Monday, August 3, 2009

Peer Mentor Application, due Aug 13, 2009.

If you are interested in being considered as a Peer Mentor for Fall 2009, please fill out an application and submit to Dr. Judith Pollack, MSTF 300, by Thursday Aug 13, end of business day.
Applications are available at the Aug 4 meeting, or email Dr. Pollack to ask for a soft-copy.

jpollack@som.umaryland.edu


Thursday, May 21, 2009

PROMISE student featured in the Baltimore Sun


Antonia Tolson, PROMISE student, recipient of NIH Stimulus money .... now Celebrity!

http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/nation/bal-te.md.stimulus20may20,0,252052.story

Congratulations to our PROMISE PhD graduates!



Four University of Maryland, Baltimore Students Fulfill PROMISE
UMB News - Baltimore,MD,USA
PROMISE is the name for Maryland's Alliance for Graduate Education and the

Monday, May 11, 2009

Peer Mentor Training: Reflections, what worked, what didn't

PROMISE Peer Mentor Training
May 5, 2009
12:00-1:00pm
MSTF 316

Discussion Items:
1. Reflections: Healthy Living Symposium June 4, 2009
2. Peer mentoring at UMB: what worked/didn't. Dr. Trudy Smith, past Peer Mentor

Attendance: Jocelyn, Victor, Calvin, Antonia, Trudy, Maria, Hermela, Holly, Sean, Judith.

1. Reflections: Healthy Living Symposium June 4, 2009
Reflections will take place on Thursday June 4, 2009, in the MSTF Auditorium, 6:00-8:30 pm. The schedule is as follows:
6:00-6:10 Welcome, dinner (buffet)
6:10-6:40 Talk on Sleep, Dr. Jeanne Geiger Brown
6:40-6:45 Raffles
6:45-7:30 Cooking Demo, Victoria Proctor
7:30-7:35 Raffles
7:35-8:25 Tai chi and Yoga demo (2x25 min)
8:25-8:30 Raffles, closing remarks
  • Sleep talk: Speaker is confirmed, bio has been received, will need computer/projector for her presentation. (contact: Maria)
  • Cooking demo: Speaker is confirmed, bio has been received. Still waiting for contract and handouts. Did not need audio/visual equipment. (contact: Calvin)
  • Tai chi demo: it was decided that 2x25 min sessions is better than 3x15 min sessions. Tai chi needs big room, will use the Atrium. Will need speakers and music. (contact: Sean)
  • Yoga demo: will also follow 2x25 min sessions. Instructor will bring mats, will need people to help carry mat from car to Atrium. May need to have a separate room for yoga. Ask for a contract (contact: Holly)
  • Catering: Yabba Pot, $15 perperson. Menu has been confirmed. Will need to provide our own drinks and paperware.
  • Raffles: It was reminded that the raffle prizes shoudl be consistent with our theme "healthy living." Judith will contact Office of Development/Outreach to go about getting raffle prizes from community. Holly will ask Yoga instructor if will donate a free class. Trudy will ask Whole Foods for gift card.
  • Advertising: Judith and Jocelyn will get together and discuss.
Dr. Pollack's to-do list:
- reserve extra room off the MSTF Atrium for Yoga
- Call physical plantfor podium/tables; AV for projector screen and microphone
- Contact Office of Development/Outreach for raffle prizes
- Find out who signs the contracts

2. Peer mentoring at UMB: what worked/didn't. Dr. Trudy Smith, past Peer Mentor
Trudy shared her experiences as past Peer Mentor and reflected on what she wished had happened, what worked and what did not work. Others chimed in and shared their experiences, opinions, and suggestions. Below is a summary.
  • Better communication between Coordinator and Peer Mentors, lots of reminders
  • Get participation form peer mentors and non-peer mentors
  • Get mentees (need recruiting)
  • More focused meetings and UMB-specific training
  • Outings and celebrations
Details (in no particular order):
- Peer mentoring at UMB was very different from UMBC, UMCP.
- wished there were more mentees (there were not enough new people)
- needed a more structured mentor/mentee guideline (it was too informal, and trainings from UMBC/UMCP were too broad and not applicable).
- needed training at UMB, discussing topics such as conflict resolution.
- Peer mentors could take turns leading a talk (eg on presentation skills, finding research topics, life balance), or just sharing about themselves.
- In the past there have been celebratory parties/end of semester outings for the Peer Mentors, eg go to Cheesecake factory or go to Dr. Warnick's house.
- Need more focused meetings, not so much of venting/complaining about self, but more focused towards Peer mentor training or professional development.
- Need to clearly define the roles of peer mentors and peer mentors in training (besides the money). => Currently there are no peer mentors in training.
- Need to have clear communication between Coordinator and peer mentors, lots of reminders.
- Need to have more participation for non-mentors.
- Need to make the program self-propelling, such that if the Coordinator leaves, there is a mechanism to keep the program going.
- Suggestion to look at forming an organization under USGA, or a subsidiary of another group. (Sean will look into this).
- What happened to Summer Bridge program? => Currently no budget for that. However, GPILS has a Bridge program, and PROMISE can be introduced at that time.
- PROMISE has a slot during Grad school orientation in August.

Announcements/Reminders/Closing Remarks: Hooding ceremony May 14, Commencement May 15.

Tuesday, May 5, 2009

PROMISE PhD Reception

This year we celebrate 4 outstanding women who completed their PhDs:
  • Stacey Williams, Pharmaceutical Sciences
  • Trudy Smith, Pharmaceutical Sciences
  • Marishka Brown, Pharmaceutical Sciences
  • Jocelyn Reader, Human Genetics
We had a cake reception for them on April 28, 2009, 12:30-1:30 pm, MSTF 316.
Each of them got a cupcake and a bell announcing their new Title "Dr. x"
Their mentors talked about their accomplishments and what a treat they have been in the lab. Their friends and PROMISE fellows also said nice things about them. It was a great time of celebration and friendship.
As the new PROMISE Coordinator, I've only known these women for a short time. However, from listening to the shared stories and observing their interactions, I see how these women have had great impacts in the lives of the other PROMISE fellows. PROMISE has brought people together for lasting friendships. I PROMISE to continue to provide the opportunities to cultivate such friendships and role models through our program.

Congratulations, Doctors! I look forward to attending your Doctoral Hooding Ceremony on Thursday May 14!

--Dr. Judith Pollack, PROMISE Coordinator at UMB

Dependable Strengths Workshop

Monday, April 27, 2009
Dependable Strengths Workshop
Facilitator: Anne Scholl-Fiedler, UMBC Director of Career Center
UMBC

I was privileged to attend this workshop. The purpose is to discover your passion and assess your strengths and what you enjoy - i.e., "dependable strengths"
Throughout the workshop we think, remember, and share good experiences (defined as an experience in which we feel we did well, enjoyed doing, and feel proud of). We compared our self assessment to feedback from others, and honed in on what are our dependable strengths. I scored high on analysis, ideas, initiative, organizer, planner, and practical.
My dependable strengths (what I am good at and I enjoy doing) are:
  1. Organize ideas into an easy to understand output (schematic or presentation)
  2. Plan programs that are beneficial to others
  3. Solve problems in a practical way
  4. Take initiative and involve people
Towards the end of the workshop we got into groups and planned a program. Each person volunteered in a role that was consistent with their dependable strengths. One person took up the teaching role, while another wanted to do writing, and another wanted to do the creative part. Another took care of logistics and food. Another thought of fundraising. I volunteered to be the program chair. I observed that we were all quite satisfied and and did our parts happily.

This workshop was eye opening. I learned that what one person thinks of as a burden to do is actually a treat for another. If we all work within our dependable strengths, then we will be a much stronger, happier team.

I would love to have a Dependable Strengths workshop here at UMB for the PROMISE students. Is this of interest to you? I welcome your comments!
--Dr. Judith Pollack, PROMISE Coordinator at UMB

Fischell Bioengineering Day at UM College Park

The 3rd Annual Fischell Festival
April 21, 2009
Kim Engineerig Building, University of Maryland, College Park.

I represented the University of Maryland School of Medicine at the Fischell Bioengineering Day, University of Maryland College Park. Several people stopped by the table, looked at the poster, picked up handouts, and talked with me. The posterboard consisted of three main topics:
  1. Graduate Programs in Life Sciences (GPILS)
  2. PROMISE: Maryland's AGEP (Alliance for Graduate Education and the Profesoriate)
  3. School of Medicine Combined MD-Masters programs
There was considerable interest in the MD-Masters in Bioengineering (in partnership with UM College Park), and a question whether an MD-PhD in Bioengineerig is also available (the answer is: it is in the works). One person was interested in the MD-MBA program. Surprisingly, about 4 people who asked about the combined program were high school students (i.e., incoming undergraduate students to UM Bioengineering). Apparently they were also interested in getting an MD. I salute these bright and young minds. Maryland definitely has a lot to offer!
---Dr. Judith Pollack, PROMISE Coordinator at UMB

Welcome

Welcome to the Blog of PROMISE at University of Maryland Baltimore (UMB). The purpose of this blog is to report on past PROMISE activities, training events, and conferences.



To find out about future PROMISE activities, visit

PROMISE at UMB: http://medschool.umaryland.edu/OSR/promise.asp
PROMISE main page: http://www.umbc.edu/promise/
Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=2350349732
Twitter: http://twitter.com/PROMISE_AGEP