Happy First Day of Classes UMBC!
Today is August 27th, 2020 and we celebrate our first day of classes at UMBC. The Initiatives for Identity, Inclusion, and Belonging (I3B) would like to take this moment to welcome all of our new students, faculty and staff and say welcome back to those of us that are returning to this new and virtual environment.
This year has indeed presented us with many challenges. As global citizens, we have all experienced numerous and tremendous losses. Many of us are still processing complex emotions mixed with the anxiety and fears of not knowing exactly what is to come.
Even in the most difficult of moments, there is still so much to celebrate. UMBC is quite literally a community of people from all walks of life with varied experiences and interests. We are a growing community of students, faculty, staff, administrators, instructors, scientists, activists, carpenters, economists, advocates, researchers, athletes, mathematicians, artists, musicians, electricians, community organizers, techies, archivists, curators, veterans, counselors, maintenance staff, engineers, gamers, public safety officers, cooks, servers, managers, educators, librarians, magicians (yes, magicians), healthcare practitioners, cashiers, entertainers, lawyers, and so much more.
We know that this is not the first day that any of us imagined. We know that (in this very moment) there are more things that are wrong with 2020, than are right. We recognize that we are all juggling complex emotions and very difficult realities. However, if there is anything you get from this message, it's that we are ALL in this together. You are not alone in this. We hear you. We see you. We welcome you.
Happy First Day of Classes Retrievers!
Posted: August 27, 2020, 2:50 PM
