Art is a medium for expression with many different forms. Art can be a poem, a painting, even a photograph, among many other things, and all these pieces symbolize a movement within the artist. Whether the piece reflects an experience of the artist, visually explains thoughts and emotions, or is made simply to be admired for its beauty, art has meaning.
UMBC’s Albin O. Kuhn Library Gallery is showcasing Our People, Our Land, Our Images. This is a photography exhibit displaying the works of artists native to North America, Peru, Iraq and New Zealand.
Part of the beauty of this exhibit is the variation. All the pieces have individual characteristics that touch each viewer in a different way. Each photo has a different purpose and evokes a unique emotion, and yet, this collection of art effortlessly meshes together and represents a wide range of artists with diverse backgrounds.
Martin Chambi, a member of the Quechua from Peru, featured a photo titled “El Gigante de Paruro y Victor.” He focused his photography on his culture. He was inspired to capture the realism in his community. He found art in everyday characteristics of his environment including people, buildings and other inanimate objects.
Chambi publicized his culture, turning the everyday parts of his life into art. He invited his people and members of other cultures to look at Peru in a different perspective. Although drained of color, his photographs present a unique reality that interests the audience and encourages them to explore the culture’s history and lifestyle.
Bertha Felix Campigli contributed two photos to the exhibit titled “Lairds Landing” and “A View of Our Home.” Campigli was raised in Tomales Bay, California. However, she and her family were of Coast Miwok descent.
Campigli’s grandmother lived in Lairds Landing, and after her grandmother had passed, her grandfather and uncle took over her house until 1955 when a local rancher claimed the land to be his. This house carried history beyond documentation, but because there was no physical proof that the house had belonged to her grandparents, they lost it in a trial.
Campigli’s grandmother’s house in Laird Landing stands as a symbol of her heritage and ancestors. The history behind that house goes beyond the discrepancies over ownership, and Campigli used photography to capture the legacy that that house represents.
Benjamin A. Haldane took a photo titled, “Haldane Studio” featured in this exhibit. Haldane, at the age of thirteen, migrated from British Columbia to Alaska with fellow Tsimshian people. They were migrating in search of religious freedom and the right to own land. He and his people sought the basic human rights that most Europeans were born with.
Inspired by this inequality between cultures, Haldane took photographs that brought attention to European wealth and respectability. These photographs encourage the audience to compare this ideal, European lifestyle to the realistic, common lives of those belonging to other cultures. To do this, he took photos of his community in its most natural form.
Haldane was not afraid to impact his audience. He used his photography as a way to influence others to step outside their biases and normalities and see how life truly is for members of other cultures. His images showed the difficult battles his people had to fight in order to continue practicing their traditions. His images demand realization, and, most of all, empathy.
This an extremely influential photography exhibit that every student can benefit from. It opens the viewer’s eyes to different ways of life that are carried both in memory and present day. These photographs capture culture in a captivating, memorable way.
Our People, Our Land, Our Images will be presented at the library until March 18. The gallery is open from 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday, until 8 p.m. on Thursdays, and from noon to 5 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday.
Name:Anna Gifty Opoku-Agyeman
Internship, Co-op or Research Site:Summer Research Initiative (SRI) at the University of Maryland, College Park
Position Title:Undergraduate Research Assistant in the Department of Economics
Major(s)/Minor(s):Mathematics and Economics
Work Term:Summer 2017
Tell us about your internship, co-op, or research opportunity, including your day-to-day responsibilities.
I worked on an independent project under the supervision of Dr. Judith Hellerstein and Sai Luo in the Department of Economics at the University of Maryland, College Park's School of Behavioral and Social Sciences. My project focused on labor force non-participation rates among prime-age men (ages 25-44) in the United States. On a daily basis, I used the statistical software, STATA, to clean up the raw data from non-Hispanic Whites, non-Hispanic Blacks, and Hispanics. I eventually conducted statistical tests on the overall declining trend in labor force participation rate (LFPR) and the racial/ethnic gaps in that exist in LFPR. Other components of the program included attending graduate school preparation workshops and meeting with leaders in the field.
Describe the process of obtaining your position. When did you hear of the position and submit your application?
I found out about this position through Dr. Tim Gindling of the Department of Economics and a friend, Brandon Enriquez. Dr. Gindling informed me of Dr. Jessica Goldberg, a development economics professor at the University of Maryland-College Park. She and I spoke over the phone for short time about her research. Eventually, she passed me to her colleague, Dr. Hellerstein, because she didn’t have work for me to do. Brandon also informed me to apply to research positions through the Big 10 Network. Both situations worked together for my good, and I obtained the position right before Spring Break. Before I submitted my application, I reached out to my go-to Career Center advisor, Ms. Susan Hindle. She is a reliable resource and assisted me in countless drafts of my essays and resumes.
What have you enjoyed the most about your position or organization?
Perhaps what I enjoyed most about my position was the research, mentoring, and networking. Before this summer, I had not taken a statistics course in over five years and I was unaware of how to code in STATA. I appreciated learning about the statistical software and was excited to eventually use the software to answer the questions I had about the data. Secondly, I had a fantastic mentor: Dr. Judith Hellerstein. Her and I met on a weekly to bi-weekly basis to discuss my progress on the project and career goals. She and I still talk regularly to this day, and I can say that she has fundamentally changed the course of my career. Lastly, I loved how the SRI program required us to go out of our comfort zone and reach out to leaders in the field. At first it was daunting, many of these folks are in high positions at important organizations. However, I am glad I participated in this aspect of program. I was able to visit the World Bank for the first time and speak with an economist that worked closely with President Obama during the financial crisis.
How do you believe you have made an impact through your work?
The steady decline in LFPR for all prime-age males is concerning since we expect these men to be working and contributing to society in a productive way. Understanding why American prime-age men are leaving the labor force helps us better understand the flaws that exist in our current labor market. For example, the United States does not have many programs that help people find jobs or improve their skills. Sometimes when we hear that the unemployment rate is low, we associate that with job growth or economic stability. However, the labor force participation rate (LFPR) is a much more telling statistic that shows us who is actively looking for work or who is employed. In regards to the racial gap in LFPR, I found that educational attainment contributes to some of the gap between Blacks and Whites. This finding could be used by policymakers to advocate for educational initiatives for black males who have obtained a high school degree or less.
What advice would you give to another student who is seeking an internship or similar experience?
My advice is to not be afraid to call someone and strike up a conversation. I doubt that I would have been accepted if I had not spoken with Dr. Goldberg. Our conversation was 12 minutes, but it launched into an 8-week internship (of course, I had to be qualified too!). I believe that the power of networking can change your circumstances. I also advise that when you obtain an internship, do the best that you can and do not be afraid to ask questions. How you perform in the internship can open doors for you in the future and take you to the next level professionally.
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]]>Position Summary: Provides MICA with the vision and leadership for a comprehensive professional development program, serving undergraduates, graduate students, and alumni. Applications received by March 11, 2018 are best assured of receiving full consideration.
General Purpose: In conjunction with the Associate Dean for Student Integrated Learning establishes the overall vision for professional development at MICA, in addition to providing direct service to students and alumni.
Major Role Functions:
The atmosphere was electric on Saturday, Feb. 3, as UMBC put on a show for the highly anticipated debut of the Event Center. “(It was) an amazing turnout” said coach Odom after the game. The Retriever fans packed the stands with 4,753 people in attendance to watch the first basketball game to ever be played in the new building. The stars were aligned for this to be one of the greatest days in UMBC history, but Vermont had other plans.
The night began as UMBC president Freeman Hrabowski cut the ceremonial ribbon to consummate the opening of the new arena. Then, the new bells and whistles of the arena were put on full display as the lights were dimmed, yellow lights beamed upon the court, and the starting lineups were announced. “We were really pleased with how the presentation went,” said Coach Odom. The fans in attendance seemed to be pleased as well, especially the student section who sat in awe, dazzled by all of the new features the arena had to offer.
The game started with Vermont missing a shot and UMBC missing one shortly after. It was then that the full effect of the arena could truly be felt, as Vermont rebounded the ball and took it up the court. The crowd’s voice was impressive, and UMBC quickly transformed itself from an easy place of play to a menacing home court as freshman Daniel Akin blocked a shot attempt from Vermont. The stadium rocked with excitement as the Vermont player fell to the court and kept rocking until senior guard Jairus Lyles drove to the basket to score the first ever Retriever points in the Event Center.
Sadly the crowd would not be enough to propel UMBC to a win over the 24-0 (in conference over the last 2 seasons) Vermont team. UMBC would come storming back from an early deficit to keep the first half interesting. The first half was filled with lead changes and exciting plays, but the Retrievers were visibly over-matched in the paint area where they met their downfall. Vermont would make a deflating shot with 6 seconds left in the half, and from there, things would only get worse for the Retrievers. In the second half, Vermont attacked the paint consistently, exposing UMBC’s weak interior defense to the tune of a 42-21 second half.
UMBC would eventually fall to Vermont 81-53 and suffer their first home loss of the season.The one bright spot on the court for the night was Jairus Lyles. In addition to scoring the first points in the history of the Event Center, Lyles would accumulate 27 points and 4 rebounds. Lyles also made 4 three-pointers on the night.
Women’s basketball followed suit at home on Thursday, Feb. 8 in their Event Center debut with a 68-53 loss to Binghamton, while the men redeemed themselves, winning two conference away games at Binghamton and New Hampshire. The boys will host Albany on Sunday, Feb. 18 as they move closer to the end of their season.
]]>The UMBC women’s basketball team played their first game in the new UMBC Event Center against Binghamton on Thursday, Feb. 8. Coming off of a thrilling one point victory in Vermont, the Retrievers looked to continue their attempt to salvage what has been a disappointing season thus far.
The women’s team has shown flashes of greatness at points during the season, but they have been plagued by injuries as well. During some points of the year, the Retrievers have only been able to dress as few as seven players for games, causing their energy to fade throughout the game. Though fatigue and mental errors have been a theme for the Retrievers this season, they are still determined to get better every time they step on the court as they aim to shock the conference in the America East Playoffs in March.
It was a cold night in Catonsville, and the crowd inside of the Event Center was… eerie at best. Coming into the game, the team had a dismal record of 3-20, and the lack of support for the women’s basketball team was disheartening. Saturday at the men’s basketball game, the Event Center was electric as tickets flew from the ticket window and over 4,000 fans were in attendance. On Thursday, the Event Center had just 514 fans in attendance. Even as the Retrievers played three solid quarters of basketball, scattered applause and ominous silence filled the arena most of the evening.
In the first half, the Retrievers played a strong game. They matched Binghamton basket for basket and eventually were able to take a 6-point lead. As is a common theme so far this season, the Retrievers would eventually succumb to fatigue, and make mental mistakes in the late third and early fourth quarters. UMBC trailed by almost 30 at one point, until senior public health major and team guard Laura Castaldo made consecutive three-point shots. The team made key defensive stops and cut the deficit to 15. Time expired, however, and UMBC dropped to 2-9 in the America East Conference. Laura Castaldo lead the team with 20 points, while playing all 40 minutes of the game. Redshirt senior media and communications major and team guard Brittany Burgess registered a double-double with 10 points and 11 rebounds while playing all but the final minute.
The Retrievers played again at home on Sunday against New Hampshire, finishing with yet another loss of 51-46. So, come out and support the UMBC women’s basketball team, these ladies work hard and deserve your support.
]]>The UMBC men’s lacrosse team started their season in the rain on Saturday, Feb. 10, downing the Richmond Spiders 9-6. The team began with an early goal from junior political science major Billy Nolan less than 2 minutes into the game. The Retrievers went down from there, giving up 4 quick goals to cause a goalkeeper change. Head coach Ryan Moran elected to bring in freshman Tommy Lingner to stop the Spider’s attack.
Local high school teammates freshmen Steven Zichelli and Trevor Patschorke each played well on attack for the Retrievers, scoring 2 goals each, with Zichelli picking up 2 assists. The offense worked together for UMBC, blending the midfield and the attack into one strong offensive unit. The offense tallied 25 shots throughout the course of action, putting 15 on target, and scoring 9 goals.
Richmond entered the game ranked No. 20 in the nation according to an Inside Lacrosse national poll, and came out of the gates firing on all cylinders. The turning point in the game for UMBC came when freshman Tommy Lingner was called upon to takeover as goalie. Lingner stopped 13 of the 15 shots he faced after entering the game in the ninth minute. Richmond shot the ball 35 times, including 21 on goal, but scored only 6 times.
Billy Nolan would finish the game with a hat trick and one assist, and was a valuable player on the field for UMBC. On paper, Richmond was the better team, but in the end, the scoreboard awarded a victory to the Retrievers.
This was the first win for UMBC against Richmond since 2015 which ended 9-5, and their first season opener win since 2011 against Presbyterian College. The Retrievers Men’s Lacrosse team will now face the United States Naval Academy on Feb. 17 at 1:30 p.m. in Annapolis.
]]>Everyman Theatre's Development Associate is a crucial part of a growing four-person Development team that is responsible for raising half of the organization’s budget annually. The ideal candidate for this position is someone who is eager to join a fast-paced fundraising team and is ready to hit the ground running. The Development Associate reports to the Director of Development and is responsible for development-related database functions to support the department in achieving its fundraising goals, stewarding donors, and maintaining financial records of donations.
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