A newsletter for students, faculty, staff, alumni and friends Over a 25-week period earlier this year, the blockbuster “Black Panther” took in $700 million in gross ticket sales domestically, the top-earning movie for the first nine months of 2018. The name of the late artist, whose creativity in the 1970s inspired the title character, was nowhere to be found in the film’s credits. The University of Maryland Eastern Shore is poised to correct that oversight. A never-before-seen collection of the early works of Billy Graham – known in the art world as “the Irreverent One” – debuted Thursday at UMES’ Mosely Gallery. A celebratory opening reception was held from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. Gallery director Susan Holt heard about the existence of Graham’s early illustrations through a March 8 article in the New York Times that chronicled his family’s disappointment that millions of movie-goers don’t know the story of the pioneer behind the featured character in the film. Near the end of his life, Graham asked his family to preserve a trunk with his sketches and art work from his early days as an illustrator. The collection was known
INSIDE
UMES awards 29 Doctor of Physical Therapy degrees Page 2
Faculty Assembly Senior Class Board
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Physical Therapy Graduation Day
Mosley exhibit: No Longer “The Irreverent One”
September 28, 2018
as the “Treasure Chest,” according to the Times’ article. For more than two decades, Graham’s family was the unassuming custodian of art that few others knew existed. Then, along came the 2018 film that cast a new light on showcasing people of color in science fiction stories. The backstory portrayed in the Times’ article intrigued Holt, so she reached out to Graham’s family with an offer: the gallery she directs at a historically black institution (where students are taught sequential arts – how to draw illustrations like those in comic books) would welcome the opportunity to display the late illustrator’s works. Shawna Graham said “we decided to allow a gallery to display some of my grandfather’s work to bring awareness to … his talents and his importance to the African American culture and history.” As far as Holt can tell, “this is the first exhibition of these original works.” The exhibition, Holt said, will showcase some 20 original illustrations in pencil, ink and color, as well as some of the artist’s personal artifacts. The works GRAHAM / continued on page 5
Twenty-nine graduate students in the University of Maryland Eastern Shore’s doctor of physical therapy program were awarded degrees during summer commencement and a belated132nd Founders’ Day celebration. Following the ceremony, Rachel Whitely of Bowie and Laura Kaufman of Baltimore were named co-winners of the Joseph Beatus Award for Excellence in Patient-center care in recognition of their clinical work as students. The newly minted graduates must now pass a national licensure exam in the coming weeks so they can practice anywhere in the country. Maurice Allen Oliver Jr. is from Camden, Del. and has a job waiting in Charlotte, N.C. “It was a challenging and interesting three years,” Oliver said before the ceremony. “It’s a great program, and I highly recommend it. I feel like I’m well-prepared to start my career.” Ben Taylor, a Utah native, chose to apply to UMES because of the physical therapy’s stellar reputation of producing graduates who have little trouble finding jobs, and he also wanted to do his graduate studies in a different part of the country. Taylor said he could tell immediately the faculty was invested in ensuring the program delivers on what’s
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Tracy Bell Searches for New Ways to Treat Diabetes
PT GRADS / continued on page 2
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Graham’s Early Works Debut at Mosely Gallery
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Cross Country Callarman New Head Volleyball Coach Volleyball Schedule
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UMES Partners with Environmental Agencies UMES’ National Society Of Leadership & Success Chapter Visits Greece LSAMP Scholars Attended The 2018 Summer Bridging Conference
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A&E Calendar
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The Key / September 28, 2018
Circling the Oval
UMES Faculty Assembly Officers for 2018-19
Senior Class Board
Chair: Dr. Mark E. Williams
President: Sharon B. Mills Vice president: Serenity J. Kingsborough Treasurer: Jennella H. Arter Events manager: Oluwatayo O. Emuleomo Secretary: Fazila Faridi Mr. Senior: Desmond O. McCullough Miss Senior: Simone C. Smith
Secretary: Dr. Donna Satterlee Treasurer: Dr. E. William Chapin Parliamentarian: Mr. Joseph Bree Chair-elect: Dr. Bryant Mitchell
PT GRADS / continued from cover
promised in the recruiting brochures. During his three years at UMES, Taylor and his wife Lacy had two daughters, Lucy, and Callie. They were in the audience along with big sister Madison, 4, to see their dad cross the Fitzgerald center stage. “I’ve been working a long time to get to this day,” said Taylor, who has a job lined up in Kingsman, Ariz. The graduation venue was familiar to Nicole E. (White) Baker of nearby Allen. She graduated from Washington High School, which holds its commencement at UMES, before enrolling at Towson University. Baker played field hockey and remembers the aches and pains of being an athlete, including a knee injury. “I had to go through physical therapy to get better and that’s where I really started to consider it as a career,” she said. “I like that physical therapists can spend extended time with patients, and you can see up-close that what you do helps people.” Steven Walas, chief executive officer of HealthSouth Chesapeake Rehabilitation Hospital in Salisbury, was the day’s guest speaker. He stepped
in when an ominous weather forecast for Sept. 13 compelled UMES to reschedule the commencement. “You have the advantage of job security,” Walas said, pointing to the generation of aging Baby Boomers who will likely need their help in the years ahead. He said physical therapists are in a unique position professionally to help people who are having a bad day overcome those problems by providing personalized care. “The best physical therapist I have ever worked alongside (in a 20-year-career) is a UMES graduate,” Walas told his audience. “Without a doubt, I would let her treat my children tomorrow.” At a reception following the graduation, the UMES faculty presented Maria von Kollmar, a 1995 UMES alumna, with the Raymond L. Blakely Award for Leadership and Commitment to the Physical Therapy Profession. She works at Peninsula Regional Medical Center. Blakely was the founding chairman of the physical therapy program who retired in 2016 and died in December 2017.
UMES People
The Key / September 28, 2018
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PHYSICAL THERAPY GRADUATION DAY
Dr. Heidi M. Anderson asked for a souvenir class photo be taken with physical therapy graduates whom she just awarded degrees during her first commencement as UMES president.
Christina Lyn Prince of Crofton, MD and her family celebrate her graduation as a new Doctor of Physical Therapy.
Joseph J. Carson of St. Leonard, MD and Maurice Allen Oliver Jr. of Camden, Del. were among 29 physical therapy students who received their doctoral degrees at the 2018 summer commencement exercises.
Dr. Heidi Anderson presents Taylor Wiedel of Sykesville Md her degree during the 2018 summer commencement exercises Sept. 20.
Classmates Nathan Austin of Fort Collins, Colo., Katherine Renee Avila of Modesto, Calif., Dieudonne Che Ndifor of Silver Spring, MD and Kevin Levi-Goerlich of Columbia, MD.
Rachel Whiteley of Bowie, MD, left, and Laura Kaufman of Baltimore were co-winners of the Joseph Beatus award for Excellence in Patient-center care in recognition of their clinical work as students.
There were lots of keepsake moments recorded with cellphone cameras following Sept. 20 commencement exercises for UMES’ Class of 2018 physical therapy graduates.
The family of graduate Benjamin Taylor of Kaysville, Utah was on hand for his graduation day; (L-R) mom Kari, daughter Madison, 4, wife Lacy holding Callie, 2 months, Ben holding Lucy, 2, and dad Alan Taylor.
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The Key / September 28, 2018
School News
More than a fishing expedition for this UMES researcher
Dr. Tracy Bell is focused on finding new ways to treat diabetes
Next time you gaze into an aquarium to watch zebrafish zip to and fro, you might just be looking at a 2-inch long vertebrate capable of pointing the way to treating high blood pressure and diabetes. That’s because the small fish with black and white horizontal stripes share 60-to-70 percent of the same genetic characteristics as humans. Who knew? Plenty of health researchers, it turns out. The fish, which resemble minnows, have been helping scientists get a better understanding of the biological processes of muscular dystrophy and cancer. Now, UMES biology/physiology professor Tracy Bell wants to try her hand at studying zebrafish to see if they might unlock the mysteries of a common blood disorder that affects millions of people. This past spring, Bell was awarded a $299,996 National Science Foundation grant to support research focusing exclusively on the kidney functions of the prolific tropical fish from Southeast Asia. In collaboration with UMES colleague Dr. Linda Johnson, she used external funding to build a three-dimensional wall of 10-gallon aquariums in a first-floor lab in George Washington Carver Science Hall that can house upwards of a thousand zebrafish In her grant application, Bell described her research project thusly: “The goal … is to investigate the role of insulin in regulating sodium and water transport in the kidney.” She writes that she hopes to “develop a novel methodology to assess the water and sodium regulation in vertebrates and … advance our knowledge of basic mechanisms of vertebrate kidney transport and fluid balance.’ While her NSF grant supports basic science research, the broader impacts of her project might provide a better understanding of how the kidneys regulate sodium and water balance and in turn maintain good blood pressure. It is well known retention of too much salt (sodium chloride) can contribute to high blood pressure, but the mechanisms have yet to be fully delineated, she said. Those are the building blocks around which Bell will structure her research.
It turns out the miniscule (and flat) kidneys of a zebrafish share enough of the same “homology” traits as the bean-shaped organs in human. Bell said using zebrafish as a model organism to explore blood pressure regulation “is a new frontier.” During most of her graduate and postdoctoral training, rodents were the organism of choice. The National Science Foundation program that awarded Bell the grant is designed to support young faculty members just starting their teaching and research careers. Bell joined the UMES faculty in 2014 in her first fulltime teaching position. She is hopeful the NSF grant will enable her to gather enough data to establish a foundation so she can compete successfully for additional external support and continue the research long-term. Most researchers will tell you that discoveries emerge after years of tedious, methodical study and analysis. Bell has one graduate student and four undergraduate students actively involved in the research project. “The idea is to get them in the lab and give them the tools to get to the next level” of academic achievement, Bell said. Sherene Black, the doctoral candidate in toxicology, said working alongside Bell has been an eye-opening experience. “It’s exciting to know the work we’re doing might someday be able to help people stay healthy,” Black said. “It’s been a blessing to have this opportunity.” The windows of Bell’s lab are covered so she and her student-mentees can control feeding and breeding cycles, aided by a timer that ensures the room is dark a consistent number of hours daily. Of course, water temperature and its chemical composition are closely monitored as well. And it’s no small task doing necropsies on organisms as small as a Danio rerio, the Latin name for zebrafish. “It requires a lot of patience and concentration,” Bell said. “Hopefully, by studying the zebrafish as a model, we’ll be able to get a better understanding of vertebrate kidney function.”
School News
The Key / September 28, 2018
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Late il ustrator Bil y Graham’s early works debut at UMES GRAHAM / continued from cover
are on loan from the family, Graham’s estate as well as from private collectors. “We are very honored for the opportunity,” Shawna Graham said. “We hope … it will allow the students, faculty and guests to be knowledgeable of what seems to be masked history of African American art.” Graham is widely recognized as the first black artist at Marvel Comics, where in the 1970s he also had a hand in illustrating Spiderman, The Hulk, Luke Cage, Hero for Hire and eventually breathed new life into an old character, the Black Panther. Brad Hudson, who teaches sequential arts at UMES, said “Graham’s work on Luke Cage and Black Panther lent a degree of authenticity to characters that had primarily been treated by white writers and artists.” “His compositions and page layouts are dynamic and exciting. They break away from the standard grid, panel layout,” Hudson said. “Graham’s story is unique in that he was an African American artist doing canonical work on one of the first African American comic book characters.” Industry peers recognized Graham’s talents; he became the first black art director and then a managing editor in the comics industry. Drawing wasn’t his only creative aptitude. He won awards for his set designs for stage productions on- and off-Broadway as well as for screenplays. He
also acted on television, in film and on stage. “This first exhibition of his art work at UMES aims to give long overdue recognition to his talent,” Holt said. The university also is taking the extra step of creating a printed catalog of the works on exhibit at the Mosely Gallery Graham, who died in 1997, embraced the nickname “the Irreverent One” to differentiate himself from the 20th century evangelist of the same name. Holt has incorporated that moniker into the exhibit’s title. “Making these works available for public viewing I hope will ultimately start the process of drawing attention to my grandfather’s talents of published and unpublished art,” Shawna Graham said. “I feel he has not been properly credited or recognized for his talents or the opportunities he assisted with paving the way for African American artists.”
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Athletics
The Key / September 28, 2018
The University of Maryland Eastern Shore’s cross country teams turned in solid performances this past weekend in their lone home meet, placing three top 10 finishers during the Eastern Shore XC Invite. Both teams completed their respective meets in third place. “I’m pleased overall. It was a great meet.” Coach Damion Drummond said. “We showed a lot of heart and dedication. It was also good to see our middistance athletes battle for top spots with the frontrunners.” The threat of Hurricane Florence in the week leading up to the Cappy Anderson Invitational meet scheduled Sept. 15 forced its cancellation because of concerns other schools would encounter travel woes. Junior John Akakeya sprinted past fellow junior Hector Cime on the final stretch of the 8K (5 mile) home course. Akakeya’s efforts were rewarded with a fourth-place finish at 27:29.60, while Cime took fifth place with 27:30.30 in a field of 62 runners. The women’s side attracted 64 runners and UMES was led by senior Neus Quinonero, who clocked a time of 20:03.10 to finish ninth during the 5K (3.1 miles) run. Other top performers included sophomore Ngoy Yamitshi, who finished 13th with a time of 28:56.30. Freshman Arianna Krcik ran the 5K in 21:57.80 to finish 22nd, and senior Luan Gabriel placed 23rd, one second behind Krcik. After the meet, the Hawks honored seven seniors, including Quinonero and Gabriel along with Judah Corriette, Lenneisha Gilbert, Stanley Meli, Donovan Mundy and team manager Prisca Narron.
UMES XC teams turn in strong performances in season’s first two meets
Remaining home matches UMES Volleyball Friday
Oct. 5 – 6 p.m.
Norfolk State
Sunday
Oct. 7 – 2 p.m.
Howard
Sunday
Oct. 28 – 2 p.m.
Delaware State
Friday
Nov. 9 – 6 p.m.
Coppin State
Sunday
Nov. 11 – 1 p.m.
Morgan State
Photos by Joey Gardner
“We are proud of our seniors and thank them for all their efforts.” Drummond said. “It was great to celebrate their achievements one more time before they move on to their future careers.” Seton Hall University won both the men’s and women’s meets. Runners from Howard, Hampton, Delaware State, Morgan State, Coppin State, Bowie State and the University of the District of Columbia also competed. The UMES squads began their fall meet season Sept. 8 at Delaware State, where the men finished first and the women finished third. Both teams will compete Saturday at WinterPlace Park in Salisbury for the Don Cathcart Invitational, hosted by Salisbury University.
Trevor Callarman, who joined the UMES volleyball program a year ago as an assistant coach, is the Hawks’ new head coach. He was offered a two-year contract after a national search precipitated by Toby Rens’ departure in January for the head coaching job at Georgetown University. The Hawks have won all three home matches this season under Callarman and are heading into their conference schedule tonight at Delaware State.
School News
The Key / September 28, 2018
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(L-R) Dr. Moses Kairo, dean of UMES’ School of Agriculture and Natural Sciences, Deputy (Md) Secretary of Agriculture Julie Oberg, (Md.) Secretary of the Environment Ben Grumbles, EPA (Region 3) Administrator Cosmo Servidio, (Md.) Secretary of Natural Resources Mark Belton and Frank Piorko, Maryland Coastal Bays Foundation’s executive director. Photo credit: EPA
UMES form partnership with state, federal environmental agencies The University of Maryland Eastern Shore Through this agreement, the parties intend to workforce,” UMES President Heidi M. Anderson signed an agreement a week ago with the U.S. said. “The University sees this partnership as a work together to enhance cooperation over the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the perfect fit for its land-grant mission to address next five years - recognizing many opportunities Maryland Coastal Bays Program and state environmental challenges through research and for beneficial enhanced collaboration, which may agencies to build on the school’s environmental related programs to engage the community.” include: opportunities for students and faculty and its The agreement includes a pledged • Supporting and promoting student involvement in watershed restoration activities. recruitment, internships, career development, by UMES to create a Green Infrastructure The parties to the agreement also include Certificate Program (by) providing training and employment in environmental science Maryland’s Department of Natural Resources, and focusing students in urban and coastal and related fields; Department of the Environment and Department green infrastructure initiatives. The goal of the • Enhancing professional development of Agriculture. certificate program is to knit together green opportunities for faculty; “This revised agreement with UMES infrastructure concepts and academic studies • Supporting the development of an will further the school’s commitment to to provide a path for undergraduate students Environmental Center at UMES for research environmental solutions, student and faculty to gain greater understanding and knowledge and education; opportunities, and hands-on restoration efforts,” for the integration of green infrastructure into • Enhancing public, private and non-profit EPA (Region 3) Administrator Cosmo Servidio partnerships for environmental initiatives and stormwater management. said, adding it “includes features that will take The newly announced agreement is part of student career development; and the partnership to a new level.” • Supporting watershed restoration activities in the federal Environmental Protection Agency’s Among its provisions, the five-year Minority Academic Institutions Program the Maryland Coastal Bays Watershed. “Memorandum of Understanding” includes the which was created to increase opportunities development of an environmental center at UMES, a Green Infrastructure for Minority Academic Institutions to participate in federal programs. Certificate Program and a focus on public, private and non-profit EPA works with these schools to increase participation in ways that will partnerships for environmental initiatives. strengthen them by promoting faculty development, increasing institutional “UMES is pleased to reaffirm its commitment of working alongside capacity, and fully developing the diverse talent pool that constitutes our the EPA and other state partners to develop a well-trained and diverse nation. (L-R) Marcellus Connor joined students Makaila Clifton, T’naisha Addison and Cedric Lewis on a visit to Greece representing UMES’ National Society of Leadership and Success chapter participating in a “Global Leadership Experience” summer tour.
Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation scholars from UMES attended the 2018 Summer Bridging Conference in Hanover, MD, which featured author and motivational speaker Daniel Jean, executive director of Montclair (N.J.) State University’s Academic Development and Educational Opportunity Fund.
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Hawk Hysteria
6 p.m., William P. Hytche Athletic Center Men’s and women’s basketball scrimmages. Give-a-ways, contests, games, autographs and Harry the Hawk’s birthday party. 410-651-8471
Gallery Talk on the work of Billy Graham (The Irreverent One): Illustrator of the Black Panther 11 a.m., Mosely Gallery Talk by artist, illustrator and professor of sequential arts, Prof. Brad Hudson and Mardine Graham, son of Billy Graham. 410-651-7770 or gallery@umes.edu
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Destination UMES: UMES Comes to Bowie
5 p.m., Bowie Comfort Inn Conference Center 4500 Crain Highway Bowie, MD 20716 Join the UMES National Alumni Association, and the Greater Annapolis and Washington Metro Area Alumni Chapters to learn more about navigating your future at UMES. RSVP to Admissions 410-651-6410
NOV.
OCTOBER
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Seldon Dix, In Memoriam Exhibition Opening Reception and Gallery Talk
4-6 p.m., Mosely Gallery Photographs of an award winning, much beloved local artist, formerly of Time magazine. Hours: Mon.– Fri., 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Exhibit on display until Nov. 20. 410-651-7770 or gallery@umes.edu
*Unless noted, all events listed are free.
The Key / September 28, 2018
The University of Maryland Eastern Shore prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, religion, national origin, disability, marital status, pregnancy, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression. Inquiries regarding the application of Federal laws and non-discrimination policies to University programs and activities may be referred to the Office of Equity & Compliance/Title IX Coordinator by telephone (410) 651-7848 or e-mail (titleix@umes.edu).
The Key is published by the Office of Public Relations umesnews@umes.edu, 410-651-7580 An archive is available at www.umes.edu/TheKey
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