Wisdom Institute Board

Dr. Diane M. Lee served as Vice Provost and Dean of Undergraduate Academic Affairs.  She led campus-wide efforts to foster student success and to provide a distinctive undergraduate experience to all UMBC students.  She was responsible for undergraduate research awards, grants and programs, and developed a First Year Experience program.  The Meyerhoff Scholars Program, Honors College, Sherman STEM Teacher Scholars Program, Learning Resources Center, Interdisciplinary Studies, Women’s Center, and Academic Standards and Policy Administration were among Dr. Lee’s direct reports.Dr. Lee is best known, however, as a teacher of teachers, who cares passionately about her field and about her students.  Prior to going into administration, Dr. Lee taught graduate courses in the Education Department in Human Learning and Cognition including the Study of Teaching and most recently, taught a First Year Seminar, “Turning to One Another: Beliefs and Behaviors.”  Dr. Lee was selected by her colleagues to receive the Presidential Teaching Award because of her many contributions to learning and teaching at UMBC and in the field of education.  Dr. Lee is a member of Phi Kappa Phi and Golden Key honor societies. She has also been named as one of Maryland’s Top 100 Women.

Kathy Lee Sutphin retired January 1, 2021, after over 25 years of service to UMBC’s Department of Biological Sciences and the College of Natural and Mathematical Sciences. Kathy, a UMBC ’95 Political Science alumna and life-long learner, completed a Doctorate of Education (Educational Leadership – Higher Education concentration) from Frostburg State University in 2018 and UMBC’s Post Master’s Certificate in College Teaching and Learning Science in December 2021. Her career focus – the success of UMBC and its students – evolved as her titles changed from non-traditional student to Assistant to the Chair to Coordinator of Special Projects to Assistant Dean of Instructional Projects to Assistant Dean for Academic Affairs to Assistant Dean Emeritus. With the support of many dedicated staff and faculty members, Kathy helped launch URCAD, the comprehensive renovation of the Biological Sciences building, the College of Natural and Mathematical Sciences, and an array of transfer and STEM student success initiatives that include MARC U*STAR, iCubed@UMBC and STEM BUILD. She received the University System of Maryland Board of Regents Staff Award for Exceptional Contribution to the Institution in 2004. She is enjoying the time retirement allows for family, friends, and her own special projects that include serving on the Wisdom Institute Board.

Diana Benoit joined UMBC in 2013 as Program Management Specialist working in the Division of Undergraduate Academic Affairs.  Currently she supports the Vice Provost and Dean of UAA and supports the Wisdom Institute. She holds a B.S. degree in Business Administration from Bowling Green State University.

Linda Baker is a Professor Emerita in the Department of Psychology. She retired in 2019 after almost 40 years at UMBC. She served as Chair and Associate Chair of the Department, as Director of the Applied Developmental Psychology Ph.D. program, and as President and Vice President of the Faculty Senate. She has served on many university committees, including as Chair of the Research Council. Her research has focused on reading comprehension, metacognition, and motivation, and it has been funded by the National Science Foundation, the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, the Spencer Foundation, and the U.S. Department of Education. She is a fellow of the American Psychological Association and the American Educational Research Association.

Sandy Campbell joined UMBC in 1998 as the Director of Advancement Operations in Institutional Advancement. Initially responsible for the division’s finance, personnel, and procurement, as well advancement events, duties quickly expanded to include managing campus-wide events such as commencements, Presidential Faculty and Staff Awards, convocation, and Presidential events. She instituted a framework of volunteer Team Leaders, as well as timeline and budget documents, and received the Presidential Distinguished Professional Staff Award in 2009. Prior to coming to UMBC, Sandy received an MBA from Loyola College and worked for more than a decade on the UMB campus. Her connection to UMBC is strong as one daughter graduated with a BS in Biological Sciences, and her other daughter participated in The Choice Program through the Shriver Center.

Dottie Caplan began her career at UMBC in 1997 as a secretary in the College of Arts and Sciences. She joined the College of Natural and Mathematical Sciences in 2005 as an Administrative Assistant in the Dean’s office. Dottie was honored by receiving the 2014–15 Karen L. Wensch Endowment Award for Outstanding Non-Exempt Staff. Dottie was president of the Non-Exempt Staff Senate and was an advocate for the Maryland Charity Campaign (MCC), serving on its cabinet and overseeing the annual Non-Exempt Staff/Professional Staff Senate bake sale fundraiser for MCC. In addition, Caplan served as a mentor for new students and supported both Commencement and Welcome Week activities.UMBC has always been a large part of her family. Her husband graduated in 1972 and both of her daughters received their Bachelor’s degree and a Master’s degree from UMBC.

Joan Costello started at UMBC as a student in 1969, graduated in the fourth class in 1973 with a degree in Sociology and Social Work, was a student assistant and then stayed at UMBC for the next 41 years. She worked in the Library in the Record and Tape Library, then Manager of Audio Visual Services and ended her UMBC career as the Manager of the International Media Center. She remembers many name changes of buildings, departments, job titles throughout. Now, she is sure she would be lost in a sea of acronyms, but it UMBC was a great experience.

Marilyn E. Demorest joined the UMBC Psychology Department as Assistant Professor in 1972, where she taught graduate and undergraduate courses in research methods, data analysis, and psychological measurement. She was selected as UMBC’s Presidential Teaching Professor in 1996. Her research focused on behavioral and psychosocial adjustment to acquired hearing impairment and was conducted in collaboration with audiologists. Dr. Demorest’s service activities on campus have impacted several areas. She served on a select committee to formally articulate UMBC’s mission; chaired the faculty committee that developed the Student Course Evaluation Questionnaire (SCEQ), forerunner of today’s evaluation system; and was instrumental in establishing UMBC’s chapter of the Honor Society of Phi Kapps Phi, serving as its first President. From 1998 until her retirement as Professor Emerita in 2011, she served as Vice Provost for Faculty Affairs.

Betty Glascoe began her employment with UMBC in July 1970, when she was hired to develop the first Placement Center (now known as Career Center). Betty has served/serves on many Boards and has received numerous citations and awards throughout the years. Betty received her BA Degree from Morgan State University and her MSW Degree from Howard University. Betty made her Career Transition from UMBC in 2005.

John Jeffries joined the UMBC History Department in 1973 after earning a BA from Harvard, serving five years as a naval officer, and receiving a Ph.D. From Yale. At UMBC, he served four years as Faculty Senate President, nine years as Chair of the History Department, and eight years as Dean of Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences. He won teaching awards from UMBC and from the University System of Maryland. His research focused on the Franklin D. Roosevelt era, and among his publications were two books on politics in the period and one on the WWII home front. He edited the 1929-1945 volume of the Encyclopedia of American History and was named a Distinguished Lecturer by the Organization of American Historians. Upon his retirement in 2013, he was appointed Professor Emeritus and Dean Emeritus.

Art Johnson is Provost Emeritus and Professor Emeritus of Political Science and taught at UMBC from 1980 until his retirement in 2017. Before his appointment as Provost, Art chaired the Political Science Department and served on several university and system committees, including the Council of University System Faculty of which he was president. During his tenure as Provost (1998-2008), general education was revised, CAHSS, CNMS, School of Aging Studies, Office of Faculty Development, and the Office of Undergraduate Education were created, COEIT restructured, and two new buildings opened. After his tenure as Provost, he directed the Sondheim Public Affairs Scholars Program until his retirement.

Kathlyn Miller began working at UMBC in 1998 in the Counseling Center. She also worked in the Office of the Regents Professor, Office of the Provost, before settling in the Graduate School in 2001 as an Executive Administrative Assistant to the Dean. In 2008 she began her work as the Graduate School Graduation Coordinator for PhD and MFA Students.  Throughout the years, Kathy served UMBC through shared governance as President, Vice President, and Treasurer of the Nonexempt Staff Senate (NESS), Chair of the University Steering Committee, and a Member of the Council of University System Staff (CUSS).

Dr. Leslie Morgan is a Professor Emerita in the Department of Sociology, Anthropology and Health Administration and Policy.  She was Co-Director of the Doctoral Program in Gerontology and a researcher and teacher in issues of aging and the life course.

Kathy Raab started her UMBC career in 1973 in the Academic Departments of English, American Studies, and Ancient Studies. She transferred to Special Sessions and subsequently worked in various Academic Service Departments for the Vice Provost, before spending the last decade and a half of her 36-year service in the Office of the President. After retiring in 2006, Kathy continued her relationship with the campus through a part-time position with Retirement Living TV as their University Liaison, and she assisted the campus with the transition to Google calendar. Kathy currently volunteers with FISH of Howard County, a non-profit organization that helps county residents who are in need of food or financial assistance. She and her husband spend their leisure time between Ellicott City and Fenwick Island, Delaware, where they enjoy walking and kayaking, and especially spending time with their children and grandchildren.

Arthur Pittenger completed his degrees in mathematics at Stanford University before participating in the Soviet-American Cultural Exchange program in 1967-68. Prior to joining the UMBC Department of Mathematics and Statistics in 1972, he held positions at The Rockefeller University and the University of Michigan. His research focused on problems in probability theory as well as the theory of quantum computing, and he retired in 2010 as Professor Emeritus of Mathematics and Dean Emeritus of Arts and Sciences.

Emma Sellers started her UMBC career in 1973 in the Academic Departments of English, American Studies, and Ancient Studies. She transferred to Special Sessions and subsequently worked in various Academic Service Departments for the Vice Provost, before spending the last decade and a half of her 36-year service in the Office of the President. After retiring in 2006, Kathy continued her relationship with the campus through a part-time position with Retirement Living TV as their University Liaison, and she assisted the campus with the transition to Google calendar. Kathy currently volunteers with FISH of Howard County, a non-profit organization that helps county residents who are in need of food or financial assistance. She and her husband spend their leisure time between Ellicott City and Fenwick Island, Delaware, where they enjoy walking and kayaking, and especially spending time with their children and grandchildren.