Join UMBC faculty experts and Ukrainian students for a discussion about the causes and consequences of Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

The English Department Reading Series is thrilled to present poet Marianne Chan in a virtual reading and Q & A on March 29^th at 5 pm.

Sarabande Books notes, “Whether rewriting the origin story of Eve  - “I always imagined that the serpent had the legs of a seductive woman in black nylons” – or ruminating on what-should-have-been-said “when the man at the party said he wanted to own a Filipino,” Chan paints wry, witty renderings of anecdotal and folkloric histories, while both preserving and unveiling a self that dares any other to try and claim it.” Critic James Kimbrell notes “All Heathens is a debut of the highest order, an exuberant and eye-opening ride across centuries and continents that will leave its reader bedazzled, befriended, and grateful for this vital new voice.” And poet, Rick Barot writes, “When the outsiders, barbarians, and heathens finally tell the complicated truths of their experiences, the result is poetry like Chan’s  -- brash and wise, piercing and transformative.”

Marianne Chan grew up in Stuttgart, Germany, and Lansing, Michigan. She is the author of All Heathens (Sarabande Books, 2020), which was the winner of the 2021 GLCA New Writers Award in Poetry and the 2021 Ohioana Book Award in Poetry. Her poems have appeared in New England Review, Kenyon Review, The Cincinnati Review, Michigan Quarterly Review, and elsewhere. She is currently pursuing a Ph.D. in Creative Writing and Literature at the University of Cincinnati.

Link to reading: 5pm-6pm

If, like us, you're excited about spring's arrival and the associated warmer weather and other joys, you may be interested in the National Cherry Blossom Festival's website, which includes (among other things) the Peak Bloom forecast. The first bloom updates should start arriving today, but you can visit their site now to learn more about the festival and celebrations taking place later this month!

Thank you for attending the candidate presentations!

Thank you to those of you who attended the presentations by our faculty candidates this month. We appreciate your time and feedback, and hope that you will have an opportunity to take a class with the selected candidate this fall! If you have any feedback about the candidates and their presentations, please email Dr. Oyen.

Online Conversation: Russia's Invasion of Ukraine

Please join the Departments of Political Science and History at this important online conversation on Wednesday, March 2 (tomorrow) at 2:30pm. Faculty and students will discuss some of the causes of Russia's invasion, as well as its potential consequences. 

Student Fee Forum Friday, March 4, 2pm [online]

The Annual Student Fee Forum takes place this year on Friday, March 4, at 2pm. Learn about the plans for 2022-23 academic year tuition and fees, and share your thoughts or concerns about the proposals with campus leadership. Given the ongoing impact of Covid-19 and other global events, your voice in this conversation is more important than ever. 

All attendees will have the chance to win a $25 giftcard to the Bookstore. 

Join the WebEx event using this link [click here to go to the WebEx meeting].

Save the Date: Author D. Watkins Virtual Event, April 6

Baltimore native D. Watkins will visit campus virtually on Wednesday, April 6, from 4:30-5:30pm, to discuss his book We Speak for Ourselves: How Woke Culture Prohibits Progress. The event is part of this year's UMBC Community Read. Learn more about the Community Read and We Speak for Ourselves at the virtual event's myUMBC page here and at the Community Read group's page here. 

Summer Session Registration Now Open!

Are you thinking about taking a class during Summer Session 2022? Registration is now open! 

Course offerings that may be of interest to ASIA students include: 

• HIST 103 - East Asian Civilization (in-person, Summer II Six Weeks)
• JPNS 102 - Elementary Japanese II (hybrid, Summer II Six Weeks)
• MUSC 230 - Musics of the World (online, Summer I Four Weeks)

If you would like to learn more about summer classes, or have general advising questions, you can email Dr. Oyen or set up a meeting using her Calendly link.

Upcoming Dates and Deadlines

• Tuesday, March 1 (today) - Summer 2022 registration opens!
• Tuesday, March 1 (today) - last day to sign up to get academic credit for a Spring 2022 internship or other research experience
• Wednesday, March 2, 2:30pm (tomorrow) - Russia's invasion of Ukraine online event [see above]
• Friday, March 4, 2pm - Student Fee Forum [online, see above]
• March 20-27: Spring Break!
• Monday, March 28: Fall 2022 Schedule Available