This month’s Urbanite cover story “El Nuevo Baltimore” begins with a compelling premise: “Baltimore’s burgeoning Hispanic community could be a force for broader change—but only if we can make them welcome here.” In the extensive piece, Donald Norris, chair of public policy at UMBC, explains why the economic impact of Latino Baltimore residents has so far been limited, despite robust population growth.

Norris suggests that currently “there is only so much in the form of gentrification that they can do,” given that many Latinos who move to the US are working class and “here for the economic opportunity.” The article notes that Baltimore’s Latino population currently has a median household income of $37,868, versus $54,514 for white residents.

Christine Routzahn, Shriver Center Director of Professional Practice, comments on the increasing value and popularity of internship opportunities in this month’s new issue of Diversity/Careers in Engineering & Information Technology (click and scroll to page 46).

“Students need to distinguish themselves from others to ensure that they can compete in a tight job market,” Routzahn says. She also suggests internships are valuable not only for students, but also for companies, who appreciate hiring from a pool of talented job candidates whom they’ve already worked with and trained.

The article notes that the Shriver Center “coordinates more than 1,700 UMBC student intern, co-op and research placements at more than 500 public and private organizations around the globe,” and these figures increase annually. Learn more about UMBC’s 2011 interns and their experiences at the UMBC website.

Sara Poggio, associate professor of Modern Languages, Linguistics, and Intercultural Communication (MLLI), is included in the new book “Migraciones Internacionales Contemporáneas: Estudios para el Debate,” which was edited by Cynthia Pizarro.  Poggio’s chapter, ““Evaluando Los Costos Y Beneficios De La  Experiencia Transnacional: Madres Centro-Americanas En El Estado De Maryland,” explores the transnational experience of Central American mothers in Maryland.

Nicoleta Bazgan, assistant professor of MLLI, published an article in the journal “Contemporary French Civilization” Her article is entitled “From Bardot to Binoche: the Pygmalion Myth and Artistic Collaboration.”

“Taylor Swift is a sweet gal and I just read where she made $45 million last year. She’s got a fine voice. But listen to her sing. And then listen to Patsy Cline do ‘Crazy’ or ‘I Fall To Pieces.’ I rest my case,” writes Christopher Corbett, professor of the practice of English, in “Radio Days,” his latest essay in Style magazine.  In the piece, Corbett recalls his first job at a country and western radio station in Maine.

“Alas, the country and western life was not the life for me. I took a turn for the worse and wound up a journalist,” says Corbett.

The essay appeared in the December issue of the magazine.