Hometown: I've lived all over. I was born in New York. I spent my childhood in Illinois and Ohio. I generally say I'm from Oceanport, NJ, where I went to High School. I've lived in Northern Virginia for nearly 25 years. So, that's home!
Q: How long have you been at UMBC?
A: I am just starting my 9th year at UMBC. I started in the fall of 2006.
Q: What is your current title (job or student organization position)?
A: I am Associate Professor of History and Director of Public History.
Q: In 12 words or less, what role(s) do you play on campus?
A: Teacher, Mentor, Public Historian, GEC Committee Chair, Engaged Scholar, Orser Center Adviser.
Q: What aspect of your UMBC role(s) do you enjoy most?
A: I chose the term "engaged scholar," because that best captures the role I enjoy most at UMBC, but it is something of a cheat. For me, good scholarship, good teaching, and involvement in my profession and in our university all presuppose an ability to make connections. Engaged scholars develop and facilitate active, collaborative working relationships with a variety of partners and stakeholders. We recognize that sharing both the process of inquiry and the process of interpretation can produce more broadly meaningful forms of scholarship and create more memorable learning environments. We always approach our work from a position of service. So, as long as I am able to hold true to that deeply held value system and approach, I enjoy all of my roles at UMBC.
Q: What is the most important or memorable thing you learned in college/have learned at UMBC?
A:The most important thing I have learned during my time at UMBC is that I do not have to be afraid to try new things. I am remarkably lucky to work for a University that welcomes innovation and promotes collaboration. When I want to try something new, all I have to do is ask and I will find potential partners and a broad system of support.
Q: What is one way you have worked with others to make a positive difference at UMBC or in another community?
A: My public history students and I have been working in partnership with Baltimore Heritage, a preservation advocacy organization, since 2012. Students have provided crucial support to the two-person staff, conducting research and developing content for a smart phone application that connects visitors to historic places in and around the city. Beyond the nuts and bolts of content development, this work has had several meaningful outcomes. First, our collaboration helped Baltimore Heritage to think more broadly about the ways in which historians connect people and places. While preservationists understand the value of architectural history and the appeal of old buildings, they may not as easily recognize that the beauty of a building may not lie in its facade. It may rest in the role that space played in fostering a sense of community. Working together, students and staff bridged both perspectives. Second, our collaboration helped students connect more deeply with the city of Baltimore and its diverse communities. Every semester, at least one student expresses surprise and delight at the way in which historical exploration and collaborative inquiry can make places feel familiar and people feel connected. That is the most important lesson I can teach.
Q: Complete this sentence: "I am a big fan of __________"
A: My public history students and I have been working in partnership with Baltimore Heritage, a preservation advocacy organization, since 2012. Students have provided crucial support to the two-person staff, conducting research and developing content for a smart phone application that connects visitors to historic places in and around the city. Beyond the nuts and bolts of content development, this work has had several meaningful outcomes. First, our collaboration helped Baltimore Heritage to think more broadly about the ways in which historians connect people and places. While preservationists understand the value of architectural history and the appeal of old buildings, they may not as easily recognize that the beauty of a building may not lie in its facade. It may rest in the role that space played in fostering a sense of community. Working together, students and staff bridged both perspectives. Second, our collaboration helped students connect more deeply with the city of Baltimore and its diverse communities. Every semester, at least one student expresses surprise and delight at the way in which historical exploration and collaborative inquiry can make places feel familiar and people feel connected. That is the most important lesson I can teach.
Q: Complete this sentence: "I am a big fan of __________"
A: The Washington Nationals, especially Denard Span.
Q: Do you have any UMBC stories, little-known facts about UMBC, favorite spots on campus, or anything else you’d like to share?
Co-Create UMBC is a blog for and about UMBC, written by David Hoffman and Craig Berger from UMBC Student Life. Join the Co-Create UMBC group on MyUMBC. Like Co-Create UMBC on Facebook. And follow David and Craig on Twitter.
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