UMBC’s commitment to highlighting storytelling research continued this summer as the university co-hosted the first state-side edition of the 11th International Digital Storytelling Conference—a four-day event showcasing an expansive range of storytelling-focused projects and initiatives. The conference was a collaborative effort in partnership with the Smithsonian Institution, StoryCenter, and Montgomery College. Continue Reading UMBC hosts 11th International Digital Storytelling Conference
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. Continue Reading Need a summer read? UMBC’s got you covered
For more than a decade, Rita Choula was the primary caregiver for her late mother who lived with frontotemporal degeneration (FTD), a lesser known form of early onset dementia that typically affects people under the age of 60. “My mother started saying things like ‘I don’t feel like myself. I feel like I’m losing my mind.’ She used to be someone that was really engaged and outgoing and she started to pull back a bit. She used to be very empathetic, very people-loving, and showed a lot of concern, and it reached a point where that empathy went straight out… Continue Reading Caregiving Goes Both Ways
When the impacts of COVID-19 had the world on pause in March 2020, like many others, Ify Jacob spent time sheltered at home thinking of what he would do once it was safe enough to return to life as he knew it. One of the first decisions that he made was to become more active on UMBC’s campus. His experience of approaching leadership through the lens of service is shared by many community builders in UMBC’s Class of 2023. Continue Reading Leading through service: Meet the community builders in UMBC’s Class of 2023
For Grant Clifton, teaching English effectively requires a combination of intensive technical training in English language instruction and a passion for building community. Clifton was a Peace Corps volunteer in Indonesia from 2017 to 2019, where he taught English to high school students. After returning to the U.S., Clifton continued his combined focus on learning and community impact through UMBC’s Shriver Peaceworker Fellows program. Continue Reading Helping English language learners gain confidence through community
McNair Scholar Joana Hernandez is a research enthusiast who found her interest in scientific exploration and mentorship while at UMBC. Since 2019, Hernandez has worked as a research assistant in the lab of Fernando Vonhoff, biological sciences. It was in Vonhoff’s lab where she realized that there were opportunities to turn her love of learning into a career in research. Continue Reading McNair Scholar reflects on the power of research mentorship and leadership through supporting others
Ify Jacob’s mentors describe him as someone who has worked tirelessly to create community among Retrievers in on-campus student housin particularly as they dealt with the challenges and traumas of COVID-19. Jacob currently serves as vice president of UMBC’s Residential Student Association, but his journey of leadership through service has taken place over the course of years at UMBC. Continue Reading An engineer builds community in student housing, with an impact campus-wide
Tim Edwards is a student leader who serves his community through music, making an impact one note at a time. In addition to performing in UMBC’s Jazz Ensemble, Musical Theatre Club pit orchestra, and Wind Ensemble—including leading the arrangement, rehearsal, and conducting of an original composition last fall—he has focused his energy on music education. Continue Reading Learning and leading through equity-focused music education
