Dresher Center Expands Humanities Scholarship at UMBC

A recent gift from the Dresher Foundation will expand the scope and reach of UMBC’s James T. and Virginia M. Dresher Center for the Humanities, originally established in 1996 as the Center for the Humanities. A dedication will be held Tuesday, September 18, 4 to 6 p.m. at the Albin O. Kuhn Library.

“The new Dresher Center will engage scholars, students, visiting fellows and the community with the wide-ranging perspectives of scholarship in language, linguistics, literature, philosophy and ethics, history, culture, gender, race and ethnicity,” said Rebecca Boehling, director of the Dresher Center and associate professor of history.

The Dresher Center is also home to the Humanities Forum, an annual series of speakers and events, and the Humanities Scholars Program, which provides financial support and special academic experiences for outstanding UMBC undergraduates concentrating in the humanities. The center will begin sponsoring grant-writing workshops and forums for UMBC and visiting scholars to present their works in progress.

Dean of the College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences John Jeffries said, “The Dresher Center for the Humanities marks a significant step forward for UMBC. Research and teaching in the humanities are central to UMBC, as to any research university. While humanities scholarship at UMBC is already exceptional, as demonstrated by the level of faculty publications and distinctions, the new Dresher Center will not only enable additional support for faculty and student research but will also make UMBC’s humanities scholarship better known both on campus and off.

“With Rebecca Boehling as director and Michele Osherow as associate director, and with endowment money from the Dresher Foundation and other sources as part of UMBC’s capital campaign, the Dresher Center is already off to a splendid start,” Jeffries added.

Please click here to RSVP to the Dresher Center dedication.

(9/7/07)

© 2006-07 University of Maryland, Baltimore County � 1000 Hilltop Circle, Baltimore, MD 21250 � 410-455-1000 �

A pioneering and unique Digital Storytelling Project organized by UMBC's New Media Studio and funded by Retirement Living TV (RLTV) has won a Bronze Telly Award. The prestigious Telly Award cites the Digital Storytelling Project as being among the world's best in local, regional, and cable television commercials and programs, as well as among the finest in video and film production. This year's Telly Awards received over 13,000 entries from all 50 states and 5 continents.

The Digital Storytelling Project combines the efforts of RLTV, UMBC and Charlestown Retirement Community. It partners a UMBC undergraduate student (hands-on with the media technology) with a Charlestown resident (autobiographical story and narrative) to produce 2-3 minute video stories. Drawn from the life experiences of the residents, the stories combine narration, animation and photography. The award-winning digital stories can be viewed at:
www.umbc.edu/oit/newmedia/studio/digitalstories/ctds.php

The Digital Storytelling Project is the nation's first three-way partnership between a media company, a university and a retirement community. UMBC students team with Charlestown residents to create a series of 17 digital stories and music in short movies to be shared with others. Charlestown residents work closely with student partners, acting as author and creative director of their individual story. Each student brings their own style and talents to the project, helping to create some unique examples of intergenerational storytelling. The project is organized and supervised by UMBC's New Media Studio.

Student award winners Jorge Rios, An Nguyen-Gia, Samantha Duvall, Andrew Chang, Joanna Lit, and Cathryna Brown received their statues at a ceremony held on September 12 at Charlestown. Andrea Olivier, not pictured. also received a statue.

"We are honored that the television industry has recognized the hard work that went into producing these fascinating digital stories," said Brad Knight, president of RLTV. "The digital stories are reality TV at its finest. They provide a rich, intergenerational experience for Charlestown residents and UMBC students."Winning an award like the Telly is significant in that it acknowledges that stories drawn from the life experiences of retirees with a wider audience," said Knight. "It is also gratifying that the award recognizes the entire collection of work from the Charlestown project. It is very much a group process and every story enriched the experience."

Andrea Olivier with RL-TV president Brad Knight

A Family Affair

When Sue Hahn, an administrative assistant in UMBC’s Faculty Development Center, walks across the stage to receive her B.A. in American studies cum laude at the University’s Winter Commencement, she’ll be preceded by her daughter, Patricia (“Tricia”), who will receive the same degree.

“I always promised myself I would go to college one day,” said Sue, who enrolled at UMBC in 1996. Tricia, who graduated from Catonsville’s Mount De Sales Academy in 2002, came to UMBC in 2003 after a semester at the Community College of Baltimore County in Catonsville. But Sue and Tricia aren’t the only Hahn family members to attend UMBC: Sue’s husband, Jeff, and son Josh graduated in 1971 and 2002, respectively. Jeff was a member of the first incoming class at UMBC in the fall of 1966; he attended two years at UMBC with a concentration in pre-pharmacy, and graduated from the University of Maryland School of Pharmacy in 1971. Son Tim and two of Jeff’s brothers also attended UMBC.

Both mother and daughter appreciated the challenges of the American studies program and the UMBC curriculum. “I liked the opportunity for critical thinking, to express my opinions through papers, group work and presentations,” said Tricia, who also is receiving a certificate in Communications and Media Studies and hopes to begin a career in pharmaceutical sales after graduation.

Sue enjoyed her new role as a student after being a staff member since 1973 and even had the opportunity to take classes with Tricia and Josh. “I gained a real understanding and appreciation for what our students go through,” she explained. “I loved every minute of it, and enjoyed being with the younger students. I’ve noticed how increasingly serious UMBC students have become, and they helped to motivate me. They were an inspiration for me to do my best.”

Sue also hopes other UMBC employees will take advantage of their tuition remission benefit: “It’s a wonderful way to challenge and better oneself, and I highly encourage anyone to be a UMBC student to gain new perspectives and insights about themselves, as well as gain a better understanding of our campus.”

(12/18/06)

© 2006-07 University of Maryland, Baltimore County � 1000 Hilltop Circle, Baltimore, MD 21250 � 410-455-1000 �

lumnus Ian Ralby Receives Gates Cambridge Scholarship

Alumni Scholarships Support Students Committed to the Advancement of Minorities

Several UMBC alumni have recognized that not all prospective college students or current UMBC students have the financial resources and community support to attend the University or continue their studies if he or she is an existing student. In an effort to support and inspire current and future UMBC students, these alumni have established two scholarships, the Second Generation Scholarship and the Esperanza Endowment Fund, to provide financial assistance to outstanding UMBC students committed to the advancement of minorities.

Second Generation Scholarship
A group of African American alumni started the Second Generation Scholarship in 1986 as a means to give back to the campus and become more involved in UMBC. The scholarship provides $1,000 to continuing students whose money for college often decreases the longer they stay in college. With the scholarship, students are able to remain at UMBC and eventually graduate. Although the scholarship amount varies each year, recipients have received awards ranging from $500 to $1,000. Among the requirements, scholarship candidates must be currently enrolled or have taken a course in Africana studies and demonstrate a commitment to improving the lives of minorities through community service, extracurricular activities or other community involvement.

Aamena Chadry, a senior bio-psychology and pre-medicine major, one of two 2006-2007 Second Generation Scholars and a two-time recipient said, “Being a full time student, it’s hard at times trying to manage all the finances that an undergraduate education requires. The Second Generation Scholarship has decreased a burden to a great extent by paying for my books that my classes require every semester.”

(For more information, contact Kim Robinson in the Office of Institutional Advancement at 410-455-3700 or the Office of Alumni Relations or call 410-455-2632.)

Esperanza Endowment Fund
The Esperanza Endowment Fund, established in February 2007 by five Latino members of the Black and Latino alumni committee, supports students of Latino ancestry and also promotes awareness of the rich Latino and Hispanic heritage of UMBC alumni and students. The committee hopes to endow this scholarship by raising $25,000 in the next five years, ensuring that it becomes a permanent resource for future generations.

“I think it’s important that we are able to give back. People who support initiatives like this are providing tools to encourage students to finish school and promote future leaders,” said committee member Joe Morales ’00, who earned a biochemistry and molecular biology degree and is now a patent attorney.

The Committee will sponsor a brunch, Legends of Excellence: 40 Years of Inspiring African American and Latino Students, to acknowledge the extraordinary individual contributions of faculty and staff who have significantly impacted the lives of UMBC’s African American and Latino students over the past 40 years. The event will be held on April 14 from 11-2 p.m. in the UMBC University Center Ballroom. Funds raised will support the newly created Esperanza Scholarship Fund and the Second Generation Scholarship.

Contributions to support the Esperanza Endowment Fund and the Second Generation Scholarship are also being accepted at http://retrievernet.umbc.edu/support (under “other designation,” type Esperanza Fund or Second Generation Scholarship), or contact the Office of Alumni Relations at 410-455-2632 or alum@umbc.edu for more information. For details on Legends of Excellence, including the award recipients, visit http://retrievernet.umbc.edu/legendsofexcellence.

(3/16/07)

© 2006-07 University of Maryland, Baltimore County � 1000 Hilltop Circle, Baltimore, MD 21250 � 410-455-1000 �

Alumnus Ian M. Ralby Receives Prestigious Gates Cambridge Scholarship

Ian M. Ralby, UMBC’s 2002 Valedictorian, will enter the M.Phil. program in International Relations at Cambridge University with funding provided by the Gates Cambridge Scholarship, considered one of the world’s most selective academic awards.

“President Hrabowski and UMBC helped me to become a Gates Cambridge Scholar,” said Ralby, who graduated with a B.A. in Modern Languages and Linguistics and a M.A. in Intercultural Communication. “UMBC nurtured my intellectual curiosity. My work in modern languages and linguistics and intercultural communication helped solidify my passion for international affairs. Through study abroad in Switzerland–made possible by my Humanities Scholarship–I discovered the field of international conflict resolution. UMBC has continued to support me throughout my time in law school and in the practice of law. President Hrabowski remains an important mentor and role model for me. His support has been instrumental in helping me get to where I am today.”

While completing his J.D. at the College of William and Mary in 2005, Ralby was part of a legal team that worked with the U.S. Department of Justice to provide legal research and support for the Iraqi High Tribunal as it prepared its legal case against Saddam Hussein.

When Ralby begins his studies at Cambridge in fall 2007, he plans to focus on means of establishing the rule of law in post-conflict societies, examining how post-conflict justice processes could be better used to facilitate reconstruction. He intends to continue studying for a Ph.D. in International Relations. Ultimately, Ralby plans to devote his career toward assisting failed states as they attempt to recover from collapse.

Since earning admission to the Virginia state bar, Ralby has served as an associate in the Norfolk, Va., office of Hunton & Williams, an international law firm with offices in New York, Washington, D.C., London, Beijing and Brussels.

Read the full news release.

(3/5/07)

© 2006-07 University of Maryland, Baltimore County � 1000 Hilltop Circle, Baltimore, MD 21250 � 410-455-1000 �

Celebrating Student Research

UMBC is a place that believes hands-on research and discovery is an essential part of the student experience. This week, two campus events put the creativity and curiosity of UMBC student research from across the disciplines on public display.

Undergraduate Research and Creative Achievement Day (URCAD) starts things off on Wednesday, April 25, followed by the 29th annual Graduate Research Conference (GRC) on Friday, April 27. The week presents an extraordinary opportunity for the public and campus community to explore original, interdisciplinary research findings through oral and poster presentations and to enjoy free arts performances and exhibits.

Having grown steadily since being founded in 1997 by the Office of the Provost, URCAD is now a project of the Office of Undergraduate Education. The URCAD experience gives students valuable experience preparing for graduate school or future careers. Many URCAD projects are funded by Undergraduate Research Awards (URA), competitive grants of up to $1,500 given annually to support student research over an academic year.

UMBC has declared this week Graduate Student Week, and UMBC�s Graduate Student Association has planned lectures, workshops, and a variety of festivities to enrich the lives of the University�s over 2,300 graduate students. The GRC is a chance for UMBC and University of Maryland, Baltimore grad students from different disciplines to share research ideas and learn more about the process of preparing for a scientific meeting.

Visitors to URCAD and the GRC will experience a broad spectrum of outstanding student research, including:

• Like many of his peers, chemistry Ph.D. student and Wyeth Fellow Orrette Wauchope spends long hours � he estimates 10 per day � in the lab. Wauchope studies compounds that could lead to new drugs to fight cancer and help prevent viral and parasitic diseases.
• Salutorian, Phi Beta Kappa member and former UMBC women�s basketball team captain Erin Voss is working to better understand how the body�s nerve cells heal and recover from injuries and disease. Voss, a fifth-year senior majoring in biochemical engineering, is headed to medical school at the University of Wisconsin after graduation.
• Senior interdisciplinary studies and visual arts major Truc Nguyen’s project, “Call Me Brother,” is a photo documentary chronicling the American immigration stories of four generations of her extended family. The project helped her learn living history while honing her design and photography skills for a future career in communications or marketing. Nguyen�s work will also be on display at The Commons Mezzanine gallery space all this week, with daily multimedia presentations between noon and 1 p.m.

URCAD will be held on Wednesday, April 25 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the University Center and Fine Arts Building. A full morning session will be devoted to dance and film presentations. For more information, please visit the URCAD Website.

The 2007 Graduate Research Conference will be held on Friday, April 27, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the University Center. Graduate Student Week is April 26 � May 3. For more information, please visit the GSA�s Website.

(4/23/07)

© 2006-07 University of Maryland, Baltimore County � 1000 Hilltop Circle, Baltimore, MD 21250 � 410-455-1000 �

Erickson School Launches Master’s Degree in Aging Services

The Erickson School at UMBC is now accepting applications for its new Master of Arts in the Management of Aging Services (MAgS), a unique program specifically designed to prepare leaders for the challenges and opportunities presented by an aging society.

Unlike any other graduate degree, the MAgS program weaves together disciplines in management, public policy and the study of human aging. Integrating these core disciplines combines skills and knowledge necessary for leaders providing products and -services and making policy for older adults, said Erickson School Dean Kevin Eckert.

Designed for working professionals, the program is offered in a 15-month executive master’s format. It begins with an intensive one-week session followed by sessions every two to three weekends and concludes with an integrative capstone exercise addressing a relevant issue for each student’s specific organization or agency. The inaugural class of MAgS students will be selected from a pool of applicants representing top professionals working in aging-related services, including government agencies, financial institutions and the nation’s burgeoning seniors housing and care industry.

Applications for the MAgS program can be submitted online. The Erickson School also offers an undergraduate major and minor in aging services and an Executive Education program, including CEUs and certificates. For more information, visit www.umbc.edu/erickson.

For more information on UMBC’s other graduate programs, visit www.umbc.edu/gradschool.

(6/26/07)

© 2006-07 University of Maryland, Baltimore County � 1000 Hilltop Circle, Baltimore, MD 21250 � 410-455-1000 �

International Recognition for a New Filmmaking Technique

Assistant Professor of Visual Arts Eric Dyer ’95 received international recognition for his film “Copenhagen Cycles,” which uses an avant-garde approach of connecting age-old film techniques with digital technology. “Copenhagen Cycles” won the 2007 Director’s Choice Award at the Thomas Edison Black Maria Film and Video Festival in New Jersey and was also screened at the 2007 Sundance Film Festival and festivals in Turkey, Portugal, the Netherlands, England and Germany.

An experimental animator who often uses computers to create his films, Dyer produced “Copenhagen Cycles” using a new filmmaking method that he developed, merging digital animation and a pre-cinema technique. He compiled hundreds of photographs he took while bicycle riding around the streets of Denmark during his 2005 Fulbright Fellowship. First, Dyer printed and cut the sequences of the moving images and built about 25 zoetrope-like paper sculptures, then spun the sculptures and recaptured the collaged movements with a fast-shutter digital video camera. The art installation version of “Copenhagen Cycles” includes the bicycle wheel-sized zoetropes and a video demonstration of the unique filmmaking process.

In his animation courses at UMBC, Dyer is teaching his students to use his new method of filmmaking. “By using this experimental process, my students learn the value of mixing hands-on and digital techniques. They discover pathways or tangents they wouldn’t normally take when using only a computer. In the end, they surprise themselves and grow as artists,” he said.

Dyer is collaborating with UMBC’s Imaging Research Center for his next project, which will use 3D animation and 3D printing technologies to create zoetropes for a new film and installation. He hopes to complete the project in early 2008.

(4/10/07)

© 2006-07 University of Maryland, Baltimore County � 1000 Hilltop Circle, Baltimore, MD 21250 � 410-455-1000 �

Realizing Their Potential: UMBC Interns and Co-ops

Through the Shriver Center at UMBC, hundreds of students stepped outside the boundaries of the classroom this summer and gained real-world experience by participating in an internship or co-op. These students were able to obtain professional opportunities, grasp the links between theory and practice and learn valuable job-related habits and skills at Wyeth Research, Maryland Department of Labor, Department of Defense, the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services, Otto Bock HealthCare, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, W.R. Grace, T. Rowe Price, U.S. Department of State, GE and the Maryland Department of Transportation, among others.

Employers, on the other hand, were given a chance to evaluate potential new employees. John Sheridan, special agent and regional recruiter for the FBI, said, “At UMBC, I always meet a qualified, intelligent, eager and mature student body. UMBC should be very proud.”

Christine Routzahn, associate director of internships and co-ops, said, “The Shriver Center is dedicated to providing employers with the talent and energy that UMBC students offer. By complementing classroom teaching and research with the internship and co-op program, UMBC continues to develop our students as tomorrow’s leaders.”

Click here to read about some of UMBC’s summer interns and co-ops.

(8/29/07)

© 2006-07 University of Maryland, Baltimore County � 1000 Hilltop Circle, Baltimore, MD 21250 � 410-455-1000 �

Realizing Their Potential:
UMBC Interns and Co-ops

Name: Nadeesha Ranasinghe Arachchige
Major: Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
Graduation: December 2008
Placement: Wyeth Research

“What I liked most about my internship with the drug safety and metabolism group was the opportunity to work with extremely talented and skilled scientists in sophisticated labs.”

Duties:

© 2006-07 University of Maryland, Baltimore County � 1000 Hilltop Circle, Baltimore, MD 21250 � 410-455-1000 �