Relationship Violence Prevention Spring Speaker Series: Yael Shy (4/28)

The Relationship Violence Prevention Spring Speaker Series presents a powerful session on exciting new research and intervention strategies for families impacted by relationship violence. Yael Shy Esq., director of development and education at NYU’s Center on Violence and Recovery, will speak Thursday, April 28, 4-6 p.m., in Lecture Hall I.

In 2004, an Arizona Judge and the Founder of the New York University’s Center on Violence and Recovery, decided to develop a program that would meet the needs of victims and families of domestic violence in Santa Cruz County in a holistic, culturally sensitive manner. The result was the establishment of the “Circles of Peace” program. Since then, Circles of Peace has been successfully treating families affected by domestic violence as well as mobilizing the community into action around this issue. Circles of Peace now represents a model for discussion and replication across the nation. This presentation will take an in depth look at this program model and review findings from a recently completed a study of the Circles of Peace program in comparison to the local Batterers Intervention Programs.

Invite your friends, family members and colleagues. All are welcome.

Relationship Violence Prevention Spring Speaker Series: David Thomas (4/4)

The Relationship Violence Prevention Spring Speaker Series presents a powerful session to raise awareness, “Workplace Violence and the Relationship Violence Connection,” presented by David R. Thomas, administrator of the Domestic Violence Education Program and a faculty member in the Division of Public Safety Leadership at Johns Hopkins University, Monday, April 4, 2-4 p.m. in University Center room 312.

The workplace is yet another area in our society that has flown under the radar screen when it comes to the role it plays in combating relationship violence. This presentation is geared toward the workplace, be it public or private, large or small. This session addresses everyone in the workplace from the CEO to the new hire. It will educate the attendees on intimate partner violence and how it impacts the workplace as well as everyone’s collective and individual roles in addressing workplace violence.

Invite your friends, family members and colleagues. All are welcome.

Poetry Reading: Joelle Biele (4/27)

The Humanities Forum presents literary critic and poet Joelle Biele, author of “White Summer” and the winner of the Crab Orchard Review First Book Award on the seventh floor of the Albin O. Kuhn Library, 4 p.m., Wednesday, April 27.

A Fulbright scholar twice over, she has received awards from the Poetry Society of America and the Maryland State Arts Council. Her latest book, published in February 2011 by Farrar, Straus and Giroux, “Elizabeth Bishop and The New Yorker: The Complete Correspondence,” is a rare glimpse at the artistic development of one of the twentieth-century’s most celebrated poets. Biele has taught at Goucher College, the University of Maryland College Park and the Jagiellonian University in Krakow. Currently she is a Humanities Scholars Teaching Fellow at UMBC.

Sponsored by the Department of English and the James T. and Virginia M. Dresher Center for the Humanities.

Admission is free. For more information, call ext. 5-6798.

The Historian: Citizen of the World, and an Archive Mouse (4/20)

The Humanities Forum presents James S. Grubb, professor of history at UMBC, who will deliver the annual Lipitz Lecture at the Albin O. Kuhn Library Gallery, Wednesday, April 20, at 4 p.m.

Historians strive to be citizens of the world, crossing cultural boundaries in time to explore the values and structures of peoples who are strangers to us. Focusing on the Italian Renaissance, James Grubb’s work looks at middling folk five hundred years past, those neither powerful nor marginalized, who lived their days as best they could and left few traces in the history books. He reminds us that the task of reconstructing the ordinary can only take place in the archives, those cathedrals of the dead, by painstakingly assembling the scattered shards of forgotten lives.

Grubb teaches primarily Renaissance and Reformation history. Recipient of several grants from the National Endowment for the Humanities, he is author of a number of essays and books, including” Firstborn of Venice: Vicenza in the Early Renaissance State” and “Provincial Families in the Renaissance: Private and Public Life in the Veneto,” winner of the American Historical Association’s Marraro prize for the best book in Italian history. He continues his research on social relations in Renaissance Venice.

Sponsored by the College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences and the James T. and Virginia M. Dresher Center for the Humanities.

Admission is free. For more information, call ext. 5-6798.

Daphne Harrison Lecture: Harlem Renaissance Personages and Haiti (4/13)

The Dresher Center for the Humanities presents Richard A. Long, Atticus Haygood Professor Emeritus, Emory University, for the Daphne Harrison Lecture, “Harlem Renaissance Personages and Haiti,” Wednesday, April 13, 4 p.m. in the Albin O. Kuhn Library Gallery.

This presentation will provide an account of the Haitian contacts and connections of several distinguished Harlem Renaissance figures, most of whom are included in Alain Locke’s “The New Negro,” the principal compendium of the movement. Among these figures are Locke himself, W.E.B. Du Bois, Langston Hughes and Zora Neale Hurston.

President’s Commission for Women Spring Event: Women’s Changing Role in the 21st Century (4/7)

The President’s Commission for Women presents its spring event, “Women’s Changing Role in the 21st Century,” a free event for faculty, staff and students on Thursday, April 7, 9 a.m.-2 p.m. in the University Center Ballroom.

Women from diverse fields will share their personal journeys, discuss the challenges, successes and significant turning points they encountered while pursuing their fields of interest, and will explore how they see women’s roles changing in their fields in the 21st century.

Visit www.umbc.edu/training to register and download the flyer containing the schedule with topics and speakers. Contact Dawn Stoute at dstoute@umbc.edu or ext. 5-6327 if your organization would like to rent an information table at the event.

UMBC Drum Circle Performance (4/9)

Members of the UMBC drum circle (known as “Straight Up Tribal”), which include UMBC alumni as well as current students, will perform a free monthly concert series at Teavolve Cafe in downtown Baltimore on the second Saturday of every month. The next show will be on Saturday, April 9, at 8 p.m. More information at is available here.

UMBC Talks – True Life: Diversity Dialogue Series (Through 5/4)

Join the Campus Committee for Culture and Diversity and the Mosaic Center for “UMBC Talks – True Life: Diversity Dialogue Series,” noon-1 p.m. Wednesdays at the Mosaic: Culture and Diversity Center, the Commons, Room 2B23.

At these facilitated dialogues, discuss various topics, voice your opinions and hear those of fellow community members. All students, staff and faculty are welcome. Bring your lunch.

For groups of 10 or more, RSVP to mosaic@umbc.edu at least one week in advance of attendance.

Sponsored by the Campus Committee for Culture and Diversity and the Mosaic Center. For more info, contact mosaic@umbc.edu or ext. 5-8478.

• March 30: True Life: The Impact of Sexual Assault
• April 6: True Life: How Does Our Economy Shape Our Nation?
• April 13: True Life: Islamophobia in 2011
• April 20: True Life: I am an International Student
• April 27: True Life: Breaking Down Heterosexism, Homophobia and Transphobia
• May 4: True Life: Varieties of Religion and Spiritualism in Asia and Pacific Islands

Hybrid Learning Faculty Presentations (3/16)

Presentations by faculty participating in the Summer 2011 Alternative Delivery Program will take place on Wednesday, March 16, noon-1 p.m. in ENG 023. Consider attending and listening to the innovative techniques Sarah Leupen and Cynthia Wagner (both from Biological Sciences) will be using in their redesigned hybrid courses. Cookies and beverages will be provided; feel free to bring your lunch.

Arbor Day Celebration and PLANT Award Presentation (4/6)

The Landscape Stewardship Committee is sponsoring the Arbor Day celebration and People Loving and Nurturing Trees (PLANT) award presentation on April 6 at noon in the UC plaza. There will be music, poetry, a service-learning tree planting project and more. Students, faculty and staff are invited to sign up as groups or as individuals to plant 220 trees as part of the campus stream bank buffer restoration near the Commons Garage.

For the fourth year in a row, UMBC has obtained the highest level award given by the Department of Natural Resources PLANT program. PLANT is a statewide award program to recognize communities for their tree planting and tree care efforts. Communities range from schools, homeowner organizations and parks to metropolitan areas, cities and towns.

There are four PLANT award levels: bronze, silver, gold and green. Successive levels require more formalized tree care activities. Although a community may remain at any level for an unlimited number of years, the goal of the program is to encourage a community to grow through the award levels by strengthening their commitment and care for their urban trees.

The green award represents the highest PLANT honor to recognize a community that has developed a well-established urban forestry program. This coveted award is reserved for programs that are funded, fully functional and staffed by qualified professionals (including volunteer assistance).

For more information contact LSC Co-chairs Patrick Merryman or Donna Anderson.