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College of Arts and Humanities, Philosophy, The Harriet Tubman Department of Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies

UMD to Launch 2 Bachelor’s Degrees to Explore Technical, Human Dimensions of AI

New majors aim to ethically advance AI tech, prepare students to address its societal impact.

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American Studies

After a Life-Changing Accident, Brian Cooperman ’26 Found a New Path Through American Studies

The graduating senior focused his honors thesis on disability access and is planning for a future in advocacy law.

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College of Arts and Humanities, English

Sydney Mitchell ’26 Reflects on Her Storytelling Journey at Maryland

From reading poetry on stage to researching the region’s jazz scene, the English major explored storytelling through writing, music and research.

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Whatever your interests and aspirations, ARHU is committed to providing the knowledge, skills and opportunities all our students need to write their own stories and chart their own paths.

"The openness and friendliness of the faculty and staff have been a major driving force in my success as a student and professional. Their willingness to provide resources has opened up exciting opportunities and given me a substantial launching pad for my professional development."

David T. Obajemu ’25, Immersive media design

“I love the community here. The university offers a ton of resources and opportunities to get involved, while the arts and humanities provide an intimate community to grow and learn alongside faculty and students. I feel supported and challenged by my professors and peers.”

Keegan Perry '27 Theatre; Women, gender, & sexuality studies

“I feel supported by my professors as I prepare for a future museum career in American art. I’m taking theories from class and applying them in the art galleries on campus and as a fellow at The Phillips Collection in D.C. In my roles, I give tours, help with outreach and research the collections.”

Trinitee Tatum '26 Art history; American studies

"I applied both of my majors and experienced diplomacy by interning at the Embassy of Mexico. Studying abroad in Barcelona gave me another opportunity to use my Spanish and deepen my cultural immersion. UMD has provided the skills, resources and experiences needed for my future career."

Aidan Lash ’27 Spanish; International relations

GRAND CHALLENGES

DEMAND FEARLESS IDEAS

The research and creative works of our faculty, students and alumni are setting the agenda for transformative dialogue about the value of the arts and the humanities in the world today.

Research Highlights

New Scholarship from The College of Arts and Humanities

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Happening at ARHU

We welcome 24 new faculty members to the College of Arts and Humanities this academic year! On Monday, 18 of this new group gathered for ARHU faculty orientation. Joining us from diverse backgrounds and geographic locales, they bring enthusiasm and expertise in fields including jazz music, Latin American and Carribean literature and cultures, rhetoric, science writing, Asian film studies, Jewish studies, metaphysics, Black feminist labor history and much more. When introducing themselves, each person shared their favorite book (at Dean Shonekan’s request). Check out a sampling of their answers below… The Trees by Percival Everett Home is Not a Country by Safia Elhillo All About Love by Bell Hooks The Color Purple by Alice Walker House of the Spirits by Isabel Allende Paradise Lost by John Milton The Book of Lights by Chaim Potok Dream of the Red Chamber by Cao Xueqin Which ones have you read? Do you have a favorite? Music by our new @terpsmusic Director of Jazz Studies Johnaye Kendrick!
ARHU Dean Stephanie Shonekan @stephshonekan reflects on Dolly Parton’s iconic song “Jolene” in the latest edition of her Substack, “Album Therapy.” There is probably no musician who best captures the beauty of simplicity as Dolly Parton does (did!). I was planning to write about a Dolly album for this series but just heard about her passing so I’m going to recommend we all listen to some Dolly Parton music. And there is no better album to remind us of her brilliant simplicity—or simple brilliance— than the 1974 album “Jolene.” We all go through blasts of exuberance and valleys of despondency in life. Sometimes these come one after the other, in quick succession; and sometimes these moments collide, binding us with layers of emotions that get tangled and complicated. Dolly’s persona, her sweet clear voice, her distinct style of telling a compelling story in song, can help us cut through the complex layers and bring us back to appreciate the basics of life. This album includes a pair of songs that would go on to become her two greatest hits, “I will Always Love You” and “Jolene,” covered by superstars Whitney Houston and Beyoncé. Listening to these two songs in their original form on this album, minus the powerful soul/R&B treatment (which I love!), highlights the brilliance of Dolly Parton as a songwriter and as a singer. These songs, like all the others on this album, are great stories about how romantic love tosses us around, but how we survive through it all. Link in profile.
Congratulations to Professors Richard Bell (History) and Valentine Hacquard (Linguistics) on being named University of Maryland Distinguished Scholar-Teachers! One of the university’s highest faculty honors since its establishment in 1978, the program honors a select group of faculty each year who have demonstrated notable achievement in both scholarship and teaching. Selected by a panel of former honorees, each recipient delivers a public lecture on a topic within their academic discipline and receives a $5,000 honorarium to support professional activities. Richard Bell is a historian of early America who explores the social, cultural and political transformations of the United States from the Revolution through the Civil War. He is the author of “The American Revolution and the Fate of the World” (2025), a prize-winning book that repositions the nation’s founding as a global event. He is a celebrated educator with more than a dozen teaching awards, and a frequent public historian who has lectured for the Smithsonian Institution and appeared on C-SPAN. Valentine Hacquard works in linguistic semantics–the study of how grammar constrains meaning in human languages–and in first language acquisition. Her focus is on the language of possibility and necessity, belief and desire, statements and questions, with publications in leading journals across linguistics, philosophy and cognitive science and supported by multiple grants from the National Science Foundation. An accomplished teacher and mentor, she has guided numerous undergraduate and Ph.D. students who have gone on to successful careers in academia and research. Link in our bio to read more.

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