Spring 2018

UMBC's gamelan, a unique Indonesian musical instrument

Beat of a Different Drum: UMBC’s Unique Musical Instrument, the Gamelan

In the corner of the Music Box theater, a spacious room on the first floor of the Performing Arts and Humanities Building, lives a curious collection of gold-colored instruments. Organized in an ensemble on the floor, all of the pieces make up the gamelan, one of the most unique musical instruments on campus. “Take your shoes off and find a spot to jump right in,” says instructor Gina Beck, M.A. ’90, ethnomusicology, as she invites her students to sit on floor mats behind each individual piece of the Indonesian instrument. They file in toward the gamelan and choose their places.… Continue Reading Beat of a Different Drum: UMBC’s Unique Musical Instrument, the Gamelan

Practice Makes Perfect: Students Network with Alums at Career Month

If you could do it all over again, what would you tell your younger self? This is the concept behind “Interview an Alum,” a new initiative designed by the UMBC Alumni Board of Directors (AABOD) and the UMBC Career Center. During Career Month 2018, current students and alumni came together to network and discuss their academic journeys, career aspirations, and, at times, uncertainties. “Even as a college senior, I’m not entirely sure what I would like to do with my degree,” admitted Casey Dahlgren, a senior majoring in business technology administration. “So, getting different perspectives on that seemed like it… Continue Reading Practice Makes Perfect: Students Network with Alums at Career Month

The Right Place, the Right Wine

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

Ask the President – Spring 2018

Q: I was wondering if you had any advice for a finance student? — Godwin Okoro, senior financial economics student A: I think it’s really important that students work with our Career Center, where the staff members do a superb job of giving advice to students about opportunities. We have many employer partnerships. And I hope that you participated in the recent Career Fair where we had over 100 employers. It’s critical that students apply for internships beginning after their freshman year, because practical experience will give them increasing opportunities. For a senior, the most important advice is to listen… Continue Reading Ask the President – Spring 2018

New graduate program scholarship offered to all UMBC alumni

UMBC graduate programs are among the best nationwide, according to the 2019 U.S. News Best Graduate Schools rankings, which makes a new scholarship announced this March an even sweeter deal for alumni considering a return to school. For the fall 2018 semester, all alumni starting a new master’s or certificate program at UMBC will qualify for a one-time $1,000 scholarship, which can be applied to any of the university’s 62 programs. New applicants can also receive a code to waive application fees. “We want to thank our Retriever Nation for making us so proud, and celebrate our alumni so they… Continue Reading New graduate program scholarship offered to all UMBC alumni

Scroll to Top