A Demonstration of Trust among Grad Students!

A snapshot of activities from Rocky Gap

As I said in the reflections period, I was surprised by how many UMBC graduate students I met this past weekend who I have never seen before. I was really glad to meet so people because I don't normally see very many graduate students. I think social support and a community of graduate students is very important to encourage people to finish graduate school and to maintain your motivation. This weekend helped me in this way.

Thank you Promise.

How much you can gain from one weekend?

How much can you gain from one weekend? Watch two movies? Sleep more than 12 hours a day? If you go to the Rocky Gap retreat with Promise, you can gain a lot in a one weekend. I was in the dissertation house component. I could not continue my writing because I didn't know how to go on for my dissertation before I attended the dissertation house. Dissertation house mentors, expecially Dr Carter, put a sun shine to the road of my thesis writing. It is quite clear now what I should do in the next few months. Only one weekend, you can gain more with Promise.

Great Food, Relaxation, and Fun!

What else could you ask for?! :) As a first year graduate student I will admit, I was very nervous about coming to the Community Building Retreat. I didn't really know anybody that was coming and going at anything alone, as we all know, can be scary at first. But from the beginning of the bus ride until the very end of the trip I have felt nothing more than respect and cooperation with my fellow colleagues. Everyone has been so welcoming, telling their stories of struggles and tribulations, giving guidance, or just listening. This has been a great experience for me and without this weekend to get away and meet all my peers I would not feel the sense of pride, inspiration, and comradarie that I have taken away from this trip. Thank you to everyone who helped plan this event including Dr. Tull and Dr. Carter. I am so grateful I was given this opportunity to attend. I hope that there is some way to continue this retreat next year for all those isolated, confused, nervous future first year students :) Oh, and GO BEARS!!!

Reflections of Rocky Gap

Looking back, I had no expectations of what the Rocky Gap retreat would have in store for me. I was expecting a few icebreakers, some team building, and some exercises with ropes. In the end, I received all this and more. The experience was enjoyable and something that I feel will propel me through the rest of the semester. I am grateful to be apart of the PROMISE community and fortunate to have met some new friends over the weekend.

DH newbie

Thank you so much for this weekend! This was my first time in Dissertation House and I definately got much more out of it than I'd hoped for. In addition to making great progress on my work, I've come away motivated and inspired to get to the finish line. It has been a long hard road, and I don't know if I could keep moving without the support of the PROMISE staff and students...I know that besides coming away with a completed degree, I'll be going forward with valuable friendships. Love you guys!!

After participating in the Dissertation House this weekend, I returned home feeling motivated once again. I was able to get so much work done and although I’m completely exhausted (mentally and physically), the experience was worth it. I would highly recommend this type of working retreat to anyone struggling with their dissertation, particularly those who are “stuck” or need an extra push to continue working.

I look forward to participating in the upcoming summer Dissertation House. I would like to thank PROMISE staff, students, alumni and supporters for this most productive weekend...and to all my graduate student peers: YOU CAN DO IT!!

Thank you PROMISE Program

A couple of weeks ago, I would have never imagined that I would be climbing a vertical ladder held up by ropes (that were held by friends) while being harnessed and supported by friends, yet this is exactly what I did.

A couple of years ago, I would have never imagined that I would be in a PhD program, yet here I am. I love it when we get the opportunity to accomplish goals that we haven't even realized that we've set. Thank you PROMISE program for providing such amazing opportunities and for always being open to input from us as well!!

Biological Sciences, UMBC

Sammie

Wow...Simply amazing

The community retreat was amazing. I met so many new people who attended not only master's institution (UMCP) but also my current doctoral institution (UMBC). I strengthened the bonds I currently have and am sure I have developed lasting friendships.

I really enjoyed the Ropes Course and appreciated the support from my team members.
One experience in particular was during the ladder/rope/hang-me-in-the-air/activity. Initially I struggled. I climbed to the top of the ladder and freaked out, and honestly forgot about all the support I had at the bottom. But when I finally let go, I realized, that just like my journey towards the PhD...it will be challenging but it is attainable. I am so proud of myself and am going to remember this experience and how I conquered my fears, if I ever hit a road block on my PhD journey.

Thank you Promise
~Mycah

LIONS 2010 PROMISE Team at Rocky Gap

Again, we rise! When I think of this year's retreat at Rocky Gap, I think of the poem by Maya Angelou:

Still I Rise

You may write me down in history
With your bitter, twisted lies,
You may trod me in the very dirt
But still, like dust, I'll rise.

Does my sassiness upset you?
Why are you beset with gloom?
'Cause I walk like I've got oil wells
Pumping in my living room.

Just like moons and like suns,
With the certainty of tides,
Just like hopes springing high,
Still I'll rise.

Did you want to see me broken?
Bowed head and lowered eyes?
Shoulders falling down like teardrops.
Weakened by my soulful cries.

Does my haughtiness offend you?
Don't you take it awful hard
'Cause I laugh like I've got gold mines
Diggin' in my own back yard.

You may shoot me with your words,
You may cut me with your eyes,
You may kill me with your hatefulness,
But still, like air, I'll rise.

Does my sexiness upset you?
Does it come as a surprise
That I dance like I've got diamonds
At the meeting of my thighs?

Out of the huts of history's shame
I rise
Up from a past that's rooted in pain
I rise
I'm a black ocean, leaping and wide,
Welling and swelling I bear in the tide.
Leaving behind nights of terror and fear
I rise
Into a daybreak that's wondrously clear
I rise
Bringing the gifts that my ancestors gave,
I am the dream and the hope of the slave.
I rise
I rise
I rise.

As a team, the LIONS conquered some fears and expelled anxieties as we overcame one feat after another. We leaped into action and assisted each other to become strong in our academic pursuits as well as in our community team building activities.
I am once again thankful to PROMISE, Dr. Tull, Dr. Carter and everyone involved for making this event more memorable year after year.
I will forever be grateful for the experience and the love we all share as unique people bonding together for a common cause. I learned so much from the 'candy dish' activity I experience with my colleagues. I will NEVER forget the 'candy dish' as it spoke to the value of graduate school resources and how we must learn to 'share' these resources. I will use the 'candy dish' activity when I teach undergrads the importance of teamwork in the future.
Again, we have risen to the cause and we have gained new heights and insights. It pains my heart that new students may not get to enjoy a PROMISE retreat in 2011. We need to contact our senators and state representatives to let them know they need to increase, not decrease funding to PROMISE.

Teamwork and Winning

This weekend was a blast! My crew was awesome. Our teamwork seemed unmatched and although we had a few (very minor) conflicts within the team, this experience taught me something I hope I never forget.

Every one's different. I, personally, like to joke/play around and I tend to be very competitive. Those are some of the few reasons why I knew I would enjoy working in the group I was with.

Many people are not like that. What we may see as fun and games, some may see as offensive. When I was on the Tennis team in high school and even in my own family we were taught always to be respectful, sportsmanlike, and humble. Shake hands when you win, shake hands when you lose.

As an individual in a group my aim is always to be the best; I don't care for trinkets, medals, or even fame- I just want us to win and if we don't, I would like to say, "I/We did our best."

Here is what I learned today:

Sometimes you have to accept what you get, believing you'll be fully rewarded later.

But if you do decide to challenge someone for your honor, here's what you might want to do;

* Observe them first to see if it's worth the hassle (do they understand your motives...?)
* Challenge them graciously
* Ignore emotionalism/crude comments (don't take it personally)
* Have a victory briefing/huddle to make sure you and your group share the same values and know how to handle competitive situations with a different team
* Accept victory humbly (not as a pushover but not showy either until your alone with your team at dinner) and force yourself not to react to your opponent.
* After the match, shake hands with your opponent, look into their eyes and genuinely say, "Good game."
* Respectfully decline gifts, earn your prize.

You may be the best, but how you conduct yourself during and after the game is what defines you.

A Very EXCITING Experience - The Rope Experience @ Rocky Gap during 2010 PROMISE Community Building Retreat

Today (2/27/2010), we are at Rock Gap for our Annual PROMISE Community Building Retreat, which is similar to what we have done last year. However, there is definitely something DIFFERENT: the ROPE experience. Yeah... I must admit that when I first heard about that, I told myself that I should not try that because it sounds like so scary even by the name itself.

However, when I was there this afternoon with our great DANCING TIGER team, I was so amazed that each of our group members has done such a good job, regardless of what his or her role was, such as ORANGE/PURPLE blazer, guidance, and project manager. We were organized in such a good manner that I roughly could not tell any difference when the role was shifted amongst our team members.

Hence, per the encouragement from my beloved wife Xianshu, I decided to try to climb up the ladder by myself, and finally I ACHIEVED it. What an amazing experience. When I was in the air, I felt that I was flying freely like a bird. But obviously I felt safe since I knew that there were 10 of my team members who were standing behind me and supporting me. GREAT JOB, DANCING TIGERS.

So here come the photos. If you happened to witnessed my flying procedure, please feel free to send me the photos.





Finally, I would like to express my greatest appreciation to PROMISE, Dr. Tull and other organizer, together with the Outdoor team for your great efforts to organize such a successful event. Thanks so much. Hopefully we can go outdoor again sometime next year. Cheers~~~~

Wenjia Li
PhD candidate from Dept of CSEE @ UMBC
2/27/2010

Flurries are white, our ride was blue

So it snowed on the way here. A very nice two hour drive. Snow flurries falling as our Coach bus drove up and down the mountains. We watched a movie called the Island on the bus. Ironic, since we were heading towards our own version of an Island; our oasis, a retreat from everyday hustle and bustle. We did the usual stuff at first; checked in, went to our separate rooms, and ate. The rooms are nice, roomy, with two queen sized beds and a comfy lay out to boot. The T.V. contains all the stations I want and more. That is enough to ensure that I get to bed late and wake up later.

To the fun stuff.

My roommate and I, on the search for adventure went downstairs to look for things to do. We ended up going to the pool. A nice jacuzzi with alternating colors was waiting for us and so were some "unlikely" friends. I say unlikely because I don't think I would have ever seen them any other time on the UMBC campus but I saw them today. We played a couple of games in the pool. Some games, I would deter even my children from playing but nonetheless they were all fun and this retreat is meant to be a way to create everlasting memories. I can't make those memories doing the things I do everyday.

It is now 11: 37pm and I am watching a basketball game on T.V. Things are good.

99 gaps in rocks on the road 99 gaps in rock... la la lala la

The time is 9:44am. Merely hours before we set course for the Rocky Gap retreat. I just looked at the directions to the site on "google maps" and it is supposed to be a 2 hr drive. That I like. So driving by myself is definitely out of the question. Now to see what books to read on the bus and what homeworks to bring along. The wind right now is ferocious, hopefully it is much better at the site tomorrow. I should check the weather. My expectations - 70F and Sunny, who knows?

Grad Student Community Building Retreat at Rocky Gap - Coming Feb. 26-28. Application online now!

Despite the snow, we are still planning for our annual PROMISE Community Building Retreat for graduate students. As promised, the application for the 2010 retreat is now online:
https://sites.google.com/site/thepromisearchive/community-retreat-at-rocky-gap-2010.



We have 100 slots. Interested faculty and staff are invited to attend! To continue our tradition, the 2010 Community Building Retreat will again set aside 15 of the 100 slots for the Dissertation House component. The application materials for the Dissertation House are included in the overall application for the retreat. More information about the Dissertation House can be found on the DH website: http://www.umbc.edu/promise/dissertation.html.

This message is mirrored on Facebook. Updates can be accessed on the retreat's website --- https://sites.google.com/site/thepromisearchive/community-retreat-at-rocky-gap-2010,
the Facebook event site --- http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=306513740615&ref=mf, and via the PROMISE Twitter site ---
http://twitter.com/PROMISE_AGEP.

To view photos and videos from the 2009 Community Building Retreat at Rocky Gap, please page down on this blog to read the early entries from February and March 2009. This blog will be updated with details from the 2010 retreat.

Excited About Rocky Gap 2010!

Oh my God! When I received the Facebook message about the Rocky Gap Retreat applications for 2010, I stood up and did a "Holy Dance!" I am not kidding. I am one of the recipients of this program and I am ectastic that the Federal Government has not dipped into retreat spending. I still have a chance! Yay!
I also thank God that my letters and email to Congress, President Obama, and Senators has had some impact. As a CSTEP/McNair Scholar, I was recently invited by my undergraduate advisor, Barbara Thompson, of SUNY Brockport to attend meetings with her on Capitol Hill on March 22-23, 2010. I will be participating in meeting with Obama's cabinet, Senators, and Congress[wo]men about the effect budget cuts will have on programs such as PROMISE, CSTEP, McNair, etc. Some people might call it "luck," but I'm here to correct you. I don't recognize luck, but I do recognize hard work. I have mailed letters to both Maryland and New York state senators for the past couple of years, begging them to not cut funding to these programs. I wake up in the middle of the night and get on my computer and send emails to them. I get the same old "generic response" each time, but that is not important. What is important is that somebody sees me working and now I get the chance to discuss my concerns in face-to-face contact rather than in emails and/or letters. My message to my colleagues: Hard work pays off and we need these programs. It is not fair that we reap the benefits and are not concerned about those coming behind us. This is my way of giving back to my community. I hope you will find the time to give back as well. Thank you!

PROMISE Community Building Video

This video highlights a key moment from the Sept. 2009 UMBC PROMISE Opening Meeting. PROMISE graduate students, postdocs, and faculty came together for a community building workshop with guest speaker, Dr. Derek Greenfield. Dr. Greenfield, an Assistant Professor at Shaw University and an adjunct faculty member at North Carolina State University, was recommended to PROMISE after one of our PROMISE Peer Mentors, Patti Ordonez Rozo, attended one of his workshops at MIT. Our workshop was a hit! This video represents a snapshot of the evening. For more about Dr. Greenfield, visit http://derekgreenfield.com/



Video Credits: Digital Thought Realization, Inc.

PROMISE is invaluable

I can't begin to put into words how much PROMISE is an asset to our graduate community. The program has provided us with resources that enable us to succeed in our academic and professional pursuits. The PROMISE leadership has also given us moral support during trying times and helped us build relationships that we will cherish forever. I've found that the PROMISE staff has fortified me on numerous occasions and given me the encouragement I've needed to continue in my program. They have also provided financial resources throughout my graduate career, enabling me to attend professional conferences and meet other academic needs. The PROMISE Program is a gem like no other and without it, many graduate students will miss out on valuable opportunities to flourish during their academic careers.

I really love PROMISE....

This semester has been one of the hardest ones yet. Trying to get a doctoral degree is like climbing a mountain and the closer you get to the top, the steeper the climb feels, the wearier your muscles, the weaker your resolve ("WHY did I decide to do this again??"). But PROMISE has been there for me the whole way, and even though I've been cutting back a lot on a lot of things, the program deserves at least this note to say: THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU!!

I have never before witnessed program leadership that was so dedicated to helping students build useful, specific skills that will boost us toward a successful career in academia, to meeting graduate students' needs where we are, no matter how desperate or hopeless.. I mean, not that we are ever desperate or hopeless or anything... aww, who am I kidding?

But really, when those desperate times do hit, PROMISE is there. When we just need to bounce ideas off of someone neutral who we know is an advocate for us, PROMISE is there. When we need to practice, or learn, or share, or just relax, PROMISE is always there. I can't imagine how I would still be dedicated to getting this degree if PROMISE had not been there for me. Hey, that rhymes..


And, like any truly good thing, PROMISE doesn't just stay put. It has expanded from a dream of its leadership to a network of caring professionals and true friends who can't help but continue to spread the potential of excellence. The people that I have met because PROMISE found me give added meaning and value to my life. And I have also found PROMISE in myself; this program has helped me realize that it was there all along.

"World is becoming flat" by PROMISE

"We need PROMISE, we support it!"

I am a foreign student from Beijing, China and coming here to study by myself. Everything seems so unfamiliar to me when I just landed on USA, walked into UMBC campus last year...Graduate study life is stressful, and being alone here is terrible, until I found "PROMISE", everything has changed...

By "PROMISE", I get to know lots of friends who are just like me, different backgrounds who are coming from various countries, they are energic and easy-going, so kind to help each other. I can't miss every PROMISE events, why? I'd like to meet these friends, this is a good place to share our feelings and to lighten our study stress. What's more, I learnt a lot from them by exchanging different experience. That's true, "PROMISE" tightly connect us, our graduate life can not live without it!

When talks about "PROMISE" events, PROMISE community Building Retreat @ Rocky Gap on Feb. 2009 is one of them that I can not forget until today. I have a strong feeling like back to my family since I came to USA, we are laughing, playing, learning together. There are no country boundaries there, and if you'd like to have a wonderful world-tour, you can't miss it. My friends which I met in PROMISE Retreat @ Rocky Gap are from US, Canada, Denmark, France, Germany, Japan, Vietnam, South Africa, Greek...etc. of course, myself - China. And more interesting thing is we are also coming from different academic fields, like computer science, mechanic engineerning, history, biology, chemistry, information systems, economics...when we playing cards or games, you will find how fun it is, the brainstorming styles are so various which I had never experienced before.

"PROMISE" is a big part of supplement to our regular graduate study life now, and it is far more than make our graduate life better, I meet my friends there and they had became my lifelong friends whereever I go in the future. "World is becoming flat" by PROMISE!

Thanks and I love PROMISE.

- Peng He

Graduate Student in Information Systems

@UMBC