to get back to you. When somebody stands up and complains, they have absolutely every right to get some feedback, and this is a way to do that.”

Kushner, the Title IX coordinator, says her job includes investigating reports of potential violations of the equity law and looking for patterns of discrimination within an institution but that her role goes well beyond those tasks. She described Title IX as a starting point toward taking a broader look at and discussion of discrimination and gender-equity issues.

“That’s why general conversations about civility like this are so important,” Kushner said. “The topic of sexual harassment affects every single person in this room. The conversation certainly can happen through a task force and an advisory committee, but it also needs to happen on the streets, in the hallways, and in our classrooms.”

After Buskirk and Kushner’s presentation, the floor was opened to questions. Several questioners raised the issue of accountability, saying they believed the University has fallen short in creating a harassment-free environment and responding to sexual harassment claims. Perman pledged to do better on both fronts.

“I certainly would acknowledge, for a variety of reasons, that we have not held people sufficiently accountable,” he said. “That’s why I’m standing in front of you. I feel that facts need to be put forward, people have a right to respond — because we are going to respect individual rights — but if wrongdoing is found, then there needs to be a corrective action.”

UMB’s efforts in this area come in the wake of the national #MeToo movement and the University of Maryland School of Medicine (UMSOM) on Nov. 30 launching a “Program in Cultural Transformation,” a major restructuring of its senior leadership positions to ensure that women are represented at the highest levels of the school. The UMSOM program is designed to transform the school’s culture into a national model for a respectful, inclusive, and professional work environment.

With his initiatives, Perman hopes to engage the entire University community in this mission, and indeed a member of the UMB Staff Senate said that group already is working on a campaign to promote civility. Perman welcomed the Staff Senate’s input and asked for suggestions from faculty and students, too, as he forms the task force and advisory committee.

And in responding to a UMSOM student who hoped that the efforts would not be fleeting, Perman promised persistence.

“This is a dialogue, but it’s not a one-and-done dialogue,” he said. “This commitment to gender equity and anti-harassment needs to be in the fabric of our institution, in our DNA. I’m going to do everything I can to make sure that happens. And where I’m falling short, I always count on the students to point it out.”

— Lou Cortina

Lou CortinaCollaboration, Education, UMB News, University Administration, University Life, USGAJanuary 25, 20190 comments

P.G. County Executive Alsobrooks Is Keynote Speaker at MLK Event on Feb. 6

Over the next two weeks, The Elm will feature stories on the keynote speaker and 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: Keynote speaker Angela Alsobrooks, JD ’96

Angela Alsobrooks has blazed an impressive trail in Prince George’s County, Maryland’s second-largest county, initially as its youngest and first female state’s attorney and now as its first female county executive, taking office in December 2018.

Along this pioneering path, Alsobrooks says she has been guided by the ideals of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., so it’s fitting that she will be the keynote speaker at the University of Maryland, Baltimore’s (UMB) Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and Black History Month celebration on Feb. 6.

Alsobrooks cites King’s 1963 “Letter from Birmingham Jail” — in which the civil rights leader defends the strategy of nonviolent resistance and famously wrote, “Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere” — as an inspiration for her career in jurisprudence and public service.

“Dr. King dedicated his life to helping others, to doing things that are not always easy or always popular with others,” Alsobrooks says. “I have spent 20-plus years working as a public servant with the hope that I’ll be able to make decisions and create change now that will have an impact on our future generations, just as Dr. King did.”

Alsobrooks is a lifelong resident of Prince George’s County, but her time in Baltimore at the University of Maryland Francis King Carey School of Law holds a special place in her heart.

“It is an honor to speak on this great campus,” says Alsobrooks, who earned her undergraduate degree in public policy from Duke University in 1993 and graduated from Maryland Carey Law in 1996. “UMB is one of the places where I received the education that has helped me to achieve what I have so far in my career, and I am honored to be able to give back to the University in any way I can.

“It’s also always an honor to speak at an event honoring Dr. King, and this one is even more special because I am returning to a place that holds great significance and memories for me.”

After earning her law degree, Alsobrooks was hired in 1997 as Prince George’s County’s assistant state’s attorney, with a focus on prosecuting domestic violence cases. She won election in 2010 as state’s attorney, the county’s top prosecutor, and for eight years led the office tasked with prosecuting people accused of committing crimes in the county.

Beyond the courts, Alsobrooks led the fight to reduce domestic and family violence in the county, hosting conferences for children and families and developing training programs for clergy and others who counsel couples and families in crisis. In addition, she created a truancy reduction initiative and started a program designed to give low-level, nonviolent offenders a second chance in the community.

A single mother of a teenage daughter, she also has served as executive director of the Prince George’s County Revenue Authority and as the county’s education liaison, where among her initiatives were educational forums aimed at increasing parental involvement in schools.

“I always knew that I wanted to go into a career of public service,” Alsobrooks says. “I wanted to help others and give a voice to those who might not otherwise have one and ensure that everyone has a seat at the table where decisions that impact their lives are being made.”

In all her work, Alsobrooks maintains a strong commitment to diversity, calling it “one of our greatest strengths.”

“Being able to interact, work with, and learn from those who have different experiences than our own is what allows us to grow as a society,” she says. “When there is diversity and inclusion in anything that we do, it ensures that the needs and desires of all people are taken into account.”

— Lou Cortina

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

Lou CortinaCollaboration, Education, People, UMB News, University LifeJanuary 24, 20190 comments

Behind-the-Scenes Poole Gets Day in Spotlight

Did you ever invite friends to your own surprise party without knowing it? This was the case for Saifa Poole, assistant to the senior vice president, who sent the email asking Office of the President staff to gather for an “important meeting” on Jan. 17.

Instead of University of Maryland, Baltimore (UMB) President Jay A. Perman, MD, updating the staff about new groups moving into the Saratoga Building, as the email invitation implied, he turned to Poole with a smile and said, “This is all about you. You are the UMB Employee of the Month for January.”

The 15 or so colleagues burst into applause before Perman detailed why Poole was being honored. Saying “I couldn’t say this better myself,” he read from the nomination turned into Human Resources by Jennifer Litchman, MA, senior vice president for external relations and special assistant to the president, to whom Poole has reported for the past 15 years.

Perman listed how Poole not only organizes the office, keeps everyone apprised of trainings, events, and initiatives of importance, processes paperwork but also tackles bigger projects, such as inspiring creation of UMB Professional Administrators Committed to Excellence (UMB PACE) and assisting co-workers inside and outside of the department — “always with a smile and a can-do attitude,” Perman said.

“I was doubly blessed when I was able to get Jennifer to come over here from the School of Medicine [in 2012] because you came, too,” Perman told Poole.

After accepting congratulations and posing for pictures, Poole answered some questions for this story. But not for long. She was due at Port Discovery to meet a busload of children in UMB’s A Kid’s Port to Discovery: Healthy Habits program, where UMB faculty and staff teach young people from West Baltimore about things like oral health, anatomy, and bullying and peer pressure coping mechanisms over five weeks, concluding with a certificate ceremony.

The next day Poole still “was a little shaky” about her newfound status as an Employee of the Month. “You all really pulled one over on me. I had no idea,” she said with a smile. “I don’t usually like surprises, but that was nice.”

Asked about her work ethic, which often keeps her at the office well past her assigned time, Poole credited her father and added, “That is who I am. I’m a person who likes to serve and help people. I do it in my family life, my personal life as well as work.”

At home, Poole cares for a sister who is intellectually disabled. “I’m from a BIG family. I’m one of 13 kids,” she said. “The tagline at our family reunions is ‘Cousins by the Dozens.’ My parents died when I was 13, so my older sister cared for my sister when she was in special ed schools. She’s been living with me for the past seven years because my older sister is having medical issues.”

So when a colleague at the University was having trouble hearing because he couldn’t afford to have his hearing aids fixed, Poole knew what to do.

“Some people have trouble understanding him but I can because of my sister. Our office always donates to a cause at Christmas, so when I told them about his situation, that his hearing aids were in the shop being repaired but it was going to take him a month or more to come up with the $100 or $150 to get them out, we had a great response and now he can hear again,” Poole said. “No matter what you ask him to do he does it with such pride and diligence that I took him under my wing.”

And when administrative assistants from all over the University kept calling her and asking the same questions, she knew what to do, too, forming UMB PACE. Now information about policies and procedures, tips on how to expedite purchasing orders and such are shared through meetings and a new website.

“Clara [Woodly, executive assistant to the president] and I hold high-level administrative positions at UMB,” Poole said of her colleague. “We were getting a lot of requests for the same information, and I thought maybe we could get a group of seasoned University administrators like most of the VP’s assistants, people who know UMB, who have been here a while and can guide and help others. I ran it by Jennifer and she said, ‘That’s a great idea and you can roll it out through UMBrella.’ ”

Litchman’s name comes up a lot when discussing Poole’s career. They worked together at the School of Medicine when Litchman was director of public affairs and then assistant dean. When Litchman came to the Office of the President, Poole soon followed, first working in Communications and Public Affairs, which Litchman supervises, and then the Office of the President.

“The reason I’m here at UMB is because of her. The reason I’ve stayed here is because of her,” Poole said of Litchman. ”She has mentored me, allowed me to grow, instilled confidence in me, and I just appreciate the freedom of creativity and her support for the endeavors that I pursue.”

Litchman raved about Poole’s growth as the Office of the President’s “go-to person” and her “generosity of spirit” — and ended her nomination by saying, “As far as I’m concerned, Saifa is employee of the day, week, month and year — every year.”

To say that Poole is giving of her time is an understatement. She’s also giving of her money, donating the $250 she received for being Employee of the Month to UMB’s Catalyst Campaign. “It’s not like it’s money I planned on having,” she said.

She will hold on to the award plaque, however, and was clearly touched by the recognition. “I was very humbled as well as honored. Again, this is my work family, they make it easy for me to come to work each day, and it is always great to know that people appreciate you.”

She was quick to share the good news with her home family as well. “When I went home last night I told my son, ‘Guess who you’re looking at? You’re looking at the UMB Employee of the Month!’ ”

— Chris Zang

Chris ZangEducation, People, UMB News, University LifeJanuary 23, 20190 comments

Stay Informed About the Spanish Language Conversation Group

The Spanish Language Conversation Group will be meeting at least twice a month this semester. Share your email at the SurveyMonkey link below to stay up to date on our activities, meetings, and events.

Spanish speakers of all abilities (or none at all) are very welcome to attend. This organization is hosted by student groups at the University of Maryland School of Social Work, and we warmly welcome all students from the UMB campus to attend.

Share your email here.

Katie GoldenBulletin Board, Collaboration, Community Service, Education, UMB News, University LifeJanuary 16, 20192 comments

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