Fall 2008 - Spring 2009
I was a poetry editor at Bartleby, UMBC's creative arts magazine, for the past 08-09 school year. This organization appealed to me because I had such a good experience with the creative arts magazine at my high school. It was a focal point of my life. I also really enjoy critiquing people's writing, I don't know, it's the terrible mean person inside of me. Of course, I try to be constructive in my criticism, although I am not if the submitters received that feedback. I also had the magazine's faculty sponsor, Sally Shivnan, as my professor for a course and she highly praised my writing and suggested to everyone that we look into Bartleby. Although I enjoyed reading all the poetry submissions and discussing them with the other editors, I am not going to be returning to this position in the coming year.
Regardless of the quality of the magazine, I had some issues with Bartleby as an organization. I was never really sure of my position at the organization. It was just poorly run at times, culminating in me running around with a cart full of books, several plates of brownies and cookies I had baked, and no book/bake sale. I was stuck in the University Center courtyard until someone could show up and relieve me. Members of my own Sondheim cohort may remember me coming to class late one day with brownies and cookies that I bitterly gave away. The organization seemed to have this preoccupation with dividing everyone into their various genres even in the running of Bartleby events, which had terrible results.
The Editor-in-Chief and many of the senior editors graduated this past year, and I joked with my friend about staging a coup and whipping Bartleby into shape. Alas, this is not happening, but I still think Bartleby could still be amazing.
Spring 2009 - Ongoing
Disclaimer: I may gush a little here.
Originally the Major Fair Project, Major Inspiration is a new project, started up just this past year by a student, Richard Blissett. The original idea was to actually put on Major Fairs, where college students will set up displays and posters and high school students would be able to walk around and discuss different opportunities in college. Richard Blissett wanted to give high school students an opportunity to see all the different kinds of majors out there and maybe find possible future majors that interest them that they may not have heard of before.
Currently, Major Inspiration has a more encompassing role, where college students participate in outreach programs of different kinds to talk to youth of all ages from local schools and communities about college. For the most part, I have participated in panel discussions where I answer questions with other volunteers in front of audience. I have honestly loved every one of these opportunities, from just having lunch with youth from Walden Community Circle to going to speak with a small group of elementary school kids after school. It just feels really good to try to connect with the kids and to just talk with other panelists. I suppose I partially enjoy the break from the pressure of Project HEALTH. And, of course, I got to make two gorgeous and excellent posters for my two majors.
The Major Inspiration also just makes me happy because I was able to be there when Richard Blissett first talked to me about the idea in the fall. I explained how my high school had excellent counseling services, and we discussed how not many high schools are so lucky. Watching this idea come alive over the months is frankly inspiring, even as I watched the struggles, where even getting people to respond to an e-mail was an ordeal.
I am of course still a part of the Major Fair Project, participating in the occassional outreach opportunity over the summer.
Queers United, Mobilized, and Bringing Change
Queers United, Mobilized, and Bringing Change
Fall 2010 - ongoing
Student Government Association, Health & Wellness
Fall 2010 - ongoing
Student Government Association, Health & Wellness
Fall 2010 - ongoing
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