Editor’s note: Here at UMBC, our students are the heartbeat of campus, and we are committed to providing them the best possible education. So, for the month of March, we will be highlighting our amazing academic departments, some of their recent achievements, and ways that you can help fund their continued excellence.

Your gift is extremely important and many of our students are depending on you. Please show your support and make an impact today. With you we can make a difference.

The Dance department is proud to announce that Alexis Renee DeVance won the top award in Outstanding Student Choreography at the 2014 American National College Dance Festival for her piece “Salt. Rose.Witness.” DeVance’s work was one of 31 selected for presentation at the festival. The department is also thrilled to share that last semester, UMBC hosted the Dance Education Training Institute, co-sponsored by Clancyworks and Baltimore County Public Schools; kicked off the performance season with a shared concert by Washington, DC based-companies Rebollar Dance and Clancyworks; and hosted the Maryland All-State Dance Auditions.

With your help, the Dance department can continue developing a regular master class series and funding new scholarships and summer study opportunities.

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The Music department is excited to announce that, as of last fall, it is officially moved into UMBC’s new Performing Arts and Humanities Building — students are now making music in a new concert hall, new recording studios, and a number of other state-of-the-art spaces. A gift to the department helps strengthen its programs and ensures that current students have the resources the need to make the most of their studies.

With your help, the Music department can continue supporting student ensembles, such as the orchestra, camerata, and wind ensemble, as well as funding visits by renowned musicians.

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The Theatre department is proud to announce that its new curriculum has broadened their focus on student training and internships. In the past year, the department placed more than a half dozen students in internships with theatre companies in Baltimore, Annapolis, and DC, including several run by department alumni who have excelled in their fields and are seeking to provide opportunities for our students to make the leap into the professional world.

With your help, the Theatre department can continue supporting initiatives such as its mentor program, which assists graduating seniors develop their professional acumen, and the Student Travel Fund Patron program, which provides on-going support for freshmen to experience professional theatre in Baltimore.

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The Visual Arts department is excited to share that Alumna Hadieh Shafie, M.F.A. ‘04, imaging and digital arts, received the Outstanding Alumni Award for Visual & Performing Arts from the UMBC Alumni Association. Shafie also launched her first one-person show in New York last month; Surfaced will be on view until April 11at the Leila Heller Gallery. The department is also excited to share that Lynn Cazabon, associate professor of art, will conduct research at Liepaja University in Latvia this spring after receiving a Fulbright Scholar Award.

With your help, the Visual Arts department can continue supplying new equipment and funding scholarships for their students.

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Every so often, we highlight the importance of student scholarships by introducing you to the very students they help to succeed. Today, we’re featuring Samantha Carestia ‘15, visual arts (animation), who is a UMBC Grant recipient.

Name: Samantha N. Carestia
Major: Visual arts (animation / interactive media concentration)
Extra Curricular Activities: March of Dimes Walks, The National Society of Collegiate Scholars, creating digital ads for a local restaurant
Scholarships received: UMBC Grant

Q: Why did you decide to attend UMBC?
I decided to attend UMBC because of the Visual Arts degree program, which contains many of the aspects that I find desirable in my major. The visual arts program with the animation/interactive media concentration allows me to focus on both 2D and 3D artwork, made both physically and electronically, and extend the range of tasks I can perform in my desired field. I was also attracted to UMBC because it is an “in-state” school with a very high academic rating. I had looked at other institutions, even attending a different one in my freshman year that offered a large scholarship. I transferred to UMBC when I realized that UMBC had a program that better suited my educational needs.

Q: What’s been the most amazing discovery you’ve made so far as a student here?
I think that the most amazing thing I discovered at UMBC is the instructors. They are very compassionate about what they are teaching and do so in a way that draws you into the subject. They are also so very helpful and accessible when I have a question or a problem. I am also amazed at how kind and active the UMBC community is.

Q: Tell us about a class or club that has really opened your mind.
I feel that [the] course ART 384 — Introduction to 3D Computer Animation — was the class that most opened my mind. This class let me work with 3D modeling, which is something I have always wanted to do. I found I have a knack for it, which is great!

Q: How important is it to you as a student to get scholarship support?
I am the daughter of what some may call “older parents.” My father is retired on Social Security, and my mother’s job is their only other income. They have sacrificed a lot to assist in my college tuition and expenses as best they can so I won’t be saddled with a huge amount of loans when I graduate.With the economy as it is today, there are challenges obtaining employment. A large amount of school loans may make it very difficult to concentrate on my employment search. This scholarship also means a lot to me because it means my parents won’t have to struggle as much in their efforts to help me achieve my goal of a college education.

Q: What are you most proud of accomplishing in your time at UMBC?
I am most proud of my high GPA. I am especially proud of the past two semesters with 6 courses each, and obtaining and maintaining a 4.0 GPA both semesters.

Q: What would you say to the people who provided your scholarship?
I feel it is my obligation to continue doing my very best in my studies to prove not just to myself and my parents, but also to those that believe in me and have helped me that their faith and assistance are not in vain.

Q: What do you hope to do after graduation?
After achieving my goal of a degree from UMBC, I hope to obtain employment at a nearby game-making studio, such as Bethesda, or find a job making web pages for a local firm. I will probably have to prove myself and start from the bottom and work my way up to my ultimate goal.

 Support UMBC student scholarships today!