Over the past decade, Gustavo Matheus ’90, biological sciences, has demonstrated his pride in UMBC in a most tangible way: helping to persuade his fellow alumni to give back to the university. Now UMBC is giving something to Matheus: its 2009 Outstanding Alumni Award for Distinguished Service to the university and it’s alumni. Matheus has a successful health law practice in Rockville. But he has also spearheaded a number of alumni projects at UMBC, including mentoring young alumni who helped create the university’s Esperanza Endowment Fund – which supports UMBC students of Latino or Hispanic ancestry and/or students committed to… Continue Reading Fund-Amental Leader – Gustavo Matheus ’90, biological sciences
After spending the summer jamming on guitars in their living room together, Professor Morin and his son, Nick, traded mix tapes to commemorate the experience. They worked on their lists separately, but clearly have some similar tastes. (All tracks link to Amazon.com) Mix tape for Nick Morin From Dad (2009) by Professor Joseph “Skip” Morin Track 1: “Funk #49” by James Gang Track 2: “(Night Time Is) The Right Time” by Ray Charles Track 3: “Ain’t Too Proud to Beg” by The Temptations Track 4: “Sad-Eyed Lady of the Lowlands” by Bob Dylan Track 5: “One Mint Julep” by The… Continue Reading Killer Mix Tapes Cont’d
Establishing a legacy that spans generations is important for a school that is only 43-years-old – and one father and son team has created such a legacy as student-athletes at UMBC. John Goedeke ’79, economics, was one of the school’s better-known basketball players in the late ’70s, when he was a two-time academic All-America selection and a seventh-round selection by the NBA’s Atlanta Hawks. He is now a senior vice president in the treasury management division of Sandy Spring Bank. Kevin Goedeke ’10 has been a key member of the men’s lacrosse team in the last two years, helping the… Continue Reading Over Coffee – Fall 2009
Two weeks after completing a grueling bicycle race that ran from Oceanside, Calif. to Annapolis, Adam Driscoll ’04, information systems, is still waiting for sensation to return to his fingertips. Driscoll’s hands are still numb from gripping the handlebars of his Cannondale geared bicycle for a week. But he says that the lack of feeling is a small price to pay to take first place in the two-man division of the 2009 Race Across America (RAAM) – a 3,000-mile contest which they won in a time of seven days, one hour and 33 minutes. The other member of the winning… Continue Reading Pedal Power
How a decade-long battle over bwtech@UMBC Research and Technology Park created a thriving link between campus and business and a dedicated green space for research and teaching. By Richard Byrne ’86 When a new wooden footbridge linking UMBC’s main campus to the university’s bwtech@UMBC Research and Technology Park and its Conservation and Environmental Research Areas (CERA) opened earlier this year, the walkway represented more than a convenient new path between previously disconnected areas of campus. The new bridge also links UMBC’s larger efforts related to commerce and sustainability back to campus. The research park has capitalized on the opportunities presented… Continue Reading The Best of Both Worlds
Top Dawgs “We’re Number One! We’re Number One!” It isn’t often that UMBC President Freeman A. Hrabowski, III’s “State of the University” address is interrupted by an impromptu chant. But this year’s speech – given on Aug. 20 – was something different. Local media flocked to cover the address, and the crowd packed into the University Center was bursting with school spirit. The press attention and pride was in response to news that the editors of U.S.News & World Report’s “America’s Best Colleges” guide had released only hours before: UMBC was ranked in the top spot for national universities in… Continue Reading The News – Fall 2009
UMBC assistant professor of sociology Zeynep Tufekci investigates how we use Facebook, Twitter and other new social-networking services to define ourselves. By Joab Jackson ’90 Illustration by Michael Glenwood UMBC assistant professor of sociology Zeynep Tufekci is not a big fan of technology for its own sake. But if a new electronic gadget helps her get through the day more easily, she is all for it. Take the baby rocker, for instance. She loves this device. On a summer day at home on maternity leave, Tufekci replaces the hulking C batteries of a pendulous crib that gently rocks her seven-week-old… Continue Reading The Tweet Science
UMBC President Freeman A. Hrabowski, III takes your questions. Q. What book do you recommend that every young person read before they go out into the “real world?” — Shivonne L. Laird ’99, biological sciences A. Right now, I think it’s important for students to be constantly reading. And to read even more when they go into the real world, because life is changing in so many ways. Now if I were forced to choose a book, I would say Thomas Friedman’s Hot, Flat, and Crowded today. Because it focuses on the need for a green revolution, the impact of… Continue Reading Up On The Roof – Fall 2009
Many theatre companies are born out of a mixture of inspiration and frustration. Take The Venus Theatre in Laurel, for instance. When its founder, Deborah Randall ’94, theatre, graduated from UMBC, she pursued a career as a playwright and a performer in Washington, D.C. Like many recent graduates, Randall had a desire to succeed in a challenging profession. But she also found some of the roles she played and the theatrical atmosphere that surrounded her to be stifling her creativity. She craved a theatre that valued women and living playwrights. Randall recalls UMBC theatre professor Wendy Salkind’s advice to her.… Continue Reading Venus, If You Will – Deborah Randall ’94, Theatre
From UMBC Magazine Summer 2009, Early Risers, featuring Crew Club practice, ROTC morning routine, True Grits dining hall, and other UMBC voices — including one hungry squirrel. Video by Jim Lord.
UMBC President Freeman A. Hrabowski, III, takes your questions. Q. How does UMBC prepare students for the real world? What is UMBC doing to instill a work ethic in students? — Monique Jones Cephas ’92, information systems management Q. I’m curious to know what UMBC is doing for its students and alumni in helping them to bridge the “backpack to briefcase” gap between the academic world and the professional world? How is UMBC helping students to prepare for professional careers even while they are still students? And, is it enough? What more can be done? — Tom Briggs ’05, psychology… Continue Reading Up on the Roof – Summer 2009
