Sarah Porter, MSW ’20, recalls meeting a new neighbor who had just signed up her child for the Police Athletic/Activities League (PAL) at the University of Maryland, Baltimore’s (UMB) Community Engagement Center (CEC) and decided to take her first art class after noticing a flyer advertising other programming. The neighbor then brought her family for movie night, took a yoga class, and was even planning to get her taxes done at the CEC.

“That is exactly what we’re trying to do here at the Community Engagement Center: provide a space where neighbors can come to feel welcomed and supported, while gaining access to resources and opportunities that support their goals and better their quality of life,” said Porter, associate director of community programs, Office of Community Engagement. “We’re working together with our community to build and strengthen a circle of resources and care.”

Porter was recognized for her work developing and overseeing the numerous programs at the CEC, including PAL, family nights, and the makerspace, by UMB President Bruce E. Jarrell, MD, FACS, who informed her during a videoconference Feb. 8 that she had been named the University’s January Employee of the Month.

“It’s very impressive what you’ve been doing over the past several years, including the COVID time,” he said. “The nomination stressed the UMB core values and how well you exemplify them.”

Danielle Harris, LCSW-C, director of community engagement operations, said Porter listens to the community when creating programs.

“Since Sarah began her role, there was a drastic increase in programming under her direction, which was no small feat considering the pandemic restrictions we were initially under while trying to increase engagement in our new CEC building,” said Harris, who is Porter’s supervisor and nominated her for the award. “Sarah has increased our portfolio of programming to include weekly family and maker-based programming in direct response to community feedback for a need of social connection.”

Porter, who works with community members and the University to leverage resources to create programming and opportunities for UMB’s neighbors in West Baltimore as well as students, faculty, and staff, says her job is fun.

“I get to connect with community organizations and community members and explore opportunities to partner and create programs that promote the happiness, health, and wealth of the whole community,” she said.

Some of those programs include family nights — science night, chess night, and movie night — held three Fridays a month. The CEC is adding a family maker night in the makerspace, which Porter has overseen since its inception, where families can learn skills such as circuitry and sewing.

“What I really love is when I can walk into the makerspace and see neighbors and staff engaged in an activity such as making a quilt together — laughing, talking, and connecting — and see the impact of the work that we do. That’s really rewarding,” Porter said. 

She said that while the job can be challenging, “It provides a lot of opportunities to be creative. And I like connecting one on one with neighbors and seeing the incredible assets that the community has.”

Porter was hired in 2020, and one of the first challenges she faced was the COVID-19 pandemic. Many of the CEC’s programs had moved to virtual, so Porter was tasked with helping to bring programs back in person when it was safe. Her first big project was a 10-week horseback riding program for 20 children in 2021.

“We brought 20 horses to the corner of Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard and West Baltimore Street, and we did outdoor horseback riding lessons right in the middle of West Baltimore. And it went really well,” she said. “It was definitely challenging, but it was a great opportunity to show that there are a lot of opportunities that can be offered right here in West Baltimore. You shouldn’t have to leave your community to access excellent resources. 

“It brought a lot of attention to the Community Engagement Center, and it helped get people excited once we were able to open back up.”

Harris praised Porter for her interactions with the community.

“Sarah always has high standards for what our program participants will experience,” she said. “It’s imperative for Sarah that people who attend programming at the CEC are treated with respect, dignity, and compassion.”

Porter also helped reshape UMB’s PAL program, which had been offered on a twice-weekly basis but was struggling to have consistent attendance. Now instead of meeting after school, after receiving community feedback, the children meet with mentors on school professional development days to help provide child care for parents and enrichment opportunities for youths. 

“Faced with the changes in how youth are able to participate in PAL, with Sarah’s consultation and leadership, the format of PAL changed, which led to double the amount of engagement from the same time last year,” Harris said. 

Bill Joyner, JD, MSW, assistant vice president of community engagement and partnerships, said Porter is an asset to his office as well as the University because of her knack for project management.

“If I have a question about the way a project or a program is going, usually the person who knows the answer is Sarah,” he said. “I greatly appreciate that. And I think that is a huge asset for not only our office but for campus. We’re trying to expand the scope of our influence around campus so that benefit can be shared with more departments.”

Porter, who will receive a certificate, a letter of commendation, and an extra $250 in her next paycheck for the award, thanked her supervisors over the years — Harris, Joyner, and former CEC director Tyrone Roper, MSW — for their support. 

“Since I came to UMB, my career has just blossomed,” she said. “And the reason that I have been able to have an impact is because I’ve always had supervisors at UMB who have believed in me, supported me, and welcomed me into spaces where subordinates might not traditionally be included, offering me a unique chance to develop and grow as a leader.

“I’ve been given so many resources and opportunities, great people to work with, programs to run, and challenges to face. It’s made me not only a better employee but a better human being.”

— Jen Badie