A comic strip created by Donna Lewis ’86, English, an attorney in Washington, D.C., will be syndicated through the Washington Post Writers Group, according to the Baltimore Jewish Times.

Enter Lizzie, the “star” of “Reply All,” a new comic strip scheduled to debut on Monday, Feb. 28, through the Washington Post Writers Group syndicate. Penned by Baltimore-born cartoonist Donna A. Lewis, “Reply All” is loosely based on the artist’s own life: Lizzie is a single woman who is doing well in her career, but who still harbors self-doubts.

“She’s modeled after successful women who like who they’ve become,” says Ms. Lewis, 48. “She’s confident, yet insecure, about everything she does. It’s like when someone says, ‘I love your outfit’ and your response is ‘really?’ Does Bill Gates question his every thought?”

Read the full story in the Baltimore Jewish Times here.

Read another story about Donna in the Baltimore Sun.

Brian Dannelly ’97, visual arts, has been tapped to direct actor Chris Colfer in the high school comedy film, “Struck by Lightning.” Colfer recently won a Golden Globe for his portrayal of Kurt Hummel in the popular TV show “Glee.” On January 20, Variety reported, “Dannelly will be in familiar territory with ‘Lightning,’ having previously helmed teen dramedy ‘Saved!,’ which starred Jenna Malone, Mandy Moore and Macauley Culkin. Dannelly’s smallscreen directing credits include the pilot for ‘Weeds,’ as well as ‘Pushing Daisies’ and ‘United States of Tara.’”

Dannelly received a UMBC Alumni of the Year Award in 2005. More information can be found here and here.

As his Food Network show “Ace of Cakes” comes to an end, celebrity chef Duff Goldman ’97 is expanding his immensely successful Charm City Cakes business to Los Angeles, says the Baltimore Sun.

Read the Sun story here.

Dave Giegerich ’88, a well known Baltimore-Washington area musician, has passed away. Giegerich founded the Hula Monsters, and had played at the White House and the Kennedy Center.

Read the full story in the Washington Post.

Celebrating Resilience

Huguens Jean, ’03, ’11, Ph.D., electrical engineering, and Clifford Muse, ’11, information systems, returned to Haiti in March 2010, after the devastating January earthquake, to fulfill their grandfather’s last request of them. As he was dying of cancer, he asked that at his funeral they celebrate his life and “find the joy.” “I had no idea what that meant until we encountered these people in Haiti,” said Jean, “These images of life continuing on.”

The brothers missed their grandfather’s funeral when the earthquake made travel to Port-au-Prince impossible, but they resolved to find a way to honor his memory. The new documentary film “Lift Up,” co-directed by Jean and UMBC alumnus Phillip Knowlton, records their journey back home.

“Lift Up” tells a story of people who have faced profound obstacles with resilience and courage. It also contests overly simplistic representations of Haiti that the filmmakers argue have too often dominated the media. Now reporters have a different story to tell.

In their grandfather’s honor, Jean and Muse built a kite like those they had flown together as children in Port-au-Prince, which they then flew in the 2010 Smithsonian Kite Festival in Washington, D.C. In some ways, however, it is this film that is the memorial, rather than the kite alone. As their grandfather wished, through this film Jean and Muse find the joy of life even at a moment of profound national suffering.

“Lift Up” has captured the public’s interest, appearing in the Baltimore Sun and Washington Post, as well as on WYPR’s Maryland Morning with Sheilah Kast. “The brothers hope the film will introduce American viewers to another side of Haiti,” notes Sun reporter Childs Walker. “Growing up in Port-au-Prince, they saw the dark side of humanity but also reveled in warm households packed with extended family…and a rich tradition of passing stories from one generation to the next.”

Following a December preview screening at the Embassy of Haiti in Washington, D.C. and a benefit screening in Los Angeles on January 12, the film will be shown during Welcome Week at UMBC on January 27, 8:00 p.m., in the Skylight room on the top floor of the Commons. The campus is invited to attend the free event, which will also include a talk with the filmmakers.

(1/20/2011)

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UMBC President Freeman A. Hrabowski, III takes your questions.

Q. Innovation is something that you talk about in many venues across the country, and you’ve been acknowledged as an innovator in higher education. How do you view the overall importance of innovation in the university and the nation as a whole? How does UMBC instill a desire to innovate in students, faculty and staff?

— Richard Byrne ’86, English
Editor, UMBC Magazine

A. I talk a lot about Daniel Pink’s book A Whole New Mind and the need to have a balanced approach to solving problems. His new book is titled Drive and it’s a book about how true motivation – the motivation that creates sustained change – occurs not simply because of extrinsic rewards, but because people really believe that it is important to do something.

What’s interesting about UMBC is that people here are investing in creative initiatives not because people told them to do something different, but because they really believe – and they know – that they are empowered to think broadly and differently about the possibilities for the campus.

How does that fit in with innovation? Well it seems to me that to create a climate of innovation, leaders need to say to the community that thinking matters. And they also need to worry less about failure and focus more on a vision of who we want to be. And to do that people need to feel comfortable coming up with ideas that sometimes seem to be kooky. Things that we haven’t really tried before. Whether it’s talking about how we market ourselves, or how we teach and learn, or how we use innovation in research, the fact is that UMBC encourages people to think broadly and differently and creatively.

I would agree with Pink that the secret to high achievement is that people really want to direct their own lives. They want to be able to learn and create new things. And they want to feel empowered to make decisions about the future of the institution and the work that they do here.

That’s what we’re working to do at UMBC. Get away from telling people what to do, and at all levels – students, faculty, staff and alumni – ask everyone to help us think differently about the institution.

I know that I am using students and colleagues to inspire me to think differently. I am constantly listening to their ideas about changes we need to make at the university. The inspiration comes from all around me.

Q. Taking into account UMBC’s overwhelming growth during your tenure, the distinguished honors you have received, and UMBC’s #1 rating as an up and coming university two years in a row, what are your long and short-term goals – both for the university and for yourself?

— Katie Locke ’06, psychology

A. I think the goal is just to continue building quality here at UMBC. Building on the success that we’ve had. Getting the word out about just how excited we are about the work that we do here. The more that people come to our campus and talk to our students and faculty and staff, the more impressed they are.

I just celebrated my 40th wedding anniversary. So I’m a strong believer in stability and building on that stability. My marriage is better than ever and what I see at UMBC is more impressive than ever.

People are always asking: “What else do we need to do?” I say: Keep doing what we’re doing. Focus on the work and the excitement and substance of this work. Emphasize the use of technology and collaboration across disciplines. Find new ways to bring the campus to people.

There’s something very exciting about not knowing how far we can go. We’re constantly evolving.

Have a question for Dr. Hrabowski? Please visit retrievernet.umbc.edu/askthepresident

A modern university such as UMBC thrives on excellence in teaching and innovation in research.

We all know good teaching when it touches our lives and the lives of those close to us. But research poses difficulties in definition and assessment. The work done in UMBC’s laboratories and libraries often takes years to touch the lives of everyday citizens. How do we approach it?

As the UMBC Magazine team applied the finishing touches to this issue, I noticed that all three of our main features in the Winter 2011 edition touch on the role of research in the university.

Our story by Anthony Lane on Yonathan Zohar and his research on fish farming at the Columbus Center in downtown Baltimore is the sort of effort that most readily comes to mind when we think of academic work’s intersection with the larger world. Zohar and his colleagues in UMBC’s Department of Marine Biotechnology are confronting the global problem of depleted oceans with a combination of biological research and the development of new technologies that reproduce breeding environments. It’s research that may reshape our future.

Research can also bring the past much closer to our present. Scott McLemee’s article on associate professor of history Anne Rubin not only lays out the scholarly excellence of her research on the Civil War, but also her position as one of the pioneers in what’s now known as the “digital humanities.” Rubin’s work uses many of the possibilities of the Internet – including videos and interactive maps – to not only make her research on America’s greatest calamity more vivid, but also bring it to a new generation of scholars and students.

Our cover story for this issue examines dance at UMBC, and some might wonder just how dance is research. But at UMBC, there’s already an event each year that explicitly links academic research to creative endeavors such as choreography and performance. Known as the Undergraduate Research and Creative Achievement Day (or URCAD), it celebrates undergraduate research (the best of which is published in the annual UMBC Review) and the work of students who pursue the arts with rigor and talent.

This year’s URCAD is Wednesday, April 27, 2011. UMBC’s president Freeman A. Hrabowski, III says that it “is one of the best academic events of the UMBC year because it reflects the strength of our academic program, including the strong relationships between faculty and students, the rigor of research here, and the broad enthusiasm for, and talent in, the creative arts on our campus.” Check out the schedule of events at www.umbc.edu/undergrad_ed/research/URCAD/index.html.

— Richard Byrne ’86

SUPER CAMPAIGN

The high achievement and affordability of UMBC makes the university an attractive option for high school students. But a university built on innovation is always looking to do the job better.

Enter a creative team led by UMBC associate director of marketing Erika Ferrin, Creative Services designer Erin Ouslander ’03 and marketing director Ed Neenan. Together, they created a new advertising campaign depicting high-flying UMBC students in the humanities and social sciences as superheroes using both their brainpower and their desire to enact positive changes in their own lives and the lives of others. The campaign used images and lettering familiar to fans of graphic novels to tell the stories of students including Naomi Jackson ’11, Curtis Schickner ’12, Stefanie Mavronis ’12 and Kimberly Browning ’13 (pictured, left to right, above).

Market research led Ferrin to narratives such as the Twilight and Harry Potter books and films where “smart was considered cool” and in which “normal kids use extraordinary powers to change the world.” The campaign appeals “to an upcoming generation of students coming to UMBC ready to change the world. We want them to know: We’re ready for you.”

The campaign is already helping to attract those super students to UMBC. And it’s also been recognized for its excellence by the university’s peers. The Superheroes campaign won the 2011 gold medal from the Council for the Advancement and Support of Education’s Second District – which covers the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States.

— Richard Byrne ’86

R. SARGENT SHRIVER, 1915-2011

As UMBC Magazine was in its final stages of editing this issue, we received the sad news that R. Sargent Shriver had passed away.

Shriver’s career as an inspiring and innovative leader was a vibrant model of selfless public service. Many who do not follow politics know of his role – in collaboration with his late wife, Eunice Kennedy Shriver – in founding the Special Olympics. The list of his accomplishments as a politician and a diplomat is daunting and included key elements of the “War on Poverty”: the Peace Corps, Head Start, Job Corps, VISTA and Legal Services for the Poor. Shriver was also a vice-presidential candidate in 1972.

Shriver had a special connection with UMBC. UMBC’s Shriver Center, founded in 1993, is named after him and the late Mrs. Shriver. He helped craft the Center’s original mission statement and put together its first national advisory board. The Shriver Peaceworker Program and the Shriver Living Learning Community in Erickson Hall also loom large in Shriver’s campus legacy. In a joint statement, UMBC President Freeman A. Hrabowski, III, and Shriver Center founder John Martello stated it simply on behalf of the UMBC community: “The Shrivers were our supporters and our friends.”

In his 2004 biography, Sarge, Scott Stossel observed a key similarity between Shriver and John F. Kennedy, the president with whom he achieved so much of note: “[T]he two men shared a great gift: the ability to expand the horizons of the possible, to change our sense of what we can accomplish as individuals and as a nation.”

— Richard Byrne ’86

BREAKING GROUND

The bright sunshine on Friday, September 17 perfectly reflected the mood on campus on a landmark day in UMBC’s history.

On that afternoon, elected officials, leaders of the University System of Maryland and key university philanthropists joined with a broad cross-section of the campus community to break ground on a much-anticipated $170 million Performing Arts and Humanities Building.

The ceremony demonstrated the strength of the bridges that the university has built with local and state government, which helped secure funding for the project. “I’ve never been as happy to see a giant hole in the ground, giant mounds of dirt, and big noisy machines as I have been this summer,” quipped John Jeffries, dean of the College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences.

But much of the ceremony was devoted to strong affirmations of the importance of arts and humanities on UMBC’s campus and in society at large.

University System of Maryland Chancellor William Kirwan observed that “we have an obligation to make sure our graduates have both the skill they need to compete in the workplace and the cultural and intellectual underpinning necessary for an enlightened and progressive society. This is an obligation UMBC has clearly embraced.”

The building will be constructed in two phases. The first phase – which will open in Fall 2012 – will include the departments of English and theatre, new offices for the James T. and Virginia M. Dresher Center for the Humanities, the Humanities Scholars Program and the Linehan Artist Scholars Program and two theaters: a 275-seat main theater and a 100-seat black box theater.

The second phase, which will break ground in the future, will include new dance and concert halls, and a new home for the departments of music, dance, philosophy and ancient studies. The building will be the second LEED Silver-certified building on campus, joining a new addition to the Patapsco Residence Hall.

“We’re celebrating the beginning of a new chapter for the University of Maryland, Baltimore County,” said Maryland Governor Martin O’Malley. “The new Performing Arts and Humanities Building is a true investment in the talents, skills, creativity, ingenuity and education of our people. Its ‘green’ design will help develop a more sustainable environment, and in these tough economic times, its construction will provide much-needed jobs for our hardworking families. Together, we can continue to nurture our students’ talents and gifts while providing them with the tools they need to build a better future.”

In concluding the ceremony, UMBC’s president Freeman A. Hrabowski, III observed that “the arts and humanities really are the soul of our society and the soul of this campus. We teach people how to live… and the values they need in a society – when it’s going well and when it’s not going well. The reason [our elected officials] can say let’s support this is that they understand that in the worst of times, we need to remember what it means to be human.”

— Richard Byrne ’86

In 1999, Giuliano Celenza ’03, sociology, led the UMBC men’s soccer team to its first NCAA tournament. Eleven years later, Levi Houapeu ’11 has done the same thing (and more), leading the 2010 men’s soccer squad to UMBC’s first tourney win at Princeton before suffering a shootout loss at William & Mary. The professional soccer world beckoned Celenza – who is now in his 11th year with the Baltimore Blast – and Houapeu was drafted by the Philadelphia Union of Major League Soccer. These two Retriever soccer standouts recently sat down to talk UMBC and the beautiful game.

What’s it like to make it to the NCAA tournament?

Giuliano Celenza: Back then we were in the Northeast Conference, and we didn’t have that automatic bid. We played in the play-in game. We had to travel to Lafayette to play. We won that game in a shootout to move on. [Then] we had to play the No. 1 team in the country…. We were up 3-1 [on Duke] with 37 minutes left in the game, and we lost 4-3 in overtime. I think making it to the tournament is something I will definitely reflect on my entire life.

Levi Houapeu: As a player, I wanted to complete a certain goal, which was to win the conference and make it to the [tournament]. At the beginning of the season, we faced so much adversity. It’s a credit to the coaches and the players that we were able to overcome it, and once October came, that’s when everything starting clicking, and then we started calling it destiny.

Has soccer’s increased national visibility and the growth of Major League Soccer helped schools like UMBC?

Celenza: Soccer has become really big. That’s good for colleges because you don’t have to go out of the country to recruit good players. They’re here in the States. Houapeu: As a young kid, your dream is to become a professional soccer player. The MLS is pretty much a goal because you want to play for one of the best teams in the world.

Celenza: Back then I think it was tough to get drafted, I think they only had six rounds. My goal was just to play professional soccer, whether it be indoor or outdoor. I was able to pursue my dreams. It’s been a good run for me. To be able to do it in your home state, where you were born and raised, is something phenomenal. I definitely cherish that, and I wouldn’t change it.

What will getting to the tournament and actually winning a game do for the school?

Celenza: It can do a lot. It goes to showing the people in the soccer world that UMBC is capable of beating a No. 10 seed in Princeton. Winning in the first round of the tournament is big; it’s big for the school. All of the soccer alumni see it, and they cherish that, knowing: “Hey, my alma mater! They’re up there! They can play!”

Houapeu: UMBC is one of the up-and-coming schools in the country. UMBC is becoming known [in athletics] as well. If you look at the swimming team, the soccer team, the lacrosse team – there are many sports here that are growing [in stature]. It shows the school spirit as well. If you look at the [men’s soccer] game that was played on national TV, you could see the support from the student body.

Have you ever seen the other play, and how would he do on your UMBC team?

Houapeu: I’ve seen the 1999 highlights, and I saw the Blast on TV. Giuliano would be the best [on this team]. He’d help us a lot. He was really quick with the ball, and his ability to finish in front of the goal was amazing. He’s a tremendous player.

Celenza: Levi’s a great player. Very dangerous on the ball, probably one of the best dribblers I’ve ever seen. Feisty little guy. Obviously, we’re both tiny so we have to be feisty. He’s a good finisher. If he keeps his head and works like he’s been working and puts his mind to it, I think the sky’s the limit for him He definitely would have helped our team. He can help any team.

— Jeff Seidel ’85

With Jennifer Lepus, Director, University Health Services

It’s February, and many of us have love on the brain. Storefronts are bathed in pink and red, and boxes of chocolates line the store shelves. You’ve made reservations at that French restaurant downtown, prettied yourself up for the big night… but wait! You’ve forgotten something: there’d be no love – or life – without the palpitating pump that makes it all possible.

In honor of Valentine’s Day and National Heart Health Month, Jennifer Lepus, director of UMBC’s University Health Services, is here to share a few tips for keeping your heart happy, healthy and strong. Like any solid long-term relationship, all you really need is a little give and take, and a lot of love.

The happily ever afters will follow.

— Jenny O’Grady

Step 1:
Everybody’s Got a Hungry Heart

Let’s pretend you’re taking your heart out to that swanky French place. You want to impress your date, right? So what do you order? The steak? The lobster? That luscious molten chocolate lava cake?

Answer: Listen to your brain and indulge your taste buds.

“The truth is, you don’t have to eat healthy every day,” says Lepus, “but you should try to follow a healthy diet at least five days a week.” She suggests staying away from processed foods and trying to balance your diet so it’s high in vitamins and fiber, but low in cholesterol and fat. “Just because you’re trying to be healthy doesn’t mean you can’t still indulge once in a while. You’ll be more successful if you don’t feel deprived.”

Lepus also warns against fad diets; regimens promising quick results can wreak havoc on your heart.

Step 2:
Groove is in the Heart

After dinner, you’ll probably want to take your heart out dancing. (Little known fact: hearts love disco.) Dancing is a great way of making exercise fun, and an even better way of keeping your heart pumping happily.

“It’s easy to sneak exercise into your routine,” says Lepus. “There are lots of ways to do it. Be the one to park a little farther away. Take the dog for a nice long walk… the dog will love it! You can break it up throughout the day.”

And if you decide to go dancing: do it in a smoke-free establishment. Smoking cigarettes – and even inhaling second-hand smoke – can seriously damage your cardiovascular health.

Step 3:
It’s a Family Affair

After you’ve been together for a while, you’ll probably want to know more about your heart, get out the embarrassing family scrapbooks, that sort of thing. Knowing your family health history is another important step in keeping your heart healthy over time.

“I’m always surprised when students come in (to the UHS office) and don’t know their family history,” says Lepus. “These are conversations people should be having. If high cholesterol runs in your family, you need to know it. Even dental history… it’s all connected.”

Lepus also recommends getting a full physical every other year.

Step 4:
Stop Draggin’ Your Heart Around

Nothing kills a relationship like stress. That’s why you should treat yourself – and your heart – to a little R&R every now and then. (Little known fact: hearts dig yoga.)

“Don’t forget to give yourself some down time for stress relief,” says Lepus, who suggests reading a book, getting that well-earned massage or just taking some time to stretch every morning. She also explained that a healthy relationship with your heart can also depend on your friends, family and co-workers.

“Engaging in healthy relationships is key,” she says. “If you’re not happy, then it’s time to re-evaluate. Otherwise you just can’t decompress… and that’s not good for your heart.”

We <3 the Web

Need a list of heart-healthy foods? Want to lower your stress? Consult these websites for answers.

• National Heart Month: Get the lowdown on specific ways of reducing your risk of heart disease at www.cdc.gov/Features/HeartMonth/.
• MyPyramid.Gov: Learn more about how to make healthy food choices, and access a free online diet tracking tool, at www.mypyramid.gov/.
• Wellness in the Workplace: Take a break from the stress of your workday with guided meditations and tips on reducing office stress at www.umbc.edu/wellness/.
• UMBC University Health Services: Click on the Wellness Works tab to find a list of resources covering everything from smoking cessation to weight management at www.umbc.edu/uhs/.