UMBC rallied together this season as Retrievers across campus donated food, shared resources, and supported programs that made a real impact.
With record-setting contributions and campus-wide involvement, the community showed what giving back truly looks like.
To read more about these and other campus news stories, visit UMBC news.
The Retriever Way: Compassion, Community, and Giving
As the semester wraps up, UMBC is embracing a season of gratitude by supporting community members in need. Retrievers donated a record 1,050 meal swipes through Save-a-Swipe and contributed 879 pounds of food through Food for Fines—its largest donation ever. Athletics added to the effort with a canned food drive during the women’s basketball beltway battle. Retriever Essentials also celebrated 10 years of service with its “10 for 10” campaign, while The Essential Space continued providing free donated items to those on campus. Together, these efforts showcase the compassion and generosity that define UMBC.
Discover how Retrievers are supporting one another this season here.
K-pop, Global Media, and Student Connection at UMBC
UMBC students, faculty, and staff came together for a high-energy K-pop event inspired by the hit film KPop Demon Hunters. Led by senior Abbie Fakoya, attendees learned choreography to “Golden” and enjoyed an evening of Korean culture, food, and community. A panel featuring UMBC experts explored the film’s cultural authenticity, Asian American identity, and the global impact of K-pop. Students shared how K-pop has shaped their lives and how its growing popularity continues to build inclusive spaces on campus.
Read more about UMBC’s K-pop cultural celebration and student community impact.
UMBC Named a “Great College to Work For” — 16 Years Running
For the 16th consecutive year, University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC) has been recognized by ModernThink’s “Great Colleges to Work For” survey — and for the 14th time, UMBC has landed on the Honor Roll, ranking among the top-10 four-year colleges of its size. Campus faculty and staff credit the honor to shared dedication to student success, inclusive mission, collaborative governance, and a community culture rooted in respect, well-being, and belonging.
Learn the full story of UMBC’s recognition here.
Alumni Artist Builds Community with Handmade Monuments
Marian April Glebes (M.F.A. ’09) is transforming public art and social memory through her project The Mobile Community Brick Factory & Monument. Over the past decade, she has crafted thousands of hand-made bricks and invited Baltimore residents to inscribe their own stories into the clay — turning individual histories into community-built monuments. Glebes’s work has engaged over 15,000 people, produced more than 2,500 unique bricks, and gathered over 1,000 oral histories. Her project challenges traditional ideas of monumentality and builds inclusive, living public spaces that reflect shared heritage and collective futures.