Dear Participants and Guests,
It is with great pleasure that I welcome you to UMBC’s 27th annual Undergraduate Research and Creative Achievement Day (URCAD). This year, for the first time since 2019, URCAD will be in person, and we are very excited to bring back the inspiring in-person experience that has meant so much to the UMBC community.
URCAD is a celebration of the work of our students showcasing their achievements; it also recognizes the mentorship and encouragement that inspires these students to be their best. We are delighted the 220 URCAD participants, who have worked so diligently all year, are able to present the culmination of their efforts to the UMBC community through poster presentations, oral presentations, exhibits, and performances. This showcase event exemplifies UMBC’s commitment to students of all disciplines to provide the opportunity to engage in mentored projects, and through creative thought and focused inquiry, to discover in themselves their passion. Supporting our students’ applied learning experiences is central to our mission as it develops creative thinking skills, the ability to communicate effectively, analyze information, share stories, and connect with people from diverse cultures, disciplines, and ideologies. These are the skills our students will take forward as leaders of the future.
Albert Einstein said, “the value of achievement lies in the achieving.” Our students’ achievements today reflect just that as their success is due in no small part to their enthusiastic imaginations, their hard work and their unwavering commitment in the face of challenge. It is also due to the tremendous effort and remarkable guidance provided by their mentors and our faculty and staff across the campus who support and engage these students every single day. Please accept my heartfelt gratitude to all of you who work with these incredible students and help them reach their goals.
I welcome you and encourage you to enjoy the enlightenment you will receive today, listening to and learning from these remarkable students.
Welcome to URCAD,
Katharine H. Cole, Ph.D.
Vice Provost and Dean of Undergraduate Academic Affairs
3/15/2023