UMBC

UMBC's creative arts journal, Bartleby, is celebrating 50 plus years of publishing students poems, short stories, and art. Work from issues spanning decades was showcased at the Albin O. Kuhn Library and Gallery spring 2026.

Isabel Kendall ’26, modern languages and linguistics, is described by Julie Oakes, assistant director of curriculum and retention in UMBC’s Honors College, as someone who “truly represents what is best about well-rounded humanities folks.” This comes as no surprise, given her time at UMBC, where she took on mentorship roles in the Honors College, created art installations, and traveled abroad to …

Unlocking the Milky Way’s history through cosmic rays: UMBC nuclear physicist Priyashini Ghosh is leading a first-of-its-kind experiment at the Facility for Rare Isotope Beams (FRIB), measuring how chromium-52 breaks apart as it travels through space. Her work fills critical data gaps, sharpening models of galactic chemical evolution and supporting NASA's upcoming TIGERISS mission.

Katie King ’26, biology and dance, UMBC Dance Team co-captain, and Admissions Grit Guide, pursues a future that engages her passions.

Dear UMBC Community, Today, I am very pleased to share the Strategic Plan Steering Committee’s significant progress this semester towards completion of the UMBC strategic plan. As a reminder, the strategic plan will be built on five pillars: cultivating organizational innovation and vitality; redefining excellence in research and creative achievement; strengthening Maryland and its communit…

Dear Faculty and Staff, I am writing to share additional information on the university’s budget outlook for the coming fiscal year, as well as our long-term work to enhance our budget-planning capabilities.  As we shared with you last month, the State of Maryland has set an operating budget of $70.8 billion for Fiscal Year 2027. Following significant reductions in the state’s allocation to the Un…

Simone Kruse had a circuitous route to UMBC. She studied fashion design in her native country, Germany, and later, came to the U.S. as an au pair and began studying at Howard Community College. The community at UMBC and her ideal degree program—business technology administration with a minor in entrepreneurship and innovation and an honors college certificate—prompted her to transfer. At UMBC, Si…

Dear UMBC Community, Commencement is almost upon us! The first day of classes and Commencement are my favorite days of the year, and this year is no exception. We have so much to celebrate this year as we honor the graduates who will receive their bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral degrees later this week.  The road has not been easy, of course, and the contexts for our graduating students contin…

With support from faculty, staff, and her peers, Maia Turman Cooke ’26, English and political science, not only thrived in her double major but also challenged herself by joining the McNair Scholars Program and working as a workforce and education advocate for the Shriver Center’s Choice Program.

UMBC's inaugural BookFest brought together students, faculty, and staff to celebrate reading, books, and more.

The Southwest Emergency Services has been in close proximity to UMBC for decades, it’s relatively new that an intentional cohort of Retrievers regularly volunteers there. This shift was led by a UMBC Peaceworker Fellow, Megan Hamilton, who began working with SWES for 20 hours a week in fall 2025. The Peaceworker Fellows Program, based in UMBC’s Shriver Center, offers a master's degree in social c…

Major: Engineering Management (M.S.)Hometown: Gujarat, IndiaHigh School: St. Xaviers High School, India Turning experience into impact Over his two years of graduate study at UMBC, Yash Bhatt has given back as much as he’s gained, contributing meaningfully to both the university and the greater Baltimore community. As a graduate student, Bhatt arrived at UMBC with an undergraduate degree and prof…

Emily Riggs came to UMBC from Lancaster, Pennsylvania, to study mechanical engineering while playing for UMBC’s championship-level softball team. She was rewarded for her decision early on—in her first year, she was named to the America East All-Rookie team and helped the Retrievers win their fourth-straight America East championship. In the following NCAA Tournament game against Nebraska, Riggs …

In February 2020, Carter Gerhardt visited the UMBC campus as a newly admitted student. Six years later, he attended the same event, this time as a senior computer engineering student answering questions about his experience. He will graduate this May.

Dear UMBC Community, We write today to share key information and reminders as the semester winds down. Thank you for your questions and feedback throughout the academic year as we worked to keep you informed about U.S. government orders and policy actions. END OF ACADEMIC YEAR AND SUMMER TRAVEL CONSIDERATIONS We recognize that many members of our community may have travel plans that include trave…

Finley Bandy spent last summer in the cool temperatures and dim light of UMBC's Albin O. Kuhn Library and Gallery Special Collections—the perfect environment to preserve rare books, photographs, manuscripts, archives, and artifacts. After graduating this spring with a bachelor's in history, Bandy is looking forward to continuing her time at UMBC pursuing a master's in historical studies.

Dear UMBC Community, Happy Last Day of Classes! To our students: I wish you all the best on your final exams, papers, and projects—you are almost there, and I know you can finish strong. To our faculty and staff: Thank you for your dedication to our students and to your work across all departments and every corner of our campus. To our entire campus community: Congratulations on all you have achi…

For Vunnathi Ankem, psychology, the UMBC experience has been defined by one word: community. As a resident assistant, a researcher, and a multifaceted student leader, she has spent her four years both building community and studying its impact on the human experience. From hosting public service retreats in Baltimore to interviewing members of the South Asian diaspora for her thesis, Ankem’s work…

Dear UMBC Community, I recently had one of those days that reminded me—through a richly diverse set of experiences—exactly who we are. I had the opportunity to attend three events the first Saturday in May that showcased in different ways the strengths of our community and the contributions UMBC makes to the state of Maryland. My day began at an open house at the Institute of Marine and Environme…

When Chinonso Ezeobi decided to pack up his life and come to the United States to pursue his Ph.D. in electrical engineering at UMBC, he was thrilled at the prospect of finding a program that would bring him fulfillment. However, financial struggles and the impact of COVID pandemic quickly threatened Ezeobi’s plans for the future. Never one to be derailed, he found mentors across campus who made …