Experience
As a Linehan Artist Scholar, you will discover that curiosity and determination have no limits at UMBC. Our collaborative culture both challenges and supports artists to push the boundaries and make significant breakthroughs. The Artist Scholar experience centers on broadening your connection to the arts. Challenging coursework in the Dance, Music, Theatre, and Visual Arts departments prepares you for success in your chosen field, while the Linehan program expands your skills, perspectives, and imagination so that you can succeed in whatever you set out to do as a maker, educator, advocate, or leader in your art.
Our scholars experience a community-centered atmosphere focusing on artistic, academic, and personal growth. Supported by the dedicated LAS team of directors and staff, as well as cohort members, current scholars, and alums, they engage in creative development, community building, peer and alumni mentoring, career networking, and educational support to cultivate their passion and skills in the arts.
First-Year Interdisciplinary Arts Seminar
First-year Linehan Artist Scholars attend a seminar every Friday with the Director during the fall and spring semesters. The seminar builds community among the cohort as they share ideas about art and what it means to be an artist. This course requires attending performances and workshops both on and off campus each semester, as well as writing and creating interdisciplinary works that challenge concepts of time, space, and perception.
Service-Learning in the Arts
Sophomore scholars provide arts-related support for the program, departments, and community organizations. Our service-learning independent course fosters civic responsibility and applies teachings from the first-year seminar through meaningful service to the UMBC arts community and beyond. The course provides students with experience in direct service to individuals/ programs and indirect service (behind-the-scenes assistance).
Art and Live Performance
Semiannual trips to performances and prominent museums in New York, Philadelphia, and Washington, D.C. are a central component of the scholar experience. These excursions include a museum exhibition and a live performance, rotating among dance, music, and theatre each semester/year.
Professional Field Opportunities
In addition to the countless performance and exhibition opportunities available to all students in the arts, Linehan Artist Scholars frequently participate in creative research with faculty. Several Dance scholars perform with the Baltimore Dance Project, the resident contemporary dance company at UMBC, while Music scholars often perform with the UMBC Symphony, the Percussion Ensemble, the Jazz Ensemble and Ruckus, UMBC’s professional ensemble dedicated to the performance of contemporary music. Linehan Theatre scholars are often featured in leading roles in the Proscenium and Black Box Theatre productions, and several have performed at the Kennedy Center for the American College Theatre Festival. Our Visual Arts scholars gain valuable professional experience through internships at local and regional design companies and the UMBC Imaging Research Center (IRC), a state-of-the-art animation and computer visualization facility.
Research opportunities
UMBC believes that research is the key to making big changes in our world. Students have many opportunities to get involved in their own research projects or with peers. Scholars’ participation in faculty research has produced outstanding results.
The Linehan Summer Research and Study Award
Scholars can receive up to $4,000 to support summer research through study at an established summer workshop, conference, or internship program, or through an approved self-designed program of study.
Undergraduate Research Awards
Many scholars apply for and receive these awards, which provide up to $1,500 to undergraduate students to support research or creative work with a UMBC faculty mentor on an original project. Students of all years and disciplines are invited to apply.
Study Abroad
Linehan Artist Scholars may also use their scholarship funds to support study abroad. To learn more, visit the UMBC Education Abroad Office.
Residential Living Opportunities: Visual and Performing Arts Living Learning Community
Most first-year Linehan Artist Scholars choose to live in the Visual and Performing Arts Living Learning Community in Harbor Hall. This community of 36 scholars and other students passionate about the arts fosters deep connection and interdisciplinary collaboration among artists in all fields. The floor is known for the most vibrant and creative impromptu late-night conversations on campus. Residents of the floor also enjoy free admission to a selection of events and performances on and off campus.
First-year scholars who want to live in the Visual and Performing Arts Living-Learning Community (VPA LLC) must apply through Residential Life by May 1.