Mon, 27 Oct 2003 05:00:00 -0500
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A Time to Explore

For freshman Ross Dixon, UMBC is not only a place to obtain a bachelor�s degree and prepare for a career, but also a place to explore the full range of his abilities. Whether he�s studying for his physics courses or adding the finishing touches to his most recent script, Dixon is making the most of UMBC�s many opportunities.

Dixon comes to UMBC as an accomplished 2003 graduate of Hereford High School in northern Baltimore County, with academic credentials that include recognition as a Maryland Distinguished Scholar and recipient of a scholarship from the Baltimore County Chamber of Commerce. An aspiring singer and playwright, Dixon was a member of Baltimore County�s All County Choir, Hereford High School�s chamber choir and he performed original works at the Maryland Theatre Festival.

While Dixon is studying physics and plans to attend graduate school for further study in the field of theoretical physics, he intends to continue with his work in music and theater as much as his academic schedule will allow. He currently sings with the Jubilee Singers, under the direction of Janice Jackson, and hopes to add music as either a major or minor. Dixon has also found time to incorporate theater into his busy class schedule by taking a scriptwriting course and using Professor Alan Kreizenbeck�s Performance in Baltimore course to fulfill one of his requirements for the Honors College.

Many students would find the sheer breadth of all these activities to be overwhelming, but Dixon has a common goal that keeps him focused in each of his endeavors. �I consider science, music, and drama all to be alternative forms of communication,� he says, reflecting on his disparate pursuits. �I�m drawn to activities that offer opportunities for sharing ideas and connecting people. When I sing, work on a play, or learn something new in my physics course, I have the opportunity both to learn from the ideas of other people and express my own.�

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