Real People Profiles: Lee Boot
I’m asking some of the people you might encounter on the UMBC campus, including students, faculty, staff and alumni, to answer a few questions about themselves and their experiences. These are their responses.
Name: Lee Boot
Hometown: Baltimore, now, but grew up in Upstate NY
Q: How long have you been at UMBC?
A: Since the Fall of 2000.
Q: What is your current title (job or student organization position)?
A: Associate Research Faculty and Associate Director of the IRC.
Q: In 12 words or less, what role(s) do you play on campus?
A: I help bring research projects to the Imaging Research Center and work with other faculty, staff and students to carry them out.
Q: What aspect of your UMBC role(s) do you enjoy most?
A: That’s a tough one. I enjoy each part of the process for different reasons and in different ways. I enjoy the open-ended inquiry involved in asking how can we make this a better world because it gives me hope. I enjoy giving shape to proposal or plan because it makes an aspiration feel concrete. I love working with other people to see what they can bring to a project and I’m so often amazed at what those contributions are. Finally, I like making stuff. My education prepared me to be an artist and I don’t like to stray to far from that. Artists give form to ideas and are only satisfied when we feel we’ve done that well.
Q: What is the most important or memorable thing you learned in college/have learned at UMBC?
A: That’s a good question because it asks me to rate the value of the many things I’ve learned. I think that what I’ve learned is that institutionalizing innovation is a challenging and multi-faceted problem, and yet, progress can be made with an open heart, diligence and a strong focus.
Q: Complete this sentence: "I am a big fan of __________"
A: Fish. Catching them—eating them, watching them—all of the above. I likes me some fish.
Q: Do you have any UMBC stories, little-known facts about UMBC, favorite spots on campus, or anything else you’d like to share?
A: I like walking through the main corridor of campus, between those brick buildings with the trees in front of them. It is a kind of cloistered space that is quite beautiful. I like to imagine huge bronze relief pieces, celebrating what we care about most, on those brick walls. I can’t help it.
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I’m asking some of the people you might encounter on the UMBC campus, including students, faculty, staff and alumni, to answer a few questions about themselves and their experiences. These are...
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Super Human Moments: Taking Feminism Backwards
Everyone has had them: moments when things have gone wrong partly because of our own lack of experience or perspective. In this new series of posts, I'm asking members of the UMBC community to reflect on their own 'super human moments.'
Name: Lori HardestyQ: What is your current title (job or student organization position)?
A: Program Coordinator, Service-Learning, K-16 Partnerships, The Shriver Center. Advisor to Major Inspiration and UMBC's Best Buddies Chapter, staff liaison to the Shriver Living Learning Center.
Q: In 12 words or less, what role(s) do you play on campus?
A: Coordination with a "strengths-based lens" for meaningful engagement between UMBC and (the greater) community . . . that's 14 words, if you include "the greater" :)
Q: What title would you give your Super Human Moment?
A: Taking feminism backwards!
A: When I was an undergraduate at Johns Hopkins University, I played on the Volleyball and Basketball teams and was co-captain of both teams my senior year. In the fall 1995, I was determined to increase attendance at our volleyball matches. Keep in mind that this was the era prior to social networking. The "World Wide Web" was in its infancy and email was such an abstract concept, which at the time felt like you were sending messages to the universe. Our Volleyball Team was off to a great start. To get the word out, you had to "pound the pavement" the old-fashioned way.
I created fliers that read "Hot Girls in Spandex," knowing that would catch people's attention. Why not? We were some of the sweatiest people you could find and we wore spandex. The coach of the Women's Basketball Team, Coach Nancy Funk, pulled me aside one day to ask if I knew who created these fliers around campus. I remember how surprised she was to learn it was me. We discussed how this objectified women. Coach Funk convinced me that there were better ways to increase attendance, which we began to brainstorm.
I remember feeling very clever and proud of my idea. I simply ran with the idea without thinking beyond myself and how it might be interpreted. Through my discussion with Coach, it helped me to see more broadly and the potential implications such a message would send, as a role model to other teammates, reinforcing what to some were negative stereotypes of student-athletes and/or women. I had a platform, but was not using it to the best of my abilities. I took each and every flier down ASAP.
Q: How have you applied what you learned?
A: I am typically "slow and methodical." This is how my now-husband Rob described me years ago to my father (who has since passed away) when he badgered Rob about why we weren't yet engaged or married. Fifteen years ago as a senior in college, I was careless and immature in my spontaneity, seeing through a "results-only" lens. Don't get me wrong - being the mother of two young girls, I'm learning how to move faster and be more efficient. Was I rebelling against my normal state of mind? Is a good laugh really worth it? All good questions! I do know that it reinforced the importance of being a good mentor and "coach."
Over the first weekend in February, Coach Funk celebrated 25 years of coaching at JHU through an Alumni Basketball Weekend Celebration. Kristie spoke in Coach's honor. She emphasized the importance of relationships. Kristie has had the chance to get to know Coach in a different capacity off the court, supporting each other through the highs and lows. Looking back, I appreciate how Coach took the time to teach me, despite this having nothing to do with Basketball. I hope to continue that spirit of support for others. There was an amazing turnout to honor Coach Funk at this celebration weekend, which included one of our biggest turnouts of players for the Alumni Game - I made a few baskets, took a few three-point shots, had some rebounds . . . but who's counting? Many of our children got to meet each other, quickly bonding over what to little kids was an intimidating Blue Jay mascot. Over the weekend, we all had the chance to share some of these great stories and recognize that at the end of the day, it is relationships that matter most.
Q: Do you have any advice you can pass along to others?
A: When you are unsure about how to tackle a particular challenge, get feedback and input from those that you respect and trust. It can help "soften" criticism when you know their perspective comes from a place of caring. They want you to succeed, and want to see that you are giving your best.
As I sat in the fluorescent light of the waiting room last Friday, I thought about how I was going to miss my teeth. It wasn’t that I was facing a lifetime of difficulty chewing. Wisdom teeth don’t offer much help in that department. But I’m a hoarder of artifacts of personal significance. I have quarter century-old t-shirts I can’t throw away because I wore them on momentous days. A sudden, violent and permanent separation from two teeth that had been with me through decades of meals and conversations seemed sort of tragic.
These were sober, sentimental thoughts. I tried to hold onto them as useful diversions from my approximately 29 intense fears. Fear #4, that I would have an allergic reaction to the general anesthetic and perish during the extraction, was easy enough to suppress because it was so unlikely to happen. But Fear #12, that I would have skull-splitting headaches for days afterward, seemed all too rational. And as for Fear #18—that on the drive home Sharon would be distracted by concern for me and crash the car—well, it almost would have been disloyal to her not to be afraid.
Along with my diversions, I was equipped with sage advice from my predecessors in wisdom tooth extraction. As it turns out, lots of people at UMBC have had their wisdom teeth removed. I just waited longer than most to have it done. In the days leading up to my appointment, I learned about pain medications, soft foods and the curious effects of anesthesia from many kind and sympathetic members of our community. Generally these tidbits raised rather than lowered my blood pressure, but I appreciated everyone’s concern.
My name was called: “David.” It seemed kind of informal, coming from a stranger who would soon help wrench away pieces of my head. I was led to a small, white room, and instructed to take my place on a chair that seemed to be sprouting equipment. The oral surgeon and two attendants got busy searching for veins and laying out instruments of torture. And then ...
Sharon says the whole thing took 17 minutes from the word “David,” followed by 40 minutes of delirious waiting while she paid and received instructions for my care. Allegedly, during those 40 minutes, I repeated the phrase “I’m really glad I got the general anesthetic” about 7 times, plus 5 more later in the car. I remember only sipping at a cup of lukewarm Diet Coke, and then the long ride home. I felt no pain. Later that night I got a mild headache, but on the whole the experience has been far, far easier than even the best-case scenario I had envisioned during the weeks of anticipation.
While I will never see those two teeth again, I do have some new artifacts for my collection: emails and Facebook posts from thoughtful friends. And though it’s not something I can stash in a drawer, I also get to keep a story that may ease the fears of the next of us in line for a tooth extraction.
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As I sat in the fluorescent light of the waiting room last Friday, I thought about how I was going to miss my teeth. It wasn’t that I was facing a lifetime of difficulty chewing. Wisdom teeth...
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Mon, 14 Feb 2011 09:14:00 -0500
Super Human Moments: Scary Decisions
Everyone has had them: moments when things have gone wrong partly because of our own lack of experience or perspective. In this new series of posts, I'm asking members of the UMBC community to reflect on their own 'super human' moments.
Q: What is your current title (job or student organization position)?
A: I am a designer at Commonvision, Leadership Consultant, Secretary of the Commuter Student Association and an SGA Sustainability Intern. I am also on the Art Staff of Bartleby and do some design work for different student organizations. I enjoy all these so very much.
Q: In 12 words or less, what role(s) do you play on campus?
A: Encourage student leadership and school spirit through creative design work.
Q: What title would you give your Super Human Moment?
A: Big, Scary Decisions and Life-altering Paths
A: I entered UMBC as a chemical engineering major, only because my family has a background in science. I had no real interest in the content and no passion for the field. I was doing it because that is the only thing i knew about and its comfortable to stay with what you know. But, how long can you force yourself to study something that you have no interest in whatsoever. I found out, the answer the hard way- not for a very long time.
My sophomore year (first semester), I was a very unhappy person. I left my job, all my extra curricular activities and stopped paying attention to my schoolwork. It was not because I didn't care about my education and didn't want to do things, but because I had no motivation to go sit through another class of material I didn't really care about. My grades started dropping and I kept falling down this deep tunnel of disappointment. I realized before long that something had to be done. I couldn't let things go on like that. So I talked to a couple people. I got various forms of advice but there were two things that stuck with me:
"This is the time to be brave because you don't want to spend the rest of your life saying "I wish"..."
If you can't do this for 4 years, how are you going to be able to do it for the next 40 years.
I realized I had to explore different areas to see what was the best fit for me. I had to write my own story and I had to find out who I was first. I took a whole bunch of classes and realized that I wanted to study graphic design.
The next big step was telling my parents about this switch and I was very scared about how they might feel. I told them and was ready for a blast of questions, but my parents just smiled at me and told me I should do what makes me happy. The following week I met with an advisor, turned in my portfolio for review and got accepted to the Visual Arts program. I have to say I have never been happier. I can be stuck in a studio for hours working and I still enjoy every bit of it. A lot of people might not understand why it was such a big deal, but for me it was an inner battle that I had to wage. My grades are good once again; I am very involved in campus life and I lead a productive life. This experience taught me how to overcome my internal barriers and how to make some very important decisions, even when they're difficult ones. It also showed me how important a support system is for a person and how one should never hesitate to reach out to family, teachers and friends for help.
Q: How have you applied what you learned?
A: I try to continually analyze my personal growth and development. I have realized that challenges shouldn't be avoided but welcomed because it is the hardships that really shape a person. Things might not always go as planned but it is important to change plans and be caught up in the direction life is leading you. I have not always been the most extroverted person but I am trying to work on that by being a part of different student organizations, participating in leadership retreats both as a participant and coach. As a designer, I have done numerous internships and I'm trying to get as much experience in the field as I can. I interact with numerous people and do different kinds of things and I'm constantly learning one thing or the other. This helps me grow a little more as an individual everyday.
Q: Do you have any advice you can pass along to others?
A: If you do what you love, you will not have to work for a single day in your life. Open yourself up to different experiences and embrace your individuality because you should be the only one writing your story.
I’m asking some of the people you might encounter on the UMBC campus, including students, faculty, staff and alumni, to answer a few questions about themselves and their experiences. These are their responses.
Name: Damani Lewis
Q: How long have you been at UMBC?
A: I've been at UMBC since Fall 2009
Q: What is your current title (job or student organization position)?
A: SGA Senator and Resident Assistant for Erickson Hall
Q: In 12 words or less, what role(s) do you play on campus?
A: I help and encourage students to seek worthwhile change initiatives on campus!
Q: What aspect of your UMBC role(s) do you enjoy most?
A: I definitely enjoy talking with other students the most. Both roles involve talking to other UMBC students and seeing what's on their mind. Many times what'll happen is that you make a pretty good friend that you wouldn't have made otherwise!
Q: What is the most important or memorable thing you learned in college/have learned at UMBC?
A: Take some time out for yourself! College can be so stressful: Exams, papers, extracurricular activities, internships, meetings, etc, it can really pile up. Take some time out of your day and do something you enjoy, whether it's playing a sport, playing a video game, or eating lunch or dinner with a best friend (something that I do far too often, some of the employees at Chick fil a on campus knows me on a first name basis).
Q: Complete this sentence: "I am a big fan of __________"
A: Chipotle and the Student Orgs Space couches. If you hang around the space there's a very good chance you've caught me taking a power nap on these very comfortable couches. As for Chipotle, yeah, it's really good.
Q: Do you have any UMBC stories, little-known facts about UMBC, favorite spots on campus, or anything else you’d like to share?
A: If you have a free week during winter break and spring break, definitely apply for STRiVE and ASB (Alternative School Break). Both experiences are monumental and teach you a lot about yourself!
]]>
I’m asking some of the people you might encounter on the UMBC campus, including students, faculty, staff and alumni, to answer a few questions about themselves and their experiences. These are...
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Tue, 08 Feb 2011 08:09:00 -0500
