Visiting Lecturer Dr. Katie Kein at Huffington Post, the importance of comedy these days: 

Senior Lecturer Dr. Kate on her experience at the Women's March on Washington in the Baltimore City Paper:

Senior Lecturer Dr. Kate on where we go next, on the Marc Steiner Show: 

***Want to know what UMBC feminists are doing next? Email Dr. Kate at drabinsk@umbc.edu to get involved with WILL!***

The National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) recently announced funding for highly competitive grants in 43 states around the country to support a range of humanities-based research and programs.

Whitney Schwab, assistant professor of philosophy, won a prestigious fellowship to research the origins of philosophical study of knowledge in the Western tradition. His project will involve writing a book manuscript to examine his central argument that thinkers didn’t start focusing on the concept of knowledge until the Stoics, preceding Plato and Aristotle.

“The Stoics attempt to determine the conditions that must be met for someone to have a well-formed belief, and the state they claim one is in when he or she has a well-formed belief is katalêpsis,” explained Schwab. “In examining what threshold a belief has to cross to count as katalêpsis, the Stoics are engaging in a project much more similar to modern day attempts to characterize knowledge than anything we find prior to the Stoics.”

Schwab’s grant is funded for one year beginning in August. His ultimate goal is to produce a book, as well as, likely, articles that result from the research.

“It is certainly very flattering to receive this award early in my career,” explains Schwab. “It is also very encouraging. Over the course of completing a long-term project, a lot of doubt can creep in about the value of the work. So, the fellowship provides a lot of motivation to keep working.”

Schwab’s fellowship is part of $16.3 million in funding for humanities research ranging from a preservation grant for Xavier University of Louisiana to protect its special collections which include one of the few remaining original copies of the first anthology of African-American poetry published in the United States to the study of Kurdish nationalism by Southern Methodist University.

“The humanities help us study our past, understand our present, and prepare for our future,” said NEH Chair William D. Adams in a news release announcing the awards. “The National Endowment for the Humanities is proud to support projects that will benefit all Americans and remind us of our shared human experience.”

Schwab’s research focuses on ancient philosophy with specific interests in epistemology, metaphysics, and ethics. Read more about his work on the philosophy department website.

It is with great sadness that the Department of English shares with you the passing of Dr. Larry Lasher, a founding faculty member at UMBC and an exceptional leader and educator, on Thursday, December 22, 2016.

Dr. Lasher began his career at UMBC as an assistant professor of English in 1966 and shortly thereafter was promoted to associate professor. Throughout his nearly 40-year career in higher education, he successfully led the campus community in a myriad of leadership roles, most notably as chair of the Division of Arts and Humanities from 1968 to 1978 and chair of the English department from 1989 to 1993.

Time and again, university leadership relied on Dr. Lasher's expertise and ability to build consensus to assist the campus during times of transition. He was appointed Acting Dean of the Division of Arts and Humanities and Acting Dean of Faculty in 1976 and 1977, respectively.

"Larry was a jewel of a colleague," said William Bettridge, a fellow UMBC faculty member in the English department and longstanding friend and colleague. "He was hard-working, always friendly and helpful, and really part of the team. He cheerfully took on whatever assignments came his way and carried them out perfectly, and his wonderful sense of humor smoothed out many stressful moments in department politics."

Dr. Lasher was well-known for his compassion toward students and his love of teaching and learning. An outstanding professor, Dr. Lasher embraced his role as an educator and took very seriously his responsibility to guide students through the learning process. He was an invaluable part of the institution in its formative years and has left a legacy of teaching that has inspired a new generation of faculty in the Department of English and beyond. Dr. Lasher will certainly be missed.