Sherman Scholars kicked off the Number Ninjas math summer program at Maree G. Farring Elementary/Middle School in South Baltimore. Nearly 50 students grades 1-5 enrolled in the four-week, full-day program.

The program is directed by Sherman & UMBC Education Alum Atom Zerfas and staffed by two math teachers, six Sherman Scholars, and six Baltimore high school students through YouthWorks. students engaged in small group lessons, blended learning computer programs, restorative circles, and learning stations. In the afternoon, students participated in math-based projects developed by Sherman Scholars.

Mia is using her URA research and creative work to raise awareness about human trafficking!

Mia is a Theatre Design & Production major, Entrepreneurship & Innovation Minor, and a Linehan Artist Scholar, who will graduate in 2019. Her URA research project is entitled, "Visual Storytelling Applied to Human Trafficking Awareness".

Describe your project: With funding from my Undergraduate Research Award (URA), I attended the 2017 Summer Scene Painting session at Cobalt Studios in New York. I am applying the painting skills I built there to both my research in scenic designing the production of Far Away at UMBC in the spring, as well as creating a large-scale mural to visually tell stories of human trafficking.

Who is your mentor(s) for your project? How did you find your mentor? Why did you choose them?

Professor Sinnott is my advisor and mentor in the UMBC Theatre Department who I work with frequently, in both design and painting for productions. Professor Sinnott has been my mentor from the beginning of this research, and is mentoring my theatrical research and production for Far Away in the spring.

I am currently taking Social Entrepreneurship in Place with Professor Bradley and, through that class, collaborating with him on arts-based community engagement projects in Curtis Bay. Professor Bradley is mentoring me in community-based research and artistic responses and solutions to social issues.

How did you become interested in this project? How has it evolved?

My mentor, Professor Nate Sinnott, first recommended I attend a session at Cobalt Studios; in addition, throughout the summer, I was reading the UMBC first-year experience book, Half the Sky, which was propelling my existing investment in the fight against human trafficking into greater action. As I began to take Social Entrepreneurship in Place in the fall with Professor Stephen Bradley, I realized that I wanted my research for the Undergraduate Research Award to evolve into a parallel project of creating a mural for URCAD. Now, I am exploring parallel themes of dehumanization in both Far Away by Caryl Churchill, and in our world today through human trafficking. In addition, I am partnering with nonprofit organizations in the Baltimore area whose missions are to end domestic child sex trafficking, provide care for survivors of women’s domestic sex trafficking, and empowerment of women.

What has been the hardest part about your research?

In dealing with heavy themes, it can be difficult to continue to stay engaged with the material. I have found it most difficult to stay continually engaged with the realities of human trafficking: to keep learning.

What has been the most rewarding part?

I have been astonished at how well my research is connecting. Once I allowed my ideas to change, and let my research become flexible, I was worried that my original studies through theatre might feel irrelevant, or even distracting, from this other goal. This has not been the case. In fact, I have felt a greater motivation through my theatrical research, as I am exploring themes in both a practical production and an artistic response to a social issue.

I will be presenting at URCAD on April 25th, and the spring production of Caryl Churchill's Far Away will be staged from March 9th through March 11th.

What is your advice to other students about getting involved in research? 

I would like to say this a little bit poetically:

jump in

dive in

be unafraid of change

and see where it carries you

be ready for hard work

be ready for not-enough-time

get creative

be thrifty

be ready for excitement

be ready for some let-downs

but jump in

What are your career goals?

My career goals are:

To always give my utmost effort to any work I am doing.

To be a creative and innovative force.

To collaborate, communicate and engage with community.

My highest hopes are to continue using art as a tool for raising awareness about human trafficking; whether that be through theatre, visual art, socialpreneurship or nonprofit intrepreneurship. Ultimately, though, I care most that I am achieving these three goals, regardless of the work I am able to do.

Want to be featured as a Researcher of the Week? Email: aprilh@umbc.edu 

The UMBC McNair Scholars Program has just completed their spring recruitment. Although they have had many highly-qualified applicants, they must extend the application deadline to fulfill the federal requirements. 

REQUIREMENTS FOR EXTENDED DEADLINE APPLICANTS

§ First-generation AND low-income

§ Freshman or Sophomore

§ 2.7 GPA or better

§ U.S. citizen or Permanent resident

§ Desire to pursue doctoral studies in any field of study

§ Deadline for Application: Rolling, until the cohort is complete

IMPORTANT NOTE: They are in need of students who are BOTH first generation college students (meaning the guardian(s) which whom they resided on their 18th birthday has not earned a bachelor's degree or higher), AND are from low-income households (based on the Federal TRIO Programs Current-Year Low-Income Levels which uses taxable income).  

 HOW TO APPLY

Applicants must complete the UMBC McNair Scholars Application by typing their responses, signing, and scanning the application and all required documentation, and then submit it using the following link, https://goo.gl/forms/Do4mD3nx0KHGrVyV2. 

The McNair office (MP 007) will only accept recommendation forms and letters, but they highly suggest that recommenders scan their form and/or submit a letter directly to Michael A. Hunt, Interim Assistant Director,  huntmi1@umbc.edu. 

For extended applications, only TWO recommendations needed. Any other application material delivered to their office will not be considered. 

It’s the responsibility of the applicant to make sure all items are submitted using the online form.  Applicants will only be contacted if all items have been received and if they are offered an interview.