Alumni

“Esperanza” For the Future: Dr. Shivonne L. Laird '99

/ 3 minutes of reading

For many students, it takes more than brilliant professors, hours of study, and supportive classmates to succeed in college. Often, a gesture as simple as a book scholarship, or a conversation with someone who’s walked in your shoes, so to speak, can mean the difference between earning straight As and struggling to stay afloat. For Latino students needing that extra boost toward graduation, there’s plenty of “esperanza,” or hope, for the future, thanks in part to Dr. Shivonne L. Laird ’99, biological sciences. One of the founding members of UMBC’s Chapter of Black & Latino Alumni (CBLA), Laird also helped… Continue Reading “Esperanza” For the Future: Dr. Shivonne L. Laird '99

“Esperanza” For the Future: Dr. Shivonne L. Laird '99

/ 3 minutes of reading

For many students, it takes more than brilliant professors, hours of study, and supportive classmates to succeed in college. Often, a gesture as simple as a book scholarship, or a conversation with someone who’s walked in your shoes, so to speak, can mean the difference between earning straight As and struggling to stay afloat. For Latino students needing that extra boost toward graduation, there’s plenty of “esperanza,” or hope, for the future, thanks in part to Dr. Shivonne L. Laird ’99, biological sciences. One of the founding members of UMBC’s Chapter of Black & Latino Alumni (CBLA), Laird also helped… Continue Reading “Esperanza” For the Future: Dr. Shivonne L. Laird '99

Carny Attraction: James Taylor '73

/ 1 minute of reading

Sideshows featuring amazing feats and astonishing freaks became an industry in the United States in the 19th century. But these traveling caravans have been on the endangered list in recent decades. Collecting the artifacts and celebrating the artistry of this vanishing industry has proven addictive to James Taylor ’73, interdisciplinary studies. Read more in the Winter 2010 issue of UMBC Magazine…

“Exceptional” Alumnus: Gene Trainor ’86

/ 4 minutes of reading

In just over 40 years, UMBC has progressed from a fledgling university to a nationally renowned institution of higher education. And when it comes to areas such as undergraduate teaching or encouraging diversity in scientific and technological disciplines, UMBC is now regularly mentioned in the same breath with Harvard University, MIT and Stanford University. But that growth didn’t happen without a lot of help. And an important element in helping UMBC rise in national prestige has been the university’s successful Exceptional by Example campaign. This year, the board of UMBC’s Alumni Association has recognized the key role played by its… Continue Reading “Exceptional” Alumnus: Gene Trainor ’86

Retriever (Blog) Believer: Curtis Tarver '03

/ 2 minutes of reading

Curtis Tarver ’03, psychology and music, has made music for UMBC as a former member of the “Down and Dirty Dawgs” pep band. And he keeps up with his alma mater and other matters musical and sporting via his blog: “80 Minutes of Regulation.” A native of Wilmington, DE, Tarver banged the drums for UMBC’s pep band for four years. These days, he works as an associate director of student programs at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro, but part of his heart will always remain in Catonsville. “I talk the most about the things that mean the most… Continue Reading Retriever (Blog) Believer: Curtis Tarver '03

See Hear: Vikki Valentine ’96

/ 4 minutes of reading

“People know what NPR sounds like,” says Vikki Valentine ’96, English. “But they don’t really know what it looks like. And on the Web, it’s what you look like that’s important.” That’s the daily challenge for Valentine, who is a senior editor in NPR’s science division – and recipient of the 2010 UMBC Alumna of the Year Award in the Humanities. Public radio is changing at light speed; so much, in fact, that National Public Radio isn’t even National Public Radio anymore. In July, the name became simply NPR. “The core product of NPR will always be audio storytelling,” says… Continue Reading See Hear: Vikki Valentine ’96

Game Face: Rick Moreland ’83

/ 4 minutes of reading

After a stellar basketball career at UMBC, Rick Moreland ’83, interdisciplinary studies was drafted in the ninth round of the National Basketball Association’s annual draft by the Washington Bullets. And though he never made a basket or grabbed a rebound for the Bullets (renamed the “Wizards” in 1995), Moreland eventually made the team in a different way – and he’s lasted 25 years with them. “I have had a longer career than most of the NBA players,” says Moreland, who is the team’s senior vice president for corporate marketing and executive seating. Moreland’s job with the team is to make… Continue Reading Game Face: Rick Moreland ’83

The Healing Hands of the Humanities: Blair P. Grubb ’76

/ 4 minutes of reading

Blair. P. Grubb ’76, biological sciences, is a distinguished professor of medicine and pediatrics at the University of Toledo’s College of Medicine. He was also a recipient of UMBC’s Alumni of the Year Award in 1994. But Dr. Grubb – who is one of the world’s foremost authorities regarding syncope (or “fainting”) and disorders of the autonomic nervous system – is also a widely published essayist. UMBC Magazine asked him to share his thoughts on the confluence of medicine and literature. In the midst of the current debates on the future of American health care, a much less discussed crisis… Continue Reading The Healing Hands of the Humanities: Blair P. Grubb ’76

Case Files: Alums in HBO's The Wire

/ 1 minute of reading

Three alumni — Aaron Moss ’07, Tootsie Duvall ’75, and Eric Messner ’01 — talk about their experiences as actors in the award-winning crime drama, The Wire. Read more in the Fall 2010 issue of UMBC Magazine…

Courting Controversy: Robin L. West ’76

/ 10 minutes of reading

Are rulings by judges the best way to settle hot-button social issues such as same-sex marriage and abortion? Maybe not, argues Georgetown University law professor and UMBC alumna Robin L. West. By Richard Byrne ’86 Illustrations by Chris Buzelli Justice is a concept that can enflame our passions and animate our actions. The urge to seek redress for wrongs is woven into the fibers of our government, our economy and our culture. Courts of law are the main venue in which citizens seek justice. So it puzzles UMBC alumna Robin L. West ’76, philosophy – one of America’s preeminent legal… Continue Reading Courting Controversy: Robin L. West ’76

Over Coffee: Shari Elliker '83 and Neil Beller '83

/ 1 minute of reading

Shari Elliker ’83, interdisciplinary studies, and Neil Beller ’83, interdisciplinary studies, spend Thursday mornings together on WBAL-AM in the glow of the “On Air” sign, with Beller as a regular weekly co-host on Elliker’s successful AM talk radio show. Read the full story in the Summer 2010 issue of UMBC Magazine…

Broad(mead) Vistas in Aging: Rich Compton '08

/ 1 minute of reading

The Erickson School’s masters program for the Management of Aging Services (MAgS) counts among its alumni 08professionals as diverse as lawyers, publishers, artists, nursing directors, and, of course, seniors housing executives – hailing from states as far away as Texas. But one small retirement community in particular – Quaker-directed Broadmead in Cockeysville, Md. – dominates the school’s young crop of alumni with seven graduates, including the company’s CEO, Rich Compton ’08. Read more in the Summer 2010 issue of UMBC Magazine…

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