May 12 - University of Maryland Eastern Shore

FINANCIAL LITERACY
English Major Links Finances to Retention
English major
Lawrence Banton is
on a mission to make
sure UMES students
are financially literate.
As a member of a
newly formed group
of peer educators, he
presents programs to
Mr. Banton
help students
understand how a
mountain of college loans will influence
their future. He also offers information
about balancing a checkbook, managing a
credit card, and looking for scholarships
and grants as an alternative to loans.
The program is called FLIPS—Financial
Literacy is Paramount for Success—and
it’s part of UMES’ multi-faceted focus
on improving retention rates.
Money problems force many students to
leave college; Mr. Banton believes FLIPS
will help to change that. He was invited
to the annual HBCU Conference on
Retention held recently in Ocean City to
share some of the innovative strategies
the FLIPS crew has developed to spread
its message.
While there is still room for
improvement, the English department
was pleased to learn recently that its
successful freshman retention rate of
73.3% from 2010 to 2011 places it in the
top ten of 32 academic programs campus
wide.
CREATIVE COMPETITION
English Major Wins at the “Ultimate Cypher”
Delaware native
and junior English
major Kyla Bibbins
won a recent
campus rap
competition dubbed
the “Ultimate
Cypher.” The event
was organized by
Hawk Radio, the
student managed
radio station.
Ms. Bibbins
There were guest
artists who
performed music, poetry, and rap, but the
competition element of the evening
featured a group of UMES students who
were selected through a prior audition
process.
After an initial performance, a panel of
judges selected three finalists. During the
second round, the audience chose Ms.
Bibbins as the winner of a $50 prize.
The event also had a public service
message. Hawk Radio partnered with a
national nonprofit called Life Beat. The
group uses
the power
of the
music
industry to
spread
public
awareness
in the
fight
against
H.I.V. and
AIDS.
Jasmine Walden (L) and Kayla
Washington greet guests with
free condoms.
ALUMNI UPDATE
Brittany Peterson, Class of 2011, is
currently interning at Hot97, a hip hop
radio station in New York City, as part
of her master’s program at Morgan
State University.
Christina Taylor, Class of 2009, has
just started a new job as a technical
director and studio technician at
WMDT TV, the ABC affiliate in
Salisbury, Maryland.
Jessica Taylor, who earned her English
degree in 2010 and was a student
employee in the department, is an
account executive in D.C. at MAYA
Advertising and Communication, a
multicultural ad agency that specializes
in minority marketing. She wants the
English faculty and staff to know she is
no longer allergic to being on time!
WORD PLAY ANSWERS
FROM PAGE TWO:
1. They are caught.
2. They are tossed.
3. They lift.
4. They have tongues.
5. They are magazines.
6. They have caps.
7. They are popped.
8. They have anchors.
9. They have lanes.
10. They have checks.
CORRECTION: Last month we
reported that during spring break David
Johnson was a presenter at an assessment
conference at Stevenson University. That
was his plan, but Dr. Johnson spent the
time at Peninsula Regional Medical Center
instead. Fully recovered from an
unexpected health problem, he returned to
the classroom almost immediately.
Insights is written and edited, except as noted, by communications instructor Marilyn
Buerkle. Technical associate Eric Hammond is responsible for desktop publishing.
Copy is proofread by composition instructor Sandy Johnston. Photos are by Marilyn
Buerkle, except as noted. If you have information you would like to appear in this
publication, contact our editor at 410-651-8349 or email her at mlbuerkle@umes.edu.
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