Fellows – Inaugural Cohort

PROJECTS

Project I

A.        UMES Strategic Plan Priority and Goal
UMES Strategic Priority I – Academic Excellence and Innovation

Goal 1.3 – Recruit, retain, and develop exceptional faculty and staff, and nurture a dynamic environment in which they thrive – Teaching Excellence

B.        Title
Fostering an Environment of Teaching Excellence and Innovation

C.        Description
This project will allow the Fellow(s) to work closely with the Director of the Center for Teaching Excellence and the Vice Provost for Faculty Affairs to review high-impact practices, assess the climate of faculty burnout, and ensure the onboarding process and faculty evaluation tools are dynamic and supportive.  Ultimately, the Fellow(s)  will be responsible for developing a seamless onboarding process and a faculty well-being plan.  They will also revise the student evaluation of faculty tool and contribute to the planning and development of teaching resources and the Innovations in Teaching and Learning Conference.  The Fellow(s) will collaborate with several campus stakeholders to include Human Resources, Center for Instructional Technology and Online Learning, Information Technology, Counseling Center, and Administrative Computing.

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Project II

A.        UMES Strategic Plan Priority and Goal
UMES Strategic Priority I – Academic Excellence and Innovation

Goal 1.1 – Attract, retain, and graduate more aspiring students at the undergraduate and graduate levels – Student Success Strategic Plan

B.        Title
Assessment of Student Success Initiatives – Summer Bridge program, FOCUS program, and Predictors of on-time Graduation

C.        Description
This project will focus on the assessment and evaluation of several student success initiatives.  They include the Summer Bridge program, FOCUS program, and one additional analysis on the predictors of on-time graduation.  The Summer Bridge program examines math and English skills of the prospective students and the FOCUS program provides support for students who are on academic probation.  The Fellow(s) will have an opportunity to collaborate with the Office of Decision Science and Visualization, Director of Assessment, Administrative Computing, Registrar’s Office, and the faculty as they evaluate data and make recommendations to enhance student success.

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Project III

A.    UMES Strategic Plan Priority and Goal
UMES Strategic Priority I – Academic Excellence and Innovation

Goal 1.1 – Attract, retain, and graduate more aspiring students at the undergraduate and graduate levels – Student Success Strategic Plan

B.    Title
Enhancing student well-being to improve graduation, retention, and persistence rates

C.    Description
In an effort to learn more about our students’ well-being needs, the Fellow(s) will conduct focus groups among students, faculty, and staff. The results and key learnings of the focus groups will be shared with the campus stakeholders.  A plan will be developed to implement the recommendations.

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Project IV

A.        UMES Strategic Plan Priority and Goal   
UMES Strategic Priority II – Access, Affordability, and Achievement

Goal 2.1 – Increase enrollment – Stop-out Students

B.        Title
Enhance Enrollment of Stop-out Students

C.        Description
This project will focus on the re-enrollment of Stop-out students.  The Fellows will collaborate with the Registrar’s Office, Student Accounts, Financial Aid, the Student Success Coordinator, and the Program Directors to review the current process for re-enrolling students and make recommendations to revise as needed.   The review will examine outreach and follow up with students (email, text, call, website, etc.), students’ readiness to re-enroll, barriers to re-enroll, expectations for all departments involved, and student support services.  The Fellows will develop a process map and guidance documents where appropriate.  They will also consider how to track the students and assess the effectiveness of this strategic initiative.

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Project V

A.        UMES Strategic Plan Priority and Goal   
UMES Strategic Priority I – Academic Excellence and Innovation

Goal 1.1 – Attract, retain, and graduate more aspiring students at the undergraduate and graduate levels – Student Success Strategic Plan

B.        Title
UMES Student Success Strategic Plan Priority II – Build Community and Sense of Belonging

C.        Description
The Fellows will collaborate with University stakeholders to develop programming for first-year students that will build community amongst the cohort and strengthen sense of belonging with the institution.  It will include a revision of the FYE course with faculty input, career and professional development series (resume, internship, job shadow, career fair, etiquette), research opportunities with faculty, social activities with faculty and staff, touchpoints with assigned mentors and RAs, social media page and website for the cohort, workshops (study skills, coping, well-being, note-taking, leadership), engagement with student organizations, small acknowledgements throughout the year, and an end of year celebration.

The Fellows will also develop programming for second-year students that will build community amongst the cohort and strengthen sense of belonging with the institution.  It will include a needs assessment of the sophomore class, a sophomore kick-off event, career and professional development series (resume, internship, job shadow, career fair, etiquette), research opportunities with the faculty, social activities with faculty and staff, touchpoints with assigned mentors and RAs, workshops (study skills, coping, well-being, note-taking, funding options, degree audits, leadership), engagement with student organizations, intentional sophomore residence hall training, small acknowledgements throughout the year, and an end of year celebration. 

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Project VI

A.        UMES Strategic Plan Priority and Goal
UMES Strategic Priority I – Academic Excellence and Innovation

Goal 1.1 – Attract, retain, and graduate more aspiring students at the undergraduate and graduate levels – Student Success Strategic Plan

B.        Title
UMES Student Success Strategic Plan Priority I – Summer Bridge Program

C.        Description
The overall goal of this project is to review the learning activities and non-academic activities of the program.  This includes the English and Math courses and the socialization events.  The Fellow(s) will collaborate with campus stakeholders to identify key expectations for the Summer Bridge  participants.  An assessment tool will be developed to determine the effectiveness of the program.

FELLOWS – INAUGURAL COHORT

Dr. Lily Chi-Fang Tsai is a Professor in the Department of Criminal Justice and the Administrative Director of the Futures Institute at the University of Maryland Eastern Shore. She has a multidisciplinary educational background, holding a Ph.D. in Criminal Justice, a Master of Science in Geographic Information System Management, a Master of Arts in Criminology, and a bachelor’s degree in Law, with education completed in both the United States and Taiwan.

As a researcher, Dr. Tsai’s work is interdisciplinary, employing qualitative, quantitative, or mixed methods. Her research has been published in academic journals, covering topics such as public perceptions of police, and job stress and coping mechanisms among law enforcement officers. She has also conducted empirical legal research on corporate crime, white-collar offenses, and medical care in the U.S. prison system and civil liability actions.  As a grant recipient from the Maryland Governor’s Office, Dr. Tsai is currently exploring the applications of facial recognition technology and AI tools in the criminal justice system, further demonstrating her commitment to advancing knowledge and practice in this vital field.

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Dr. Bridgett Clinton-Scott is an Associate Professor and Graduate Program Director in the Department of Human Ecology at the University of Maryland Eastern Shore (UMES) where she has taught since 2005. Dr. Clinton-Scott earned her Doctor of Management from University of Maryland Global Campus (formerly known as University of Maryland University College). In addition, she has a M.S. in Merchandising Management from Michigan State University and a Graduate Certificate in Marketing from Southern New Hampshire University she completed in 2022. Dr. Clinton-Scott teaches courses in the areas of visual merchandising, merchandise buying and planning, advertising and promotion, computer-aided design for fashion merchandising and design, product development, fashion illustration, supervisory management, international retailing and fashion sustainability. She also serves as academic adviser for fashion students in the department.  Dr. Clinton-Scott has conducted research in the areas of organizational management, knowledge transfer, and consumer behavior. She has authored several publications and juried design pieces.

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Dr. Omar F. Attarabeen is an Associate Professor of Pharmacy Administration at the Department of Pharmacy Practice & Administration. Dr. Attarabeen’s research interest lies in the areas of programmatic assessment, faculty; staff; and student wellness, health behavior, and minorities’ utilization of healthcare services. Dr. Attarabeen’s professional service is focused on assessment of student success and curricular effectiveness. Finally, Dr. Attarabeen is a registered pharmacist in West Virginia as well as in Maryland.

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Dr. Kausik S. Das, a Professor of Physics, is a distinguished physicist at the Department of Natural Sciences and the Director of the Center for Student Excellence at the School of Agricultural and Natural Sciences. His research is dedicated to developing innovative, cost-effective solutions to some of the world’s grand challenges. Dr. Das’s work spans a wide range of fields, including biomimicry, developing advanced materials, nanotechnology, low-temperature plasma, microgravity research, climate change, PFAS and microplastic detection, remediation and destruction, as well as fluid dynamics — aiming to create practical and impactful applications and solutions.

A Fellow of the American Physical Society and the Kavli Institute for Theoretical Physics, Dr. Das is also a recipient of the USM Board of Regents Faculty Award for scholarship, research, or creative activity, reflecting his significant contributions to the field. He has been appointed by the Governor of Maryland to the Governor’s Commission on South Asian American Affairs and he was also invited to the White House Summit among national leaders in fusion energy to help shape the plan and policy for achieving pilot-ready fusion technology in the next decade.

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Dr. Kawanda McCarthy Williams is an experienced pharmacy educator and administrator currently serving as the Assistant Dean for Experiential Education and Assistant Professor of Pharmacy Practice at the University of Maryland Eastern Shore (UMES). With a strong background in pharmacy practice, Dr. Williams has held various leadership roles, including Director for Experiential Education at the American University of Health Science and Director of Advanced Pharmacy Practice Experience at the University of Texas at Tyler.

Dr. Williams has a proven track record in developing high-quality experiential education programs, recruiting and retaining preceptors, and fostering diversity, equity, and inclusion within educational settings. She is deeply committed to enhancing student experiences and outcomes through innovative teaching and inclusive practices.

Dr. Williams leverages her extensive background as an educator and community advocate to build partnerships that enhance advanced student rotation opportunities and develop new practice sites across the United States and internationally. Under her leadership in Experiential Education, UMES students have participated in global opportunities in Spain, Ghana, the United Kingdom, and South Africa.

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Dr.  George Ojie-Ahamiojie is an Associate Professor of Hospitality and Tourism Management program. He is the author of the books “Essential Leadership Skills for Hospitality Supervisors: An Experiential Approach,” and “Upward Mobility: Interviewing and Career Management.”

In 2019, he was recognized and given the “Worcester County of Maryland Drug and Alcohol Abuse Award for Outstanding Achievement in Prevention,” by the Worcester County Health Department. Governor Larry Hogan and Senator Chris Van Hollins of Maryland also presented him with citations for his work in Drug and Alcohol Abuse Prevention.

He was awarded The UMES Second Annual Student Choice for Teaching Excellence Badge of Distinction for 2021-2022. He was awarded the “Partners in Excellence,” the highest award given by the Walt Disney Company for excellent performance, guest satisfaction, cast excellence, and business results. Also awarded “President Bill Tiefel Award” by Marriott International for quality service and guest service, and satisfaction.

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Dr. Tamarah Thompson is a native of Baltimore, Maryland who has dedicated her career to serving underprivileged and underserved individuals and communities since receiving her Bachelor of Science in Community Health from Morgan State University in 2001. Since that time, she has served as a Community Health Educator for Baltimore County Health Department in addition to working as a grant writer, reviewer, and curriculum developer for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) HIV education initiatives targeting high-risk sexually active African American women and adolescents.

She also has served as the Assistant Program Director for Health, Education, Advocacy, and Life (H.E.A.L, Inc.), spearheading and managing several community grant projects which included an adult literacy education program, a fatherhood program, and a residential housing program in an underprivileged Baltimore neighborhood while pursuing her first Masters in Community Health. After receiving her degree, Tamarah transitioned to healthcare administration serving as the Assistant Director/Quality Improvement Manager/Medical Coordinator at a local Federally Qualified Healthcare Center for five years where she oversaw day-to-day operations for Hidden Garden, a Ryan White funded program that provided medical, case management, housing, substance abuse, mental health, nutrition, and outreach services to individuals living with HIV/AIDS.

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Dr. Gabriela Vlahovici-Jones serves as Acting Composition Coordinator in the Department of English and Modern Languages. She earned her Ph.D. in English from the University of Maryland, College Park, where she specialized in language, writing, and rhetoric. Her research focuses on classical rhetoric, the visual rhetoric of ancient coin images, and women’s rhetorical theories and practices. Her publications explore the ethos of women orators, visual representations of women on ancient coins, and rhetorical education. At the University of Maryland Eastern Shore, Dr. Vlahovici-Jones has taught courses in freshman and advanced composition, technical writing, linguistics, ancient literature of the Mediterranean world, and public speaking. She served as President of the UMES Chapter 312 of the Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi and participated in grant projects to curate and promote the university’s historical archives.

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