Ink & Pixels Portfolio Review  

Saturday, April 13th

Rose Malone is a Study Abroad Advisor in the Study Abroad Office at UMBC (newly located in Administration 301!). As an undergraduate student, Rose studied abroad in London, England and Skibbereen, Ireland. She sat down with us to discuss not only the steps involved with studying abroad, but also the impact the experience can have on a student’s life.

Break it down as easy as you can, what are the steps students need to take if they want to study abroad?

Simply put, if students plan to study abroad they should (in the following order): 
• Attend a Study Abroad 101 session 
• Determine which courses/requirements they still need to fulfill (this can be done through meeting with their academic advisor or a degree audit) 
• Pick out 1-5 study abroad programs from our website that offer the coursework they need 
• Schedule an appointment with a Study Abroad advisor 
• Meet with The Office of Financial Aid and Scholarships to discuss which scholarships, grants or loans can be applied 

What should students consider when trying to select a study abroad program?

Students should consider: 
• Coursework needs 
• If they want to become more proficient in a language (if so, study abroad where that language is spoken) 
• Do they want to live in a rural area, big city, college town, city campus, warm environment, colder environment? 
• Which type of housing they want (homestay, residence hall, apartment?) 
• What type of credit they can receive (resident or transfer) 
• Level of immersion (i.e.- how much separation do you want from your home culture?) 
• Internship or service learning, etc.

There are so many things to consider, which can seem daunting but there is something for everyone!

Is there an aspect of the study abroad planning process that many students, in retrospect, wish they had spent more time on/focused on?

This is a great question, but hard to answer across the board. I think one aspect that students should spend more time planning is the alignment of their language requirement and their study abroad experience. The best way to learn a language is through immersion, so if you study Spanish at UMBC because it would be useful in a future job, but study abroad in Germany and take one language course, you're probably not going to be proficient in either language. So if you want to put "proficient in Spanish" on your resume, you should probably study abroad somewhere Spanish-speaking! But students can study abroad anywhere they want!

Apart from some of the more well-known or "cliché" reasons to study abroad, why do you think students should make this part of their college experience?

I am not sure most students realize this but only 1 in 10 students nationally study abroad. This means that by studying abroad, you are setting yourself apart from all other graduates. When you walk into an interview for a job or apply for a graduate program, that study abroad experience is an immediate talking point. There are many examples from study abroad that you could use to "describe a time when you worked on a team" or "had to think on your feet.”

Are there any current UMBC study abroad programs you'd like to make a shameless plug for right now?

Yes! Our faculty-led programs for Summer 2019! They are open to all majors and many fulfill major, minor or GEP requirements! Most have a deadline of 2/15 except for our program in Cuba, which has a deadline of 1/31.

Make the most of your summer and apply today: https://goabroad.umbc.edu/index.cfm?FuseAction=Programs.FeaturedPrograms

If you yourself could study abroad right now, where would you go and why?

There are so many places I haven't been yet that this is a hard question! I think I would want to go somewhere in Asia! I think one of the most undervalued aspects of study abroad is the structure and support that comes along with it. When you go on a program, you have so much more support than if you were traveling as a tourist. I would love to have program support in Asia, somewhere that I don't speak any of the languages, so that I could feel supported and venture out on my own.

Any good stories from your own study abroad experience?

Too many to include here! I think one of the most rewarding moments of my first study abroad experience in London was when a tourist asked me for directions and I was able to give them. That is when I knew I was a "Londoner!" I didn't need to look up tube stop names or landmarks because I knew them!

FOR UMBC STUDENTS ONLY!!

It’s happening again!!! UMBC is traveling to Burlington, VT to take on the Vermont Catamounts in the America East Conference Men’s Basketball Championship!

Please review the options to decide how you’ll watch the Retrievers on Saturday!!

Want to lodge solo? Option 1 is for you!!

Option 1: This package provides a game ticket, transportation, and lodging for 1 student at a rate of $93.00 per person.

Want to lodge with friends, take a look at Options 2, 3, and 4!!!  All you need is one person to purchase and a few friends to pay you back via Venmo or CashApp!!

Option 2: This package provides a game ticket, transportation, and lodging for 2 at a rate of $46.50 per person. When you register and purchase your tickets, please be sure to submit the name and UMBC email address of your roommate.  We’ve done the math for you! The total cost of this package is $93.00, your roommate owes you $46.50!!

Option 3: This package provides a game ticket, transportation, and lodging for 3 at a rate of $31.00 per person. When you purchase your ticket, please be sure to submit the names and UMBC email addresses of your roommates. We’ve done the math for you! The total cost of this package is $93.00, each of your roommates owe you $31.00!!

Option 4: This package provides a game ticket, transportation, and lodging for 4 at a rate of $23.25 per person. When you purchase your ticket, please be sure to submit the names and UMBC email addresses of your roommates. We’ve done the math for you! The total cost of this package is $93.00, each of your roommates owe you $23.25!!

Roadtripping with friends and finding your own lodging? Just buy a ticket and sit with us!!!

Option 5: Game ticket only at $10.00 per person -- FOR UMBC STUDENTS ONLY.

PLEASE NOTE: Please be sure to make repayment arrangements amongst roommates before purchasing a package. Campus Life will not be responsible for payment arrangements amongst roommates.

IMPORTANT ADDITIONAL DETAILS: PLEASE READ!

1. Upon registration and ticket purchase, you will receive a confirmation email that will include an itinerary, instructions on how to retrieve your tickets, and other pertinent details.

2. If selecting to room with friends, please be sure to submit the names and UMBC email addresses of requested roommates.

3. The UMBC Fan Bus will be departing campus from The Stadium Lot at 9:00am on Friday, March 15, and returning around 11:30pm on Saturday, March 16.

As graduate-forward Joe Sherburne stood on the court at the UMBC Event Center in what was perhaps his final game at his home stadium, he thought to himself, “this cannot be the way my career ends,” which he also recalled after the game. This is because Sherburne found himself in the midst of what could have been one of the worst collapses in playoff basketball history. The Retrievers had their backs against the wall, and they were staring the end of their season directly in the eyes.

It was a much different feeling than it had been earlier. The Event Center was previously rocking, as fans barraged the Hartford Hawks with jeers. “You have five points,” melodically reigned down from the stands as Hartford was being dominated in every facet of the game. This was during an impressive 11-0 UMBC run, their second large run in only eight minutes.

UMBC began the game on an 8-0 run before Hartford scored on consecutive possessions to bring the score of the game to 8-5. It was then that UMBC began their next run. It looked as if the Hawks were lost on the court, as the Retrievers continued to stifle them on offense, and pick apart their defense. Eventually, UMBC would extend the lead to 20 with 3:37 left in the half, and they would end the half with a 37-18 lead.

Early on in the second half, things did not seem to get any better for the Hawks. They shot an air-ball on their first possession, and UMBC kept running up the score. Freshman-guard RJ Eytle-Rock subsequently hit a three-point shot, junior-center Sam Schwietz made a layup and junior-guard KJ Jackson made a three-pointer to give UMBC their largest lead of the game at 26 points.

At that moment, fans seemed certain that the Retrievers were destined to play in the America East title game. But, those aspirations were put on hold. After a timeout, Hartford began to speed up their offense, beginning to play with a feverish pace. They also switched their defense to zone coverage, which began to stifle the Retrievers’ offense. They would have eight empty possessions in a row, giving Hartford a 10-0 run over roughly 7 minutes.

Overall, Hartford would outscore UMBC 35-13 over 13 minutes, which would lead to Hartford shooting free-throws with 16 seconds left in regulation. They would drain both free-throws and take a late 68-67 lead. With 3 seconds left in the game, Jackson went to the basket for a layup that would’ve given the Retrievers the victory, but he was fouled in the process. He went 1/2 from the line, sending the game to overtime with the score at 68-68.

The first overtime of the game went by like a flash. Players from both teams were visibly tired, but neither team was willing to budge. They traded baskets up until the very end of the period when Hartford took the lead with 15 seconds to go. Sophomore-forward Brandon Horvath would drive to the basket with 8 seconds remaining, and draw a foul on his way. He made both free-throws, and Hartford failed to score at the other end, sending the game into a second overtime at 76-76.

The second overtime was much more eventful than the first. UMBC started the period by making two straight layups to give them a 4 point lead. Hartford would follow up by making two free-throws before UMBC brought their lead back to 4 points with another layup. Things then got interesting, as Hartford hit a three-point shot to cut their deficit to just 1 point. After a Horvath layup, Hartford would hit another three-point shot to tie the game with 1:54 to go in the game. After trading free-throws, the teams would be tied 85-85 with 1:13 left.

After two free-throws from Horvath, UMBC would finally be able to put the game on ice. As Hartford attempted to tie the score once again, Jackson would leap up in the air, swatting away a shot attempt by a much taller Hartford player. He would then drive to the basket, where he would be fouled, making the subsequent free-throws. After two Eytle-Rock free-throws, the game would come to an end as Hartford failed to convert in their final possession of the game, and the team would rush out onto the court to celebrate, as they would be moving on to the America East Championship.

A total of five UMBC players would score double-figures on the evening, led by Jackson and Eytle-Rock. Jackson scored 21 points, with 8 rebounds. Eytle-Rock scored a career-high 16 points, with 8 rebounds. Sherburne notched a double-double with 12 points, 12 rebounds and 7 assists. Horvath and junior-forward Arkel Lamar also scored double-figures.

The Retrievers will play next on Saturday, March 16 as they take on the Vermont Catamounts in a rematch of last year’s championship. The game will be televised at 11 a.m. on ESPN 2.

You didn’t believe me.

You said I was okay,

No,

You said I was “healthy.”

You said my heart was just falling asleep

Hearts aren’t meant to fall asleep—

They are meant to coo at the sound of a lover’s voice,

to fight irrational battles against the mind,

to pound on their cages with an undying need for attention,

to beat.

You said I just needed to slow down and catch my breath

Breath is not meant to escape—-

It is meant to enliven the lungs with a minty, cooling sensation,

to sweet talk the air and lure it inside,

to keep pace and ease the running thoughts,

to follow a pattern. Consistently.

The day I learned that you were wrong,

I met Relief.

My heart still palpitates,

and my breath still escapes

My vision still imagines worlds foreign to Reality,

and my body still worships Panic’s constant attacks

My mind still chases the circles my thoughts have shaped themselves into,

and my hands still shiver at any false prediction of Fear’s arrival

But,

I met Relief,

And he and I have become lifelong friends.

~Blue Roses

This is an installment in The Retriever’s new creative writing section.  If you would like to submit your creative writing or art for possible publication in The Retriever, please contact pawsforartsubmissions@gmail.com.