UMUC

UMUC Events at a Glance

News and Events

Read about upcoming UMUC special events, awards and achievements, art openings, and more.

UMUC to Provide On-site Courses to Troops in CENTCOM Countries

UMUC will be the first American university positioned to offer on-site courses to troops in Iraq, thanks to an education contract between UMUC and the U.S. Department of Defense. UMUC has been awarded the contract to provide undergraduate liberal arts courses and several graduate-level programs to troops stationed in within U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM). CENTCOM includes the area known as the Middle East, but also expands from Kenya to Kazakhstan.

 “UMUC has a 60-year history of responding to the education needs of our men and women in uniform no matter where they serve, and our graduates have risen to the highest ranks of leadership in the military, as well as in the public and private sectors.” said UMUC President Susan C. Aldridge. “We are pleased and proud to be able to continue our tradition of delivering a quality education to servicemembers stationed in this critical portion of the world stage.”

UMUC will offer these courses, at the DOD’s discretion, as early as August 1, 2008. UMUC is already teaching military students on-site in other CENTCOM countries, including Djibouti, Afghanistan, and Qatar.

Fifth Annual July Writing Conference for Faculty – July 25-26

UMUC Faculty: Plan now to attend the Fifth Annual July Writing Conference in Adelphi, Maryland on July 25-26, 2008. At this event, you can network with fellow UMUC faculty members who are interested in discussing the design of writing assignments and the practice of assessing and responding to student writing.

Call for Proposals
Proposals are due May 31, 2008. Visit http://www.umuc.edu/writingconference to learn more.

UMUC President Presents Keynote Address to Fulbright Group in Cairo

Dr. Susan C. Aldridge and Dr. Hany Mahfouz Helal
UMUC's President, Dr. Susan C. Aldridge, and Egypt's Minister of Higher Education and State Minister for Scientific Research, Dr. Hany Mahfouz Helal

UMUC President Susan C. Aldridge was invited to present the keynote address at the Near East North Africa Fulbright Regional Workshop March 17, 2008, in Cairo, Egypt—the first time the meeting has been held in Cairo since the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001. The workshop was hosted by the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs and the Binational Fulbright Commission in Egypt. President Aldridge attended at the invitation of Thomas A. Farrell, deputy assistant secretary for academic programs in the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs of the U.S. Department of State.
 
In her keynote address, President Aldridge presented an overview of trends in U.S. higher education, and used the trip as an opportunity to meet with Egyptian officials—including the U.S. ambassador to Egypt and the Egyptian Minister of Higher Education and State Minister for Scientific Research—to discuss opportunities presented by U.S. distance education.

"I was pleased and honored to be invited to visit Cairo and talk about a subject that means so much to me personally,” said Aldridge. “This was a wonderful opportunity to meet with colleagues and explore the opportunities that U.S. higher education has to offer worldwide.”

UMUC Alumna Selected as Missouri Representative for Education Conference

UMUC is proud to announce that Emily Dreiling, a 2005 Bachelor of Science in criminal justice graduate from UMUC Europe, has been named one of two Missouri state representatives for this September's Council for Opportunity in Education Conference in Washington, D.C. The Council for Opportunity in Education is a nonprofit organization that works with colleges, universities, and agencies that offer TRIO programs—a series of programs established by Congress that are designed to help low-income students enter college and graduate.

After graduating from UMUC Europe, Dreiling received a full academic scholarship to attend graduate school at the University of Central Missouri. She expects to graduate this May with a 4.0 GPA and a published master’s degree thesis, which focuses on the impact of education on the criminal justice system.

Visit the Council for Opportunity in Education Web site to find out more about this year's conference.

Fort Detrick Ribbon Cutting Ceremony and Research Festival - May 2008

UMUC is pleased to announce a Ribbon Cutting Ceremony on May 14, 2008 at 10 a.m. to celebrate the opening of the Fort Detrick locations. Because this event is located at a U.S. military base, guests should arrive no later than 9:30 a.m. to allow time for necessary security checks.

UMUC will also participate in the NCI-Frederick and Fort Detrick Spring Research Festival on May 14 and 15, 2008 along Porter Street at Fort Detrick.

Biotechnology Symposium and Job Fair May 16, 2008 at Shady Grove

It's time for the annual Biotechnology Symposium and Job Fair, sponsored by UMUC's Graduate School of Management and Technology and the School of Undergraduate Studies.

This year's event, Biotechnology-Emerging Trends and Careers, will be held from 8-3 p.m., May 16, 2008 at the USM Shady Grove Center in Rockville, Maryland.

This event is free, but registration is required. Employers interested in the Job Fair, 1p.m.–3p.m., must also register.

Board of Regents' Faculty Award Goes to Jim Q. Chen

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Jim Q. Chen
Jim Q. Chen, Recipient of the 2008 Board of Regents Faculty Award

UMUC is proud to announce Jim Q. Chen, collegiate professor and program director of Information Assurance at UMUC, as the 2008 The Board of Regents’ Faculty Award in the category of Teaching Excellence.

Chen, who has taught for UMUC’s Graduate School of Management & Technology since 1997, is renowned among students and faculty for his accessibility for students, in-depth knowledge, and ability to make challenging subjects easy to understand.

In response to workforce trends and post 9/11 demands, Chen developed the Information Assurance specialization at UMUC. Next he designed an innovative hands-on Network Systems and Security Laboratory for online and onsite students.  This lab was so successful that he was asked to duplicate it for the UMUC—Europe Heidelberg, Germany and UMUC—Asia.

Also a dedicated lifetime learner, Chen actively participated in UMUC’s Leadership and Management Development Program in 2006. He serves as Chair of one doctoral committee and is a member of several others, in addition to actively pursuing his research and publication agenda.

2008 Institute for Copyright Leadership & Management, May 28-30

Are you a manager of digital content? If so, do you have the skills to lead and manage change related to technology, culture, and copyright issues? UMUC’s Center for Intellectual Property and the National Leadership Institute have collaborated to provide an exciting workshop to help you develop basic skills for effective leadership in copyright management by focusing on influencing skills and building strategic institutional partnerships and bridges. Attend the 2008 Institute for Copyright and Leadership Management, May 28-30, 2008, at the UMUC Inn and Conference Center to be part of this unique program.

For details and to register, visit the CIP Symposium Web site.

Register Today! U.S.–China Forum on Distance Learning June 29-July 2

Register now to attend the Fourth Annual United States-China Forum on Distance Learning at the Inn and Conference Center in Adelphi, Maryland, just 20 miles from Washington, D.C., June 29-July 2, 2008, hosted by UMUC and co-hosted by the China Youth Center for International Exchange and the China University Distance Education Committee of China Educational Technology Association.

Visit the U.S.-China Forum Web Site to register, view the agenda, submit an abstract, and more.

Earn Your EMBA or CIO Certificate

Are you an executive leader who is ready to empower yourself and your colleagues to effect change and meet new challenges in the global business marketplace?

Enroll today in one of two exciting and convenient UMUC programs designed specifically for you!

The EMBA can be completed primarily online in just 21  months and the CIO certificate can be completed entirely online in just 12 months.  Each program contains leadership development components developed with the National Leadership Institute, including leadership assessment, leadership workshops, and executive coaching.

Are you ready to take the lead? Visit Business and Executive Departmental Web site or contact Jane Goldberg, program coordinator, at 301-985-7958.

* Offered in partnership with the General Services Administration's CIO University

Late spring, summer, and fall 2008 sessions for executive and leadership programs are filling up fast. Enroll today!

UMUC Announces New Vice President of Human Resources

UMUC is pleased to announce that Nadine Marie Porter has accepted the position of vice president of Human Resources at UMUC, effective February 18, 2008.

Ms. Porter comes to UMUC with a wealth of experience, having served since 1996 in a variety of roles with the University of Pennsylvania Health System, including chief human resources officer for Corporate Services, interim chief human resources officer for Pennsylvania Hospital, and chief human resources officer for UPHS Homecare and Hospice Services. Prior to that, she served as interim associate executive director and equal employment opportunity director of Human Resources for Health & Hospitals Corp., Metropolitan Hospital Center, in New York, New York.

Ms. Porter holds a BS in industrial and labor relations from Cornell University and a JD from the University at Buffalo School of Law, State University of New York. For the past five years, she has served as an adjunct faculty member at St. Joseph’s University in Philadelphia, where she designed and taught a graduate course, entitled “Managing Employee Relations in the Healthcare Setting,” for the university’s department of health services.

When she was interviewed for the vice president’s position at UMUC, members of the review committee praised her “strong emphasis on teamwork and collaborative approach” and her command of HR issues, calling her “an organizer, a doer, a fixer” who “understands fast-paced environments, is comfortable in growth environments, [and] possesses vast HR leadership experience in complex organizations.”

UMUC welcomes Nadine to this important leadership position.

New Dual Degree: MS in Biotechnology and MBA

The Graduate School of Management & Technology now offers a dual degree in biotechnology and Master of Business Administration. This program gives MBA students a practical understanding of the science technology, and regulatory aspects of biotechnology. In turn, biotechnology majors will gain valuable insight into business administration. All with just a few additional courses.

UMUC’s dual degree programs provide the opportunity to gain extensive knowledge in your own field while strengthening your educational credentials in a complementary discipline. Dual degrees enhance your power in the workforce and your knowledge base for success.

Biotechnology and MBA Dual Degrees

Attend the Spring Biotechnology Symposium and Job Fair

UMUC Alumna Publishes First Book After Career Change

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Mary Wearn

Mary Wearn, Author.

Mary Wearn, a UMUC alumna, has just published her first book, “Negotiating Motherhood in Nineteenth-Century American Literature.” The book examines maternal figures in the works of Stowe, Hawthorne, Jacobs, and Piatt. Wearn had originally had a career in engineering but turned to UMUC when she realized she wanted to follow her dreams and change career paths.

After deciding she wanted to change her life’s focus, Wearn signed up for UMUC’s undergraduate English program. She explained, “[UMUC] helped me transition from a career in engineering and allowed me to pursue my real passion—the study of literature.” During her education at UMUC, Wearn was awarded a Presidential Scholarship to help cover the cost of her education. This was especially helpful, she said, since she had two small children at home when she began pursuing her new major.

Wearn graduated from UMUC in 1992 with a Bachelor of Arts in English. Today she has achieved her PhD in English and is an assistant professor of English at Macon State College in Macon, Georgia.

 

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