By: Marilin Argueta-Osorio

Photo Credit: Noël Johnson

Meet Dan Glennon, a Winter 2023 graduate who has built himself quite a resume! He was a stagehand for IATSE Local 19 union, a marketing representative at Maryland Live!, and a department manager at a Magic the Gathering card store. Dan is someone you can’t box in and has definitely broken into the industry in an unconventional way. Let’s dive deeper into how all his experiences made him who he is today.

Q: You've worn many hats throughout the years, do you have a favorite out of the many positions you've had?

First off, thank you for choosing me for the profile. I am honored to be a part of the UMBC MCS family. Secondly, I am throwing professional decorum out the window. You're interviewing a comedian.  But every job I have had has its moments. I thought it was cool giving away a Batmobile at the casino. Crashing weddings as a DJ Assistant made for great people watching. It was fun being able to stay at Warped Tour after I spent three hours helping to build it. But the one that sticks with me the most was when I was 19, I worked at a Magic: the Gathering card store. The owner was only six months older than me so we both had a crash course in how to run a business. I had to run events for 30+ people every day while running the store front and managing inventory. My hair was on fire but I loved it. I thrived in the chaos and it is largely responsible for my ability to operate under pressure. 

Q: Do you have a favorite memory of working as a department manager at a Magic the Gathering card store?

One memory that sticks out to me is helping my friend Brittany build her first deck. I helped her personalize it, find cards she liked, and made sure the deck actually did what it wanted to do. The reason this one sticks out is because Brittany became a community mainstay, working at several of the area shops over the years. It leaves me a little warm, fuzzy feeling.

Q: Congrats on graduating! Rejoining the college scene as an older adult, did you face any challenges? You also mentioned you finished school during COVID, can you give us an insight into what a daily life would be as a college student during this time? 

Woah now, let’s relax on the “older adult” thing. Take my word for it; we aren’t going to be “old” for a long time. You’ll understand what I mean later. But I digress. When I went back to school in 2021, I actually felt like I was the perfect age for me to finish school. I felt like I had the insight (and courage) to lead a class and provoke meaningful discussions. I wasn’t scared to ask questions anymore and I am not so much older that I had nothing in common with my classmates. I mean, I also have YouTube Premium… A day in the life of a COVID student was waking up five minutes before class, turning on your computer, joining the class, and then listening in while doing laundry. The challenge was finding a way to keep myself on track when every day felt the exact same. COVID, amirite?

Q:  What drew you to pursue Media and Communication Studies instead of another art-related major? Did you pursue any minors while at UMBC?

As much of a creative person as I am, I wouldn’t call myself an “artist” per say. I think of myself much more as a designer. I don’t have the steady hand to paint or sculpt (I know, it’s ironic given I do graffiti but I’ll get there) but I have an eye for aesthetics. I chose MCS though because my curiosity was sated by the broad curriculum and my creativity was embraced by using media to create. I may not have a steady hand but I know when to time a sound drop or do a quick cut to build tension in a film. It’s also fun feeling like the smartest person at parties.

Q: What was your favorite MCS class to take? What made this class memorable?

My favorite MCS class was 333. While I had the most personally fulfilling experience writing my senior capstone, 333 with Loviglio was a blast. He would give us free reign to discuss topics and somehow, he found a way to bring it back full circle. 333 helped me zoom out on issues and see how a web of interconnected variables affects everything in our daily lives.

Q: You also took the MCS 480 course, do you have a favorite memory or piece of work?

Back in my day (shakes fist angrily at the sky) it was called 370! But I really enjoyed the class. I am really proud of the editing I did for our video campaign (I think it's running this semester, actually). I really embraced the full access to media to create with. I have made videos before but never with material that I was there to actually help shoot. It was also helpful to see when we needed more B-Roll for the video and we just had to go shoot more. Our team heard me and got the clips to me that same day. It also taught me that there is only so much creative control I have or should exert on a project. I get a great sense of satisfaction when I can mix added audio to perfectly synchronize with what is on screen. One video, Sophia said "stop, stop, stop" right as the music took a half-beat rest. The guitars kick back in the same moment that she begins to speak again. Seeing it play back felt like putting a shirt on straight out of the dryer. I also interviewed Dr. Loviglio on a lot of media theory stuff. I aimed for a GQ style interview, with a mix of narrative and transcript. I challenged him to explain Marshall McLuhan's "the medium is the message" in under 60 seconds. He did it in 48. I also learned that if you are planning a GQ style interview, with a mix of narrative and transcript, make sure to hit the record button… 

Q: How did you get into graffiti? What is one piece that you enjoyed making through this art channel?

How did I get into graffiti… How do I say this without snitching on myself… When I was younger, I was a degenerate. I’d sneak into abandoned places and throw up my tag. Part of it was leaving a mark. Part of it was being a rebel. But also, using spray paint is fun! I think it is because of my attachment to urban/punk culture mixed with the freedom I was given.  I knew I wasn’t going to paint a beautiful mural but I liked changing the way letters look to make shapes and designs. Graffiti showed me that you don’t need much to create something awesome. I actually drew the lettering on our podcast logo by hand and then put the border on Photoshop later.

Q: At the end, you note that you felt more prepared after graduation, what course(s) do you think prepped you the most for graduate life?

I wouldn’t say any particular course made me feel more prepared than any other class but when each of them was layered on top of one another, the interconnectedness of the world just made more sense. I think about it like this; Every mundane action or object is really [redacted] complicated but we have learned to explain simply. And if all else fails, just shrug and blame capitalism. Oh and I use words real good now too. Weird, right? Related note, I hope my wit and obvious sarcasm at times is coming through in these answers.

Q: What advice do you have for students graduating this year looking for jobs? 

My advice is to be creative, stand out, and find jobs on Indeed you can apply to without using Indeed. Yes. I mean going for a drive. And yes, it sucks when you prove all of the out-of-touch people right by "knockin' on doors." But the job market is dismal and job hunting is a soul-sucking endeavor. You are training your ChatGPT to tailor your resume to fight against their AI job filtering. Oh, and then there's the "fake jobs" that are listed just to appear that a company is hiring only to take the listing down three days later. I had over 100 cover letters in a folder. I was so done with it all.  The professional training we receive during our four years is invaluable. Professionalism is essential; but that doesn't mean that it has to be boring. So I decided to break the rules. I created a themed gift box, placed my resume inside, addressed it to the hiring manager, and dropped it off at their office. I received a call two hours later asking for an interview and an offer after that single interview. You only have to get lucky once. And I'll take lucky over good every time. 

Q: Can you tell us more about the company you work for and the position you hold?

So I work at The Commercial Group, which is the parent company to Commercial Construction, Utilities, and Interiors. Basically, if you wanted to build something from a pile of dirt to a shiny new building, we could do it all for you. You’ve seen our work. We build Maryland Live! Casino. I am their marketing and communications coordinator so I do a lot of what you are doing in 480! I write monthly newsletters, post social media content, design proposal layouts and marketing materials. My boss encourages me to take creative liberties designing things because she appreciates my eye so much. I am even going to job sites with a DSLR camera to get promotional material. It’s cool to see my work get incorporated into something that is trying to achieve something so great. I designed the presentation we made to a big company for a multi-million dollar contract last month. Was I the one breaking down pre construction budgets and how OSHA rules will apply to the site? Nope. But goddamn does that presentation look slick. We were awarded the contract. It must have been the background.

Q: What has been your favorite written material from your comedy jokes series? Where do you perform? 

I perform several nights a week out throughout Baltimore. You can always catch me at The Manor on North Charles Street every Thursday at 8:00 for sure. A favorite joke that would work in written form? Hmm… This is a little harder to do because they are performative by nature but I'll type out some of my lines.

“ So I got my first career job out of college and it even has benefits! One of which is a salary! It's bizarre for me to be in a situation where I am not worried about bills; just complaining about them. But I know what it is like to be broke. Has your credit ever gotten so bad that you stop getting pre-approved credit cards in the mail? I was so broke that I was DoorDashing... Got shot at... And continued to DoorDash... Not in general... The very same delivery. So when I go to knock on the door and the guy comes down, he asks why I am shaking and I told him that I just got shot at. So he takes the food and says to wait right there. So I do. Because I'm stupid. And he comes back down with his own gun and says that I'm gonna get out of there alright. I learned that you can earn a lot of loyalty from someone by bringing them tacos at two in the morning. That man was ready to commit a felony for me."

Q: Lastly, is there any other fun fact that you would like us to know about you?

Anything else… Hmm… Oh! Check out the podcast my friend and I do called “The Flood with Doc & Ziggy.” We take the news happening around us and how it shapes the culture that defines us with our pop perspective to put culture in context and make the mainstream make sense.

By: Kendall Blunt

Photo Credit: Abel Communications

Madeline Arbutus, a graduate of 2022, holds her dual B.A. in Media and Communication Studies as well as Visual Arts with a focus on Graphic Design. She also completed a minor in Art History and Museum Studies while at UMBC. During her time here, she combined her passion for theory and design working in roles that pushed her forward in her journey. Being a Production Manager at The Retriever (UMBC’s newspaper) taught her key skills like meeting deadlines and working collaboratively, while also growing her love for typography and print layouts. Additionally, working as Curatorial Assistant at UMBC’s Center for Art, Design and Visual Culture was equally as formative of an experience. Madeline was exposed to concepts like accessible design, a process that considers people with disabilities when creating something, a passion she would keep even after graduation. These experiences, along with the mentorship of Dr. Loviglio, Sandra Abbott, Peggy Re, and Guenet Abraham in both MCS and Visual Arts helped develop her critical thinking, collaborative skills, and creative instinct that has shaped her career.

Currently, Madeline works as a Graphic Designer at Abel Communications, a small, Baltimore-based PR firm. As a part of the creative team, Madeline tackles a range of projects ranging from logo creation and campaign development to video editing and accessibility audits. Within her role, she enjoys studying new and trending design styles and incorporating them into her work, as well as working on mastering tools like Adobe Suite, which can be challenging, but worth it to elevate her designs. Reflecting on her work, Madeline finds the most fulfillment in using visual problem-solving to communicate ideas effectively, allowing messages to resonate with a diverse audience. 

When transitioning from UMBC to her career, Madeline recalls having to actively see herself more professionally. She recounts, “It’s easy to discount your skills and experience right out of college (even though you’re qualified and capable), especially when you’re surrounded by people with years in the field. I recognized, however, that clients and coworkers were already coming to me for design help and expertise. That realization was a turning point—if they were taking me seriously, I should take myself seriously.” She also credits her blended education of both theory and practice for contributing to her success post-graduation. Madeline urges current students to take advantage of all the opportunities offered at UMBC, such as researching niche interests, discovering passions, and pursuing projects that align with their values. 

While Madeline misses the vibrant community and endless resources UMBC offered, her journey exemplifies what it can mean to successfully move from a degree to a career.