Alumni

The Right Place, the Right Wine

/ 4 minutes of reading

Spring time is the season of hope at Boordy Vineyards. Emerald shoots appear on the grapevines across rolling hills. In May, perfume from tiny flowers fills the air. “Everything looks under control,” says Rob Deford ’93, geography, owner of Maryland’s oldest winery. “You suffer from irrational hope.” Deford calls spring his favorite season, a time of promise. In the spring, he says he looks around and thinks, “I’m in the right business.” A month later, weeds appear, vines grow a foot at a time, and anxiety grows until harvest time. He laughs about the process of growing grapes and turning… Continue Reading The Right Place, the Right Wine

Q&A: Aminata Jalloh ’10, First-Time Children’s Author

/ 3 minutes of reading

Aminata Jalloh ’10, American studies, recently published her first children’s book titled The Biggest Little Brother, a story about the complexities of sibling relationships and immigrant families. Here, the first-generation Sierra Leonean-American shares how her time at UMBC shaped her career in teaching and writing for children. – Allison Cruz ’18 How did your education at UMBC impact your career in teaching and now writing children’s books? I was always interested in the experiences of first and second generation Americans, so attending UMBC and majoring in American studies was a natural fit. It was an interdisciplinary area of study which… Continue Reading Q&A: Aminata Jalloh ’10, First-Time Children’s Author

Q&A: Adam Kurtz ’09, Artist, Author, and Brand

/ 4 minutes of reading

Adam J. Kurtz ’09, visual arts, is an artist and author whose work for brands such as Urban Outfitters, Fishs Eddy, Tumblr, Penguin Random House, and Strand Bookstore (among others) offers emotion, humor, and at times darkness. His books, the most recent entitled Things Are What You Make of Them, contain insightful thoughts about communicating one’s personality and emotions into meaningful work. Here, Kurtz talks about his talents and artistry, and about how UMBC impacted his career after graduation. – Allison Cruz ’18 Q: You have done so much creative work as an artist and as an author. What inspired… Continue Reading Q&A: Adam Kurtz ’09, Artist, Author, and Brand

Remembering Joseph Kohl ’87 and his Baltimore time capsule

/ 4 minutes of reading

Maryland Historical Society’s current exhibition Unscripted Moments: The Life and Photography of Joseph Kohl celebrates “one of Baltimore’s most distinctive and forward-looking photographers,” according to Joe Tropea ’06, history, ’08 M.A. history, Curator of Films & Photographs and Digital Projects Coordinator at MDHS. The exhibition, on display at MDHS in Baltimore through April 29, features a small sample of the vast body of work Joseph Kohl ’87, visual & performing arts photography, left behind when he tragically died in 2002 at the age of 44 from leukemia. A prolific news and fine arts photographer, Kohl covered Baltimore for a diverse collection… Continue Reading Remembering Joseph Kohl ’87 and his Baltimore time capsule

Q&A: April Householder ’95, New Director of Undergraduate Research

/ 6 minutes of reading

UMBC’s new Director of Undergraduate Research and Prestigious Scholarships, April Householder ’95, spends her days opening doors to students exploring the vast world of research.  As an alumna of visual and performing arts with a minor in art history, she also boasts a fascinating background in documentary filmmaking and media criticism. Here, Householder talks about how her time learning and working at UMBC helped shape her work in film, teaching, and her new work in the division of Undergraduate Academic Affairs (UAA). Q: What are your thoughts about your education at UMBC? How did UMBC help prepare you for your research,… Continue Reading Q&A: April Householder ’95, New Director of Undergraduate Research

Taking Center Stage – Katie Kopajtic ’11, theatre

/ 3 minutes of reading

As a youngster, Katie Kopajtic ’11 became interested in the stage thanks to the “Harry Potter” films. She acted in school plays while also becoming a strong swimmer at North Harford High School. When she arrived at UMBC, she decided to focus solely on finding her voice in the theatre – but she never left her athletic life completely behind. This Sunday, the Brooklyn resident combines both interests in the form of her play “Confessions Of A Personal Trainer,” off-off-Broadway at “Ryan’s Daughter” on the Upper East Side. Kopajtic said the  show is about 40 minutes long and filled with… Continue Reading Taking Center Stage – Katie Kopajtic ’11, theatre

Photos: Chocolate City Bar Talk

/ 1 minute of reading

Local alumni welcomed UMBC professor, author and alumnus, Dr. George Derek Musgrove ’97 to discuss his new book Chocolate City: A History of Race and Democracy in the Nation’s Capital at a Bar Talk event on February 1 at Denizens Brewing Company in Silver Spring. During the talk, alums enjoyed one-on-one time with the author, whose book tells the tumultuous, four-century story of race and democracy in our nation’s capital. >> Read a Q&A with the author George Derek Musgrove ’97 >> Learn more about upcoming UMBC Alumni events  Photos by Marlayna Demond ’11 for UMBC Magazine

Bay area alumni pose together with name tags

On the Road – Bay Area Alumni

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UMBC’s San Francisco Bay Area alumni got together last week for drinks and a warm welcome from their East Coast Retriever friends. Dr. Anupam Joshi, Director, UMBC Center for Cybersecurity Professor and Chair, Computer Science and Electrical Engineering, and UMBC’s Office of Alumni Relations staff greeted more than 50 alumni January 22 at Steins Beer Garden in Mountain View, CA. We hope you enjoy these photos from the event. Learn more about upcoming alumni events here!

Returning Women Graduates Offer Advice

/ 7 minutes of reading

This post originally appeared on the Women’s Center blog. * * * * * On the eve of UMBC’s undergraduate commencement, we are thinking of all the graduating seniors out there who finally made it the finish line. Congrats! We’re especially proud of the graduating students we work with through the Returning Women Students Scholars + Affiliates Program and want to shout your success from the rooftops! Since the Women’s Center is located on the ground floor of The Commons, though, we’ll exchange the rooftop for our blog. The Women’s Center is proud to support the Returning Women Students Scholars… Continue Reading Returning Women Graduates Offer Advice

Philip Graff ’08 named Outstanding Young Scientist by Maryland Science Center

/ 3 minutes of reading

Throughout his career, Philip Graff ’08, mathematics and physics, has conducted research at Cambridge University on a prestigious Gates Cambridge Scholarship, developed an algorithm that enabled experiments confirming the existence of gravitational waves, and worked to improve cybersecurity measures for the U.S. armed forces and Department of Homeland Security. This fall, the Maryland Science Center named Graff their 2017 Outstanding Young Scientist – Non-academic Track. At a ceremony held November 15, the center honored two scientists and two engineers, including UMBC’s Lee Blaney, associate professor of chemical, biochemical, and environmental engineering. Researchers younger than 35 in academia and younger than… Continue Reading Philip Graff ’08 named Outstanding Young Scientist by Maryland Science Center

Chapter of Young Alumni members share time and talents

/ 1 minute of reading

UMBC’s Chapter of Young Alumni made a difference in our community this month, volunteering at two locations — and having a blast doing so together. Above: On November 16, CYA members visited the Baltimore Community ToolBank, where they collectively put in more than 20 hours of labor doing fun tasks such as painting tools, sorting and pairing gloves, and much more! Later that week, CYA members traveled to the Patapsco Heritage Greenway to clean up streams near UMBC. Lots and lots of trash and treasures later, folks make a big dent in their stream cleanup efforts. Interested in joining a future volunteer… Continue Reading Chapter of Young Alumni members share time and talents

Path to Success: Psychiatrist Chinedu Varma ’04, M12, serves Retrievers at UMBC Counseling Center

/ 5 minutes of reading

When asked what kind of advice she has for first-year students as an alumna, Chinedu Onyedike Varma ’04, M12, interdisciplinary studies, has a simple answer: find your passion, get involved, and have fun – “as long as it’s safe,” she’s quick to add. As a consulting psychiatrist at the UMBC Counseling Center, keeping students safe is a big part of her job, along with giving them the mental health support they need to have the best college experience possible. Students seek out Counseling Center services for a whole range of concerns, whether they’re grappling with anxiety and depression, questioning aspects… Continue Reading Path to Success: Psychiatrist Chinedu Varma ’04, M12, serves Retrievers at UMBC Counseling Center

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