The Center for Social Science Scholarship (CS3) invites applications for Faculty Working Groups to promote intellectual exchange in the social sciences and across campus. These collaborative scholarly learning communities will meet regularly to engage in such activities as: working on research projects, reading key literature, exploring new methodological approaches, and/or engaging in matters of public interest related to the social sciences, across campus, or with community partners.

Up to four Faculty Working Groups will be selected by the center directors and advisory board members. Groups should be faculty-led and must include at least one faculty member from a social science department at UMBC. Additional priority will be given to groups whose members and/or areas of interest are multi- or interdisciplinary. Advanced graduate students may participate as Faculty Working Group members but may not serve as leaders.

Faculty Working Groups can apply for up to $1,000 in annual support ($500 per semester). Groups may apply for continuation funding. Groups can use funds for such items as: supporting regular group meetings; purchasing software, books, or other materials; hosting external speakers; creating scholarly resources; traveling to external sites for research or public engagement purposes; and other similar activities. A brief report of the group's activities will be due at the end of the funding period.

Click on here to download the application for a regular CS3 Faculty Working Group.

Special CS3 5th Year Anniversary Faculty Working Group

In this application cycle, CS3 will also award $6,000 for a special interdisciplinary group to work in AY 2024-2025. In addition to the funds, CS3 will provide customized support to the group, such as workshops for software training, connections with potential community partners, and a meeting space. This group must be interdisciplinary, with two or more faculty leaders from different disciplines, with at least one lead from the social sciences. The group may conduct the same activities as regular CS3 working groups but will also submit a mid-term report and a more robust deliverable at the end of the funding period, such as an external grant proposal or a manuscript for publication. The expected deliverable must be stated in the application. Proposals must also include a brief plan for interdisciplinary collaboration, covering: Why is the particular knowledge and skill mix of the group critical for the proposed investigation? What role will each member play in the working group? How will group leaders make sure that different disciplinary perspectives are recognized and included throughout the work? What challenges do you anticipate for interdisciplinary collaboration and how will you approach them? How does the group plan to meet and communicate? Applications from groups that include scholars from outside of the social sciences and investigate complex issues of public relevance and impact are especially encouraged.

Click here to download the application for the Special CS3 5th Year Anniversary Faculty Working Group.

Applications should be submitted via email to socialscience@umbc.edu.  Questions may be directed to Christine Mallinson, Director:  mallinson@umbc.edu

By: Stephanie Marceron 

Meet Michael Washington! He graduated from UMBC in the spring of 2023 with a BA in Media and Communication Studies. He has always had a passion for photography and digital media creation and has been able to turn this passion into a career after graduation. I caught up with Mike to ask him a few questions about how life is after graduation and some advice he has for current and future students!

What do you do for work now that you have graduated and how do you utilize what you learned from your degree in your day-to-day life?

“I’ve been working for Maryland Public Television in their content department. I work as a production assistant, and so far I’ve helped produce episodes for two of MPTs notable programs: Outdoors Maryland and Maryland Farm and Harvest. My time in the MCS program helped give me direction and perspective for the digital media I produce. I’ve been effective in my career so far by capitalizing on my understanding of the audience.”

What is a piece of advice you have for upcoming seniors and what was your favorite thing about the department/degree, and/or what professor had the biggest impact on your time at UMBC?

‘My favorite thing about MCS was how my peers and professors engaged with the ideas. We took great interest in media scholars such as Marshall McLuhan and Stuart Hall. We appreciated debate, especially when our perspectives were in opposition. It allowed us challenge what we learned, and forced us to look for examples how these concepts were at play in our own lives. Additionally I’ve produced two short films and have been featured in barista magazine for my photography work. These both came through, effort, hours of scholarship, and building connections with people a deep passion for media.”

“My advice for MCS students is to look ahead and pursue your goals early. If you have an interest in a career, a calling, or a program, pursue it. Apply for internships, apply for jobs, and volunteer for causes that matter to you. All of that experience will make the difference in the career journey you’re on and the progression of the person you want to become. Oh…and enjoy your senior year!”

By: Amirah Adigun

Photo Credit: Arabia Morgan

Meet Alumni Arabia Morgan! She came to UMBC as a transfer student and originally majored in Theatre, but later changed her major to Media and Communication Studies with a minor in Theatre. Arabia graduated 11 years ago in December 2012 and has many accomplishments over the years. Currently residing in Los Angeles, she has worked as an influencer for multiple brands such as Firmoo and Zeelool which are glasses companies, because she also wears glasses and has also modeled for Shein and Romwe on their live accounts. Her biggest accomplishment has been the recent publishing of her first Novel titled  But I’m Fine tho: Khadija Parker which is available at Barnes & Nobles and Amazon. The novel is a romantic journey of self love and follows the story of Khadija Parker, who is a young woman from Charlotte, North Carolina. Khadija has spent most of her life as a people-pleaser and hopeless romantic and is in hopes of finding her one-true love. On her 25th birthday she was still unmarried, but held out hope because she felt that there were many unforeseen obstacles preventing her from reaching her happily ever after. It wasn’t until reaching her 30’s that a light bulb illuminated making things in her life appear a little clearer for her, which is when Khadija learns to close the revolving door of broken promises and begins to seek her own destiny.

What inspired you to write this novel? Arabia recalls she started writing this novel during the pandemic specifically June of 2022 and officially finished in November 2022. She explains she had recently gone through a failed engagement and to cope with the pain she was going through, she began to write. She mentions that one day she “found a gray hair that prompted me to write my feelings of what I felt was a midlife crisis” which relates to her character in her novel who is also suffering a mid-life crisis. Arabia talks about the things that inspire her to write and she mentions her personal life encounters as well as the life encounters of the people around her. She recalls while at UMBC she had a diary which she wrote from about 2011 to 2019. In this diary she would write about the different men she would interact with. These men were not people that she was in a romantic relationship with, but rather people she met at a club or any social setting. “ I wanted to write until I found my husband,” Arabia states. Writing was not only a way of coping for her, but it was also hopeful, that one day maybe her life can look like what she desires and envisions for herself. “Oddly enough I did not find my husband ha ha” Arabia laughs, she mentions how when she does find her husband it will be a fairytale ending as she desires and this vision is seen through how she has written her character, Khadija. 

When asked about how the publishing of her first novel personally impacted her life, she mentions how she had conflicting feelings. During the process of writing the novel she stated how she wondered if anyone would be able to relate to her work that is also connected to her own personal life. How would people view her after the publishing of her book, would they see her as Arabia Morgan or as just the author of the book they really enjoy? “A lot of people rather read fairytales and happy endings. I rather write in truth.” Arabia states as these questions plagued her mind because she has now become a writer and these feelings questioned how her image would be seen by the public with this novel and how her personal life is seemingly connected to the story she wrote. One advice Arabia advises to those who wish to write their own novel “to just do it! Don’t worry about the logistics of it yet. You are an artist so go be that artist and CREATE!”

By: Sydney Ashton

Photo Credit: Gigi Fredrickson

An Elkridge, MD native who recently earned her alumni status having graduated from UMBC in May of 2023 with a B.A. in Media and Communications Studies and a minor in Spanish. Post graduation, Ava has embarked on a new and exciting academic journey at the prestigious Georgetown University where she is pursuing a Masters Degree in Communications, Culture, and Technology.

Q. Can you tell me about the program that you’re in?

My masters is in Communication, Culture, and Technology at Georgetown University. The program is an interdisciplinary program that combines communications, culture, and technology. At Georgetown, masters students have the ability to focus on whatever they would like within that realm, whether it be artificial intelligence, law and policy, education, mental health and social media, or health care.

Q. How did the MCS program at UMBC prepare you for grad school? Any takeaways or projects/work you’d like to share?

I think that the MCS program greatly prepared me for this type of program. With understanding of media studies and communications, I feel like I have an understanding of a lot of different topics. Because the program has people focused on many different things, MCS generally prepared me to know a little bit about a lot, while also having something that I also know a lot about. The methods and theory focused classes were absolutely necessary for me to have taken and actually understand, as I use both of those foundations in all my classes.

My capstone was on technological determinism and early childhood education, and I have chose to stay in a similar area of study at Georgetown. My capstone focused on the harmful affects of technological determinist approaches to integrating technology into education, especially after Covid-19.

Q. What do you hope to do with your degree? What are your career goals?

 In the future, I want to go into educational technology production and work for a tech company in their communications or marketing department. I think that attending graduate school now was the right move for me.

Q. Any advice for MCS students who are interested in pursuing a graduate degree?

I would definitely recommend being involved in class, forming relationships with professors, and researching a program that best fits you. There are so many masters programs with different focuses and it is important to start looking earlier. I decided on a whim after looking at the post-undergraduate career situation, that it would be better for me to continue my education. I think that MCS prepares students very well for future research opportunities, so use the resources that are there.