By: Bruna de Padua
Photo Credit: Parker Vogel
When Parker Vogel first arrived at UMBC, he had a completely different major and career path in mind. He started out in Mechanical Engineering because he wanted to follow in his father's footsteps and had dreams of becoming an Imagineer with Disney. Starting college during Covid made the whole experience feel unusual, and the online format gave him a lot of time to think about what he actually enjoyed. Even though he did well in science and math, he realized that he did not feel excited about them. What he really missed was the creative work he used to do on his high school yearbook staff where he worked as an editor. That feeling is what led him to switch to the Media and Communication Studies program, which turned out to be the perfect fit.
Once Parker joined MCS, he found classes that matched his interests and helped him strengthen the skills he wanted to develop. Some of his favorites were the Capstone course, any class that involved Adobe programs, and film creation. Learning to use InDesign, Premiere Pro, and other Adobe tools ended up becoming incredibly important for his future. He now uses those programs almost every day in his professional work, so the courses were not only fun but practical as well.
Parker also had professors who really made an impact on him. Dr. Tinga helped him push his research skills further and guided him through creating a strong Capstone project focused on horror and gore in slasher films. He also appreciated the support and influence of Dr. Drabinski in GWST, Professor Nikki Hartman in the theatre department, and the rest of the MCS faculty. Their encouragement helped him see what he could achieve with the degree and gave him confidence in the path he chose.
Outside of academics, one of the biggest parts of Parker's UMBC experience was joining the UMBC Cleftomaniacs, one of the university's a cappella groups. The group became a major source of community and friendship for him. They helped him come out of his shell and gave him something to look forward to every week through rehearsals and performances. He still follows their performances and recently went to their Fall 2025 concert, where he was proud to see how much the group has grown.
After graduating in Winter 2024, Parker began working at Annapolis Home Magazine as a publishing and digital marketing assistant. His job involves running the magazine's social media, helping create newsletters, organizing photos and text for editorial pieces, tracking advertising, and completing a variety of other publishing tasks. He enjoys seeing his contributions appear in each issue and takes pride in the work he does. The job has helped him build connections and learn skills that he never expected to pick up so quickly.
Parker is open to many possibilities. He likes his current job and can see himself staying there long term, but he also has other creative ideas he would love to explore. He has thought about starting his own publication, writing a novel, creating a podcast, or growing his social media presence. He does not feel rushed to choose one path. Instead, he feels grateful for everything he learned in the MCS program because it gives him the confidence to try any of these goals when the time feels right. Parker's journey at UMBC changed direction more than once, but each change helped him move closer to the creative work he truly enjoys.
By: Michelle Lopez
Photo Credit: Rahne Alexander
Meet Kristen Anchor, an Associate Teaching Professor in UMBC's Media and Communication Studies Department. Her artistic and professional background brings a unique perspective to the classroom. As a filmmaker, curator, musician, and audio-visual designer, she mentors emerging media creators, drawing from her rich artistic background. Her commitment to community-based media practices shapes both her teaching and creative work, fostering an environment of ongoing evolution and collaboration.
Before joining UMBC, Professor Anchor directed the film and video programs at Baltimore's Creative Alliance for nearly a decade. There, she curated screenings, developed workshops, and fostered connections among local filmmakers and artists. While working at Creative Alliance, she pursued her own creative endeavors, including co-founding the band The Degenerettes with her wife, Rahne Alexander. Though the band no longer tours, their music continues to resonate with new listeners online, highlighting the ongoing impact of their work.
Professor Anchor's teaching journey began during her time in UMBC's Intermedia and Digital Arts MFA program. A Graduate Assistantship led her to work in the New Media Studio, where she further developed her skills as a camera operator and video editor. This experience, coupled with her involvement in MCS 101 labs, paved the way for her transition from part-time work to a full-time lecturer role. In her teaching, she emphasizes the importance of critical thinking and creativity, designing assignments that provide structure while allowing room for experimentation. Her teaching philosophy is rooted in her experiences within Baltimore's art community, where collaboration and mutual support work hand-in-hand.
Looking ahead, Professor Anchor anticipates significant innovation in multimedia. She is interested in the evolution of virtual and augmented reality, the increasing overlap of gaming and cinematic storytelling, as well as the development of collective storytelling through social platforms.
Professor Anchor's work at UMBC reflects her dedication to helping students navigate a constantly changing media landscape. Through hands-on production, reflective conversations, and collaborative projects, she prepares students to become thoughtful media makers. Her active involvement in Baltimore's arts communities enhances student experiences within the MCS department, bridging the gap between academic theory and local creative practice.
By: Mika Lopena
Photo Credit: Mika Lopena
No two career paths unfold the same way, and for UMBC MCS alum Nick Elza '24, the path toward his degree was shaped by self-discovery and a lifelong interest in both movement and storytelling. From childhood through his college years, Nick trained extensively in martial arts, developing discipline, body awareness, and a deep appreciation for physical strength and technique. This foundation would later play a meaningful role in the work he found most fulfilling.
Nick arrived at UMBC as a philosophy major, drawn to complex questions and the challenge of thinking deeply about the world. At the same time, he had always been fond of film. He admired the emotional force of visual storytelling and understood how powerful it is to guide an audience's feelings through carefully crafted images and sound. Despite this passion, he initially felt uncertain and somewhat pessimistic about pursuing film seriously. The industry seemed difficult to enter, and he questioned whether he could truly build a career within it.
During his freshman year, the pull toward filmmaking became too strong to ignore, and he switched to cinematic arts in hopes of following that interest. By sophomore year, however, he felt unsure once again and transitioned to Information Systems, searching for a sense of direction. Although IS offered stability, it did not spark the enthusiasm he felt when working with media or discussing creative ideas. After reflecting on the interests that had stayed with him the longest, Nick realized that philosophy, communication, media studies, and film all intersected in ways that felt natural. When he discovered Media and Communication Studies, he found a home for all of these passions. The major allowed him to combine analytical thinking with creative expression, and by his junior year, he knew he had made the right choice.
Today, Nick works as a Physical Therapy Technician, a role strengthened by years of martial arts experience and an intuitive understanding of movement and recovery. He supports patients, many of them older adults, as they rebuild mobility and strength. He often describes the clinic as a "gym for the elderly," a phrase that reflects his appreciation for the resilience he sees in the people he assists.
Nick continues to stay connected to his creative roots through his collaboration with Stanley Brown, a fellow UMBC alumnus. Together, they work on film projects that involve storyboarding, shooting, and editing with equipment such as drones, car mounts, and traditional cameras. These projects allow Nick to continue exploring the emotional depth of filmmaking, a passion he has carried for most of his life.
During his time at UMBC, Nick completed a social media internship with Black Hills Information Security. He connected with campus cyber clubs, researched global cybersecurity conventions, edited YouTube content, and helped increase community engagement through thoughtful outreach and giveaways. The experience showed him that communication plays an essential role in every field, even highly technical ones.
Nick looks back on his MCS coursework with gratitude. Dr. Snyder's early lessons in semiology, branding and marketing assignments in classes like MCS 355, and documentary projects that introduced him to editing and camera techniques all helped shape his confidence as both a communicator and a storyteller.
As he considers the future, Nick is exploring paths such as PTA school, potential military service, and further educational opportunities. His journey reflects an honest and evolving search for purpose, shaped by creativity, discipline, and a desire to support others. Whether he is guiding a patient through recovery or shaping a narrative behind the camera, Nick continues to follow the passions that have guided him from the beginning.
By: Jacey Lizer
Photo Credit: Jacey Lizer
Meeting Grace Cavanagh, she is calm and confident, she's found herself at UMBC. Now a senior, she is moving through a story of rediscovery, academics, and learning to see the world through a critical and creative lens.
Grace's life before UMBC was, as she puts it, "boring." She grew up in Maryland but her childhood was shaped by moving around frequently. Home has always been a lively, multigenerational space. Yet she still felt lost before coming to UMBC. It wasn't until she transferred that her story came to life.
Originally a hospitality management major at East Carolina University, Grace reached a point where she knew something wasn't aligning. She has always been drawn to stories, language, and the way the media frames the world around us. Growing up she loved books and the power of words, even if she didn't have the language for turning that passion into a profession. When she made the decision to transfer to UMBC, she chose MCS because it was the closest fit to what she loved. The match ended up being better than expected.
The decision to attend UMBC was rooted in practicality and legacy. Its location close to home made the transition smoother, while also having family members who attended UMBC, she created a quick connection with our community. What she didn't expect was how quickly she would find her place here. "I came to UMBC and found my forever friends, and a sense of self," she says. "I didn't really have that before."
The moment she truly fell in love came during MCS 101. The class showed her that storytelling isn't just about entertainment, it's about structure, interpretation, culture, and communication. It's about how people make meaning from the world around them. Not every class was easy though. Like most MCS majors, Grace was almost taken down by MCS 499. Her Capstone project focused on romance novels and their women readers, a subject that challenged yet pushed her to analyze an enjoying genre from a deeper perspective. The course forced her to grow.
Balancing academic work with home life isn't easy. Living at home means juggling family duties, work, class, and independence all at once. For Grace, the key to this is time management, and learning not to sacrifice her social life in the process.
The MCS major has helped her blend practicality and creativity in a natural way. While focusing on theories, frameworks, and critical thinking, there is still so much room for expression and narrative building. Both ends only fuel each other, not compete. Her academic insights lead to stronger, more thoughtful media, and the creative sides see theory as more than a concept, unit as a tool.
When it comes to the kind of storytelling that excites her the most, the answer is simple, novels. Books were her first love, and they've never stopped being her favorite form of media. Her favorite book of all time? Pride and Prejudice. It's a classic that continues to shape how she thinks about narrative, character, and communication.
A typical day for Grace follows a full and steady routine. Wake up, go to class, fit in homework, work a shift, then carve out whatever time is left for friends, sleeping, and her cats. Speaking of, Millie and Milo play a major role in her everyday joy.
One of the biggest misconceptions about MCS, she says, is the belief that media students spend all day behind a screen or buried in writing. In reality, this work requires a surprising amount of public facing interpersonal skills. You have to talk, collaborate, present, listen, and really put yourself out there. "There are a lot of personable skills people don't realize we need."
Looking forward, Grace has a clear vision for where she wants to go. Her dream job is to become an intern personal PR associate at a publishing company, merging her love of books with her passion for communication. She hopes her work will give people clear, straightforward access to information. In five years she sees herself living in a big city, working in the industry she loves, alongside her sister.
She's already working on building the skills she'll need to get there: soft skills, analytics, technology, professionalism, and a strong understanding of media theories. These aren't just academic skills, they're life skills that will carry her far beyond UMBC's campus.
What excites her the most about the future of media and communication? The people, the places, the possibilities. Media is global and constantly evolving, and she wants to see where it can take her. At the same time, she's aware of the challenges. The hardest part of studying and working in a public facing world is cancel culture. "A lot of people are afraid to speak," she says, and she understands why. But she also believes communication is essential; fear shouldn't silence the voices that need to be heard.
In the end, Grace has found her place, her people, and her purpose. What began as a "boring" start transformed into a path of ambition and identity. She came to UMBC looking for a major and she found herself.
The AOK Library Gallery is once again offering a series of workshops for graduate students. See the attached flyer for details.
What are some of the best strategies and tips for writing a literature review? Whether you are just starting out with your research or have been involved in your project for a while, this workshop is for you.
Note: This workshop is being offered in a hyflex modality, so feel free to join either in person in Library 259, or online via WebEx.
]]>By: Bryan Dang
Photo Credit: Zion Murphy
Meet Zion Murphy, he is a man of many things. A filmmaker, cultural worker, and educator, you immediately get the feeling that every part of his life story has been driven by a passion and belief in the power of storytelling. Zion graduated from UMBC in 2022 and the following years after that followed a path of revelation through artistic rigor, leadership through his community and wanting to spread his passion of expanding people's views on how we understand the world through media.
Zion started at UMBC as a double major in Media & Communication Studies and Linguistics, but over time he slowly developed a stronger passion for MCS. He said that after taking MCS 222 with Professor Kathalene Razzano, he found that he was "falling in love with analyzing the media that shapes the world around us", and how culture, communities, and politics are all shaped through media. So after two semesters he primarily focused on MCS. This growing curiosity for media grew into a larger passion: a desire to create films that challenge dominant narratives, inspire audiences, and create stories that have authentic cultural roots.
For Zion, filmmaking is more than a passion and craft, it is a way of understanding humanity. He describes cinema as "the most complete art form. It combines photography, writing, sound, music, movement, speech, color, and much more." This complexity is what drives him in his passion for filmmaking. He states that it is "a very powerful tool for both social change and documenting important, globally-connected, human values." This belief is seen through his projects as he creates films that disrupts the current system, gives rise to marginalized voices, and prompts viewers to see the world differently.
After graduating from UMBC, Zion chose to take a gap year to dedicate it to perfecting his craft. During this time, he improved his extensive portfolio in which he was shooting music videos, taking still photos and wrote articles for the website Screen Spec. The year served as a time for creative freedom while polishing his skills in the career he wants to pursue. His work paid off as he was accepted into Howard University's Graduate Film Program, one of the top and respected MFA programs in the country and is an HCBU. He is on track to graduate with his MFA (Master of Fine Arts) in Spring 2026. During that time he has written and directed multiple short films and worked in every department in order to expand his view of filmmaking.
While working on his masters, he is also working as a graduate assistant and teaches two undergraduate film classes at Howard University. He creates the curriculum for both classes in hopes to inspire his students to improve their craft. His favorite part of the job is "being able to mentor younger filmmakers and seeing both their love for film and their technical skills grow during the semester." His teaching philosophy reflects his own personal standards in film. Being critical, intentional, and lastly passionate.
Zion started his college career at Howard University then transferred to UMBC saying it was his first choice for a college. What he learned at UMBC shaped the person and professional he would become. UMBC changed his global perspective on media through a respect for intercultural communication, and he learned that media is a powerful tool for political and social change. He thanks the MCS program for teaching him to look beyond the broader sense of media and to look at media with awareness of its history in historical context, political impacts, and identity. He said that certain classes did change his perspective on media. He said that "MCS 311 'Films of Resistance' started me on a path of subversive and revolutionary filmmaking by exposing me to films made outside of the traditional Hollywood model." He also said that capstone classes like MCS 399 and 499 with Professor Fan Yang and Dr. Elizabeth Patton opened his mind "to how the history of media and communications is paired with progressive politics." He learned from many MCS theorists such as Marx and Engels, Bell Hooks, Stuart Hall, Antonio Gramsci, Laura Mulvey, Marshall McLuhan changed his perspective on how he consumes media and forced him to look at it more actively rather than passively and to create products that promote positive radical change. One highlight in his UMBC career was he was featured on UMBC's episode of The College Tour on Amazon Prime, which was his first experience seeing professional filmmakers in action. It reaffirmed his passion that he wanted to be behind the camera creating his own stories.
When asking Zion about a piece of advice he would give to MCS students that want to work in filmmaking, his answer is a simple one: "Just start." He emphasizes that filmmaking comes from the individual, not what equipment they have. "Don't worry about your camera's quality or working with a big time actor," he says. "Focus on finding your own unique voice and way of seeing the world, then translate that into images." Lastly, he shares a phrase that was given directly to him from legendary filmmakers: "Tell your grandma's story." So what does this mean exactly? It means to "not shy away from your background, create stories from your own cultural context that are important to you and find your community. Lean on that community to find your passion and ultimately your creative voice.". In the end for Zion, filmmaking is not just the process of creating art, it's about building a connection with the viewers through a collected vision, and he hopes to do that in many films in the future.
By: Jacey Lizer
Photo Credit: Holly Avella
Meet Dr. Holly Avella, the newest addition to UMBC's Media and Communication Studies department! She works effortlessly to bridge psychology, counseling, media theory, and all the ways technology makes us feel. With a Ph.D. in Communication, Information, and Media from Rutgers University and a background in counseling, psychology, and media studies, she brings a grounded approach to digital mental health. Her research explores mood-tracking technologies, digital therapy, AI support tools, and everything in between.
She previously taught communication and media psychology while working as a counselor, and she realized media "was such a rich and fun way to examine our thoughts, feelings, practices, and the cultures through which we experience them." What is most fascinating is how naturally she is able to blend her counseling experience with media theory. She mentioned how popular culture and pop psychology are powerful influences; they quietly shape how people understand themselves, their feelings, and decide what "healthy" looks like.
Dr. Avella decided to pursue a Ph.D. in media studies because to her, she can get some really important questions about the world, not to mention she simply loves studying media. While she has always gravitated toward mental health, her academic focus sharpened around the relationships media technologies and emotions can have, especially as they play a huge part in mental health.
It's interesting to see how she uses her background to open up bigger questions, and not reduce media behavior. "I liked that I could do broader kinds of analysis with media research than how media affects or works with individual psychology. Having studied psychology has always informed the way I think about media." What she's really interested in is what happens when media becomes a part of pop psychology, and how platforms start mediating information and emotion. "I started asking questions about the portrayal of psychology in media—entertainment media, social media, journalism, advertising—and how the attempts to mediate our emotions and mental health through media/technologies shapes our lives, society, and worldview." A lot of people scroll past "TherapyTok" but Dr. Avella uses media study to "contextualize TikTok trends historically, politically, economically, and culturally in some fascinating ways." Lately she has been studying the phenomenon of AI chatbots that are encouraging delusions, which is often referred to as "AI psychosis." It'll make you rethink every AI therapy you've ever seen.
"Social media has encouraged discussion of mental health in some great ways that help people feel like they are not alone." Many users discover a language they never had offline, but she sees a shift in viewing suffering through the lenses of individual diagnoses, she worries that obscures bigger social and environmental contributors. In this way, medical mental health messaging becomes consumer marketing.
Dr. Avella hopes her students leave her courses loving media and seeing it in new and exciting ways, while also forever looking at it with a critical eye. Her first semester at UMBC, fall 2025, she is teaching Intro to Media and Social Media. In spring 2026 she will be adding Public Relations. "Once you learn about public relations, you'll start seeing it everywhere!" She said someday she'd love to teach a course in media and mental health/wellness, even though she integrates it into many of her classes. Dr. Avella hopes to be here for a long time, "it is such a great collaborative atmosphere… I love to see how supportive everyone is of each other in the classroom, and also how they challenge each other."
In order to take care of her own mental health, she prioritizes sleep. She also loves walks around campus, usually with a podcast. If you've ever spotted her power walking around, that's her recharging! Then there's her puppy, who is making "the aforementioned unwinding and care pretty difficult." She also admitted she enjoys scrolling social media and can say it's research.
"I would love to meet more MCS students. Come by my office or stop me to chat!" Given how engaging and thoughtful she is, I can't imagine anyone regretting taking her up on that. Welcome Dr. Avella, it's a pleasure to have you as a part of our UMBC community!
By: Mika Lopena
Photo Credit: Chung Wei Huang
No creative journey looks the same between two people, and Professor Chung Wei Huang is no exception. Growing up in a small but lively town in Taiwan, she was surrounded by an environment shaped by curiosity and learning. Her mother worked as a middle school teacher, her father was employed at a telecommunications company, and young Chung Wei spent much of her childhood reading. "I'm gonna be a writer!" she remembers thinking as a kid, long before she discovered filmmaking. What began as a love for reading would eventually spark a career built on storytelling in many forms.
During her undergraduate years at National Taiwan University, Professor Huang majored in international business while completing an art and design certificate. Although her major was practical and academically focused, she felt an early pull toward creative expression. A study abroad program in Spain transformed that interest into something deeper. She enrolled in pre production and development courses taught by American professors and realized that these classes aligned with her passions in ways her previous film studies courses never had. Her time in Spain made filmmaking feel real, and made the idea of pursuing it long term begin to take shape.
After returning to Taiwan, she gained her first industry experience as a script supervisor on the TV drama I Love You So Much. The position gave her valuable insight into the production world, but it came with heavy demands. She worked six and a half days a week under intense pressure and very low pay. Entry level jobs in Taiwan's production industry were notoriously difficult, and even though the role opened doors, it was not sustainable. Leaving the job was a turning point. It pushed her toward what she truly wanted: a chance to study filmmaking in America.
This decision brought her to Temple University's MFA program in Film and Media Arts, where she earned the Presidential Fellowship. Her time at Temple not only strengthened her skills but also expanded her creative identity, shifting her interest from documentary work toward narrative filmmaking. She later began exploring experimental forms as well, including dance for the camera, blending movement, emotion, and storytelling in new ways. After marrying and moving to the Baltimore area for her husband's long term job, she found the opportunity to teach at UMBC.
Now a lecturer in the Media and Communication Studies Department, Professor Huang teaches filmmaking, screenwriting, and media literacy. "I love being able to teach screenwriting in a very hands on way," she shared. She appreciates the supportive environment of her colleagues and the chance to work closely with students who are finding their voices as storytellers. Coming from a film school background, teaching in a communication studies program introduced her to new ideas and broadened the way she thinks about media. "I now pay attention to a wider range of disciplines," she said, reflecting on how the transition has shaped her approach as both a filmmaker and educator.
Her creative accomplishments reach far beyond the classroom. Professor Huang's films have screened at major festivals such as the Cleveland International Film Festival, LA Shorts International Film Festival, VC Film Festival, The Female Eye Film Festival, and the Maryland Film Festival. She received the Rubys Artist Grant for her film "Days without End" and funding from the Saul Zaentz Innovation Fund for her short film "Squeegee Boy". She has also been a semifinalist for the Sondheim Artscape Prize and a Baker Artist Award winner.
Most recently, "Squeegee Boy" is concluding its international festival run at the Byron Bay International Film Festival in Australia, where it is featured in the festival's High School Program. This milestone highlights not only the global reach of her work but also the film's ability to resonate with younger audiences, reflecting her commitment to stories about lived experiences, social issues, and personal perspective.
Looking back at her undergraduate years, she remembers the excitement of curating an art exhibition for her art and design certificate program, a project called Doppelganger that involved securing a historical building and finding local artists to contribute. She also recalls a "work and travel" summer in California that left her with a strong impression of life in the United States and influenced her desire to stay. "Traveling in California gave me a really good impression of my future prospects," she said. "I wanted to stay in the U.S."
Her advice for students today is simple and heartfelt. "Studying is important, but try different things and make new friends. It's one of the most important things in undergrad." And when asked to summarize her entire journey in a single sentence, she chose words that reflect every twist, risk, and leap she has taken.
"Follow your heart."
Applications are now being accepted for the Center for Social Science Scholarship Summer Fellowship. The purpose of this fellowship is to support significant social science research by tenure-track or tenured faculty in the UMBC College of Arts, Humanities, & Social Sciences, resulting in a submittable product by December 2026. Up to two fellows will receive a $6,000 award during the summer of 2026.
For more information visit our Summer Fellowships webpage or contact CS3's Director, Dr. Eric Stokan: estokan@umbc.edu
Funds for this fellowship are provided by the Center for Social Science Scholarship and the College of Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences (CAHSS).