Hiyo, it’s me, Sydnee Conigland! And this is my fourth year of still being a Computer Science and English double major! Now, I know what you’re thinking… “What a weird combination!” and “Four years?!” I know! Crazy? But hold your horses for I have a grandiose plan of becoming a video game designer and writer (or editor). Therefore, besides simply growing in these passions, I believe these two majors will bring me closer to achieving that dream. In terms of my on-campus extracurriculars, I am a member of the Tabletop Gaming Club, Bartleby, Anime Society, and Game Developer’s Club. Though, being specific, I was the Vice President of the Tabletop Gaming Club last year, and for this coming year, I will be the Secretary. And as for Bartleby, I’m the Lead Copyeditor. But! When I’m not doing school or clubs, you can find me engrossed in reading (predominantly fiction) novels, writing stories, and/or playing video games. I cannot wait for another great year at UMBC as a Humanities Scholar! I hope there will be many more excursions, especially to plays, with my fellow cohorts in the new year.
Hi! My name is Isabel Taylor and I’m a senior at UMBC. I use she/her pronouns. I’m currently pursuing a B.A. in English Literature and an extended minor in Creative Writing. For the duration of my undergrad, I’ve been working for UMBC’s student-led newspaper, The Retriever. I’ve enjoyed and taken away many things working as a journalist, an editor, and now, Editor-in-Chief. I’ve loved my time at the paper, and especially for the way it has unlocked the university experience for me. The paper is a unique place to get involved, to support campus life, and to push for necessary change.
Outside of the paper, I’ve pursued creative writing at UMBC. My junior year, I began an independent creative undertaking through our English Honors Project Program. My project, which will culminate in a collection of poetry, prose, and nonfiction essays, focuses on the key experience of my generation, the introduction and rapid normalization of smart, personal technology. For my project, I’ve sought out phone-free experiences, completed research, and practiced documentation. With my final work, I hope to create conversation about our addictions to our smart devices and the consequences that emerge.
I’m looking forward to my senior year to complete the work I’ve begun at UMBC. As I wrap up my degree in the Fall semester, I’m excited to embark on a study abroad experience in France for the Spring. I’ve long wanted to continue studying and learning French and I’m thrilled to be able to finish my undergrad time with this experience.
Hey, everyone! My name is Sarah Nove, and I am a senior Humanities Scholar at UMBC. As anyone who knows me will attest, I adore all things related tostories and storytelling. I am a strong believer in the power of stories as a tool to promote empathy and social change, which is why I am majoring in English and minoring in Critical Sexuality Studies. I primarily study contemporary and experimental literature through an intersectional feminist lens, which is a very scholarly way to say I love talking about books and how they discuss gender, sexuality, dis/ability, race, class, and other ways we identify ourselves. I love to chat, so if you see me around campus, don’t be afraid to say hello!
In Summer 2022, I worked at Clarkson Potter and Ten Speed Press, two lifestyle-focused imprints of Penguin Random House. While there, I edited manuscripts, attended licensing meetings, wrote copy, coded manuscripts, and assisted in general editorial work. Previously, in Summer 2021, I completed a UMBC CoLab Internship where I worked alongside fellow Humanities Scholar, Avnee Sharma (class of ’23) in a group of three UMBC students across disciplines to analyze and present items from UMBC Special Collections’s Radical Literature Collection. Our online exhibition can be viewed here.
Hey guys, my name is Dillon Nesteruk, but I also go by Dilldawg. I am Ukrainian and also a part of the Men’s soccer team at UMBC. I am a media and communications major with minors in finance as well as entrepreneurship and innovation. My dream is to become a professional soccer player. If that doesn’t work out, I desire to become a marketer for some sort of club or team that way I can still be connected to my passion: sports and competition. My free time is spent being active or helping out with my church. I particularly enjoy being a counselor during vacation bible school. That position provides a sense of leadership and responsibility, and on top of that you’re dealing with a bunch of little kids which is a struggle on its own, for many reasons. Something I would like to flex is all the opportunities to travel that I’ve been able to experience throughout my youth soccer career. I was able to travel to a variety of countries including Ukraine, Brazil, and England. And through these opportunities, I observed very different and unique cultures which not many can say they have done. I look forward to the Humanities program because of the travel abroad experience. I hope to visit a new country and observe a new culture to develop my understanding of different groups of people that exist on this beautiful planet.
Hello! My name is Gina Khan. I have always been a curious person, and I love to study subjects where there is always more and more you can learn and observe. I like to think of it like I stretched my curiosity as far as it could go and it encompassed both the earth and the rest of the universe. The inestimable benefits of understanding others are why I have chosen to study these areas. I am extremely passionate about linguistics because I believe in the rewarding qualities that understanding a foreign language has on the individual. Through learning language, one may come to understand a new culture and further consider their own; this allows one to relate and connect with a more diverse group of people and themselves on a deeper level!