British writer and scientist Arthur C. Clarke once wrote that “any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic.” And for many of us, that’s exactly how the beeps and pings and connecting dings that keep our schedules, steer our cars to the right destination, and even maintain our bonds with family and friends over great distances seem to work. Like magic. But to the humans behind the technologies – including Silicon Valley-based UMBC alumni at Apple and Google – it’s anything but abracadabra. It’s a combination of hard work, entrepreneurial drive and visionary imagination at its geekish best. Let’s meet… Continue Reading Search Engineers
British writer and scientist Arthur C. Clarke once wrote that “any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic.” And for many of us, that’s exactly how the beeps and pings and connecting dings that keep our schedules, steer our cars to the right destination, and even maintain our bonds with family and friends over great distances seem to work. Like magic. But to the humans behind the technologies – including Silicon Valley-based UMBC alumni at Apple and Google – it’s anything but abracadabra. It’s a combination of hard work, entrepreneurial drive and visionary imagination at its geekish best. Let’s meet… Continue Reading A SIRI-ous Mind
Musician Devin Walker ’89, political science, took his “Uncle Devin” show to the U.S. Capitol this summer, sharing educational music with children and parents alike. Walker, who plays the drums, calls the show “a live, interactive musical experience for children five and over by renowned drummer Devin Walker. The show cultivates the minds of children through percussion instruments and is a dynamic cross between Fat Albert and Schoolhouse Rock.” View photos from the show here. Read more about the show here. Walker and his jazz band, A Sense of Urgency, will be one of three alumni-driven bands playing at this… Continue Reading “Uncle Devin” Walker '89, PoliSci, Shares Music with Kids in D.C.
Musician Devin Walker ’89, political science, took his “Uncle Devin” show to the U.S. Capitol this summer, sharing educational music with children and parents alike. Walker, who plays the drums, calls the show “a live, interactive musical experience for children five and over by renowned drummer Devin Walker. The show cultivates the minds of children through percussion instruments and is a dynamic cross between Fat Albert and Schoolhouse Rock.” View photos from the show here. Read more about the show here. Walker and his jazz band, A Sense of Urgency, will be one of three alumni-driven bands playing at this… Continue Reading “Uncle Devin” Walker ’89, PoliSci, Shares Music with Kids in D.C.
Philanthropy is an extremely personal act. We all give in different ways, and for very different reasons. Many of us give back by writing a check to a favorite program, providing an immediate (and, often, necessary) infusion of funds. Some of us also volunteer time to the organizations that mean the most to us. And, many times, we give as members of groups — interactions that bind and strengthen our communities. It is in this spirit that UMBC has launched BreakingGround, “a campus-wide initiative to embed opportunities for civic learning and collaborative problem-solving even more broadly and deeply in our… Continue Reading With BreakingGround, Philanthropy Takes on Infinite Forms
When war strikes in a distant nation, the only way that many Americans experience it is through the lens of the journalists and photographers who risk life and limb to get the shots that capture war’s horrors and tragedies. But what is the personal cost for those who show such courage? Assessing that human cost to the chroniclers of war is the essence of Donald Maguiles’ play Time Stands Still, which opened last week at Baltimore’s Everyman Theatre with UMBC alumni Eric Messner ’01, acting, and Mandy Moore ’07, acting, among its ensemble. “When I was at UMBC I used… Continue Reading Messner ’01 and Moore ’07 in Everyman Theatre’s Time Stands Still
When war strikes in a distant nation, the only way that many Americans experience it is through the lens of the journalists and photographers who risk life and limb to get the shots that capture war’s horrors and tragedies. But what is the personal cost for those who show such courage? Assessing that human cost to the chroniclers of war is the essence of Donald Maguiles’ play Time Stands Still, which opened last week at Baltimore’s Everyman Theatre with UMBC alumni Eric Messner ’01, acting, and Mandy Moore ’07, acting, among its ensemble. “When I was at UMBC I used… Continue Reading Messner '01 and Moore '07 in Everyman Theatre's Time Stands Still
Mitch Case ’11, media & communication studies, and current UMBC junior Caitlyn Leiter-Mason, a Sondheim Public Affairs Scholar majoring in Gender & Women’s Studies and Political Science, are blogging about their experiences as delegates to the Democratic National Convention this week in Charlotte, NC. Their shared blog, A Tale of Two Delegates, follows their adventures as delegates for President Obama representing Maryland’s 6th and 7th districts (Leiter-Mason and Case, respectively). Leiter-Mason is the current president of UMBC College Democrats, and Case served as president when he attended UMBC. Read more at UMBC’s BreakingGround site. BreakingGround is at the forefront of… Continue Reading Case ’11 and Student Blog from Democratic National Convention
Mitch Case ’11, media & communication studies, and current UMBC junior Caitlyn Leiter-Mason, a Sondheim Public Affairs Scholar majoring in Gender & Women’s Studies and Political Science, are blogging about their experiences as delegates to the Democratic National Convention this week in Charlotte, NC. Their shared blog, A Tale of Two Delegates, follows their adventures as delegates for President Obama representing Maryland’s 6th and 7th districts (Leiter-Mason and Case, respectively). Leiter-Mason is the current president of UMBC College Democrats, and Case served as president when he attended UMBC. Read more at UMBC’s BreakingGround site. BreakingGround is at the forefront of… Continue Reading Case '11 and Student Blog from Democratic National Convention
Four UMBC alums competed in Major League Lacrosse’s Championship Weekend, held at Harvard University Stadium in Boston, Mass. Attackman Drew Westervelt ’09, economics, is a member of the 2012 champion Chesapeake Bayhawks, while Brendan Mundorf ’06, sociology, Peet Poillon ’10, INDS, and Terry Kimener ’09, American studies, competed for the runner-up Denver Outlaws. All four former Retrievers finished the 2012 season ranked in the top-20 in the MLL scoring race. Westervelt played for the Denver squad in his first five years in the league. A Third Team All-American for UMBC in 2007, the Bel Air, Md. native tied for 20th… Continue Reading Four Lax Alumni Compete in MLL Championship at Harvard
Thank you to the alumni volunteers who helped welcome a new class of Retrievers (and move their stuff!) at UMBC’s Move-In Day, August 25. Pictured below (L-R): Corris Davis ’98 of the Meyerhoff Alumni Chapter; Melissa Evans ’07, president of the Chapter of Young Alumni; Bennett Moe ’88, president of the Alumni Association Board of Directors; Donnie Downey ’85 of the Alumni Association Board of Directors; and Yvette Mozie-Ross ’88 of the Chapter of Black and Latino Alumni. See more photos from Move-In Day on UMBC’s Alumni Flickr site.
Computer science alumnus Joshua Barczak ’03, M.S. ’06, spoke about his work in the video game industry at this spring’s Undergraduate Research and Creative Achievement Day (URCAD). Barczak, who is a senior graphics engineer at Firaxis Games, helped develop Sid Meier’s Civilization V game. Watch the full video by clicking the image below.
