News and Updates about UMBC’s College of Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences
Avni Patel has completed a demanding double major in biological sciences and gender, women’s, and sexuality studies while also emerging as a leader among her peers, with a focus on building community through the Hindu Students Council. Continue Reading A graduate focused on health and community revives a student organization
“Our research team sought to understand how stress from structural violence affects the body, specifically the immune system,” explain Loren Henderson, associate professor of public policy, and Ruby Mendell, associate professor in sociology, African American studies, urban and regional planning, and Social Work, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. “We talked to 68 low-income single Black mothers living on the South Side of Chicago about how they deal with gun violence in their communities and how it affects their health.” Continue Reading Black mothers trapped in unsafe neighborhoods signal the stressful health toll of gun violence in the U.S.
Avi Newman ’23, biochemistry and molecular biology, biological sciences, and philosophy, appreciates his research advisor and other humanities and science faculty mentors, as well as his fellow students. He shares, “I am constantly inspired and invigorated by my amazing peers and friends” at UMBC. Continue Reading A shift in plans leads to new opportunities, combining philosophy and science
Reflecting on UMBC experience, Victoria Joya Euceda ’23, geography and environmental systems, shares, “My relationship with Dr. Valencia has inspired me to want to be a professor one day and inspire many other Latinx and first-generation students to complete their higher education.” Continue Reading “Someone who understood my story”: First-gen grad on the value of mentorship
Max Bobbin may still be an undergraduate, but he’s already made significant research contributions to Tyler Josephson’s chemical engineering team. He believes his additional philosophy major supported his engineering work in important ways. Continue Reading Applying philosophy to excel in chemical engineering
Sarah Turner, a McNair Scholar and Jacqueline C. Hrabowski Scholar, has immersed herself in research, leadership, and mentorship opportunities at UMBC. As a first-generation college student and a mother, Turner has also skillfully leveraged available resources to support her success on her research path. Continue Reading Finding a research path and helping others along the way
Meet Rev. Bob Hall ’74, philosophy, president of the Christian Council of Delmarva and a planned gift donor to UMBC. Through his work, Rev. Hall is able to combine the strengths of traditional churches to address needs in his community — and he says he got the grounding he needed for this work as a student at UMBC. We can’t wait to hear about who inspired him most. Take it away, Bob! Q: What’s one essential thing you’d want the Retriever community to know about you? A: I am a clergyperson who has worked in the faith-based non-profit sector for most… Continue Reading Meet a Retriever — Rev. Bob Hall ’74, philosophy
U.S. News announced its 2023-24 Best Graduate School rankings, highlighting UMBC graduate programs in a broad range of fields, from public policy and several types of engineering to mathematics and other sciences. Continue Reading U.S. News Best Graduate School rankings for 2023–24 name UMBC programs among best in the nation
Zinedine Partipilo Cornielles fled Venezuela at age 16 with his family to seek asylum in the U.S., an experience that has fueled his passion for public service, from his research to his Mock Trial experience, to his work with communities. Continue Reading Mock Trial champ pursuing economics for public good
In 2020, Renata Taylor-Smith ‘24, theatre, eagerly prepared for her first trip to Munich, Germany to study theatrical lighting design, but a week before she was meant to fly to Germany, her trip was canceled due to COVID-19. She learned that the show she was working on would be postponed indefinitely. Discover how she pivoted to have a valuable research experience, recently shared at UMBC’s annual Undergraduate Research and Creative Achievement Day (URCAD 23023), where hundreds of students presented their work. Continue Reading Lighting design to flu treatment: UMBC students share research and creative work at URCAD 2023
Meet Rachel Brubaker, M.A. ’00, historical studies, assistant director for grants and program development at the Dresher Center for the Humanities. Brubaker, a self-proclaimed humanities nerd, has worked in different positions at UMBC for 22 years, but her current seat in the Dresher Center allows her to combine her UMBC degree with her passion for public humanities and education to collaborate with faculty members on research proposals and help connect them to prestigious funding opportunities. Take it away, Rachel! Q: What’s one essential thing you’d want another Retriever to know about you? A: I have been assistant director for grants… Continue Reading Meet a Retriever—Rachel Brubaker, M.A. ’00, faculty funding connector
“My new book explores the lives of the performers, theater owners, producers, managers, and audiences that were part of Black Vaudeville and the Theater Owners Booking Association (T.O.B.A.),” says Michelle Scott, associate professor of history. “It’s a story about how these Black- and white-owned theaters fostered Black artistic exploration and development and the growth of Black-owned businesses.” Continue Reading Michelle R. Scott illuminates the lives of Black Vaudeville performers and their broader social impact in Jazz Age America
