UMBC Parent Preview

The UMBC Men's Lacrosse team, led by coach Don Zimmerman, is two weeks from the start of their 2012 schedule, which features seven home contests in a 12-game slate. The Retrievers leave the state only once before an April 7 date at America East foe Vermont. UMBC opens the campaign on Sat., Feb. 18 when they entertain Robert Morris at 1:00 p.m. It will be the first meeting ever between the Retrievers and the Colonials.

After a Feb. 26 date at Rutgers, UMBC returns to the Baltimore area for six consecutive games. Zimmerman’s club with host another first-time opponent in Fairfield on Saturday., March 3, then welcome 2011 national finalist Maryland on Tuesday, March 6 at 7:00 p.m.

UMBC will then play Johns Hopkins at Baltimore’s M&T Bank Stadium in the Konica Minolta Face-Off Classic on Saturday, March 10. The Retrievers have a rare weekend off before entertaining Loyola (Md.) on Saturday, March 24. The contest with the Greyhounds will be the first between the two schools since 2005.

America East Conference play opens on Saturday, March 31 when defending league champion Hartford visits UMBC Stadium on Saturday, March 31. The Retrievers conclude the non-conference portion of the slate at Towson on Wednesday, April 4 before playing the final four regular season games against league rivals.

“It is a challenging and diverse schedule, playing teams representing the NEC, Big East, ECAC, ACC, Colonial as well as an independent in Johns Hopkins,” Zimmerman said. “That competition will prepare us well for the America East Conference, which continues to develop into one of the most competitive conferences in lacrosse."

UMBC is one of several universities working closely with the White House to launch a new effort to promote engaged citizenship. The initiative officially kicked off January 10 with “For Democracy’s Future: Education Reclaims Our Civic Mission,” an all-day event at the White House featuring U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan and education leaders from across the country.

Catie Collins, UMBC Student Government Association president, serves as the nation’s only undergraduate student on the steering committee of the American Commonwealth Partnership (ACP), which has partnered with the U.S. Department of Education and Association of American Colleges and Universities to develop this initiative. She will attended the White House event.

This will launch what the White House describes as “a national conversation about the importance of educating all students, from grade school to graduate school, for informed and engaged citizenship” (see press release). It also coincides with the release of two reports from the Department of Education, “A Crucible Moment: College Learning and Democracy’s Future” and “Civic Learning and Engagement in Democracy: A Road Map and Call to Action.”

UMBC has emerged as a leader in the movement to energize campus and community engagement. In a time of widespread skepticism about the capacity of our democracy to respond to society’s needs, UMBC programs and partnerships are demonstrating the power of individuals to foster meaningful change and renewal.

JOIN US ON SATURDAY, MARCH 31, 2012! Just for Juniors is a program designed to introduce high school juniors (and sophomores) to the exciting opportunities at UMBC. Learn about:
• Admissions
• Financial Aid and Scholarships
• Housing
• Co-ops and Internships

Visit http://www.umbc.edu/undergraduate/experience/visit.html to register!

MSNBC's Andrea Mitchell interviewed UMBC's President Freeman Hrabowski about President Obama's State of the Union comments on affordability in higher education. Hrabowski highlights the ways in which the state of Maryland has been able to keep tution costs down and create value for students.

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