Maryland Humanities celebrated its 45th anniversary in May through a special event bringing together over 200 supporters. The event highlighted the relevance of the humanities to Marylanders and honored three transformational leaders who have supported the growth and mission of the organization: UMBC President Freeman A. Hrabowski; James T. Brady, chair of the University System of Maryland Board of Regents, and Catherine R. Gira, president emerita of Frostburg State University.
“James Brady, Dr. Gira, and Dr. Hrabowski exemplify empathy as three friends who…speak about the power of the humanities in Maryland,” said Phoebe Stein, executive director of Maryland Humanities. “Through their service, commitment, and understanding of our mission, they give us the energy to continue to focus on the ‘public’ in public humanities.”
Stein also reflected on how the gathering came at a pivotal time, with critical issues about equity, race, sexuality, citizenship, diverse communities, education, and safety being at the forefront of public discourse. She recognized the important role of the humanities in these conversations, noting, “There is an urgency right now to relate to one another, to understand what is human between us and highlight the empathy in our communities.”
UMBC faculty and staff attended to support and celebrate Hrabowski. “President Hrabowski has been an abiding champion of this work,” says Jessica Berman, director of the UMBC Dresher Center for the Humanities. “He reminds people at every turn that society’s most pressing problems can’t be solved by technological solutions alone and that history, philosophy, and the stories we tell are crucial to our ability to understand human life.”
On the occasion of the anniversary, the three honorees spoke of the value of the humanities and the role of the humanities in their lives and their leadership. They also reflected on their work together and their friendships over the past 25 years.
“Freeman and Catherine are two of my favorite people in the planet and some of my closest friends. They have been an inspiration to me,” said Brady. “They understand that the humanities teach you how to listen, be thoughtful, and live a meaningful life.”
Gira said of her fellow honorees, “Freeman and Jim understand that documents and statistics are valuable, but you need the humanities story to give a face to the facts.” She described Hrabowski as “one of the most brilliant, creative, innovative leaders—people—that I have ever known.” She said, “He has that incredible ability to inspire other people and then empower them to take a project, an idea, and run with it.”
Hrabowski commented further on how humanities have made possible his approach to leadership and building relationships. “I think of the humanities as having given me a context for living my own life, and for knowing how I would work with and be as supportive as possible of others,” he said.
Hrabowski also reflected on Brady and Gira as friends and as leaders. Speaking of Brady, he shared, “Jim is so connected to ideas. He is able to do so many things and do them really well. He loves to make a difference.” Of Gira, he said, “She has been an inspiration to thousands.”
When Maryland Humanities asked the honorees for their thoughts on the value and impact of the humanities, a common thread emerged. “We live in a divisive world and this is a place where we want to say what binds us together as humans,” said Gira. Echoing that sentiment, Hrabowski offered, “The humanities will always matter because they…give us hope.”
Banner image (L to R): Phoebe Stein, James Brady, Catherine Gira, and Freeman Hrabowski. Photos by Howard Korn Photography. Video courtesy of Maryland Humanities.
The fall of 2017 was marked by wildfires that burned most of Napa, Sonoma, and Mendocino counties in Northern California, and a hurricane season with 17 tropical storms — 10 of which became hurricanes and six that reached a category three or stronger. Millions of people dealt with and continue to face loss of power, as well as shortages in water, medical care, and food, through the fall and winter.
While media coverage of these events often focuses on the initial impact, rarely do we get to see what happens behind the scenes as first responders prepare or during the civilian disaster relief and the long haul to recovery that follows. Among these helpers were UMBC faculty, staff, and students who joined the relief efforts as first responders, fundraisers, and aids in navigating the social, legal, and political complexities of disaster relief and recovery.
Helping the Most Vulnerable
As Hurricane Harvey wreaked havoc in Texas in late August, Brian Grodsky, assistant professor of political science and a health technician with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, enlisted as a volunteer with the federal MD-1 Disaster Medical Assistance Team. Days later, when Irma, a Category 4 hurricane, roared towards Florida, he began working in emergency rooms to triage less critical patients so the hospital could focus on higher-risk patients.
“Being able to directly help people in the most vulnerable situations helps satisfy a need for more tangible outcomes that sometimes is hard to come by from research, teaching, and speaking,” says Grodsky. “There is always a way to give and to connect your professional skills to the many needs a disaster presents.”
He hesitantly returned to civilian life two weeks later while part of his team headed to Puerto Rico, where Maria, a Category 5 hurricane, shut down the entire power grid. Meanwhile, on campus, several of UMBC’s Puerto Rican volleyball players waited to hear from their families and figure out how they could help from afar.
Hometown Heroes
Claudia Lopez ’18, biology and psychology, a native of Puerto Rico, used a crowdfunding platform to raise more than $10,000 from friends in the UMBC community and beyond, which was split between two major foundations that focus on aid for Puerto Rico. Lopez also collected donations of water, toiletries, and clothing, which she delivered in person at the end of the fall semester.
“I felt helpless being here, but in Puerto Rico we always help each other. I knew I could do something,” says Lopez. “The response on campus was amazing. There was a staff member that donated every day. Student athletes and coaches donated the most in the first three days. I hope people remember the need even after the media leaves.”
Emergency services students like Charniece Johnson ’18, and Ian Hamilton M.S. ’20, served as FEMA reserve workers for more than a month and a half at the beginning of fall semester
“It was very emotional. I helped people feel heard and understood, and explain what they could expect from FEMA,” recalls Hamilton, who helped connect affected residents with financial and other services in Florida. “There are a lot of people that after you finish listening and talking with them, they give you a hug. I feel like I am making a difference and getting paid for it, more than just financially, in hundreds of ways.”
Johnson worked with Disaster Survival Assistance, helping people from the Virgin Islands with critical health care needs get the care they need. “I want to do something for people. I don’t want to be behind a desk,” said Johnson, who said she enjoys working in the field.
Examining Inequity
Susan Sterett, director of the School of Public Policy and a native of Sonoma County, California, used her personal blog to explore the social and political inequities that limit disaster response efforts as she saw her own hometown burn. Sonoma was and is a vacation spot for the wealthy that is surrounded by homelessness, poverty, and working class people, many immigrants.
“We need to build in equity before disaster strikes since disaster often makes already existing inequalities worse,” says Sterett, who analyzed the social, environmental, and psychological impact of what it means to be in a natural disaster when there already exists so much inequality, and how relief efforts that are often driven by policy — but removed from the everyday reality — can deepen trust issues between the lawmakers and the people they aim to protect.
Sterett added: “As we have seen, inequality is a complex, multi-dimensional problem and one that becomes more evident during the long aftermath of natural disasters.”
— Catalina Sofia Dansberger-Duque
U.S. Coast Guard photo by Senior Chief Petty Officer Kyle Niemi
Eight of UMBC’s explorers, dreamers, teachers, and thinkers will soon travel to countries across Europe and Asia as 2018 – 19 U.S. Fulbright Scholars. The grantees are all graduates of UMBC’s College of Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences (CAHSS), representing majors in modern languages, linguistics and intercultural communication, history, english ancient studies, economics, political science, and global studies. They will research and teach English in China, Kyrgyzstan, Macedonia, Lithuania, Indonesia, South Korea, Sri Lanka, and Romania.
“This year’s Fulbright Scholars demonstrate the excellence of the humanities and social sciences at UMBC, as well as the centrality of global understanding to a contemporary liberal arts education,” says Scott Casper, dean of CAHSS.
UMBC’s Fulbright History
The United States government established the Fulbright Program in 1946 to increase mutual understanding between people of the U.S. and other nations around the world. Today, this “flagship international educational exchange program” is active in over 160 countries. It is highly competitive, receiving over 11,000 applications each year. Recipients are chosen based on academic or professional achievement and demonstrated leadership potential.
(L to R) Brian Souders, Flora Kirk, Sophia Lopresti, Morgan Zepp, Kelly Daughtridge, Manisha Vepa, Marc Schultz, Jessica Willis, and Morgan Chadderton.
UMBC began participating in the Fulbright Program in 1970. Since then, Fulbright has chosen 70 UMBC students to represent the United States through research, teaching English, or pursuing graduate studies internationally. UMBC has been particularly successful in the past 5 – 10 years, seeing a major increase in the number of Retrievers—students and alumni—recognized as Fulbright Scholars.
“In the last ten years we have had 51 Fulbright recipients, with three students choosing other competitive options,” explains Brian Souders Ph.D. ’09, language, literacy, and culture, Fulbright Program advisor. “In general, we have gone from one to three recipients a year to seven to eight annually over the past five years.”
Supporting Students
UMBC’s increasing success rate is thanks to dedicated support from faculty and staff, as well as the International Education Office’s Fulbright Boot Camp. Participating students receive guidance and advice throughout the application process and access to a supportive network of peers and mentors as they plan for their journeys.
David Di Maria, associate vice provost for international education, is excited that UMBC is connecting more and more students with transformative learning experiences. In Fulbright applications over the past year, he notes, “UMBC demonstrates a higher success rate than 123 of 183 top institutions, including half of the eight Ivy Leagues.”
Di Maria believes UMBC’s substantial foreign language offerings, intercultural learning opportunities, and focus on community engagement inspire and prepare students to pursue Fulbright experiences. This year’s recipients are exploring a broad range of fields through a global lens, from urban planning to music and dance, to women’s leadership.
UMBC’s New Fulbright Scholars
Morgan Chadderton ’18, modern languages, linguistics, and intercultural communication, will teach English in Kyrgyzstan while continuing to strengthen her Russian language skills. Chadderton, a Humanities Scholar, previously studied in Kyrgyzstan as a Gilman Scholar in 2016. She looks forward to her Fulbright experience as the next step toward a foreign service career.
Morgan Chadderton
“I plan to work with American Corners, a program associated with the United States Embassy,” says Chadderton. “I want to create a book club, host film screenings of popular American films, and plan cooking classes.” She notes, “It’s important to me to create an immersive, informal, and educational environment similar to my first experience in Kyrgyzstan that helped me to better understand the language and culture.”
Kelly Daughtridge
Kelly Daughtridge ’14, history, ’17 M.A., historical studies, will teach English in Macedonia. She has already visited Turkey, Greece, Malta, Italy, Germany, Austria, the Czech Republic, and Hungary, and is fascinated by the cultures of the region. In addition to teaching English, Daugherty will conduct independent research on contemporary perspectives on tombs in Orthodox churches.
Sophia Lopresti
Inspired by her father’s cross-cultural work in the U.S. Marine Corps, Sophia Lopresti ’18, global studies, has already led humanitarian and educational trips to Nicaragua and Panama. She looks forward to teaching English in Indonesia as a Fulbright Scholar and hopes to continue her work there supporting access to oral health care.
“Helping others at home and abroad has allowed me to reflect extensively on the many privileges I have in the United States,” says Lopresti, focusing in particular on access to education and healthcare. Following her Fulbright, she will pursue graduate education in nursing or public health.
Manisha Vepa
Growing up in Howard County, Maryland, Manisha Vepa ’18, economics and global studies, developed an understanding of her Indian-American identity through dance. She also found common ground with classmates from other cultural heritages, particularly Chinese- and Korean-Americans, through the arts, including orchestra. As their friendships developed, they shared food, religious, and cultural traditions. “Instead of focusing on my ‘otherness,’ I started to recognize and become comfortable with the similarities we shared and the differences that made us unique,” says Vepa.
What started as a personal interest became an academic and professional one. As a Fulbright Scholar teaching English in South Korea, Vepa hopes to use popular music as a teaching tool. She also looks forward to learning traditional Korean dance. Vepa plans to enroll in a graduate program on East Asian Affairs upon her return.
Jessica Willis
Jessica Willis ’17, modern languages, linguistics, and intercultural communication, is passionate about women’s leadership development. As a young woman, Willis enjoyed growing as a leader through the Girl Scouts, which eventually granted her its highest honors, the Gold Award. For the past year, she has served in the Maryland Conservation Corps, an AmeriCorps program focused on protecting natural resources. She hopes to apply skills learned through both experiences to her work teaching English in Sri Lanka as a Fulbright Scholar. While there, she will also work with young women in the Sri Lanka Girl Guides Association and other women’s groups.
Morgan Zepp
Morgan Zepp ’18, global studies and English, developed a deep interest in Lithuanian culture through growing up in a community with a significant Lithuanian-American population. She looks forward to expanding her cross-cultural communications skills by teaching English in Lithuania as a Fulbright Scholar.
As a Humanities Scholar, senior editor of UMBC’s creative arts journal Bartelby, and a longtime tutor at UMBC’s Writing Center, Zepp wants to share her passion for writing to broaden students’ understanding of the English language. She shares, “I am enthusiastic about creating public workshops open to the Lithuanian community based on any kind of writing, where people can assist one another in writing and reading English-language documents.”
Flora Kirk ’18, ancient studies, will be conducting research on Roman coins at Babeș-Bolyai University (UBB) inRomania. Her Fulbright Study/Research Award follows preliminary research conducted in Great Britain.
Kirk has traveled extensively throughout Europe, including researching and interning at museums and archaeological sites in Romania, the United Kingdom, and Italy. She has knowledge of Italian and advanced Latin. In addition to continuing her research through local museums and libraries, she looks forward to developing her Romanian conversation skills, while helping Romanian students perfect their English.
Marc Schultz
Marc Schultz ’18, political science and global studies, will return to China through a Fulbright Study/Research Award focused on urban development after previously studying at the Harbin Institute of Technology as a Boren Scholar. He will take intensive Sichuanese Mandarin language courses funded through the Critical Language Enhancement Award to help him better conduct research in the Sichuan province.
The Sichuan province was heavily impacted by a deadly earthquake in 2008. Schultz hopes to explore how Sichuan residents are using innovative urban development practices to address issues of inequity and displacement following the earthquake. “Living in Baltimore has deepened my awareness of the massive effect that the urban environment has to uplift or further oppress its residents,” says Schultz.
Following his Fulbright experience, Schultz plans to complete a graduate degree in international studies in preparation for a foreign service career.
UMBC’s International Education Services office encourages students interested in the next Fulbright cycle to attend Fulbright Boot Camps starting in late June. These workshops support current students and recent alumni in choosing an appropriate program and honing competitive essays for their application.
Banner image: (L to R) Morgan Chadderton, Flora Kirk, Kelly Daughtridge, Morgan Zepp, Jessica Willis, Manisha Vepa, Marc Schultz, Sophia Lopresti.
All photos by Marlayna Demond ’11 for UMBC. Video by Corey Jennings ’10 for UMBC.
Psychology professor Susan Sonnenschein is on a mission to help the parents of premature or medically fragile babies make the most of their time in the neonatal intensive-care unit (NICU).
As a former NICU mom herself, she is delighted that parents at the University of Maryland Medical Center NICU enjoy the Mother Goose on the Loose (MGOL) “Goslings” program and follow the early literacy strategies taught in the hour-long workshop there. As a scientist and the program’s evaluator, she wants to make sure the resulting data matches the participants’ enthusiasm.
Based on Betsy Diamant-Cohen’s nationally recognized Mother Goose on the Loose program, which promotes early literacy for parents and caregivers with children from birth to age the three, the Goslings program gives new parents and caregivers tips on how to incorporate literacy practices in the NICU and beyond. Goslings workshops help families of premature babies, as well as medically fragile full-term babies, bond with their children by learning when and how to stimulate their language development through singing, reading, and play, and by using “I’m happy and ready” body language.
“Liking the program is a necessary step, but it is not enough. The goal of the program is to make sure the families are engaging with their baby in a developmentally appropriate way not just during their hospital-guided workshop but at home as well,” explains Sonnenschein.
It was for this reason that Brenda Hussey-Gardner, associate professor of pediatrics at the University of Maryland School of Medicine and adjunct psychology professor at UMBC, reached out to her colleague to evaluate the effectiveness of the program, which received funding from the PNC Foundation Grow Up Great initiative for development, implementation, and evaluation. Port Discovery Children’s Museum also brings its expertise in language, literacy, and play to the project by administering the program delivery with trained facilitators.
Sonnenschein enlisted doctoral students Rebecca Dowling ’16, M.A., applied developmental psychology, and Lisa Shanty ’13, M.A. ’16, applied developmental psychology, both of whom were interested in educational interventions. Dowling had experience as an Education Coordinator in Americorps and had already helped Sonnenschein to develop a math workshop for Maryland State Head Start Association meetings. This process helped her develop an interest in implementing effective interventions that supported teachers, specifically in early childhood education.
Shanty’s prior experience came from working as an intern for Hussey-Gardner in the University of Maryland Medical Center NICU Follow-Up Program, where she worked with whole family units to support the development of infants and toddlers. When she heard about the researcher, she did not hesitate to take another opportunity to gain early childhood research and applied learning experience.
Led by Sonnenschein, Dowling and Shanty gathered and analyzed pre- and post-test data from families about the usefulness of the strategies they learned to better communicate with their child, and their comfort level in applying the strategies independently in the hospital and after being discharged.
“Collaboration is key. Being part of the process together, figuring out the intricacies of working with other researchers, stakeholders, and having consistent data is what adds value for professors and students,” reflects Sonnenschein. “There are many opportunities in the Applied Developmental Psychology program to gain experience and apply what students are learning in the classroom to real life.”
The UMBC evaluation team found parents were adopting the strategies and ideas taught in the Goslings workshop in a developmentally appropriate way while their child was in the NICU. What has yet to be determined is the effects of the program once babies have graduated from the NICU and are at home. The team hopes that during this third year of the pilot program, further funding will allow for more data to be gathered to determine the program effectiveness long after families have left the hospital.
What do nine UMBC alumni with a passion for basketball, dance, and lacrosse, and fields from biology and biochemistry to information systems and political science have in common? They all chose to teach in Maryland public schools, and all returned to UMBC this May to speak at a special Celebration of Teaching event, launching a campus-wide initiative to increase recruitment and retention of teachers of color in Maryland public schools.
Participating teachers included Shalonda Holt ’07, biological sciences, teaching certificate in education, 2016 Washington Post Teacher of the Year and 2016 Howard County Teacher of the Year; Corey Carter ’08, M16, biological sciences, ’10 M.A.T., education; Demetria McAndrew ’08, political science, ’16 M.A.T., government; Raven Harris ‘12, media and communications studies, ’14 M.A.T., early childhood; Emily Diaz ’16, M24, biochemistry and molecular biology, ’17 M.A.T., education;Jennifer Smith ’00, information systems management;Monique Rivera-Velez ’17, M.A.T, education; Josephine Kalema-Kasozi ’13, dance, teaching certificate in secondary math education; and Tea Harrison ’17, visual arts, teaching certificate in education. They spoke about their decisions to choose careers in education, to purposefully connect with and inspire students, including students of color. They also discussed research findings that students of color benefit from having teachers and mentors who reflect their identities, and how there is currently a gap in the proportion of teachers of color in comparison to the proportion of students of color in U.S. public schools.
Jennifer Smith ’00, information systems management, shares her 17-year teaching experience in Baltimore City Public Schools.
Carter, a Sherman STEM Teacher Scholar, a Meyerhoff Scholar, and 2016 Baltimore County Teacher of the Year, explained the importance of addressing this gap not only through hiring more teachers of color but also through changing the language that people use to talk about the issue. “When we look at classrooms and we talk about how the demographics are changing, how now we have more than 50% students of color,” Carter said, “we need to stop using the word ‘minority,’ because when you are above 50% mathematically that is not a minority, and there is nothing ‘minor’ about anyone of color.”
Carter speaks to prospective educators in front of panel (L to R) Santelises, Singer, Rous, and Hrabowski.
The event was hosted by Provost Philip Rous, President Freeman Hrabowski, and John Singer, associate professor and chair of education, with Sonja Santelises, Baltimore City Schools CEO, as the keynote speaker.
Rous described to the audience the urgency of addressing this national issue, and the opportunity to have an impact through work at a local level. “In Maryland, 57% of students are students of color while only 17% of teachers are of color,” explained Rous. “If we do not diversify the pipeline that enters the teaching profession we will miss out on attracting the best and the brightest, and having our children learn from individuals from a diverse set of backgrounds and perspectives.”
“We want to prepare highly qualified leaders of color in public schools where there are few or no teachers of color through UMBC’s graduate and undergraduate teacher certification programs,” said Mavis Sanders, professor of education, during the event. Sanders is director of the new Center for Early Learning in Urban Communities, recently established through a $6 million gift from the George and Betsy Sherman Family Foundation.
Sanders and President Hrabowski previously published“Increasing Racial Diversity in the Teacher Workforce: One University’s Approach,” in the National Education Association journal Thought and Action. According to their research, when students of color have teachers who share a similar background and identity, they see gains in attendance, achievement, and engagement. Teachers of color also tend to stay longer in high-needs schools, providing greater stability for students and their broader communities.
Santelises is supportive of UMBC’s work to close the teacher diversity and workforce gap in Baltimore City and the state. “UMBC is an amazing reservoir of talent,” she said at the event. “The teachers who spoke here tonight were students who had many options but chose to teach out of interest and compassion. That is what makes UMBC different: teaching is the first option; it is not a default. This is a true commitment to equity through excellence.”
Santelises listens to Kalema-Kasozi
UMBC’s Sherman STEM Teacher Scholars program has been a leader in preparing future educators of color to teach in STEM fields and to stay in teaching careers. Event speakers Carter, Kalema-Kasozi, Diaz, and Rivera-Velez are all graduates of the program.
Rivera-Velez spoke at the Celebration of Teaching event about coming to UMBC specifically to follow her desire to pursue a teaching career after earning a B.S. in biology at the University of Puerto Rico-Mayaguez. She currently teaches biology at the International High School at Langley Park in Bladensburg, Maryland, and was recently selected as a 2018 Knowles Teaching Fellow.
Monique Rivera-Velez
The Knowles Teacher Initiative was created by Janet H. and C. Harry Knowles in 1999 to cultivate and support exemplary science and mathematics high school teachers and develop the next generation of leaders in education. It provides new teachers with financial, professional development, and mentoring support over the course of five years.
Rivera-Velez shared that although her father, a doctor, encouraged her love of science, she didn’t have a particularly positive experience with teachers growing up, and she wanted to provide a different educational experience for her future students. “I wanted to be the best teacher I could be,” she said. “If it wasn’t for the Sherman STEM Teacher Scholars Program I would not be the teacher I am today.” She thanked Josh Michael ’10, political science and education, assistant director of the program, in particular, for being proactive and supportive, saying, “He listened, helped me work through issues, and find solutions to best meet my students’ needs.”
The UMBC department of education is continuously recruiting students from all disciplines for its Master of Arts in Teaching program. It is also offering a program for certified teachers to pursue a Masters of Arts in Education (MAE) degree with a concentration in STEM education, as well as an online Secondary Mathematics MAE.
Banner image (L to R): Rehana Shafi, director of the Sherman STEM Teacher Scholars program. Monique Rivera-Velez, Corey Carter, Emily Diaz, Josephine Kalema-Kasozi, and Josh Michael. All photos by Marlayna Demond ’11 for UMBC. Video by Corey Jennings’10 for UMBC.
The Vietnam War lasted for twenty years and claimed the lives of millions of civilians, Vietnamese soldiers, and 58,220 U.S. military personnel. In the late 1960s and early 1970s, public opposition to the war and the draft grew. Protesters took a series of non-violent direct actions to make their opposition known, including two key protest actions in Maryland. The first was the protest of the Baltimore Four, who symbolically poured blood on draft records. They inspired a larger protest by a group now known as the Catonsville Nine. Fifty years later, a special event hosted by UMBC’s Shriver Center will explore their story.
The UMBC Shriver Center will reflect on this story of activism throughout the month of May as part of the Center’s broader 25th anniversary programming, with support from Maryland Humanities and the Catonsville Nine 50th Committee. Events will kick off the weekend of May 4 with a symposium on social justice, creative non-violence, and spirituality and activism.
The Catonsville Nine included nine Roman Catholic men and women — Father Philip Berrigan, Tom Lewis, Father Daniel Berrigan, Brother David Darst, John Hogan, Marjorie Melville, Thomas Melville, George Mische, and Mary Moylan — who entered Selective Service Local Board #33 in Catonsville, MD in May of 1968, removed over 300 draft files, and burned them in protest of the violence and death in Vietnam. They were arrested, convicted, and sentenced to 2-3.5 years in federal prison, and their action inspired more than fifty subsequent draft board actions around the nation. In the face of this mounting opposition, President Nixon ended the draft in 1973, and the U.S. has not initiated a draft since then.
“ Hit and Stay” a film by Joe Tropea ‘06, history, M.A. ‘08, historical studies, and Skizz Cyzyk will be screened on May 10.
“The Catonsville Nine’s protest is one of the most significant acts of war resistance in our nation’s history, and it happened just down the road from UMBC fifty years ago this May,” says Joby Taylor ’05, Ph.D., LLC, director of the Shriver Peaceworker Program at UMBC. “Our goal with our symposium on May 4th, and other upcoming events, is to bring people together to better understand the story and impact of the Catonsville Nine, as well as the lessons and questions it raises today for those engaging in citizen-led nonviolent social change efforts.”
The symposium will take place at UMBC’s Public Policy Building foyer, 3 – 10 p.m., and will highlight three short films from the Baltimore Traces project, created by students in the media production classes of Bill Shewbridge ’80, history, professor of practice in media and communication studies. The films feature Dave Eberhardt from the Baltimore Four group that inspired the Catonsville Nine; Alva Smith Grub, a juror on the Catonsville Nine trial; and Brendan Walsh and Willa Bickham founding members of Viva House , which was established fifty years ago to help serve the Catonsville Nine action and continues to serve the Baltimore community as a soup kitchen on Hollins Street.
“This was a great opportunity to preserve these stories,” says Shewbridge, explaining, “Eberhardt, who will be at the symposium, is one of two surviving members from the Baltimore Four.” Shewbridge notes, “The story of people putting their beliefs into action resonated deeply with my students.”
Rebecca Wireman ‘18, media and communications studies, one of the student filmmakers, grew up in Catonsville hearing stories about the Catonsville Nine protests, and valued the opportunity to meet some of the community members involved. She helped conduct interviews, did camera work, and edited footage in post-production. “I was excited to film local oral history,” says Wireman. “It is really inspiring to learn about activism and political action from these protests, especially now when young people are looking for ways to voice their opinions.”
UMBC alumni have also played a role in engaging with and expanding public memory of the Catonsville Nine on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of their action. David Goldsmith ’77, history, M.A. ’04, and Dennis DeBoy ’78, political science, worked together to erect a historic plaque for the Catonsville Nine, which will be unveiled in front of the Catonsville Library on May 5 at 2:30. Joe Tropea ‘06, history, M.A. ‘08, historical studies, created the award-winning film Hit and Stay about the Catonsville Nine. The film will be screened on May 10, at 7 p.m., followed by a Q&A with the filmmaker.
“As a public historian,” says Tropea, “ I think it is important to tell this story of regular people who saw a problem with the war, the draft, the deaths and the killing, and found a solution through effective non-violent actions.” He shares, “They…helped change people’s minds about the Vietnam War and their example continues to inform political protests today.”
“How can Baltimore neighborhoods renew themselves without forcing out local residents or homogenizing diverse populations?” Community-engaged researchers from UMBC, Morgan State University, and the University of Baltimore will examine this question through a Dresher Center Humanities Forum panel discussion on “Redevelopment and Justice in Baltimore,” held in the Albin O. Kuhn Library Gallery, April 18, 2018, 4 – 5:30 p.m.
Panelist Nicole King, associate professor of American studies, has worked with her students to document and understand the diverse stories of Baltimore’s people and places, producing the radio series Bromo Speaks and Downtown Voices, and the project A Journey Through Hollins. King’s classes examine the complex web of social, economic, and political issues involved in gentrification, based in the idea that better understanding the perspectives and experiences of current Baltimore residents can lead to more collaborative and just planning and policies.
“There is a lot of discussion about how we need more millennials to move to the city. Freddie Gray was a millennial,” explains King. “Young people need to be able to see through the boosterism, coded language, and the so-called Baltimore ‘renaissance.’ We need to rethink the public’s right to the city.”
Joining King on the panel will be Felipe Filomeno, assistant professor of political science at UMBC; Lawrence Brown, associate professor of community health and policy at Morgan State University; and Seema D. Iyer, associate director and research assistant professor at the University of Baltimore’s Jacob France Institute.
Brown agrees with King on the importance of challenging the many misconceptions about what gentrification is, why it happens, and how it impacts residents physically, socially, economically, educationally, and emotionally. “Baltimore is the largest city in the state and there are many narratives that tell the story of who lives in Baltimore. Without understanding what has happened to Black communities in Baltimore, these narratives become victim-blaming,” notes Brown. “They miss how systems by our government have played a pivotal role in disrupting and uprooting entire communities until they were fundamentally unstable.”
The panel describes gentrification behaviors as the influx of private and/or public capital in a targeted area that then triggers an increase of education levels, income levels, housing prices, and a higher proportion of white residents. “When you see these markers of gentrification it is not a solution for existing communities who are waiting for safe and affordable housing,” says Iyer. “Baltimore has a housing crisis. There are 25,0000 households waiting for housing assistance. The house you have, which you may not be able to afford, is all you have because there is little economic relief or safe, affordable housing alternatives.”
The immigrant population in Baltimore has been impacted in a similar way, says Felipe Filomeno. He partnered with the Mayor’s Office of Immigrant and Multicultural Affairs from 2016 to 2018 evaluate Baltimore’s policy to attract and retain immigrants, examining education, health, public safety, and housing. Filomeno explains that nationally, immigrant homeownership rates are lower than the native-born population, making them more vulnerable to the effects of urban renewal. These communities are pushed out by increasing housing costs or by urban redevelopment that creates expensive amenities inaccessible to existing neighborhood residents.
“Immigrants forced out of Southeast Baltimore lose access to schools trained in teaching Spanish-speaking students and to community organizations that help connect them to jobs, health care, and housing resources,” says Filomeno. “Gentrification is a way to perpetuate inequality by cutting residents from the social and economic networks they need to experience some upward social mobility.”
The panelists will also look toward the future, discussing possible strategies to lessen the negative impacts of redevelopment and the gentrification that can result. Brown is hopeful about a proposal for the Perkins Homes near the Inner Harbor, where the housing authority will place residents in temporary housing before demolishing and rebuilding the development, and will then allow them to move back, to avoid displacement at any stage. Filomeno sees an answer in expanding homeownership programs for immigrants in neighborhoods across the city and county that need to increase their census. Iyer suggests a focus on maintaining diverse neighborhoods with a balance of different income and educational levels, as well as demographic factors, like race and age.
King wants Baltimore to take a different approach. Instead of focusing on enticing wealthier people from outside Baltimore to move to the city, she hopes the city can shift its strategic focus to the needs and great potential of current residents. She is setting her mind on educating and motivating thought leaders to rethink what community and success mean in Baltimore.
“We need to rethink the city for the 21st century,” explains King. She argues, “Baltimore should serve its current residents first and foremost. We need our politicians to show the same spunk of the city’s residents and to be up to try new things.” To do this, King suggests city leaders “listen to residents that have been here for generations, new residents ready to fight for a right to the city, and the young ones who will really shape the cities of the future.”
Banner image: Lexington Market, by Kimberly Zerfas.
When Stephanie Milani ‘19, computer science and psychology, attended an all-girls robotics camp as a middle school student she realized that she found computer science truly fascinating. It was also the last time she had an abundance of female mentors and peers in STEM until college. “All through high school, I didn’t see where computer science could be a career choice for girls,” says Milani. “I didn’t entertain it as a career option until I came to UMBC and found it again. I knew instantly computer science was what I wanted to be doing.”
Milani has not only charged forward in her study of computer science at UMBC, but she has also worked to make sure that, in the future, other girls who are fascinated by computer science can more easily connect with role models and peers who have a shared interest in the field. Campus Compact just awarded Milani the 2018 Newman Civic Fellowship in recognition of her work to increase underrepresented students’ access to opportunities in computer science. This selective national fellowship honors college students who are committed to their community and engage in direct action to create long-term social change, addressing issues of inequality or political polarization. It also recognizes recipients’ tremendous potential in public leadership.
“Stephanie is a thoughtful, passionate, and supportive leader capable of inspiring others,” notes President Freeman Hrabowski, who participates in the nomination of the fellows. “Her passion to improve computer science education for marginalized populations is evident,” he shares.
The Newman Civic Fellowship honors Frank Newman, the Campus Compact founder, and his commitment to educational access and responsible citizenship. Campus Compact is a national coalition of 1,000 colleges and universities, focused on teaching, research, and institutional action in service of the public good. The UMBC Shriver Center is a service-learning member of the Campus Compact Mid-Atlantic.
Through this award, Milani will access in-person and virtual learning, networking events, and mentoring. She will also join a national network of peers who continue to work for social change after their fellowship year, providing support and resources to one another as they pursue public leadership positions nationwide.
Milani is the fourth UMBC student to be recognized as a Newman Civic Fellow. In 2011 Kelly Cyr ‘12, biological sciences, and M.S. ’13, applied molecular biology, received the fellowship for her work to support animal welfare, developing a partnership between UMBC and the Baltimore Animal Care and Rescue Shelter (BARCS). She currently is a veterinarian at a Franky Fund hospital, providing care for homeless animals in need. In 2017 Sophia Lopresti ‘17, global studies, earned the fellowship for her work in global healthcare access as chairperson for the UMBC Global Brigades program in Central America.
Max Poole leading March to College in spring of 2018. Image by Catalina Sofia Dansberger Duque.
In 2016 Maxwell Poole ‘18, computer science, economics, and mathematics, received the fellowship for his service continuing the work of Nick Ramundo, a Maryland-DC Compact Americorps VISTA member at the Shriver Center who passed away unexpectedly, in the Arbutus Achievers and March to College programs.
When, as a fellow, Poole attended a conference with the Newman program, he noticed none of the fellows at the time were focusing on expanding access to computer science for students from underrepresented groups. After returning to UMBC, he connected with Marie desJardins, associate dean of the College of Engineering and Information Technology and professor in computer science, and Stephanie Milani, who was interested in the access issue, to form Creative Coders. Their new program sought to introduce middle school students to computer science through game development.
“The amount of students with access to computer science in middle school is minuscule,” says Poole. Knowing that computing skills will be important for many kinds of jobs of the future, he suggests, “If you can get kids interested, learning, engaged, and involved as early as possible it prepares them to be successful.”
Poole nominated Milani for the 2018 Newman Civic Fellowship after seeing her dedication and commitment to expanding access to computer science. In addition to her work with Creative Coders, Milani is the president of UMBC’s Computer Science Education club, where she leads a diverse membership in hosting computer science outreach events on campus and in surrounding local middle and high schools. Milani has also developed curriculum for Computer Science Matters in Maryland and is a lead organizer for UMBC’s Hour of Code event, which brings Lakeland Elementary/Middle School students to campus for fun, hands-on activities with circuits and coding.
desJardins praises Milani’s service, noting, “Stephanie stands out as an exceptionally motivated and determined student, with outstanding technical skills, excellent teamwork and communication, natural leadership, and a high level of maturity and focus.”
“It is an honor to represent the commitment of UMBC to service and engaged citizenship at a national level with the help of The Shriver Center,” Milani reflects. “They helped me to bridge the gap between my desire to create change and my ability to apply my knowledge through service-learning.”
Kara Seidel B.A., Psychology Minor: American Studies Summa Cum Laude Hometown: Baltimore, Maryland Plans: Family trauma researcher
One of the best things about UMBC is how supportive professors and staff are. They tell you the truth, even when you don’t want to hear it. They see potential in you and encourage you to take each mistake as a learning experience. Their ongoing support helped me feel confident about pursuing a wide range of opportunities.
Second generation Retriever and valedictorian Kara Seidel sees every experience as a learning opportunity. She is particularly thankful for the broad range of academic and professional experiences she has found through UMBC, as well as the relationships she has developed. Her work at Johns Hopkins School of Medicine in an HIV/Addiction Lab and at the American Psychological Association helped her identify her core intellectual interests within the vast psychology field, and pursue her own research. “As a student at UMBC, I accessed unbelievable opportunities to gain hands-on learning. As a result, I was able to discover behavioral therapy and a passion for research and helping families dealing with trauma,” says Seidel.
Kara Seidel reflects that UMBC’s diverse student body and range of student experiences available are two of UMBC’s core strengths.
Seidel has worked as lead research assistant in the Trauma Lab of Christopher Murphy, professor, and chair of psychology. A member of the Honors College, her commitment to challenging herself academically and as a student researcher earned her a Shimoff Award and a Distinguished Achievement Award from the psychology department. As a Sondheim Public Affairs Scholar, Seidel has also explored ways to combine academics with service. The UMBC Shriver Center awarded Seidel with the Samson, Rosetta A., and Sadie B. Feldman Family Award for her work as a student service coordinator in the Students United for Campus-Community Engagement for Post-Secondary Success (SUCCESS) program. Seidel also served as president of Psi Chi International Honor Society, is a member of the Phi Beta Kappa academic honor society, and works as a social justice intern for UMBC Hillel. Ultimately, Seidel reflects, her success at UMBC is all about community. “The array of experiences I’ve had at UMBC are because of the people I have met here,” she says. Seidel will work as a behavioral therapist and researcher for the next year, before beginning a Ph.D. program in psychology, with a focus on supporting families experiencing trauma. Photos by Marlayna Demond ‘11 for UMBC.
Todd Cox B.S., Financial Economics Summa Cum Laude Hometown: Frederick, Maryland Plans: Business Management Analyst, Northrop Grumman
UMBC has provided me with an outstanding education and has helped me secure a future as a business analyst.
Todd Cox’s success at UMBC has been driven by the discipline, focus, and perseverance he learned during his service in the U.S. Navy as a boatswain’s mate third class attached to Amphibious Construction Battalion One. His interest in economics began in the Navy after attending the “Million Dollar Sailor” training where he learned about savings, investing, and budgeting. He decided to pursue a degree in financial economics shortly after.
Cox applied his newfound passion to excel in his studies, earning a perfect GPA and a place on the dean’s and president’s lists every semester. He received the Outstanding Student in Macroeconomics Scholarship as well. During his time at UMBC, he also found time to apply his economics skills as a member of the accounting club and as a business management intern at Northrop Grumman.
Of the True Grit statue, Cox says, “I walked past this statue with pride nearly every day; it marks the beginning and end of my journey at UMBC.”
Throughout his time on campus, Cox worked closely with the UMBC Career Center to connect with top-performing companies where he could apply his knowledge, drive, and ever-expanding skill set. Cox is looking forward to working as a business management analyst at Northrop Grumman after graduation. “One of the greatest assets on campus that facilitated the achievement of my goals was the Career Center,” Cox reflects. “The Career Center does a phenomenal job mentoring, preparing, and connecting students with future employers.”
Shirley Basfield Dunlap Ph.D., Language Literacy and Culture Summa Cum Laude Hometown: Baltimore, Maryland Plans: Coordinator of Theatre Arts, Morgan State University
I have taken one course a semester since 2009. UMBC has taught me perseverance.
Shirley Basfield Dunlap directed plays celebrating African American life and experience in regional theatres across the country before settling in Baltimore as an associate professor and coordinator of theatre arts at Morgan State University. Wanting to further her scholarship in the history of theatre, she found a home in UMBC’s language, literacy, and culture (LLC) Ph.D. program.
At the opening night of “Red Velvet” at the Chesapeake Shakespeare Company, Director Basfield Dunlap (far right), poses with Kimberly Moffitt, Moffitt’s family, and Christian Gibbs (center), an actor performing the lead role of Ira Aldridge.
Through the LLC program, Basfield Dunlap has connected with mentors committed to her success in completing a ground-breaking and thought-provoking dissertation, including her committee chair Beverly Bickel, clinical associate professor of LLC; co-chair Michelle Scott, associate professor of history; and Kimberly Moffitt, associate professor of American studies. These mentors “have been avid supporters of my work as a stage director,” she says, sharing a particularly significant memory of them attending the opening night of Lolita Chakrabarti’s “Red Velvet” at the Chesapeake Shakespeare Company, which she directed in its Baltimore debut.
As the director of “Red Velvet” at the Chesapeake Shakespeare Company, Basfield Dunlap delivered the opening night toast. Beverly Bickel, Kimberly Moffitt, Liz Steenrod, and their families attended the production.
Basfield Dunlap’s dissertation, “The Oral History Project of African American Stage Directors in American Theatre,” explores how the making of a play is influenced by the cultural lens of the director. “Scripts and performances directed by these African American directors have been chronicled in African American theatre history books,” her dissertation abstract notes, “but the cultural processes of ‘making’ of the play and the creating the production, have not.” Her dissertation aims to create a space to acknowledge the work and impact of African American stage directors in American theatre history. She will apply her research to enhance her ongoing work in theatre at Morgan State University. Portrait by Marlayna Demond ‘11 for UMBC.
Manisha Vepa B.A., Economics and Global Studies Minor: Music Summa Cum Laude Hometown: Ellicott City, Maryland Plans: Fulbright English Teaching Assistant, South Korea
UMBC has afforded me many critical opportunities to gain the quantitative skills required for a career in foreign policy, as well as to cultivate a passion for research and East Asian affairs.
Manisha Vepa came to UMBC ready to explore — both driven to excel academically and excited to become an active member of a caring community. As a Sondheim Public Affairs Scholar, she was particularly interested in learning about the diverse needs of different communities and how public policy can affect communities, locally and internationally.
“The mentorship I have received from my professors and staff advisors has been invaluable,” says Vepa. “They have taught me how to be reflective, analytical, and mindful in both my personal and academic lives.”
Vepa’s particular interest in Asian culture and policy led her to study in Hong Kong for a semester. She will continue her exploration of Asian cultures as an English-language educator through the Fulbright English Teaching Assistant program in South Korea, before pursuing a graduate degree in East Asian affairs.
On campus, Vepa has served as president of the UMBC Moot Court for the past three years, a member of the Student Government Association (SGA) for four years, and Assistant Speaker of the Senate for 2017-18. She also found balance in continuing her study of music as a Music Performance Fellow by playing the viola in the UMBC Symphonic Orchestra all semesters except for when she studied abroad. While abroad she played in two orchestras in Hong Kong. In addition, she served as a tutor in the Refugee Youth Project at Beechfield Elementary/Middle School.
“I have grown as a leader through my involvement in Student Government Association, the local community, and my international opportunities,” says Vepa. “My experiences empowered me to be an active part in social change efforts and helped me develop a deep passion and understanding for civic engagement and civic agency that has guided my college career.”
