It’s summer, the ideal season to catch up on “to-be-read” lists and a time to discover new reads. Ever wanted to dig into a feminist critique of the classic horror film Carrie? Or how about a breezy beach read filled with romance and wild ponies set on Chincoteague Island? Maybe you’re a lover of historical nonfiction or math—either way, we’ve got you covered. 

Across the UMBC community are engaged scholars who tackle a breadth of topics spanning a wide range of disciplines and writing mediums. From books, to more than 260 The Conversation articles, to several hundred peer-reviewed journal publications, the UMBC community creates an extensive collection of reading materials for bibliophiles of all interests. 

This summer is a great opportunity to dive into recently-published books with bylines from UMBC’s faculty, staff, students, and alumni. Here’s a list of suggestions to add to your summer reading list:

This Belongs to Us: Stories from UMBC’s Founding Four Classes, collected by Diane Tichnell, Dale Gough, Mimi Dietrich, and Bob Dietrich (Class of 1970) 

This Belongs to Us is a kaleidoscopic retelling of the colorful and authentic story of UMBC. The book chronicles the collective memories of members of the first four graduating classes of the university. The authors sent newsletters, emails, mail, and even knocked on doors to capture the voices of as many UMBC graduates as possible. In the end, 84 authors contributed more than 100 stories to This Belongs to Us. Proceeds from the book go to several scholarships supported by the Founding Four. 

The Big Bang of Numbers: How to Build the Universe Using Only Math, by Manil Suri

In this approachable mathematical origin story, Manil Suri, professor of mathematics, creates a natural progression of ideas needed to design our world, starting with numbers and continuing through geometry, algebra, and beyond. He reveals the secret lives of real and imaginary numbers, teaches them to play abstract games with real-world applications, discovers unexpected patterns that connect humble lifeforms to enormous galaxies, and explores mathematical underpinnings for randomness and beauty. 

In Every Mirror She’s Black, by Lọlá Ákínmádé Åkerström

In her debut novel, Lọlá Ákínmádé Åkerström ’98, M.S. ’02, information systems, tells the story of three Black women who are linked in unexpected ways to the same influential white man in Stockholm as they build their new lives in the most open society run by the most private people.

Bouboulina and the Greek Revolution: Interdisciplinary Perspectives on the Heroine of 1821, edited by April Kalogeropoulos Householder

This collection of essays, edited by April Householder ’95, visual and performing arts, director of UMBC’s undergraduate research and prestigious scholarships, presents an in-depth analysis of the life and times of Laskarina Bouboulina, the legendary heroine of the Greek Revolution. At the age of fifty and mother to 10 children, Bouboulina commanded a fleet of ships from the island of Spetses and became the first female admiral in world naval history.

Where the Lilacs Bloom Once Again, by Aharona (Roni) Rosenthal

Roni Rosenthal, director of Judaic Studies at UMBC, tells the story of her Romanian-Jewish family’s hardships and survival during World War II and beyond. Where the Lilacs Bloom Once Again centers the experiences of Rosenthal’s great-aunt Friddie, who was kept for 13 years in secret prisons and labor camps in Romania during World War II and then under the Communist rule, where she was tortured and forced to dig the canal from the Danube River to the Black Sea. 

A Galaxy of Things: The Power of Puppets and Masks in Star Wars and Beyond, by Colette Searls

Colette Searls, associate professor of theatre, explores the ways in which all puppets, masks, and makeup-prosthetic figures are “material characters,” using iconic Star Wars characters like Yoda and R2-D2 to illustrate what makes them so compelling. In A Galaxy of Things, Searls—an expert in puppetry studies—uncovers how non-humans like Chewbacca, semi-humans like Darth Maul, and even concealed humans like Boba Fett tell meaningful stories that conventional human characters cannot. 

T.O.B.A. Time: Black Vaudeville and the Theater Owners’ Booking Association in Jazz Age America, by Michelle R. Scott

Michelle R. Scott, professor of history, details the institutional history of the Theater Owners’ Booking Association’s (T.O.B.A.) origins and practices while telling the little-known stories of the managers, producers, performers, and audience members involved in the circuit. Looking at the organization over its 11-year existence (1920–1931), T.O.B.A. Time recounts the origins of artists and entrepreneurs like S.H. Dudley, Bessie Smith, Butterbeans & Susie, and Cab Calloway, and the theater circuit that made them famous in segregated America.

In 14 Secrets to a Done Dissertation: A Guide to Navigating the Dissertation Process and Finishing in Record Time, by Ramon Goings

Ramon Goings, associate professor in UMBC’s Language, Literacy, and Culture doctoral program, shares 14 strategies that will help current and prospective Ph.D. students navigate the dissertation process and finish in record time. 

Fearless Summer: Return to Chincoteague, by Mary K. Tilghman 

Set among the beaches and wild ponies that have made Chincoteague Island famous, Fearless Summer, the latest romance novel from Mary K. Tilghman ’79, English, tells the story of Charlotte, who comes home to Chincoteague to help her sisters run a new shop in town. She hasn’t been home since her breakup with Henry eight years before. The possibility of meeting him almost makes her say no, but sisterly love convinces her she can handle a return to Chincoteague.

Well of Souls: Uncovering the Banjo’s Hidden History, by Kristina R. Gaddy

In an extraordinary story unfolding across two hundred years, Kristina R. Gaddy ’09, modern languages and linguistics, history, uncovers the banjo’s key role in Black spirituality, ritual, and rebellion. Through meticulous research in diaries, letters, archives, and art, she traces the banjo’s beginnings from the 17th century, when enslaved people of African descent created it from gourds or calabashes and wood. Gaddy shows how the enslaved carried this unique instrument as they were transported and sold by slave owners throughout the Americas, to Suriname, the Caribbean, and the colonies that became U.S. states, including Louisiana, South Carolina, Maryland, and New York.

UMBC Publications 

Looking for more extracurricular reading? Check out other UMBC publications featuring a variety of staff, alumni, student, and faculty voices.

UMBC Magazine, Spring 2023 edition

Read the latest edition of UMBC Magazine, which includes highlights of President Valerie Sheares Ashby’s inauguration, a breakdown on ChatGPT and the “AI apocalypse,” a step-by-step guide on how to make a pinhole camera, and more.  

Inquiring Minds: UMBC Research and Creative Achievement 

Inquiring Minds shares a selection of recent innovative and impactful work by UMBC’s researchers and scholars. The inaugural publication highlights a broad range of UMBC’s research and creative achievement in seven key areas. 

UMBC Review: Journal of Undergraduate Research, 2023 Vol. 24

The UMBC Review, now into its third decade of publication, offers an opportunity for undergraduate students to showcase the results of their academic journey. UMBC Review, Vol. 24 includes undergraduate research on topics such as: the current state of mathematics and machine learning, a feminist critique of the 1976 film Carrie, and the history of the Ku Klux Klan in small town Maryland. 

“Retrievers Read” Summer Reading Challenge

For more summer reading fun, join the UMBC Alumni Association’s “Retrievers Read” summer reading bingo challenge, happening now until August 30, 2023. Get a ‘bingo’ to receive free UMBC swag, and participants who fill out the entire bingo card will be entered into a drawing for a UMBC gift bag. Click here for more information.

A Study on Technology Acceptance to Support Personal Decision-making on a College Campus ($10 Incentive)

This is another round of recruiting participants for a study that was first shared in July 2022. If you already completed the screening questionnaire, thank you for your participation. You do not need to resubmit.

If you have not yet participated, please see the information below about a study open to all UMBC undergraduate students 18 years and older: 

We are conducting an online survey study to learn more about the willingness of individuals to accept a potential mobile app that shows an estimation of the occupancy level of different spaces (buildings, floors, etc.) on campus in real-time. This app could be used to support your personal decision-making in everyday situations such as deciding where to study or during a pandemic context when social distancing is required. 

We are inviting you to participate in our study. Your opinions are critical to developing a useful tool for supporting individual decision-making in these uncertain times!

You will be asked to complete a brief online Qualtrics screening survey that will take less than 5 minutes to complete and includes basic demographic-related questions as well as questions to understand your comfort in social settings. You will also be asked to provide an email address if you are willing to participate in the main study survey. Some students will then be selected to complete another online Qualtrics survey that will take less than 30 minutes and will explain the proposed technology and ask about your interest in and willingness to adopt this technology. 

To participate in this study, you must be a UMBC undergraduate student and 18 years or older.  

After completing the screening survey, you will be entered into a drawing to win one of ten $10 gift cards. If you are selected for and complete the main study survey, you will be compensated with a $10 gift certificate for your time and contributions. 

If you are interested in participating, please click on the following screening survey link to get started: https://umbc.co1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_es8OcBeZC4q2ojY

Please contact the principal investigator, Dr. Tera Reynolds, at reynoter@umbc.edu with any questions or concerns.

August 2023 Wellness Newsletter

For many of us, it can be tough to wave goodbye to summer's carefree vibe. Yet, at the same time we may feel excitement bubbling up as we begin to look forward to our favorite things of a Maryland Fall. This month's newsletter offers information to help you navigate the transitions from summer to fall and from kids at home to back to school. And if thoughts of Fall have your considering returning to the gym, we've got gym membership discount programs for you and your family.

 Read below to see what's in store for you this month!

• Mindful Mondays will power you through transition with the "Power Of" series. You'll learn of the restorative power of taking time for yourself, why it's important to reach out for social support while in transition, how to use your superpower of resilience as you navigate change, and how talk therapy can offer tools to assist you.
   

• Tuesday's MetLIfe Financial Wellness webinar on 8/8 offers tips for the transition of preparing to care for an aging loved one in "Parenting the Parent."
   

• In Wellness from the Kitchen with Chef Sandra, she'll help you hang on to a bit of summer with fast, delicious, and kid-friendly dishes like Go-To-Chili Mac, Best Ever Shish Kabobs, and Crab Cakes Like No Other. 
   
• In the Wednesday Healthy U series, we feature tips on how to beat the end of summer blues, manage stress for positive change, and how to get stuff done while working a hybrid schedule.
   
• On Thursdays, the Healthy U series focuses on Family Health and Wellbeing as back-to-school preparations begin. Learn how to boost immunity and necessary immunizations for back to school, how to talk to your teens about establishing healthy relationships as well as the impact of social media, and how to care for an aging loved one.
   
•  Unwind Time Fridays offer 15-minute meditations to support transitions by practicing gratitude. Join us to practice starting your day with gratitude, how to have gratitude when you have attitude, and how to make room for gratitude and gladness.

•  Bonus webinars - look for 2 Oral Health webinars (8/28 and 8/31) as we prepare for the transitions to back to school. Learn why it's important to keep regular dental appointments, the changes in the industry that may impact securing appointments, and the physical and emotional benefits of smiling!

You're invited for our end of summer challenge NOURISH! 

August is a most wonderful time to celebrate the ending of summer with Maryland's produce bounty - sweet corn, luscious cantaloupe, refreshing watermelon, crisp cucumbers, plump eggplant, the 3 p's (peaches, plums, peppers), squash, tomatoes, and much more! Join the NOURISH challenge and grow virtual veggies and fruits such as these when you participate in fun health activities- no need for a green thumb! And, as your garden grows, your chances to win raffle prizes grows as well!

Learn more about NOURISH in this short video. Registration opens 8/1 - 8/18. 

Use this link to register: The Nourish Garden Challenge 

And, invite friends and family to join - the more, the healthier!
   

NEW - GYM MEMBERSHIP DISCOUNTS!

Thinking about getting back into the gym as Fall approaches? Well, great news - your medical health benefits providers make this easy with discounted gym memberships!

CareFirst offers Active & Fit Direct gym membership discounts to their members, which includes access to over 12,000 gyms and to over 9,700 workout videos for as low as $28/month. There are no long-term contracts or hidden fees. Learn more here

Kaiser Permanente also offers Active & Fit Direct gym membership discounts at the same rate of $28/month, same access, and again, no long-term contracts or hidden fees. Learn more here

United Healthcare offers One Pass Select, with digital only membership at $5/month and additional options starting at $25/month to over 11,000 gyms. All options come with grocery and home essentials at no extra cost. Learn more here

 
Mindful Mondays: The "Power Of" Series
Manage Transitions and Take Care of Yourself with the "Power Of" Series

Register here for one or more of the "Power Of" Mindful Monday Webinars

Monday, 8/7, 11:00 am - 11:30 am: The Power of Taking Time for Yourself

As we juggle the many roles in our lives, making time for ourselves can lose priority. When this happens, we can get overwhelmed with our daily responsibilities, leading to burnout and more. Learn the power of taking time for yourself and how to incorporate self-care strategies.

Monday, 8/14, 11:00 am - 11:30 am: The Power of Social Support

Feeling stressed, anxious, or burned out? Close relationships and social connections can be a natural way to manage daily or chronic stress and maintain your mental health and well-being. Learn more about the power of social support for enhanced wellbeing.

Monday, 8/21, 11:00 am - 11:30 am: The (Super) Power of Resilience

You have a superpower that helps you handle the obstacles and challenges of life - resilience! Learn about your superpower and how to strengthen it to handle anything that life throws at you.

Monday, 8/28, 11:00 am - 11:30 am: The Power of Talk Therapy
We all go through periods of emotional distress. Participating in talk therapy can make a significant difference in how we feel and even lead to a shift in our perspective. Whether you're dealing with losing a loved one, coping with a medical illness, or feeling anxious, stressed, or depressed, consider talk therapy. Join this session to learn the benefits of talk therapy, tips on finding the right therapist for you, and resources available to you.

Tuesday, 8/8, 12:00 pm - 1:00 pm: Preparing to Care for an Aging Parent Workshop 

What does it mean to parent our parents? Preparing to Care for an Aging Parent workshop can help current and future caregivers better understand their roles and responsibilities, from exploring different types of care options to addressing legal and financial concerns. Register here.

Tuesday Wellness from the Kitchen with Chef Sandra Lewis
Hang on to a bit of summer with these fast, delicious, and kid-friendly dishes that carry over into Fall!

Tuesday 8/15, 12:00 pm - 12:45 pm: Go to Town on a Go-To Meal - Try Chili Mac!

For those nights that you need a go-to, try chili mac. This dish is delicious, fast, and kid-friendly, just what you need for a meal to please the whole family! Register here

Tuesday 8/22, 12:00 pm - 12:45 pm: Best Ever Shish Kabobs

Fire up the grill and grab your cutting board and knife! This is the easiest weeknight meal you'll ever make: shish kebabs. All you need are your favorite meats and vegetables cut into chunks. Thread them on a skewer and grill or broil away! Register here

Tuesday 8/15, 12:00 pm - 12:45 pm: Crab Cakes Like No Others!

A Maryland favorite, this dish will take your tastebuds oceanside with a weeknight meal of crab cakes. Make it a family affair as you prep and form the crab cakes together. One bite of these delicious lumpy crab and herbs cakes and your whole family will be hooked! Register here 

Wednesday Healthy U: Manage Stress for a Positive Change

Register here for one or more of the Manage Stress for Positive Change webinars

Wednesday, 8/9, 11:00 am - 11:45 am: Ease Your Mind with Mindfulness

Do you find yourself on autopilot as you juggle work and home responsibilities? Being on autopilot may seem to be efficient and effective, however, research shows that we are less of both because our brain is making automatic decisions rather than allowing us to pause and consider the right course of action. Learn mindfulness techniques that help you become more aware, alert, and focused throughout the day. 

Wednesday, 8/16, 11:00 am - 11:45 am: Upgrade Your Mindset

Did you know that changing how you think can lead to better stress management, enhanced emotional health, increased physical wellbeing, and a longer lifespan? Mayo Clinic found these to be directly linked to a mindset upgrade. Learn practical tips to transform your mindset towards a more positive one.

Wednesday, 8/23, 11:00 am - 11:45 am: Managing Stress for Positive Change

When did you last evaluate your stress management toolbox to gauge its effectiveness? If it's been a while, you may have tools that result in less than desirable outcomes and need updating or replacing. Join this webinar to learn about stress management tool options that result in positive outcomes.

Wednesday, 8/30, 11:00 am - 11:45 am: Getting Stuff Done - A Realistic Guide to Working from Home

Working from home has many benefits, such as zero commute, cozy clothes, and more time with loved ones and pets (cat on your keyboard?). However, working from home may make it difficult to stick to a routine, can cause boredom because you're missing the water cooler chats, and you may get pulled away from work tasks to attend to home tasks. In this webinar, you'll learn how to avoid time zappers for increased productivity at home and at work.

Health Promotion Thursdays: Family Health and Wellbeing    

Register here for 8/3, 8/17, 8/24, and 8/31 Family Health and Wellbeing webinars

Register here for 8/10 for the Family Health and Wellbeing webinar

Thursday, 8/3, 11:00 am - 11:45 am: Your Immunity - Avoid the Invaders

Our immune system is our body's first line of defense against harmful bacteria and viruses. In this presentation, you will learn why immunity is so important and hear healthy ways to strengthen your and your family's immune system through family lifestyle habits.

Thursday, 8/10, 11:00 am - 11:45 am: Family Health 

Review common health concerns, screening recommendations, and strategies to keep every family member healthy and happy.

Thursday, 8/17, 11:00 am - 11:45 am: Immunizations A-Z for the Whole Family

Review the CDC immunization recommendations and get tips on questions to ask your health care providers so you can make the best decisions for you and your family.

Thursday, 8/24, 11:00 am - 11:45 am: Teen Talk for a Healthy Relationship with Your Teen

Having open and honest conversations with teens can be challenging. Learn how to engage teens in talks about establishing healthy relationships, the influences of social media, and more.

Thursday, 8/31, 11:00 am - 11:45 am: Caring For an Aging Loved One

Caregivers of aging loved ones are at higher risk for burnout due to the the mental and physical toll caregiving can take. Learn tips to avoid burnout, manage stress, and find resources for help and support you.

 
Unwind Time Fridays: Gratitude!
Cultivate greater gratitude with this 4-session series!

Register here for Unwind Time Meditations

Friday, 8/4, 11:00 am - 11:15 am: Start Your Day With Gratitude

Use this meditation to set the intention to be grateful for all that happens in your day.

Friday, 8/11, 11:00 am - 11:15 am: How to have Gratitude When You've Got Attitude

It can be hard to have gratitude when feeling angry, frustrated, or sad. Instead of forcing gratitude, this meditation allows the experience of not being grateful before finding the space to be grateful.

Friday, 8/18, 11:00 am - 11:15 am: Make Room for Gratitude

In this meditation you will simply breathe and experience the wonderful experience of appreciation as you let gratitude wrap around you like a warm blanket.

Friday, 8/25, 11:00 am - 11:15 am: Gratitude and Gladness

Give your mind to gratitude and gladness and feel the content as these two sweet feelings blend together.

 
BONUS ORAL HEALTH WEBINARS! 

Join these fun and informative "Smile, It's Contagious" webinars!

Register here for the 8/28 12:00 pm - 12:30 pm "Smile, It's Contagious" Webinar

Register here for the 8/31, 12:30 pm - 1:00 pm "Smile, It's Contagious" Webinar

Join Oral Health Consultants Gabrielle Bankowski  & Holley Kirkland as they share information on the uplifting impact of smiles on others and yourself. You'll learn the importance of regular preventive dental visits to preserve your smile, as well as dental industry trends - such as why it's hard to get a dental appointment these days - and more insider information. You'll emerge an advocate for your and your family's oral and overall wellness, feeling free to flash your smiles everywhere!