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Boundless Creativity

boundless creativity

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Letter From The Dean 
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The Four Commitments:
Transformative Thinking 
Boundless Creativity 
Expansive Empathy 
Meaningful Futures

ARHU IS THE CREATIVE CORE OF UMD—where imagination, expression, and innovation converge to reveal our shared humanity. From our classrooms to our stages and studios, creativity infuses everything we do.

Our faculty, students, and staff engage in bold scholarship and dynamic creative practices—spanning music, theater, visual art, dance, poetry, literature, storytelling, and more—that challenge us to see beyond what is in front of us and expand our imaginations now more than ever. We embrace creativity in all our work while continually invigorating and reimagining our connections to our entire community—college, campus, country, and beyond.

ARHU celebrates the creativity of every individual and the inextricable link we play in reimagining learning, investing in people and communities, and partnering to advance the public good. We serve a unique role at UMD in cultivating the skills needed to create beauty, spark solutions, and tell challenging stories at a critical time that requires an unwavering investment in human-centered connection.

A cast of performers on stage act out a lively, colorful theater production under red and yellow lighting. Large speech bubbles reading “GRRRR” appear above them as they gesture dramatically in front of a set designed with oversized props.
ARHU_Large_CraigKier2_StrategicPlan

An orchestra of violinists performs on stage, all wearing black, as the conductor gestures passionately in front of them with raised arms.

Goals

  1. Champion ARHU’s leadership in creative scholarship and teaching, proudly asserting our central role at UMD and amplifying the impact of our work.
  2. Foster multidisciplinary collaboration rooted in creativity and storytelling, expanding community partnerships and deepening engagement across the UMD community.
  3. Drive innovative approaches to research, learning, and public impact that bridge the arts and humanities and incorporate nontraditional and emerging domains of study and inquiry.
A student with bright pink hair demonstrates printmaking in a studio, rolling ink onto type while two other students watch closely. The workspace is lively, filled with posters and materials.

Strategies

  1. Systematically showcase and present student and faculty creative work across our campus in traditional and non-traditional venues.
  2. Support and spotlight all arts units and initiatives.
  3. Enhance external partnerships with museums, performing arts venues, and arts organizations in the area to create and curate the visual and performing arts.
  4. Support and invest in artist-in-residence programs through donor relationship building.
  5. Reenvision Undergraduate Research Day to include a showcase of creative activity, in collaboration with relevant campus partners.
  6. Highlight the boundless creativity/ problem-solving capacity of college staff by creating staff awards and recognitions.