Auditions will be held on Saturday December 13 from 3-5pm at Terrault Contemporary for a theatrical adaptation of The Symposium by Plato.

The immersive play will be performed on February 7, 13 & 14 2015 atTerrault Contemporary. 1515 Guilford Ave, Baltimore MD 21202

1:  What is Yik Yak?

Yik Yak is a mobile app that anyone can download and use to post anonymous observations. If you are familiar with Twitter or Facebook, Yik Yak is another social media platform -- without any boundaries or identity affiliation. Participants can upvote what they like, or downvote what they do not like; they can also reply to “yaks” anonymously. Yik Yak utilizes the built-in GPS tracking in mobile technology to filter “yaks” to the user’s location within a 5-mile radius wherever the app is opened. Participants can also “peek” into other Yik Yak communities across the nation.

2: How do students access the app?

Anyone can download Yik Yak from the App Store on iOS devices or the Google Play store on Android devices. It is not available at this time for traditional desktops or laptops. It is a free application with no  requirement for the user to provide personal information.

3: How is the app used?

Yik Yak is used for anonymous posting to share thoughts and opinions on any topic.  This app has become widely popular on college campuses where students are posting opinions about everything from campus events to political issues.

4: How is this app impacting academic integrity on college campuses?

Since this app has become widely popular at college campuses across the country, some students are beginning to post information about assessments and other activities that occur in their courses.

5: How can I prevent the misuse of Yik Yak in my course(s)?    

• Remind students of UMBC’s Honor Code

• Require students to put away their electronic devices during high stakes assessments

• Offer multiple versions of quizzes, exams, etc.
  

• Consider long-form question(s) instead of multiple choice to encourage the application of critical thinking

• Use Yik Yak as a teaching tool.

Example:  Ask an open-ended question in class, and have students post their responses anonymously via Yik Yak. Then have students vote for the response they think best answers the question. Display results on the LCD screen.  

Faculty should not feel obligated to install Yik Yak on their own devices to monitor the stream during exam sessions, but this is also an option. Another option suggested by Stony Brook University (2014) is to display the Yik Yak feed via projector; in doing so, you may discourage some students from using the app.

Looking for something to do this summer? Look no further.

NHRE is a 10 week program running from May 26, 2015- July 31, 2015 where participants have the opportunity to work on independent research projects with mentors in the science fields of biology, anthropology, and earth science.

This program is funded by the National Science Foundation and interns receive free housing along with a stipend for their work.

Explore new ideas and concepts in our nation's capital this summer at the National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution.

Follow the link provided for more info!

Destiny�s Darlings

UMBC Men�s Soccer Kicks Into the Final Four

On a chilly night in Omaha, Nebraska, UMBC�s men�s soccer squad reached giddy heights that a Division I team in any sport at the university has never touched before: the Final Four of a national collegiate tournament.

After 110 hard-fought and scoreless minutes against the No. 12-ranked Creighton Bluejays, the Retrievers snatched a 4-3 win on penalty kicks.

UMBC�s �Road Warriors� (15-5-4) have travelled to four different stadiums and won four straight games against nationally-ranked opponents to earn their place among the elite teams in college soccer.

�We were destined to be here,� said UMBC men�s soccer head coach Pete Caringi, Jr. in a press conference after the victory.

The Retrievers played with immense composure throughout the first 90 minutes of the game, shutting down a Creighton squad previously unbeaten on its home field in NCAA tournament history. The two ten-minute overtime sessions were a study in contrasts. The Retrievers came close to scoring on a few occasions in the first overtime, while Creighton nearly snatched a victory in the second overtime period.

With a place in the NCAA College Cup on the line in a penalty kick shootout, standout sophomore goalkeeper Billy Heavner made an impressive stop on the first Creighton attempt and watched the second Bluejay attempt hit a goalpost. The Retrievers then scored on four of their five penalty kicks, with senior midfielder Mamadou Kansaye, senior defender Jordan Becker and junior forward/midfielder Michael Scott scoring penalties to set up a winning conversion by senior forward Kay Banjo.

�We feel like we belong here,� Heavner said in a press conference held after the victory. �We feel like we belong at this level�.But we have more work to do.�

The UMBC men�s soccer squad has achieved this athletics milestone by taking a different path to success. The university and its athletics department share a vision to seek excellence for UMBC�s student athletes in the classroom as well as on the field.

In a recent interview with UMBC Magazine, UMBC athletics director Tim Hall said: �My own beliefs about intercollegiate athletics and academics are congruent with the leadership of the university. I believe that success in athletics and success in academics are not mutually exclusive. You can be successful and balanced in both.�

It�s a vision that�s paying off with a UMBC squad that is now in the Final Four.

Last week, Heavner was presented with the inaugural America East Elite 18 award, which recognizes student-athletes competing in conference championship matches who possess high academic and athletic achievements. In addition to being one of the catalysts on UMBC�s amazing postseason run, Heavner also maintains a 4.0 GPA as a major in financial economics.

The UMBC men’s and women’s soccer teams also earned National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) Team Academic Awards for the 2013-14 academic year for posting cumulative team grade point averages of 3.0 or better. UMBC was one of only 188 schools that had both men’s and women’s programs recognized in the NSCAA awards.

To see video highlights of the historic win, explore detailed game accounts and statistics, and obtain information on obtaining tickets to next Friday�s national semifinal game in Cary, N.C., head to umbcretrievers.com.

(Updated 12/5/2014)