One of the things that makes UMBC great is how wonderful our alumni, students, faculty, and staff are. Because of these amazing people, UMBC often finds itself “in the news,” so each week, we’ll be sharing with you a round-up of the most newsworthy achievements from our community.

• Sarah Jewett, head of the STEM Transfer Student Success Initiative, along with Susan Martin of the Center for Women in Technology, writes about the importance of promoting STEM success for underrepresented and underserved student populations.
• Roy Meyers, political science, questions the methods the Mercatus study used to determine Maryland’s fiscal health.
• Anupam Joshi and Richard Forno, cybersecurity, comment on the Ashley Madison data dump.
• Steve Bradley, visual arts, will speak at the Chesapeake Arts Center town hall meeting on September 8.
• Steve Sharkey ‘06, M.P.P. public policy, current head of Baltimore City’s Department of General Services, has been featured on the Baltimore Business Journal’s “40 Under 40” list.
• Dennis Coates, economics, supports Baltimore City Council President Jack Young’s plan to sell the city-owned Baltimore Convention Center Hilton hotel.
• Medhi Benna, Center for Space Science and Technology, is lead author on a paper confirming neon in the moon’s exosphere.
• Lynn Cazabon, visual arts, has placed second in the Trawick Prize competition, held annually by the Bethesda Arts & Entertainment District to honor artists from Maryland, Virginia, and the District of Columbia. Jason Hughes ’15, M.F.A. intermedia and digital arts, claimed third prize.

Read more at UMBC Insights!

Every so often, we highlight the importance of student scholarships by introducing you to the very students they help to succeed. Today, we’re featuring Samantha Carestia ‘15, visual arts (animation), who is a UMBC Grant recipient.

Name: Samantha N. Carestia
Major: Visual arts (animation / interactive media concentration)
Extra Curricular Activities: March of Dimes Walks, The National Society of Collegiate Scholars, creating digital ads for a local restaurant
Scholarships received: UMBC Grant

Q: Why did you decide to attend UMBC?
I decided to attend UMBC because of the Visual Arts degree program, which contains many of the aspects that I find desirable in my major. The visual arts program with the animation/interactive media concentration allows me to focus on both 2D and 3D artwork, made both physically and electronically, and extend the range of tasks I can perform in my desired field. I was also attracted to UMBC because it is an “in-state” school with a very high academic rating. I had looked at other institutions, even attending a different one in my freshman year that offered a large scholarship. I transferred to UMBC when I realized that UMBC had a program that better suited my educational needs.

Q: What’s been the most amazing discovery you’ve made so far as a student here?
I think that the most amazing thing I discovered at UMBC is the instructors. They are very compassionate about what they are teaching and do so in a way that draws you into the subject. They are also so very helpful and accessible when I have a question or a problem. I am also amazed at how kind and active the UMBC community is.

Q: Tell us about a class or club that has really opened your mind.
I feel that [the] course ART 384 — Introduction to 3D Computer Animation — was the class that most opened my mind. This class let me work with 3D modeling, which is something I have always wanted to do. I found I have a knack for it, which is great!

Q: How important is it to you as a student to get scholarship support?
I am the daughter of what some may call “older parents.” My father is retired on Social Security, and my mother’s job is their only other income. They have sacrificed a lot to assist in my college tuition and expenses as best they can so I won’t be saddled with a huge amount of loans when I graduate.With the economy as it is today, there are challenges obtaining employment. A large amount of school loans may make it very difficult to concentrate on my employment search. This scholarship also means a lot to me because it means my parents won’t have to struggle as much in their efforts to help me achieve my goal of a college education.

Q: What are you most proud of accomplishing in your time at UMBC?
I am most proud of my high GPA. I am especially proud of the past two semesters with 6 courses each, and obtaining and maintaining a 4.0 GPA both semesters.

Q: What would you say to the people who provided your scholarship?
I feel it is my obligation to continue doing my very best in my studies to prove not just to myself and my parents, but also to those that believe in me and have helped me that their faith and assistance are not in vain.

Q: What do you hope to do after graduation?
After achieving my goal of a degree from UMBC, I hope to obtain employment at a nearby game-making studio, such as Bethesda, or find a job making web pages for a local firm. I will probably have to prove myself and start from the bottom and work my way up to my ultimate goal.

 Support UMBC student scholarships today!

Every so often, we’ll chat with an alum about what they do and how they got there. Today we’re talking with author Adam Kurtz ‘09, Visual Arts,  about his career and new book, 1 Page At A Time.

Name: Adam Kurtz
Job Title: Studio Designer for Ad Agency
Grad year & Major: 2009, Visual Arts (Graphic Design) with a minor in art history and certificate in media & communications

Q: Can you tell me a little about yourself and your background with graphic design?

I’m originally from Toronto and moved to D.C. with my family in my teens. I came to Baltimore to attend UMBC and stayed for a few years before moving to Brooklyn. As a teen, I would build websites, teaching myself code and design as I went. It wasn’t always pretty! It was my way to connect online, create something entirely myself, and communicate my passions. I knew that was what I wanted to study, and have worked in related industries since graduation: at a film production studio, an internet marketing firm, and now, a big-name ad agency in Manhattan.

Q: What drew you to UMBC for your studies?

UMBC was recommended as a state school that had a true graphic design program. Truthfully, I was new to Maryland and didn’t do very much research. I wish I could say I came to UMBC because of its great X or amazing Y, but the truth is I came in blind. I am so lucky and grateful that UMBC turned out to be as amazing for me as it was. I could not have anticipated any of that. UMBC gave me a solid education and myriad experiences on campus, from student events and life to on-campus jobs that taught me real-world skills.

Q: Were there any particular influences in your life that contributed to your blog and book?

Everything I make is influenced by life. These are not great literary works. I’m not doing anything particularly unique. I’m complaining and oversharing just like everyone else online. The difference is that I make something out of it. I put feelings into words and words onto objects and then I hold them and never let them go. The book is a hybrid activity book, workbook, journal, and more. It’s sort of my process, the introspection, the collecting, the preserving memories and feelings for later. It’s also about fighting the overwhelming nature of the internet. Slowing down, pacing yourself, counting your way through a year, and exploring creativity every single day, so that you can “make” it through.

Q: Can you recall any UMBC professors who inspired you?

I had a lot of great professors, but I think the single most inspiring teacher I had was Laura Schraven, a coordinator in The Commons who I worked with at commonvision, the campus design and print center. I worked on projects for student groups, learned about production as well as communicating abstract ideas and concepts with people who aren’t as “design-minded.” As a mentor, Laura gave her all, far beyond basic design instruction. My book is loosely based on a calendar series that I self-publish annually, the first of which was printed and bound there. I think I honestly didn’t understand that I can literally make anything I need with the tools at hand before that experience. It was a very empowering thing to realize. When I visit campus as an alumni I always try to visit… commonvision gave me a whole lot.

Of course the Visual Arts department is wonderful as well. I loved design classes with Peggy Re, was lucky enough to have artist Laure Drogoul as a professor when she taught a few courses, and I think Sandra Abbott at the CADVC is a wonderful human being. And Jason Loviglio in the Media Studies department, who is very smart and awesome (you can quote me).

Q: You have created a strong fan base for your online blog. Can you explain the purpose of it and how it got started?

There is absolutely no purpose. My blog is entirely personal and I simply post visual scraps I make and things I like. I refer to it as my “scrapbook, soapbox, diary, and jukebox,” because that’s really all it is. It surprises me how much people like what I do, and I never expected that. It was just a way to share and it grew slowly into whatever it is today.

Q: How did you get the idea of creating the “daily creative companion” book, 1 Page At A Time?

An editor from Penguin reached out and basically said “what if you do the things you are already doing with your ‘Unsolicited Advice’ calendars, but make them a book?” and I said “okay yeah that sounds cool.” Essentially. I never sought out to make a book.

a. Why do you think it’s important for creative people to seek out constant inspiration in their daily lives?

I don’t know if I would make that statement. I think creative people already find inspiration in everything. But I also don’t like the distinction of “creative people.” That is limiting. My book is not for “creatives.” My book is for human beings, for anyone with a pulse. We’re all creative in some way, that’s maybe what makes us human at all. It’s not quite for children, it’s not quite for teens. It’s just exploring yourself and your own little world. Writing and drawing however you can. Taping scraps of things to pages, sharing content online with others who have the book using the provided hashtags…. This isn’t so much about being inspired as much as realizing that if you just do one thing every single day, it will grow from nothing into SOMETHING. I guess you could say that’s a lesson I learned myself, as I was posting scraps and watching them build, not realizing what I was making.

Q: What exactly does this book entail and what do you hope it accomplishes?

The book is a daily exercise, a quiet moment for yourself, and a diary that kicks your ass a little bit. I’m not a bully necessarily, but I do encourage you… strongly. “Drink water,” “take a nap,” “go back and do that page you skipped.” I think this could be really great for anyone who needs a little help moving along, someone who has maybe abandoned journals in the past. This is a fun, weird, silly book, but it’s not a coincidence that the title sounds a little bit like a recovery slogan. All of us internet-age cellphone brains need to chill out.

Q: What does your future look like with your website? Do you plan on writing more books?

I am still actually coming to terms with the fact that I am a published author, in multiple languages (with more on the way). It feels crazy. I really did not dream of being an author, though to others, a book seems like an obvious progression of what I’ve been doing online. I have a full-time job, and this isn’t it. I am just happy to keep making nice things, and it’s exciting that people have noticed. I’m working on a product collaboration for a pretty major brand due out next year, plus plenty more self-released items. A Kickstarter campaign for my 2015 weekly planner, which I enjoy handling personally as a year-end tradition. I’m just going to keep creating tangible feelings in my own little ways, turning pages until there aren’t any left.

 Visit Adam’s website.

One of the things that makes UMBC great is how wonderful our alumni, students, faculty, and staff are. Because of these amazing people, UMBC often finds itself “in the news,” so each week, we’ll be sharing with you a round-up of the most newsworthy achievements from our community.

• Kimberly Moffitt, American Studies, on The Marc Steiner Show
• Thomas Schaller, Political Science, Op-Ed in The Baltimore Sun
• Eric Ford, Shriver Center, Advises Prospective College Students on Paths to Success in College Express
• Preminda Jacob, Visual Arts, Examines Visual Culture and Indian Politics in Scroll

Read more at UMBC Insights!

Here at UMBC, we take pride in what our alums accomplish after graduation. Take a moment to see which Retrievers have been on the move and making news!

As Baltimore’s Gamescape, an exhibit at Artscape, moved out of MICA and into the Single Carrot Theatre, Jonathon Moriarty ‘13, computer science and visual arts, prepared to present his game, CAVE, to judges and guests.

Gamescape promotes the rise of “indie developers,” or those who don’t work for big companies.

Moriarty, who first got involved with the exhibit as a member of the game developers club at UMBC, returned for his fifth year at the exhibit as a full-time game developer.

“The rise of indie developers… it’s something that’s happening really the world over and it’s the result of tool sets previously unavailable due to large amounts of money,” said Moriarty to the City Paper. Read more in Technical.ly and the City Paper.

Danielle LaClair ’08, social work, had no reason to worry when her tuition payment plan for Howard County Community College was cancelled.

Recently, the Pathway Scholarship Program, which grants “a county government-funded scholarship designed to make college affordable for county residents in need,” gave $2.5 million to 1,300 student–including LaClair. “It’s eased a lot of my worrying. These scholarships make going back to school that much easier,” said LaClair to The Baltimore Sun. Read more here.

On November 6, 2014, the UMBC Department of Visual Arts IMDA (imaging and digital arts) program will host Neja Tomšič of Slovenia along with Icelandic Fulbright Scholar Jaimes Mayhew ‘10, imaging and digital arts.

This Catalyst event, which will take place from 12 p.m. to 1 p.m., is designed to work with IMDA graduate students in the ITE 110 Flex Lab. Read all of the information here.

Alexandra Shaw Macchi ’14, M.F.A., was recently published in City Paper under her pen name Lexie Mountain. Throughout her article, she addresses the passing of H. Res 676, which gives citizens the ability to sue the president, and the epidemic of imported snails used for moisturizers eating away at Floridian homes. Find her full article here.

One of the things that makes UMBC great is how wonderful our alumni, students, faculty, and staff are. Because of these amazing people, UMBC often finds itself “in the news,” so each week, we’ll be sharing with you a round-up of the most newsworthy achievements from our community.

• Linda Dusman, music, and Eric Smallwood, visual arts, Awarded TEDCO MII Grant
• Maurice Berger, CADVC, Latest “Race Story” in The New York Times
• Irene Chan, visual arts and Asian studies, in Women’s Studio Workshop Spotlight
• Amanda Knapp, Assistant Vice-Provost, in American Motorcyclist

See more great UMBC news at UMBC Insights!

It’s not often you find someone who has an art gallery in their home. But that’s exactly what UMBC professor Carolyn Forestiere and her husband, Asher, decided to do in the fall of 2012 when they opened the David Mikow Gallery in their living room. Make sure to check out their newest addition, Brianna Faulkner ’11, visual arts, on December 13 from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. For more information, click here.

The David Mikow Art Gallery
1002 Vineyard Hill Road
Catonsville, MD 21228

Note: The show is free and open to the public. Light refreshments will be provided.

Every so often, we’ll chat with an alum about what they do and how they got there. Today we’re talking with photographer Marlayna Demond ’11, Visual Arts, about what it’s like to run her own photography business and work for UMBC at the same time.

Name: Marlayna Demond
Job Title: Photographer
Employer: self and UMBC
Scholarships Received at UMBC: Linehan Scholar

Q: Tell us a little bit about how you wound up at UMBC.

I knew I wanted to go somewhere that had a strong art program, but I also knew I didn’t want to go to an art school – I didn’t want to give up the chance to take classes in other departments. I looked at several universities in Maryland, Delaware and Pennsylvania but felt the strongest pull to UMBC, in part because I was awarded the Linehan Scholarship. But I also felt like the size and atmosphere of this university fit me better than any others. I remember the team [of people] helping out with campus tours being really excited, so that helped my decision, too.

As far as my background, my mom is an art and photography teacher at a high school where I grew up, so photography was a part of my life since I was a kid following her around in the darkroom.

Q: What’s it like to run your own photography business?

Running your own business – especially at the beginning – is really hard. But once things get going the best part of the business is word of mouth because it means my clients are happy. The number one way I get new clients is by previous clients sharing their experience with their friends and when I get new clients through recommendations that makes me super happy! My least favorite part is marketing myself, especially in a new [to me] area. I moved from Harford County to Howard County so building up local clients is tough, but it’s finally starting to happen after about a year.

I think UMBC prepared me [to run my own business] with a great network of people and with classes that taught me to think creatively.

Q: You’re also the staff photographer here at UMBC. What’s it like to be back on campus, working at the place you went to school?

I really enjoy working here. I feel comfortable on campus because it’s familiar and I like that I run into some of my professors and friends that are still here. It’s neat to see the campus grow and change – and to stay involved in a way that I might not have otherwise.

Q: Is there a particular class or professor who really inspired you?

All of my photography professors are very approachable. Calla Thompson’s digital darkroom got me interested in digital manipulation and inspired my senior project series. Being involved with the Honors College and Linehan Scholars program also exposed me to a lot of ideas and different art, which are good places to find inspiration!

Q: What advice would you give to students considering UMBC?

Come here! That’s honestly my first thought. It’s a great school – the perfect size for not getting lost in the crowd. Professors are willing to help you and get to know you, but you also have to make an effort and give them a reason to remember you. Take full advantage of your college experience – it’s a great place to make connections and learn from all kinds of people.

Q: What is your favorite part of UMBC?

My proudest memory was completing my senior project and hanging my series in the CADVC gallery as part of the senior show. I spent a lot of time putting it together so it was a great experience to show my work to friends and family. I also have great memories of playing ultimate frisbee. I joined the ultimate frisbee team my senior year and only wish I’d done so sooner because I met a lot of awesome people that I’m still friends with. Everyone says to get involved at school, and I agree – get involved as soon as possible! My other piece of advice is to have fun. There’s no other environment like a university – maybe that’s why I’m still at UMBC!

Check out more of Marlayna’s work on her website.

Picture this: It’s a cool, crisp night and you’re cruising north up Interstate 95, with the city of Baltimore rising up before you. The image of a metropolis can rise and fall with its skyline and its immense iconic representation of the city’s civic aspirations.
Much of Baltimore’s story is written in its skyline. There’s the urban renewal that spawned the National Aquarium and the twin stadiums of South Baltimore, for instance. The city’s history is also etched there in places such as the famous and distinctive Emerson Bromo-Seltzer Tower, which was built in 1911 at the corner of Eutaw and Lombard Streets.
Kelley Bell ’06, M.F.A., a graphic designer and professor at UMBC, was recently given an opportunity to transform the city’s skyline by creating art within the tower’s distinctive clock faces. Her exhibit is based on the renowned astronomical clock in Prague, and features the sun, the moon, and planets and stars circling in orbit around the tower. Bell even did careful calculations to ensure that her representations of heavenly bodies synched up with their celestial counterparts.
Bell moved to Baltimore in 2002, and quickly fell in love with the local art scene. “People are willing to share ideas and collaborate, and that’s an integral part of the work I do,” she explains.
Not long after her arrival, Bell enrolled in UMBC’s Imaging and Graphic Design M.F.A. program. She says the program’s faculty and her fellow students exposed her to new opportunities and ideas within her field, and she ultimately decided to take four years to complete her studies. “That fourth year [at UMBC] was the best thing I’ve done in terms of my development as an artist,” she says.
That last year, in fact, was when Bell started working with a projector as a means of enriching and showcasing her work.
“One of the challenges, for me, was figuring out how to get my work off the screen,” says Bell. “As long as you have that piece of glass separating you from the work, there’s a barrier.”
Bell began the push to move away from the screen by creating a series of expansive gallery installation pieces, but she ultimately moved to using a projector because it allowed for a more manageable and portable experience.
One of the artist’s early projector-based pieces was called “White Light, Black Birds.” It involved Bell driving around Baltimore City and beaming her depictions of ravens on to various historical buildings, as well as sites of less importance, such as gas tanks.
“White Light, Black Birds” was meant to highlight how the natural and necessary act of urban development also has a downside. “There’s so much of Baltimore’s character being lost,” Bell says. “I wanted to see if people were noticing this and if they cared.”
The “White Light, Black Birds” project gave Bell a new insight into her own artistic passions and how they might express her concerns about architecture as history and the use of public space. It drove her to experiment with projection, to see how light would look on different buildings. And it ultimately led to her work with the Bromo-Seltzer Tower, which Bell sees as a great honor.
This most recent exhibition is actually Bell’s second project with the Bromo-Seltzer Tower. A few years ago, Bell met with the tower’s manager because she was interested in projecting art on the outside of the building. Instead, he showed her the glass faces of the clocks, and Bell was hooked. After months of testing, she projected blue bubbles onto the clock faces, echoing the fizz and pop of the tower’s antacid namesake. This bubbly project set the stage for the new celestial exhibit, and Bell couldn’t be more pleased with the results.
“This is the highest point you can get to,” she says. “I go up in that tower and I think, ‘I’m the luckiest person in Baltimore. This is my office.’ How many people can say that?”
— Meredith Purvis
Photo: Josh Sisk/joshsisk.com

Picture this: It’s a cool, crisp night and you’re cruising north up Interstate 95, with the city of Baltimore rising up before you. The image of a metropolis can rise and fall with its skyline and its immense iconic representation of the city’s civic aspirations.

Much of Baltimore’s story is written in its skyline. There’s the urban renewal that spawned the National Aquarium and the twin stadiums of South Baltimore, for instance. The city’s history is also etched there in places such as the famous and distinctive Emerson Bromo-Seltzer Tower, which was built in 1911 at the corner of Eutaw and Lombard Streets.

Kelley Bell ’06, M.F.A., a graphic designer and professor at UMBC, was recently given an opportunity to transform the city’s skyline by creating art within the tower’s distinctive clock faces. Her exhibit is based on the renowned astronomical clock in Prague, and features the sun, the moon, and planets and stars circling in orbit around the tower. Bell even did careful calculations to ensure that her representations of heavenly bodies synched up with their celestial counterparts.

Bell moved to Baltimore in 2002, and quickly fell in love with the local art scene. “People are willing to share ideas and collaborate, and that’s an integral part of the work I do,” she explains.

Not long after her arrival, Bell enrolled in UMBC’s Imaging and Graphic Design M.F.A. program. She says the program’s faculty and her fellow students exposed her to new opportunities and ideas within her field, and she ultimately decided to take four years to complete her studies. “That fourth year [at UMBC] was the best thing I’ve done in terms of my development as an artist,” she says.

That last year, in fact, was when Bell started working with a projector as a means of enriching and showcasing her work.

“One of the challenges, for me, was figuring out how to get my work off the screen,” says Bell. “As long as you have that piece of glass separating you from the work, there’s a barrier.”

Bell began the push to move away from the screen by creating a series of expansive gallery installation pieces, but she ultimately moved to using a projector because it allowed for a more manageable and portable experience.

One of the artist’s early projector-based pieces was called “White Light, Black Birds.” It involved Bell driving around Baltimore City and beaming her depictions of ravens on to various historical buildings, as well as sites of less importance, such as gas tanks.

“White Light, Black Birds” was meant to highlight how the natural and necessary act of urban development also has a downside. “There’s so much of Baltimore’s character being lost,” Bell says. “I wanted to see if people were noticing this and if they cared.”

The “White Light, Black Birds” project gave Bell a new insight into her own artistic passions and how they might express her concerns about architecture as history and the use of public space. It drove her to experiment with projection, to see how light would look on different buildings. And it ultimately led to her work with the Bromo-Seltzer Tower, which Bell sees as a great honor.

This most recent exhibition is actually Bell’s second project with the Bromo-Seltzer Tower. A few years ago, Bell met with the tower’s manager because she was interested in projecting art on the outside of the building. Instead, he showed her the glass faces of the clocks, and Bell was hooked. After months of testing, she projected blue bubbles onto the clock faces, echoing the fizz and pop of the tower’s antacid namesake. This bubbly project set the stage for the new celestial exhibit, and Bell couldn’t be more pleased with the results.

“This is the highest point you can get to,” she says. “I go up in that tower and I think, ‘I’m the luckiest person in Baltimore. This is my office.’ How many people can say that?”

— Meredith Purvis
Photo: Josh Sisk/joshsisk.com