Evolution of an Honors University Diane Lee, vice provost for undergraduate education and associate professor of education, takes UMBCÂ’s tagline, An Honors University in Maryland, personally. Lee works to ensure that the honors mission has practical meaning in everyday lives for UMBC students, faculty and staff.Lee came to UMBC in 1986 as a visiting professor. After teaching large lecture classes at another institution, she was excited to find small, seminar-style classes at UMBC. “This campus speaks community to me,” says Lee. “ItÂ’s large enough to be diverse and small enough to get to know students beyond their names, as individuals… Continue Reading Evolution of an Honors University
Building Leaders in the Community Mark Terranova has to think like a sixth grader – literally. As part of a new Shriver Center service-learning program, Terranova is sending a team of UMBC students back to middle schools to share their talents with teachers and children. The program is funded by a three year, $1.3 million grant from the National Science Foundation called The Teaching Enhancement Partnership Project (TEPP).In this first year of the project, TerranovaÂ’s goal is to take UMBC students studying math, science, engineering and technology and pair them with under-resourced middle schools in the Baltimore area. “IÂ’m looking… Continue Reading Building Leaders in the Community
 Jim Bailey, a history major at UMBC, is a park ranger at the Fort McHenry National Monument and Historic Shrine. “Learning from the Past”  Jim Bailey first became interested in the Civil War on a family trip to Gettysburg as a child. “I went to a Civil War reenactment of Gettysburg when I was 8 years old. A Union soldier let me wear his coat and hold his .58 caliber Enfield musket,” he says. “History was suddenly very real to me – I felt as if I could see it, hear it, smell it. I was hooked!” Now… Continue Reading Learning from the Past
“A World of Opportunity” Rebekah de Wit has studied and worked abroad in six different countries. She speaks fluent French, is pretty good at Dutch and Italian, and has taught undergraduate Latin. Now, thanks to a combination of programs at UMBC, she is on her way to turning her love of languages, foreign cultures and international education into an exciting career in study abroad administration.Both a Humanities Scholar and a Maryland Distinguished Scholar during her undergraduate years, de Wit has received numerous additional UMBC and Maryland state merit scholarships since beginning her studies at UMBC. She was drawn to pursue a… Continue Reading A World of Opportunity
 Shahza Somerville is a Ph.D. student in UMBC’s Neurosciences and Cognitive Sciences Ph.D. Program and a Meyerhoff Graduate Fellow. “Exploring the Neurosciences” “Neuroscience is a relatively new area and the more I read the more I realize how much research needs to be done. I feel like itÂ’s my calling to advance this field that could help so many people. IÂ’m interested in both biology and psychiatry, so to be able to merge the two is wonderful,” says Shahza Somerville, a Ph.D. student in UMBCÂ’s new Neurosciences and Cognitive Sciences Ph.D. Program (NACS) and a Meyerhoff Graduate Fellow. A… Continue Reading Exploring the Neurosciences
“Broadway Bound” Kriste Belt has a passion for performance. “IÂ’ve always wanted to be on Broadway – thatÂ’s my number one aspiration,” she says. “Being a well-rounded person will help me achieve that dream.”Belt selected UMBC after visiting top-notch universities and conservatories across the country. “I chose UMBC because of the incredible faculty and the amount of care they give to help students grow,” she explains. “I get a solid liberal arts education, and the intimacy of the campus helps me learn about many disciplines, including music, dance and theatre.”As a music major and a Linehan Artist Scholar, a program for… Continue Reading Broadway Bound
“The Art and Science of Research” When Kevin Griffith came to UMBC for a masterÂ’s in 1996, he didnÂ’t expect to stay for another six years. But after completing the one-year program in Applied Molecular Biology (AMB), which prepares students for high-level technical positions in the biotechnology industry, Griffith was hooked on research and entered UMBCÂ’s Molecular and Cell Biology doctoral program. (The MOCB Ph.D. program was designed in part with such students in mind, since the AMB program fulfills many of the course requirements.)“Research is challenging,” says Griffith, “yet very rewarding.” In addition to the challenge, Griffith also likes the… Continue Reading The Art and Science of Research
“The Dynamics of International Terrorism” For some students, summer session is traditionally a time for “lighter” coursework. But since the events of September 11, a course taught by political science professor and terrorism expert John Munro has students filling up the classroom and poring through books like Holy War, Inc. and Who Becomes a Terrorist and Why in an effort to better understand what has become the most important topic of our times.Munro teaches “Dynamics of International Terrorism: National Policy Responses and Evolving Challenges.” He originally conceived the course to focus on domestic terror like the Oklahoma City bombing and the… Continue Reading The Dynamics of International Terrorism
“A New Approach to Teaching” Phillip Sokolove, professor of biological sciences, took time out from his own successful research to investigate ways to improve student learning. Based on his reputation as an outstanding teacher, Sokolove was invited to become UMBCÂ’s representative in the Maryland Collaborative for Teacher Preparation, funded by the National Science Foundation. The goal was to develop a new approach to pre-service teaching training in science and mathematics that would produce teachers prepared to implement new best-practice teaching methods in upper elementary and middle school classrooms in Maryland.With help and guidance from Susan Blunck in the education department, Sokolove… Continue Reading A New Approach to Teaching
“Close to Home”Rich Sponaugle ’95 and ’97, B.S. and M.S. information systems, has come full circle. He is an instructor and the undergraduate program director for UMBC’s information systems program at the Shady Grove Center. The Universities at Shady Grove brings programs from eight universities in the University System of Maryland to the center in Rockville, Md. UMBC offers daytime, upper division classes at Shady Grove that lead to bachelor’s degrees in information systems and social work.UMBC’s programs at Shady Grove offer transfer students, many of whom have earned associate’s degrees at Montgomery College, an opportunity to attain their educational… Continue Reading Close to Home
“A Master Teacher” Professor of American Studies Edward OrserÂ’s dedication to teaching always leaves an impression on his students. “He is the kind of teacher you want to do your best for. He is not only a role model for those who one day wish to teach, he also is an exemplar of what a teacher could and should be,” says alumna Donna Neutze.A member of the faculty since 1969 and a 1998 UMBC Presidential Teaching Professor, Orser was recently recognized with a RegentÂ’s Faculty Award for Excellence in Teaching. He credits his teaching with contributing in important ways to his… Continue Reading A Master Teacher
“A Passion for Service” What do Idaho, Mozambique and UMBC all have in common? They all have played a vital role in the life of Victoria Vargas, a member of the Shriver Peaceworker Program, established by UMBCÂ’s Shriver Center.Born and raised in Twin Falls, Idaho, Vargas is the daughter of a migrant farm worker who believed that success for his eight children would come through hard work and a commitment to education. She has always had a passion for service and in 1998 she was accepted in the Peace Corps and traveled to Mozambique, where she taught English to eighth graders.… Continue Reading A Passion for Service
