Co-Create UMBC

Real People Profiles: Bentley Corbett

2017-05-24T10:51:00.000-04:00

We're asking some of the people you might encounter on the UMBC campus, including students, faculty, staff and alumni, to answer a few questions about themselves and their experiences. These are their responses.

Name: Bentley Corbett

Hometown: Las Vegas, Nevada

Major: Music Education

Q: How long have you been at UMBC?

A: This is my eighth semester at UMBC.

Q: What is your current title (job or student organization position)?

A: I just finished serving my term as the President of the Student Government Association. I also have been an Orientation Peer Advisor. I've served on the Executive Board of (seb) for two years, been a STRiVE coach three times, was Vice Archon of Pi Kappa Phi for a semester, and was a Student Director for the Pep Band for two years. I was also a Student Life Ambassador for 3 years!

Q: In 12 words or less, what role(s) do you play on campus?

A: I am a connector, motivator, learner, musician, and friendly face around campus. :)

Q: What aspect of your UMBC role(s) do you enjoy most?

A: I enjoy being able to constantly meet new people in our community and hear more about their personal experiences from being on campus. There's so much to learn from others: all that I've learned over the past 4 and a half years has come from my experiences with members of the community!

Q: What is the most important or memorable thing you learned in college/have learned at UMBC?

A: It's not always what you know that's important, it's sometimes who you know that can truly make the difference.

Q: What is one way you have worked with others to make a positive difference at UMBC or in another community?

A: I would like to think that my work with SGA and (seb) over the past 4 years has helped perpetuate the culture on campus that supports UMBC's commitment to civic engagement and social responsibility. I enjoy bringing people together to create a campus that is ever-changing, rewarding, and fun!

Q: Complete this sentence: "I am a big fan of __________"

A: For some reason, "hockey" was the first thing that popped up in my mind....but I've never played or watched a game of hockey in my life...so, my final answer is classical music!

Q: Do you have any UMBC stories, little-known facts about UMBC, favorite spots on campus, or anything else you’d like to share?

A: To be quite honest, my favorite place on campus is my bed. So, if I'm late for a meeting in the morning...you know where to find me! Also, the Linehan Concert Hall in the PAHB is pretty awesome.

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Real People Profiles: Sarah Lilly

2017-05-17T10:53:00.000-04:00

Name: Sarah Lilly

Hometown: Pasadena, MD

Major: Information Systems

Q: How long have you been at UMBC?

A: This is my eighth semester at UMBC.

Q: What is your current title (job or student organization position)?

A: I just finished serving as the Speaker of the SGA Senate.

Q: In 12 words or less, what role(s) do you play on campus?

A: Full time cat herder, student, hilarious person, slinky untangler, and activist.

Q: What aspect of your UMBC role(s) do you enjoy most?

A: I really love answering other people's questions! I have somehow become an encyclopedia of sorts for UMBC. You can ask me about anything on campus and I have an answer for you! From dining to activism to academic policies, I am your gal!

Q: What is the most important or memorable thing you learned in college/have learned at UMBC?

A: If I had to sum up my experience in one phrase, it would be; give it a go. There is nothing conventional about UMBC. If you want something to happen, just do it. This campus was built by us, and there is always room for improvements. We have such a sense of community at UMBC, which just makes everything that much more real. There is no way to fail on our campus, aside from not doing something.

Q: What is one way you have worked with others to make a positive difference at UMBC or in another community?

A: I've been around the block a few times! I have helped organize and been a part of Elect Her, Take Back the Night, Election Night Extravaganza, STRiVE, Stress Free Zone, LeadingOrgs, CelebratingOrgs, Shared Governance, Involvement Fest, Playfair, and a few other things since coming to UMBC, most of them more than once. These things all had the goal of educating students through community, outside of the classroom. That's really where I found my passion to be at UMBC - empowerment through education. Throughout these events I've interacted with thousands of students, and I can't think of a better way to have spent these past 4 years.

Q: Complete this sentence: "I am a big fan of __________"

A: passionate leadership, pizza, the people who work in Student Life, technology, and myself.

Q: Do you have any UMBC stories, little-known facts about UMBC, favorite spots on campus, or anything else you’d like to share?

A: Every circle of friends needs someone that likes wacky music, a photographer, a person that is into politics, a scientist, an artist, a person obsessed with technology, a lover, a fighter, and a comedian.

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Real People Profiles: Anne Spence

2017-03-13T09:34:00.001-04:00

Name: Anne Spence

Hometown: Rolla, Missouri

Q: How long have you been at UMBC?

A: 15 years

Q: What is your current title (job or student organization position)?

A: Professor of the Practice, Mechanical Engineering

Q: In 12 words or less, what role(s) do you play on campus?

A: Teacher, mentor, collaborator, motivator, educational entrepreneur, helicopterologist

Q: What aspect of your UMBC role(s) do you enjoy most?

A: I love working with students as both teacher and mentor as well as collaborating with other faculty to develop innovative techniques to facilitate student learning.

Q: What is the most important or memorable thing you learned in college/have learned at UMBC?

A: The most important thing that I have learned at UMBC is that there is always a way important skills for everyone.

Q: What is one way you have worked with others to make a positive difference at UMBC or in another community?

A: I love mentoring students in the Center for Women in Technology (CWIT) and teaching freshmen to learn to think like engineers. It has been fun to work with freshmen Statics students as they design and build a ramp for a needy family in Baltimore. Engineers really do create the world that never was!

Q: Complete this sentence: "I am a big fan of __________"

A: English Premier League soccer, micro-brews, great food, and HGTV.

Q: Do you have any UMBC stories, little-known facts about UMBC, favorite spots on campus, or anything else you’d like to share?

A: If you come to Starbucks really early in the morning, you will find the three engineering Professors of the Practice solving the world's problems. And, all USA world cup games are televised in the Engineering Education Lab, ITE243.

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Real People Profiles: Kate Drabinski

2017-03-06T08:08:00.001-05:00

Name: Kate Drabinski

Hometown: Boise, Idaho

Q: How long have you been at UMBC?

A: 5 years

Q: What is your current title (job or student organization position)?

A: Senior Lecturer in Gender and Women's Studies and Director of Women Involved in Learning and Leadership

Q: In 12 words or less, what role(s) do you play on campus?

A: I teach about feminism, activism, and social justice.

Q: What aspect of your UMBC role(s) do you enjoy most?

A: I love teaching--and I do a lot of it. My job is basically to read interesting things and talk about them with interesting people who've (hopefully) read it too. I learn so much from students, and I hope they learn from our discussions too.

Q: What is the most important or memorable thing you learned in college/have learned at UMBC?

A: You have the right to be wrong. I learned this in college, and it keeps on being true. We learn better when we risk our ideas, when we make ourselves a little uncomfortable, and when we are willing to change our minds. Learning isn't about what we think and whether or not we're right. It's about learning *how* to think, and letting ourselves change and be changed by that thinking. Still learning over here!

Q: What is one way you have worked with others to make a positive difference at UMBC or in another community?

A: My work as Director of WILL has been incredibly important to me. I help facilitate student projects and have organized formal leadership training opportunities for the campus, including the yearly Elect Her workshop. This workshop helps students--especially women students--nail down the strategies and tactics to run successful student campaigns, and hopefully gets them ready to run for office after college. We need more women on our ballots, and to do that, we have to run!

Q: Complete this sentence: "I am a big fan of __________"

A: ...cats and bicycles. Like, a really, really big fan.

Q: Do you have any UMBC stories, little-known facts about UMBC, favorite spots on campus, or anything else you’d like to share?

A: The Gender and Women's Studies office has a lounge area and library. Come visit us in Fine Arts 413!

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Run for SGA 2017-2018; Application Open NOW

2017-02-27T11:00:00.004-05:00

by Craig Berger

While every undergraduate is a member of UMBC's Student Government Association, there are 20 students each year who devote extra time to organizing and supporting other undergraduate students in making UMBC their own. Those 20 serve as elected officers of SGA: President, Executive Vice President, VP for Student Organizations, Treasurer, Senators (11) and Finance Board Representatives (5). (Read more about these positions here). Officer terms run for one year beginning May 15th.

The SGA Election Board released the candidate application this morning, and I hope you'll consider applying to run for one of these positions for 2017-2018.

SGA positions offer a chance to work with others on initiatives that matter and make a difference on campus and can empower all students. But more than that, running for and serving in these positions is an opportunity to identify who you are and what gifts you contribute to the campus and local communities. You don't need any experience; you will receive significant support and gain access to many resources as you work with others to identify and solve problems.

I recognize that it takes courage to make yourself vulnerable and to put your name and ideas in front of your peers, but I see so many students who take that risk and never look back, exploring issues and passions, forming friendships, and developing their confidence and sense of direction.

The application and election process is an open door waiting for you, and I hope you'll walk through it.

Applications are due Monday, March 27th at noon.

After the due date, all eligible candidates will receive more information via e-mail regarding next steps, including campaigning.

So check out the application, and if you have questions, contact Election Board Chair Sophia Lopresti (soph3@umbc.edu) or me (berger@umbc.edu).

I’ve been advising UMBC’s SGA for over five years, and each day I become more and more inspired by all that committed, courageous students can learn and accomplish together.

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