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6 March 2025

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Student Matters

All students expecting a May or August 2025 graduation (both M.A. and Graduate Certificates) are required to apply for graduation no later than March 14th, 2025. Please see the instructions for applying through WISER.

Summer 2025 courses are open for registration for continuing students. See the Course Descriptions for more information about each:

  • CrCrTh 612,Seminar in Creativity; May 27-July 10, 2025; online only
  • CrCrTh 627, Issues and Controversies in Antiracist and Multicultural Education; July 14-August 21, 2025; online only, virtual meetings on Wednesdays, 4:00-6:45pm ET

Prospective CCT applicants are reminded that the application deadline for fall 2025 is June 15, 2025. Please refer to the Graduate Admissions information about requirements for applying or contact cct@umb.edu for more information about the program.

Recent news: UMass Boston Is Named Top Tier Research University (UMass Boston)

UMass Boston is offering UMB-UR-BEST, a range of programs, resources, and events for graduate students in support of the well-being of the community. See the website for available resources and upcoming workshops as they are scheduled.

CCT Events

Spring 2025 Dialogue Series on Reflective Practice in a Changing World (virtual):

These dialogues are free and open to the public. Register above for an individual event to receive Zoom login information and reminders for that event.
In this series of dialogues, we consider the role of reflective practice for thinking critically and creatively about work and life. Reflective Practice is relevant to any field and refers to how we make connections between our past experience and future actions. For each engaging hour-long session, we focus on one theme that represents a common challenge to the reflective practitioner. We use a structured dialogue process to support each participant to recall and make sense of their experiences and then envision how to direct their practices toward ongoing and future encounters with that challenge.

Alum, Student, and CCT Associates Notables

CCT Graduate Evan Schapiro recently launched a new website, Reasoned Voice, extending the work that Evan completed as part of his CCT capstone to help extend thinking about complex issues and challenges in contemporary society. Congratulations to Evan on his work in bringing critical and creative thinking to wider audiences!

CCT students, alums, and associates are encouraged to send items about accomplishments, new publications, or offerings to the Critical and Creative Thinking community to be included in future newsletters. Please submit items of interest to cct@umb.edu.

Events

The UMass Boston Sustainable Solutions Lectures (virtual attendance available) are scheduled for spring 2025 and feature a range of topics on innovation in sustainability strategies. Register via the links below. Upcoming lectures for each date listed:
March 6, 12:00pm ET – Michael Beck, director of the Center on Coastal Climate Resilience and AXA Chair in Coastal Resilience at the University of California Santa Cruz, will explore the natural defense benefits of coastal habitats and how to create openings for new investments in conservation and restoration. The talk will be held in person at UMass Boston and online beginning at noon.
April 9, 12:00pm ET – Timon McMphearson, professor of urban ecology and director of the Urban Systems Lab at the New School, will present his work on nature-based solutions for cities and their potential in enhancing social justice. The discussion will take place online starting at noon.
May 12, 11:00am ET – Daniela Rizzi, senior expert for nature-based solutions, green infrastructure and biodiversity at Local Governments for Sustainability, will discuss her vision for a nature-positive economy. The talk will be held online beginning at 11 a.m.

International Women’s Day 2025 Celebration
March 11, 2025, 6:00-8:30pm ET at the main branch of the Boston Public Library’s Rabb Hall, Boston, MA
Join us on Tuesday, March 11, from 6-8:30 pm ET for our International Women’s Day Celebration! We are so excited to reconvene for another conversation on SDG 5: Gender Equality. This year, we will bring together a panel of local leaders for a global discussion on “Empowering Environments: Women Leading Change in Our Communities” at the Central Branch of the Boston Public Library in Copley Square. The event will be chaired by UNAGB Board Member, Farida Kathawalla, and our panel discussion will be moderated by Karen Ansara, Founder of Network of Engaged International Donors. Stay tuned for upcoming announcements about our panelists! Registration required – see the website for more details.

Massachusetts Reading Association 2025 Conference
March 26-28, 2025, Boston Marriott Hotel, Newton, MA
Theme: Literacy & Language: Words Empower, Inspire, and Transform
Hosted by the International Literacy Association (ILA)
See the website for full conference details, speakers, and registration information.

Creative Sector Advocacy Week 2025
April 28-May 2, 2025
A week of advocacy for the creative workforce in the state of Massachusetts, in partnership with MASSCreative and other regional organizations.
Creative Sector Advocacy Week is a statewide, annual event in Massachusetts to celebrate the vibrancy and elevate the public profile of the creative sector. This year’s Advocacy Week is scheduled for April 28th to May 2nd, 2025. Advocacy Week consists of statewide, regional, and local activations to promote civic engagement within the sector, organize the creative community, and present the sector’s needs in one unified voice. For more information about events and opportunities as part of the week, see the website.

Conference: Shaping the Future in the Era of Polycrisis
The 47th Association for Interdisciplinary Studies Conference
June 4-6, 2025, Oulu, Finland
The University of Oulu and Oulu University of Applied Sciences are hosting the 47th Association for Interdisciplinary Studies Conference at the Linnanmaa campus from June 4th to 6th, 2025. This marks the second time the AIS organization has held its conference in Europe, following the 2019 event at the University of Amsterdam. The conference will focus on the theme “Shaping the Future in the Era of Polycrisis” and it is intended for all those interested in multidisciplinary, interdisciplinary, and transdisciplinary research and teaching at all stages of their research career and in all staff groups. For more information, see the website

Creative Problem Solving Institute 2025
June 22-26, 2025, Buffalo State University, Buffalo, NY
Hosted by the Creative Education Foundation
Join us for a week filled with inspiration, innovation, and hands-on learning. We’re offering our signature core workshops, including: Foundations of Creative Problem Solving, Creative Problem Solving Tools, and CPS Facilitation Techniques. Plus, explore unique creative immersion experiences in the mornings and customize your afternoons with a wide variety of breakout workshops designed to spark new ideas.
For more information and registration details, see the website.

Opportunities and Resources

SpeakOut provides access to a range of exhibitions that explore history, race, family diversity, sexual orientation gender identity, and culture. Whether presented in person or virtually, each powerful exhibit offers an unforgettable educational experience. See the website for opportunities to access the exhibits.

Advancing a Culture of Assessment Conference
2025 Theme: Assessing Equity Across the Curriculum and Co-Curriculum Divide.
Friday, April 18, 2025, 8:30am-3:00pm, UMass Boston Campus Center
Call for Proposals: Due March 18th, 2025 to cm.calienesdeza@umb.edu
In partnership with the Massachusetts Department of Higher Education, UMass Boston is organizing and hosting this year’s regional conference of Advancing a Massachusetts Culture of Assessment (AMCOA).
The theme of this year’s conference is Assessing Equity Across the Curriculum and Co-Curriculum Divide. See more information about AMCOA at the website.

Free webinar: Rethinking Co-Teaching: Unlocking its True Potential
March 28, 2025, 1:00pm ET
Hosted by First Education
Are your co-teaching practices reaching their full potential? Research shows that the common approach—”one teach, one assist”—results in minimal impact, often leaving students with disabilities further behind. But when done right, co-teaching can be a game-changer, providing access to rigorous, grade-level instruction and boosting student success.
See the website for registration and additional program details.

Graduate students are invited to apply to this year’s John Smartt Summer Scholars program for 2025.
Applications due by March 11, 2025.
The program runs (virtually) from June 2 – July 11, 2025.
We are pleased to open applications for our virtual internship program, John Smartt Summer Scholars. The program provides interested graduate students (masters and doctoral) with the opportunity to gain professional experience, network with scholars ien the field of higher education, and learn essential research and programming skills related to equity and leadership in higher education.
The JSSS program is named in honor of CMSI longtime supporter John Smartt, and seeks to recruit ambitious individuals who demonstrate an interest in learning more about Minority Serving Institutions (MSIs). The internship, centered on the scholarship and programs of CMSI, includes financial compensation and will offer selected interns practical research skills and programmatic skills that will help them as they move forward in their careers.
Interns will receive generous benefits including a $2,000 stipend, faculty mentoring, opportunities to gain research and professional experience, and an invitation to attend ELEVATE, a multi-day professional development workshop for early career, tenure-track faculty at MSIs. If you are interested in participating, please complete the online application by March 11, 2025, at 11:59 p.m. ET. Selected interns will be announced by email in April 2025.

Food for Thought

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