I have noticed Mondays do not work for many people to come to the Prayer Walk- at least, not so early at 8:30 a.m. on Mondays! Therefore, I created a survey for you to let me know when is best for you to meet for a time of prayer over the UMBC campus and community. I will choose from the most requested times after the survey is done. You have until March 28, 2015, at 12:00 a.m.!

For those who cannot access the website via the "Visit Website" box, the link is: 

http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/JVFJWGN

Blessings,

Michelle Czarnecki, UCC Prayer Team and Event Coordinator

A UMBC student with aspirations for sports marketing and cultural awareness highlights some of his favorite people and places to see.

What is your name, major, and year?

My name is Charles DeBow IV, a senior who is majoring in media and communication studies and minoring in american studies.

 

Where are you from (city, county, state)?

I am originally from Rockville in Montgomery County.

 

Who do you admire and why?

I admire both my parents and my grandfather. My parents made huge sacrifices for me up to this point in terms of affording me food, shelter, clothes and importantly education. My grandfather was one of the Tuskegee Airmen who was able to do his patriotic duty of serving America in a time when things were unequal. Against all odds, he maintained his dignity with relating to the white fighter pilots he flew with, and he proved that black pilots were just as good as the white pilots.

 

What is your career goal?

I am very fascinated with basketball, football and hockey. I aspire to own a sports marketing business out of any of these genres.

 

If you could change one thing about the world, what would it be?

If I could, I would change how people accept others from different ethnic backgrounds and religious beliefs. People should be not so narrow-minded in getting to know other cultures because all are equally one in the human race.

 

Describe something about you that uniquely stands out.

I am a stickler for no nonsense because I am more pursuant in being successful aside from my other friends. There is a time to play and a time to work.

 

What do you like most about UMBC?

I mostly like how diverse the campus is because you meet people here that you normally would not meet. I like learning about new cultures and discussing my own with others, especially in finding employment and interacting with people unlike me.

 

What activities do you participate in on campus?

I am not necessarily active here other than playing on the ice hockey team, but I do like spending time with my friends either in the library or in the classroom. It makes the day go by faster.

 

Who is the celebrity you would like to meet; what would you do with him/her?

I would like to meet singer Rozonda ‘Chilli’ Thomas from the 1990s R&B group TLC and get to know her journey to stardom.

 

What is/are your favorite thing(s) to do outside of UMBC?

I typically enjoy going out into adjacent D.C. and exploring the fun happenings for that night. I also enjoy listening to music, bowling and playing basketball in my spare time.

 

What is your favorite genre of television (comedy, competition, reality, etc.) and why?

I enjoy watching all of the aforementioned genres, stand-up from comedian Katt Williams for good ole laughs, Steve Harvey as host of game show Family Feud and the ratchet-ness from Love and Hip-Hop: Atlanta on VH1.

 

What kind of music do you like?

I like music that is unique, so I am into hip-hop, R&B and jazz. I enjoy old-school R&B music like Ohio Players, Parliament Funkadelic, James Brown and others who make it funky!

 

If you met Dr. Hrabowski (UMBC President), what would you say to him?

If I met Dr. Hrabowski, I would request a meeting with him about how we could help improve the issues on campus that often get unaddressed.

 

Photo credit: provided by student Charles DeBow

Compiled by the Retriever Weekly Features Staff

Virgo-The cockroach scuttling around the weight room will give you chills, but once you see how much he can squat, you’ll just be impressed.

Libra-The sun warming your skin, a cool breeze on your cheek, the sound of your friend’s laughter — sometimes it’s hard to believe that none of this is real.

Scorpio-Nightclubs have never been your scene, but the detective sitting across the table simply won’t buy it.

Sagittarius-Your claim that you didn’t touch your roommate’s cheesy poofs will fall apart when you are betrayed by your dusty, dirty, orange fingers.

Capricorn-Thanks to some help from above, your petition to establish an Ancient Aliens studies major will be a huge success.

Aquarius-People won’t be able to tell if you are starting your holiday shopping very late or very early. Keep them guessing.

Pisces-Your snow dance will backfire when you misstep and summon cold rain instead. Damn you.

Aries-People will continue to give you crap for wearing shorts this week, but what they don’t know is that this isn’t even your final form.

Taurus-It’s finally time for you to sit down and knock this paper out. Better hop on Facebook for some quick inspiration first, though.

Gemini-You’ll be a little worse for the wear after falling down seven flights of stairs, but on the bright side, you beat the elevator down.

Cancer-Your new internship will play out exactly like The Office, but is that really a bad thing?

Leo-No one in their right mind would try cooking outside in this weather. Good thing you brought the grill inside, right?

 

Dinner held on Main Street encourages discussion about social justice

 Hillel, the organization for Jewish campus life, hosts a dinner and discussion about bravery. The evening is a tie-in for social justice week.

It is Friday night, a time typically dedicated to parties, wild outings or a long, quiet evening with Netflix. At UMBC, 40 students choose instead to gather on Main Street in the Commons to discuss bravery and social justice over dinner. The evening is hosted by Hillel, a national organization that supports Jewish students in their campus communities.

The event is called “Ask Big Questions Shabbat.” Shabbat is a day of rest for those of the Jewish faith which lasts from Friday evening through Saturday. The “Ask Big Questions” events are intended to get students to have conversations about how they can impact their community.

Hillel hosts the Shabbat dinners twice a month. One is smaller with more of a religious focus and is held in the Interfaith Center. The second is in The Commons and intended for community building.

Those who attended are as diverse as UMBCs student body. The faiths and backgrounds of the students vary. Some came because of the free food, but many more share a passion for social justice.

The event is led by Joe Levin-Manning, Hillel’s director of engagement. Manning said that the Hillel events have been well received and that students of all faiths have been getting involved. Part of Hillel’s goal is to help students recognize the value of community.

“We subscribe to the philosophy of UMBC being a family,” said Manning.

A Tex-Mex buffet was warmed by sterno candles. The scent of cilantro and salsa was tempting, but dinner was not served until after group discussions.

At six round tables, students read through packets of questions dealing with the topic of bravery. They were asked to describe a time when they had to be brave and how they can incorporate bravery into their work with social justice. Conversation was a little stilted as these were questions students may not have given much thought.

After the discussion, the traditional Shabbat prayer was recited, led by Manning. Student Hillel members recite the prayers in Hebrew. Cards were available with the phonetic prayer and english translation so that everyone can follow along.

There were three prayers. After the first, students drank from small cups of grape juice. The second one was performed by students who chose to wash their hands. After the third is recited, students break bread together.

Two friends, Semir Abdul, a sophomore majoring in environmental science, and Micahyas Akama, a freshman majoring in global studies came to the event together. Both men are interested in social justice and helping their communities.

“I didn’t know [the event] would be about Judaism,” Abdul said, “but I took away how I can be brave.”

Akama thought it was interesting to learn about Jewish culture. Although the event had religious tones, he felt it was also about confidence building and learning to confront your fears.

Akama said, “When it comes to social justice and bravery, in order to deviate from the norms you have to be brave.”