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A member of the Environmental Services custodial team, Powell is recognized for her work in promoting community-building and inclusion.
Ida Powell has been working in Environmental Services (EVS) at the University of Maryland, Baltimore for almost 30 years as part of the custodial team, helping to keep UMB’s indoor spaces clean, safe, and healthy. During that time, she’s traveled around campus, working at the School of Dentistry as part of the evening shift, the Dental Museum, the Health Sciences and Human Services Library, and now at the School of Social Work (SSW). She has always been outgoing, and building a sense of community with her direct team as well as fostering relationships with everyone she meets at UMB have been top priorities for her throughout her service at UMB.
That’s why Powell was nominated for the School of Social Work’s JEDI Unsung Hero Award, which Powell she received at a ceremony on Thursday, March 13, at which her mother and other supporters were present to cheer her on. The JEDI Awards are organized by the SSW Office of Access, Strategic Initiatives, and Support (OASIS), and all students, staff, faculty, and community members are eligible to nominate and receive awards. Award winners are selected by a committee that reviews all nominees’ contributions and impact within the School of Social Work.
Powell’s award, the Unsung Hero Award, recognizes individuals who have significantly contributed to creating an empowered and inclusive community within the SSW and the surrounding community, often working behind the scenes. Even though they may operate quietly, their impact resonates loudly, helping to shape a more just and equitable community within the School of Social Work and the surrounding community.
It is fitting that Powell received this award, as she is always looking for more ways to get involved both at UMB and in her community, and she isn’t afraid to put herself out there. A few years ago when she saw an opportunity publicized in The Elm to have lunch with UMB President Bruce Jarrell, she thought she’d take a chance. At the lunch, Dr. Jarrell was talking about the newly opened Community Engagement Center (CEC), and Powell asked if programming at the CEC was open to folks within the UMB community. “I knew some staff who could really benefit from some of their programs, even though they live outside of West Baltimore” she says. Dr. Jarrell got confirmation right away, and Powell was able to share valuable resources provided by the CEC with members of her team.
For the past three years, Powell has served on the World Facilities Day Planning Committee, helping to make this annual event inclusive and rewarding for all Facilities and Operations staff. In late March of this year, she attended the National Facilities Management and Technology conference at the Baltimore Convention Center to learn more about best practices for the technical work performed by EVS, as well as leadership skills that lead to an improved work culture and environment. Outside of UMB, she is heavily involved with Rebuild Johnston Square, a neighborhood revitalization organization.
Powell’s advice for others who are looking to contribute to a more inclusive community is simple: “Be human and recognize that others are human,” she says. She also encourages others to be open – whether it’s to understanding, criticism, learning, mentoring, or anything in between. Powell closes by saying that “You don’t always think that people are paying attention to you as you go about your day doing your assigned duties; but they’re always watching!” This sentiment especially conveys Powell’s status as an ideal recipient of the SSW JEDI Unsung Hero Award.