Stories

In a developing world awash with suffering, Jeffrey Wilkinson ’89, interdisciplinary studies, has used his medical skills to focus on a very specific problem for African women: a hugely debilitating condition known as obstetric fistula. Obstetric fistula occurs in women who undergo a difficult childbirth or are victims of sexual violence. The fistula is a hole that appears between the rectum and vagina or between the bladder and the vagina. It often develops after prolonged labor, and the condition causes incontinence and infections, as patients cannot hold in their urine or fecal matter. The United Nations Population Fund estimates that… Continue Reading Fighting Fistula – Jeffrey Wilkinson ’89, INDS

Donna Lewis ’86, English, leads a double life. She earned her law degree at the University of Maryland School of Law in Baltimore and is currently an attorney with the Department of Homeland Security after 12 years in private sector litigation. But away from the office, Lewis is a humorist who draws cartoons, writes and performs stand-up comedy. (In 2007, she competed in the Washington Post’s “Funniest Fed” stand-up competition.) UMBC Magazine asked Lewis how she squared the law and the laugh. She argues that they are more intertwined than you might think: When people find out you’re a lawyer… Continue Reading Double Threat – Donna Lewis ’86, English

Shakespeare: Page to Stage Michele Osherow is one of UMBC’s rising stars in the humanities. An assistant professor of English, she serves as director of the Humanities Scholars Program and as the associate director of the Dresher Center for the Humanities. Osherow also runs a monthly Shakespeare reading group and organizes events such as an April marathon reading of Shakespeare’s sonnets – put together with UMBC associate professor of theatre Alan Kreizenbeck. But Osherow’s Bard-ic efforts don’t stop at the edge of Hilltop Circle. In addition to having won multiple awards as an actress, she is also the resident dramaturg… Continue Reading Discovery – Summer 2009

Monkee Business In a crowded basement bar in Silver Spring in late winter, the Stepping Stones are bashing out a version of the Monkees’ “Mary, Mary.” As the song veers out of its chorus, UMBC professor of public policy and economics Timothy J. Brennan unleashes a dirty and riveting guitar solo that has the crowd buzzing with approval. By day, Brennan is a researcher whose work tackles the intersection of markets and government regulations – antitrust laws, utilities, and copyright. But in his free time, you might find him playing jazz guitar, working over a blues song with friends, or… Continue Reading At Play – Summer 2009

It’s no secret that these are tough economic times. So what advantages do UMBC students have in the struggle to find and secure a career? The great education that they receive at UMBC is one asset. But the strength of the university’s commitment to securing internship opportunities is another head start that UMBC students have in the job hunt. As UMBC President Freeman A. Hrabowski, III, points out in our “Up on the Roof” feature, the university works hard to nurture relationships with potential employers in the Baltimore-Washington corridor. He also emphasizes the number of opportunities that UMBC has created… Continue Reading To You – Summer 2010

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. Radio is a shared bond between Elliker and Beller since they shared the microphone on a popular program on WMBC in the 1980s. An active supporter of UMBC’s baseball team, Beller is also an Emmy-winning editor and the president of Kit & Kaboodle Productions. And in addition to The Shari Elliker Show (which she has hosted since 2007), Elliker is an… Continue Reading Over Coffee – Summer 2010

UMBC President Freeman A. Hrabowski, III takes your questions. Q. Many UMBC students are finding that internships are an integral part of the university experience. What’s your view about the benefits of internships for students, employers and the university? — Richard Byrne ’86, English Editor, UMBC Magazine A. It’s a very important part of a UMBC education. Large numbers of students across disciplines are engaged in experiences that give them the chance to explore the relationship between what they’re studying and how what they’ve learned can be used in real situations. UMBC students in the arts and humanities may go… Continue Reading Up On The Roof – Summer 2010