The PROMISE Summer Success Institute (SSI) is an annual event held in Maryland to welcome a community of scholars to a new year. Focusing on graduate students and postdoctoral fellows, the SSI particularly welcomes scholars of color in STEM fields, as the SSI is sponsored by the National Science Foundation. In accordance with the spirit of PROMISE and inclusion, the SSI is open to all who are interested in building community, regardless of background, discipline, or status. Faculty, staff, and family members (per “The Jessica Effect”) are also invited to attend. The 2016 PROMISE Summer Success Institute (SSI) will be held on Saturday, August 20, 2016, with a Dissertation House component on Thursday, August 18 and Friday, August 19. The event will be held at The Hotel at Arundel Preserve in Hanover, Maryland. Please save the date. This page will be updated with details for the 2016 conference.
History of the PROMISE SSI (with conference links from 2003 – 2015) | PROMISE SSI: #ThinkBigDiversity 2015 | 2014 SSI Social Media Accolades | SSI 10th Anniversary 2013 | PROMISE SSI Book on Amazon | Sisters in the Dissertation House Dessert Discussion 2016
SHORTLINK for this site: http://bit.ly/PROMISESSI2016
REGISTER:
This event is free, as it is sponsored by the National Science Foundation. Please register by clicking below. Registrations are handled by Eventbrite. If your plans change, please release your ticket so that someone else can have a space at the event. This event is open to graduate students, postdoctoral fellows, faculty, staff, and career professionals.
Update: August 15, 2016: Formal Registration for Saturday 8/20 has closed.
On-site registration will be available on Saturday, 8/20/16, 7:15 AM.
Register here for Fri., 8/19 8:30 PM Sisters in the Dissertation House. Dessert & Discussion 2016
PROMISE SSI 2016
#ThinkBigDiversity Part II: Pathways to the Prize
The prize. What does it mean for you? Becoming a Nobel Laureate? A member of the National Academy of Sciences? A College President? What are the prizes along the way? Completion of courses, qualification exams, or a dissertation? Is it a fellowship? An opportunity to conduct international research? Your dream job? Think about this. Contemplate. Plan. Train. Keep your eyes on your prize.
All events will be held at The Hotel at Arundel Preserve. 7795 Arundel Mills Boulevard · Hanover, MD 21076 · 410-796-9830. More about the past SSI program can be found here.
Attire: Business and business casual. We are asking that all guest plan to wear colors that represent our cohesion as an alliance. Red, white, black, yellow, and blue. Red, white, yellow, and black are the colors of our Maryland flag, and there is blue in the NSF logo. All of the logos for the University System of Maryland’s institutions have combinations and variations of these colors. Whether your palette includes yellow or gold, powder blue or sapphire, please join us and wear clothing that is within the general range of our Maryland color scheme.
PROMISE SSI AGENDA At-a-Glance
Pre-conference: Thursday, August 18, 2016
The Dissertation House at the SSI (Day 1)
The USM Dissertation House at the PROMISE SSI 2016. The Dissertation House pre-conference has a separate registration process. Visit the page for the USM Dissertation House at the SSI 2016 . (Registration for the PROMISE SSI does not provide entry to the Dissertation House nor its activities.)
3:00 PM – 11:00 PM: The Dissertation House – The Baltimore Room
Full schedule: USM Dissertation House at the SSI 2016 .
Pre-Conference: Friday, August 19, 2016
The Dissertation House (Day 2), Advisory Board Meeting, Speakers’ & Guest Mentors’ Orientation/Welcome Dinner, Sisters in the Dissertation House Dessert & Discussion Reception
The Dissertation House pre-conference has a separate registration process. Visit the page for the USM Dissertation House at the 2016 SSI. (Registration for the PROMISE SSI does not provide entry to the Dissertation House nor its activities.)
7:00 AM – 11:00 PM: The Dissertation House at the SSI – The Baltimore Room. Full schedule: USM Dissertation House at the 2016 SSI
2:00 PM – 5:30 PM: PROMISE AGEP External Advisory Board Meeting – Annapolis Board Room
6:00 PM: Speakers’ & Advisors SSI Orientation and Dinner – The Washington Room, 2nd Floor
All invited speakers and mentors are asked to attend the annual PROMISE SSI Speakers’ orientation session, even if you have participated in the PROMISE SSI in the past. This working dinner will serve as the speakers’ check-in station, and will provide all of the necessary information that will be needed for the Saturday conference.
8: 30 PM – 10: 00 PM. Sisters in the Dissertation House. Dessert & Discussion 2016
LEADERS: Dr. Patricia Ordóñez (University of Puerto Rico, Río Piedras, Department of Computer Science) & Dr. Alexis Williams (University of Maryland College Park, Teaching and Learning Transformation Center)
The Sisters in the Dissertation House Dessert & Discussion session was founded in 2015. This first session with inaugural moderator Dr. Shanna Smith, featured alumni Dr. Sophoria Westmoreland and Dr. Alexis Williams, and “Sisters in the Dissertation House” book author, Dr. Jennifer Bacon. The discussion will continue in 2016 with a different panel, to continue the sharing of strategies for finishing the dissertation. You can purchase the book from Amazon here: https://www.amazon.com/Sisters-Dissertation-House-Narrative/dp/1581072686. Books will also be available for purchase on site. [The Sisters in the Dissertation House event has a separate registration process.]
NEW: Gentlemen in Graduate School with Dr. Gregory Triplett, Associate Dean of Graduate Studies, Virginia Commonwealth University, Professor, Electrical and Computer Engineering
8:30 PM – 10:00 PM – Baltimore Room, The Hotel at Arundel Preserve
Main Conference – Saturday, August 20, 2016
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7:15 – 8:00: Registration – 2nd Floor Foyer
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7:45 AM: “Working Toward Your Prize” – Scholars’ Choice – Breakfast Round tables – Ballroom
- Dr. Yaihara Fortis-Santiago, Science Alliance Director at The New York Academy of Sciences.Topics: How to apply for AAAS Fellowship after you finish your PhD, Awards for graduate students and scholars, Scientific meetings and resources. Awards: Blavatnik Awards for Young Scientists, Blavatnik Awards faculty competition, Blavatnik Awards regional postdoctoral competition, James McKeen Cattell Award (Psychology Doctoral Dissertation Award), The Sackler Institute for Nutrition Science Research Award
- Dr. Mark Lewis, Associate Dean and Professor, School of Operations Research and Information Engineering,Cornell University. Topic: The road to full professor. Read more about Dr. Lewis: https://people.orie.cornell.edu/melewis
- Dr. Joseph Frascella, Senior Science Advisor to the Director of the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) at the NIH. He was formerly the Director of the Division of Clinical Neuroscience and Behavioral Research at NIDA. As Director, he led broad clinical research and research training programs in neuroscience, human development, and behavioral treatment. Prior to this position, he served as Branch Chief of the Clinical Neuroscience Branch at NIDA. See BRAINWORLD’s profile on Dr. Frascella. Topic: Writing grants
- Dr. Henry Frierson, Associate Vice President and Dean of the Graduate School, University of Florida. Topic: Faculty positions: applications and interviews
- Dr. Damon Tull, Director of Fellowships and Research Opportunities, The American Society for Engineering Education (ASEE). Topic: The $75,000 (+ benefits) SBIR Diversity Postdoctoral Program – Working at a small company/start-up after graduate school.
- Dr. Kevin Huggins, Professor, Computer Science and Data Analytics, Harrisburg University, PA. Retired Military, Former member of the faculty at Westpoint – U.S. Military Academy. Topic: Transitioning from the military into graduate school or a new career.
- Dr. Oscar Gonzalez, CPT, MC, USA, Assistant Professor, Department of Psychiatry, Uniformed Services University Scientist, Center for the Study of Traumatic Stress. Research: Interrelations and potential mechanisms among key health-related variables, including psychological trauma, readjustment, emotions, and psychopathology among OEF/OIF veterans and their families,psychosocial wellbeing of soldiers previously deployed to war in Afghanistan and/or Iraq. Topic: Transitioning to graduate school, and a career after the military,.
- Dr. Karen Olmstead, Dean, Henson School of Science and Technology. Dr. Olmstead has postdoctoral positions and faculty positions available. She is recruiting and wants you to apply for positions at Salisbury. Topic: Postdocs and faculty positions – getting the job.
- Dr. Keisha Allen, Department of Education, UMBC. Dr. Allen is part of the UMBC Postdoctoral Fellows for Faculty Diversity. She will talk about specifics of the application, preparation, the interview, and how to be ready for this opportunity that can lead to a faculty position. Topic: Preparing the postdoc application.
- Dr. Jennifer Rayner, Society of Toxicology. Topic: Programs and career paths in toxicology
Breakfast Mentors L-R: Row 1: Dr. Lewis, Dr. Fortis-Santiago, Dr. Frascella, Dr. Frierson. Row 2: Dr. Tull, Dr. Olmstead, Dr. Huggins, Dr. (Captain) Gonzalez
This session is presented in partnership with:
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8:30 AM: PROMISE and the World View: Harnessing Talent for Global Action
Speaker: Dr. Renetta Tull, Founding Director of the PROMISE AGEP and 2015 Global Engineering Deans Council/Airbus Diversity Award Finalist, will discuss ways that initiatives of PROMISE have been shared in Latin America, Italy, Australia, the United Arab Emirates, India, and Taiwan. Dr. Tull has spoken around the word on issues of diversity and inclusion in STEM, and is regularly invited to share “The Jessica Effect” in efforts to prevent abuses against women. This talk for the 2016 PROMISE SSI will also share research areas that are being discussed around the world by UNESCO in line with humanitarian science and engineering initiatives and global grand challenges. In 2016, Dr. Tull was named as one of the 35 Women in STEM Social Media Stars. Follow Dr. Tull on Twitter @Renetta_Tull
Session Inspiration: The Global Engineering Deans Council & Airbus
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9:00 AM: Plenary 1 – Eyes on the Prize – “The Pact”
Speaker: Dr. Daniel Jean, Executive Director of EOF and the Center for Academic Development and Assessment, Montclair State University, @WordsTravel, #WordsTravel
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9:45 AM: Plenary 2 – Learning from the Prize Winners – “Mentors and Leaders Who Are Paving Your Way.” Panel of National Award Winners and Presidents
- Panelist: Dr. Gloria Ladson-Billings, Past President of the American Educational Research Association (AERA), Endowed Professor – Kellner Family Chair in Urban Education, Curriculum and Instruction (CI), Educational Policy Studies (EPS), Educational Leadership & Policy Analysis (ELPA) – University of Wisconsin-Madison; Brock International Prize In Education. Paper: Toward a Theory of Culturally Relevant Pedagogy (cited 3100+ times), author of the critically acclaimed books, The Dreamkeepers: Successful Teachers of African American Children, Crossing over to Canaan: The Journey of New Teachers in Diverse Classrooms, and Beyond the Big House: African American Educators on Teacher Education. Honorary Degrees: Umeå University, Umeå Sweden, the University of Massachusetts-Lowell, University of Alicante, Alicante, Spain. Dr. Ladson-Billings is a Senior Fellow of the NEA Foundation.
- Panelist: Dr. Louis Martin-Vega, President, American Society of Engineering Education (ASEE), Dean of Engineering, North Carolina State University, Fellow of the Institute of Industrial Engineers (IIE) and the Society of Manufacturing Engineers (SME), 1999 IIE Albert Holzman Distinguished Educator Award, 2000 HENACC-Hispanic Engineering National Education Achievement Award, 2007 National Hispanic Scientist of the Year Award from the Tampa Museum of Science and Industry, 2008 Outstanding Engineer in North Carolina Award from the NC Society of Engineers, Industrial and Systems Engineering Alumni Leadership Award from the University of Florida in 2009, and the 2012 Frank and Lillian Gilbreth Industrial Engineering Award, IIE’s highest honor. He is a past president of IIE, a member of the Pan American Academy of Engineering and the HENACC Hall of Fame, and was named as one of the 50 Most Influential Hispanics in the US by Hispanic Business magazine in 2014.
- Panelist: Dr. Silvia Lorena Mazzula, A founder and executive director of the Latina Researchers Network, Past President of the Latino Psychological Association of New Jersey, and associate professor of psychology at John Jay College of Criminal Justice. Grantee of the National Institute of Health, Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, Annie E. Casey Foundation, American Psychological Association’s Commission on Ethnic Minority Recruitment, Retention, and Training in Psychology, awarded the RISE for Boys and Men of Color award, an initiative in collaboration with President Obama’s My Brother’s Keeper. She has appeared on NBC TV and featured in San Antonio News, USAToday, Washington Times, and others. Awards include: Distinguished Teaching by John Jay College of Criminal Justice (2015), Emerging Researcher Award by the New Jersey Psychological Association (2013); Platinum Milestone Award by Chi Upsilon Sigma National Latina Sorority, Inc., (2014; for 20 years of service to student development), Professional of the Year Alumni Award by the National Association of Latino Fraternal Organizations (NALFO) and recognitions for outstanding scholarly achievements and grantsmanship by the City University of New York (2010, 2012, 2014, 2016). Website: www.SilviaMazzula.com Twitter: @DrMazzula
Session Leader: Dr. Christine Grant, Professor, Chemical Engineering, and Associate Dean for Faculty Advancement, North Carolina State University. 2003 Winner – White House Presidential Presidential Awards for Excellence in Science, Mathematics and Engineering Mentoring (PAESMEM), 2015 American Association for the Advancement of Sciences (AAAS) Mentor Award. Article: Dr. Christine Grant leads restructuring of College of Engineering Faculty Development Office. Follow on Twitter: @DrGrantEmpowers
Session Sponsor:
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10:30 AM: The Circle of Doctorates – ROLL CALL with Dr. Kaye Wise Whitehead
Dr. Whitehead is an associate professor of Communication and African and African American Studies in the Department of Communication at Loyola University Maryland and the Founding Executive Director of The Emilie Frances Davis Center for Education, Research, and Culture. Her books: “Notes from a Colored Girl: The Civil War Pocket Diaries of Emilie Frances Davis” received both the 2015 Darlene Clark Hine Book Award from the Organization of American Historians and the 2014 Letitia Woods Brown Book Award from the Association of Black Women Historians; “Letters to My Black Sons: Raising Boys in a Post-Racial America,” and“Sparking the Genius: The Carter G. Woodson Lecture;” and the co-editor of “Rethinking Emilie Frances Davis: Lesson Plans for Teaching Her Civil War Pocket Diaries.” She is a K-12 Master Teacher in African American History; an award-winning curriculum writer and lesson plan developer; an award-winning former Baltimore City middle school teacher, winning the 2006-07 Maryland History Teacher of the Year Award; and, a three time New York Emmy nominated documentary filmmaker. Dr. Whitehead is an alumna of UMBC, and served as a PROMISE Peer Mentor when she was a graduate student. A scholar-activist in local and national #BlackLivesMatter movements, she is a leading spokesperson for social justice. (Ref: https://kayewisewhitehead.com/). Follow Dr. Whitehead on Twitter @kayewhitehead
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11:15 AM: Networking Break – 2nd floor foyer
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11:30 AM: Breakout Sessions – In Pursuit of the Prize -“Activate Your Plans”
- Session 1: New/Incoming Students – “Expert Advice for Getting Started: Time Management, Understanding Professors’ Expectations, and Preparing to Ace Classes”
Speakers: 2016 PROMISE “New Student Mentor-in Residence Dream Team”
- Miryam C. Gerdine, MPH, Associate, Johns Hopkins University; Acting Branch Chief at U.S. Government, Department of Health & Human Services, HRSA; Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute (CHCI)
- Levon Esters, Ph.D., Associate Professor, Youth Development and Agricultural Education Department of Curriculum & Instruction, Purdue University; Co-PI of M@P (Mentoring at Purdue)
- Marquita Qualls, Ph.D., Entropia, Inc., Former President of the National Organization for the Professional Advancement of Black Chemists and Chemical Engineers (NOBCChE), Interact on Twitter: @DrQualls
- Sweeney Windchief, Ed.D., Assistant Professor, Adult & Higher Education, Montana State University; Specialties: Critical Race Theory (CRT), Indigenous Epistemologies, Student Success, American Indian Education Policy
Session Sponsors
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- Session 2: Continuing Graduate Students (All master’s and doctoral students who have completed at least one year of graduate school) – “Being a Professional in the Digital Age”
- Speaker: Clifton Griffin, Ph.D., Dean of the Graduate School, Salisbury University, former Director for Research & Graduate Studies at Texas A& M – Qatar.
Session Sponsor:
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- Session 3: PP&P: Postdocs, Professors, & Professionals – “Preparing for the Prize – Media Preparation: Tips for Engaging with the Public.”
You have your PhD, and you’re engaged in your work. What do you do when you get a call from your university’s communications office to tell you that you are being asked to discuss your work on the radio, or that your last grant caught the attention of NPR and you need to prepare for the reporter’s interview? This session, administered by the American Association for the Advancement of Sciences’ (AAAS) Center for Public Engagement with Science & Technology, is a short version of their broader “Communicating Science” workshop.
Speaker: Tiffany Lohwater, Director of Meetings and Public Engagement and Deputy Chief Communications Officer, AAAS
Guest Collaborator: Dr. Frances Carter-Johnson, Data Scientist, National Science Foundation, former PROMISE Peer Mentor (Physics & Public Policy – UMBC), Postdoc – MIT, former AAAS Science & Technology Policy Fellow at NIH.
Session Partner:
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1:00 Lunch and Program
- Lunch and Networking with PROMISE Alumni and Faculty
- Meet the Speakers
- Lead Guest Mentors:
- Dr. TaShara Bailey, Postdoctoral Fellow, President’s Diversity Advisory Council, University of Maryland, Baltimore (UMB)
- Dr. Osvaldo Gutierrez Santacruz, Assistant Professor, Chemistry, former Postdoc at the University of Pennsylvania
- Dr. Taeyjuana Curry, Postdoctoral Associate, Chemistry, UMBC, former member of AGEP at the University of Michigan. Researcher: Center for Sustainable Nanotechnology
- Dr. Christopher Jones, Former Assistant Dean for Graduate Students at MIT, and current Principal at BCT Partners with long-time colleage Dr. Randall Pinkett. Dr. Jones has participated in the SSI in the past as a Mentor-in-Residence. He returns this year to share time with his wife, Dr. Jerrilyn Jones to talk about managing a family while in graduate school. A former STEM teacher, and director of a non-profit, Dr. Jones can discuss working in several sectors. Dr. Jones has degrees from Morehouse and MIT in engineering and policy.
- Dr. Jerrilyn Jones is an Assistant Professor of Emergency Medicine at the University of Maryland School of Medicine. Dr. Jones spent 4 years serving the US Air Force as a flight surgeon and Chief of Aerospace Medicine. She is a veteran of Operation Enduring Freedom, having served in Afghanistan in 2006. She has degrees from Howard and Harvard.
Alumni Mentors:
- Dr. Shahza Somerville, Regulatory Affairs Manager
- Dr. Frances Carter-Johnson, Data Scientist, National Science Foundation
LUNCH PROGRAM
- Introduction: Dr. Renetta Tull, Director for Pipeline Professional Development Programs & Special Assistant to the Senior Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs (University System of Maryland), Associate Vice Provost for Graduate Student Development & Postdoctoral Affairs – UMBC, Founding Director of PROMISE
- Moderator: Dr. Janet Rutledge, Vice Provost for Graduate Education and Dean of the Graduate School at UMBC, Associate Professor, Department of Computer Science and Electrical Engineering, Co-Founder of PROMISE: Maryland’s AGEP
- Remarks: Dr. JoAnn Boughman, Senior Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs, University System of Maryland
- Celebration of Doctoral Candidates
- Keynote Speaker: Dr. Makola M. Abdullah, President, Virginia State University
2:30 Networking, Tweet-up, Book Signings, and Dessert Reception
#ThinkBigDiversity
Media
Special In-Person, Live Social Media Coverage by “STEM Celebrity Social Media Personalities” (Our guests have more than 10K Twitter followers, combined):
Dr. Stephani Page (Microbiologist), Initiator of #BlackAndSTEM, Follow: @ThePurplePage. Dr. Page studies protein components of microbial signal transduction pathways. Her work has been covered by Fast Company, Scientific American, and the American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology. She is a “STEM social media celebrity,” known for mobilizing and engaging an online community of underrepresented scholars.
Dr. Jedidah Isler (Astrophysicist) & Team, Founder, Executive Producer, Host of Vanguard STEM, Follow: @VanguardSTEM, @JedidahIslerPhD. Dr. Isler is a TED Fellow and National Geographic Explorer. National Geographic notes that Dr. Isler “is the first African-American woman to receive a Ph.D. in astrophysics from Yale. She’s a champion of inclusion in the sciences, aiming to create a world where anyone, regardless of race, gender, or background, can pursue their interests.”
See one of Dr. Isler’s TED Talks:
Dr. Patty Lopez [Patricia D. Lopez, Intel Corporation, Mission Critical Data Center] (Computer Scientist), Founding Director of Latinas in Computing, she serves on boards for the Computing Alliance of Hispanic Serving Institutions (CAHSI), the Anita Borg Institute, and the Computing Research Association-Women (CRA-W). She also served as the Grace Hopper Celebration of Women in Computing 2013 General Co-Chair. Awards: Great Minds in STEM/HENAAC, Community Service Award, 2010; Hewlett Packard Diversity and Inclusion Award, 2004. Follow: @LatinasInC , @pittrpatt
Additional coverage provided by Dr. Yaihara Fortis-Santiago, New York Academy of Sciences. The Science Alliance: http://www.nyas.org/WhatWeDo/ScienceAlliance.aspx
Photography
PROMISE utilizes the services of Cheriss May, Ndemay Media Group, who serves as a photographer for events at the White House. She is a member of: American Society of Media Photographers (ASMP), Canon Professional Services (CPS), National Association of Black Journalists (NABJ), National Press Photographers Association (NPPA), Professional Photographers of America (PPA)
General Conference Coverage for PROMISE: Shawnisha Hester Photography
REGISTER:
This event is free, as it is sponsored by the National Science Foundation. Please register by clicking below. Registrations are handled by Eventbrite. If your plans change, please release your ticket so that someone else can have a space at the event. This event is open to graduate students, postdoctoral fellows, faculty, staff, and career professionals.
Update: August 15, 2016: Formal Registration has closed.
On-site registration will be available on Saturday, 8/20/16 at 7:15 AM.
Register here for Fri., 8/19 8:30 PM Sisters in the Dissertation House. Dessert & Discussion 2016
VENUE: The HOTEL at Arundel Preserve
7795 Arundel Mills Boulevard
Hanover, MD 21076 · 410-796-9830
Landmarks: This hotel is near BWI Airport, and has a free shuttle to the hotel, upon request (the MARC regional train, and the Amtrak “BWI Station” are also on-site at BWI airport). This hotel is approximately five miles from the Arundel Mills Mall. | Map and Directions
Call in or go online to make reservations under the PROMISE room block for the August PROMISE event at the discounted group rate of $149. Call the hotel’s reservations line at 888-624-4011 and either ask to book under the “PROMISE SSI 2016” room block or use the group code: 160819PROM. There is also an option to book online using the hotel’s website: www.hotelarundel.com by clicking the “Make Reservations” tab and entering the group code listed above.DEADLINE for the PROMISE rate: July 29, 2016.
PROMISE AGEP Night: Orioles Game vs. Houston Astros
We will be having a PROMISE AGEP night to watch the Orioles game vs. Houston Astros on Saturday, August 20, 2016 after the Summer Success Institute! Everyone is invited to come, watch the game, relax, and have time to socialize with other SSI attendees. Attendees will need to pay for their own Orioles ticket(s) and provide their own transportation. If you do not have a car, we encourage attendees to carpool with friends to the event. Please click on the following website http://www.orioles.com/tix/promiseagep to purchase tickets. We look forward to seeing you there!
PROMISE: Maryland's AGEP 2003-2018 
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