Turnip Time Tumble

An interactive reading by Prof. Terry's ENG 375 Class

Monday, May 11, 4-5:15pm

PAHB 132

Turnip Time Tumble is a choose your one adventure-style novel written this semester by Professor Chris Terry's ENG 375 Pick Your Path class. At this event, the class will read from the finished book, with input from the audience.

In Turnip Time Tumble, the main character goes to the farmers' market for soup ingredients, and is distracted by a mysterious vendor with a selection of intriguing books. The reader is then sucked into whichever book the character picks up: helping mermaids escape cruel scientists, time-traveling between the Wild West and a medieval castle, or inheriting a crumbling estate with a mysterious secret passage.

Join us Wednesday afternoon to celebrate four English faculty and other CAHSS colleagues for their recently published books! The Dresher Center is hosting a CAHSS Book Celebration May 6 from 4:30-6:00 PM in PAHB 216. Light refreshments will be served. 

Congratulations to all for this monumental achievement!

English faculty:

Poetry in General: How a Literary Form Became Public (Columbia University Press)
By Keegan Cook Finberg
Assistant Professor, English

Nineteenth-Century Fiction, Life Writing, and the Victorian Nomad (Routledge Press)
By Jean Fernandez
Professor, English

Romanticism Bewitched: Witchcraft, Revolution and the Female Demonic
(Cambridge University Press)
By Orianne Smith
Professor, English

Asian Girlhood in the Shadows of U.S. Empire (University of Minnesota Press)
By Sharon Tran
Assistant Professor, English

Dresher Center/CAHSS Book Celebration

Celebrating Humanities Books from 2025-2026

Wednesday, May 6, 2026 · 4:30 - 6 PM

In-Person · Performing Arts & Humanities Building : 216

List of Faculty books:

Let Us Alone: The Origins of Baltimore's Police State (University of Illinois Press)
By Michael Casiano
Assistant Professor, American Studies

Poetry in General: How a Literary Form Became Public (Columbia University Press)
By Keegan Cook Finberg
Assistant Professor, English

Double Feature (Saint Lucy Books)
By Mark Alice Durant
Professor, Visual Arts

Nineteenth-Century Fiction, Life Writing, and the Victorian Nomad (Routledge Press)
By Jean Fernandez
Professor, English

Rebuilding New Orleans: Immigrant Laborers and Street Food Vendors in the Post-Katrina Era (University of North Carolina Press)
By Sarah Fouts
Associate Professor, American Studies

Empathy Machines: This American Life, Podcasting and the Public Radio Structure of Feeling (Bloomsbury Publishing)
By Jason Loviglio
Professor, Media and Communication Studies

Across Canons: Language, Latin American Immigrant Literature, and the Making of Latinx Narratives (University of Arizona Press)
By Thania Muñoz
Associate Professor, Modern Languages, Linguistics, and Intercultural Communication

Auteur-Publishers: Small Press Practices as Avant-Garde Writing (Edinburgh University Press)
By Craig Saper
Professor, Language, Literacy, and Culture

Amos Badertscher Images and Stories (Phaidon)
Edited by Beth Saunders
Associate Director and Curator of Special Collections, Albin O. Kuhn Library and Gallery

Romanticism Bewitched: Witchcraft, Revolution and the Female Demonic
(Cambridge University Press)
By Orianne Smith
Professor, English

Asian Girlhood in the Shadows of U.S. Empire (University of Minnesota Press)
By Sharon Tran
Assistant Professor, English

Light refreshments will be served

Monday, October 13, 2025 · 12 - 1 PM

Halloween is here! Will you be dressing up on Thursday? In Japan, 2024 is the 10th anniversary of "Mundane Halloween," where people dress up not as witches or zombies or ghosts but as everyday people, places, or things you might encounter across Japan. This blog has a rundown of some of the best offerings this year, as well as archived posts of highlights from previous years. Be sure to check it out! 

New Process: Spring 2025 Advising and Registration

Don't miss your chance to register for popular classes! Spring 2025 advising is happening now, and as of this week, we've modified the process! 

You no longer need to make an appointment via Calendly. Dr. Vaporis has distributed a Google Doc with appointment times - virtual and in-person - for students to select. If you did not receive this message yesterday (Monday, Oct 28) afternoon, please let us know as soon as possible (m.power@umbc.edu). 

Don't wait to sign up - registration began yesterday and we expect many classes to fill up quickly. You can't register for classes until you've received your advising clearance. 

Upcoming Events, Dates, and Deadlines

Asian Studies is thrilled to welcome all of our new and returning students to campus for Fall 2023! Whether you're just starting here at UMBC or are approaching the completion of your studies, we're excited to see you and look forward to learning alongside you this semester. 

Look for this newsletter from us every week, with information about events, special programs, and other news that might be of interest for Asian Studies students. 

Welcome Week Sushi Lunch

Join us tomorrow for one of our favorite recent traditions, the Welcome Week Sushi Lunch! We'll be in the Fine Arts Amphitheatre (access through the Fine Arts Recital Hall Lobby) with sushi, snacks, and Asian Studies giveaways. Stop by to say hello to faculty and friends and catch up after the summer break!

InterACT Dialogues Program 2023

The Interact Dialogues Program is a 4-week experience designed for students to learn and practice skills to become inclusive leaders and engaged community members. Interact is a space where students can develop leadership skills and cultivate a deep sense of belonging to the UMBC campus and community. During the program, students will meet in small, peer-facilitated groups for about 90 minutes each week based on their schedules. 

Click here for more information about the program; if you're interested in joining the program, you can click here to complete the interest form. 

Library Resources & Workshops

UMBC's Albin O. Kuhn Library is a valuable resource for all of your research needs, with seven floors of material for you to browse and utilize. Aside from the collections, did you know that the library also offers workshops, equipment [laptops, etc] rentals, and study space? Find out more about everything it has to offer on the Library Website! 

Of particular note are the Writing Wednesday Workshops, which take place once a month throughout the semester: 

Research 101
Wednesday, 9/6 @ 4-5pm Link

Stepping up your research game: Searching strategically
Wednesday, 10/4 @ 4-5pm Link

How to Cite sources for your research and writing
Wednesday, 11/1 @ 4-5pm Link

Finding your flow: Navigating final papers
Wednesday, 12/6 @ 4-5pm Link 

ASCOM Seeking New Leadership

Have you been looking for a way to get involved on campus and with Asian Studies? ASCOM - the Asian Studies Council of Majors - is looking for student leaders! In the past, ASCOM has held meetings and events periodically throughout the academic year for fellow students, ranging from craft-making to movie nights and everything in between. 

If this sounds like something you'd like to be part of, let us know! 

Prof. Irene Chan: The Thomas Project and Other Recent Work - Weds, Oct 5, noon

Irene Chan, Associate Professor of Visual Arts and Affiliate Associate Professor of Asian Studies at UMBC, will present and discuss recent work including The Thomas Project (2022), a six part, multimedia work exploring the life of Thomas Sylvanus (aka Ching Lee, Ye Way Lee, Ah Yee Way), a 19th-century Chinese man who lived in the U.S. East Coast, was enslaved in Baltimore, and ran away to join the Union Army. 

The talk will take place in the Performing Arts and Humanities Building (PAHB), Room 216, and lunch will be provided for registered attendees! Learn more about Prof. Chan's work and this event by visiting CIRCA's website. 

UMBC Fall 2022 Career Fair - Weds, Sept 21 (tomorrow!)

Upcoming Dates and Deadlines

There are dozens of study abroad programs for students interested in extended, in-depth opportunities in Asian countries. Some of these programs, including the Luce Scholarship, the Boren Scholarship, and the Fulbright program, are especially prestigious and competitive. 

It can be difficult and overwhelming to try to understand these programs on your own - but never fear! Join Asian Studies and UMBC's very own Dr. Brian Souders, Fulbright Program Advisor extraordinaire, on Wednesday, September 7 (next week!) for a session that will illuminate the specific pros and cons of several of these programs, and outline some of the basics of their application processes. If you're thinking about studying abroad, either during or after your time at UMBC, this will be a great overview session - and we'll have snacks, too! Don't miss it! 

It's Welcome Week! 

New students and returning students can all find something interesting on the Welcome Week calendar! From departmental open houses and information tables to UMBC Athletics gameday festivities and neighborhood tours, Welcome Week is a lively celebration of all of the opportunities and events taking place on campus at the start of the semester. Be sure to check it out! 

UMBC Review Submission Deadline: Sept 16!

Have you completed a big research project or creative work during your time at UMBC? Consider submitting your work for publication in the UMBC Review! Learn more about this peer-reviewed journal - and how to submit your work - at https://ur.umbc.edu/umbc-review/submission-guidelines/. Note that the deadline for submissions is coming up in a few weeks - September 16! 

Upcoming Dates and Deadlines

• Aug 31: First day of classes! Asian Studies welcome luncheon!
• Sept 7: Study Abroad Programs Info Session with Dr. Souders
• Sept 14: Deadline to drop a class without a "W," last day to add a class
  
• Sept 15: Deadline to apply for Fall 2022 Commencement

If, like us, you're excited about spring's arrival and the associated warmer weather and other joys, you may be interested in the National Cherry Blossom Festival's website, which includes (among other things) the Peak Bloom forecast. The first bloom updates should start arriving today, but you can visit their site now to learn more about the festival and celebrations taking place later this month!

Thank you for attending the candidate presentations!

Thank you to those of you who attended the presentations by our faculty candidates this month. We appreciate your time and feedback, and hope that you will have an opportunity to take a class with the selected candidate this fall! If you have any feedback about the candidates and their presentations, please email Dr. Oyen.

Online Conversation: Russia's Invasion of Ukraine

Please join the Departments of Political Science and History at this important online conversation on Wednesday, March 2 (tomorrow) at 2:30pm. Faculty and students will discuss some of the causes of Russia's invasion, as well as its potential consequences. 

Student Fee Forum Friday, March 4, 2pm [online]

The Annual Student Fee Forum takes place this year on Friday, March 4, at 2pm. Learn about the plans for 2022-23 academic year tuition and fees, and share your thoughts or concerns about the proposals with campus leadership. Given the ongoing impact of Covid-19 and other global events, your voice in this conversation is more important than ever. 

All attendees will have the chance to win a $25 giftcard to the Bookstore. 

Join the WebEx event using this link [click here to go to the WebEx meeting].

Save the Date: Author D. Watkins Virtual Event, April 6

Baltimore native D. Watkins will visit campus virtually on Wednesday, April 6, from 4:30-5:30pm, to discuss his book We Speak for Ourselves: How Woke Culture Prohibits Progress. The event is part of this year's UMBC Community Read. Learn more about the Community Read and We Speak for Ourselves at the virtual event's myUMBC page here and at the Community Read group's page here. 

Summer Session Registration Now Open!

Are you thinking about taking a class during Summer Session 2022? Registration is now open! 

Course offerings that may be of interest to ASIA students include: 

• HIST 103 - East Asian Civilization (in-person, Summer II Six Weeks)
• JPNS 102 - Elementary Japanese II (hybrid, Summer II Six Weeks)
• MUSC 230 - Musics of the World (online, Summer I Four Weeks)

If you would like to learn more about summer classes, or have general advising questions, you can email Dr. Oyen or set up a meeting using her Calendly link.

Upcoming Dates and Deadlines

• Tuesday, March 1 (today) - Summer 2022 registration opens!
• Tuesday, March 1 (today) - last day to sign up to get academic credit for a Spring 2022 internship or other research experience
• Wednesday, March 2, 2:30pm (tomorrow) - Russia's invasion of Ukraine online event [see above]
• Friday, March 4, 2pm - Student Fee Forum [online, see above]
• March 20-27: Spring Break!
• Monday, March 28: Fall 2022 Schedule Available

Now in its third year, Johns Hopkins University is hosting the virtual Richard Macksey National Undergraduate Research Symposium April 8-10, 2022. This is the first conference of its kind: there has been no other national platform for undergraduates in the humanities to share their work. 

The Macksey Symposium is designed to provide a development opportunity for students that looks toward their future pursuit of the humanities. The 2022 symposium will feature the following: