Spotlight: Noteworthy
Rep Stage Builds Anti-Racist Theatre
Rep Stage views anti-racism as integral to its work. The theatre has created a statement of commitment, developed 10 initial action steps, and engaged in a series of ongoing staff trainings.
When looking at the future for Rep Stage, Producing Artistic Director Joseph W. Ritsch asks, "What can theatre do to move us forward? As we tell stories that crack open our past and reimagine our future, how can we show up in this moment to dismantle the systems that have historically caused harm? How do we create a truly equitable theatre industry?"
Rep Stage has committed to centering Black, Indigenous, Asian, Latino and Hispanic artists in its productions. The 28th season began with a world premiere—"LOVE/language"—a collection of original works by diverse area playwrights performed by an ensemble of actors of color.
With deeply personal monologues "LOVE/language" explores how love can help us connect and heal in a time when isolation and unrest affect our daily lives. To learn more about Rep Stage's efforts, visit repstage.org.
New Future for HCC Workforce Training Programs
For more than 20 years, HCC has offered valuable, results-centered workforce training through its
Ecker Business Training Center. Eager to better convey the robust, comprehensive nature of its services available for the region’s business community, including entrepreneurs, business owners, nonprofit organizations, government agencies, and professionals, the college has announced a new name: Training & Development Solutions by Howard Community College.
The program offers a wide array of occupational advancement resources virtually or in person —
from leadership development and language and culture training to essential skills, information technology certifications and licensures, project management training, human resources training, and more. A new webinar series was launched in February to help professionals build skills that have become increasingly important in light of the current pandemic, including cross-cultural communication, employee resilience, and awareness and inclusion.
National Endowment for the Humanities Grant to Expand Virtual International Exchange Opportunities
HCC is one of 21 colleges and universities nationwide to receive grant funding through the Humanities Initiatives program of the National Endowment for the Humanities. The grant of $75,291 will support a three-year project that uses digital technologies to connect HCC students with peers at institutions of higher education around the world.
In the first phase of the project, HCC faculty members will work with counterparts at institutions in Denmark, Ecuador, Ghana, and Thailand to develop virtual exchange projects for courses in anthropology, geography, history, literature, and Spanish. Collaborative student projects will explore a wide range of humanities topics, including the history of the trans-Atlantic slave trade and the relationship between consumer culture and environmental sustainability.
HCC Awarded Prestigious Grant from U.S. Economic Development Administration
Howard Community College has been awarded $300,000 in grant funding from the U.S. Economic Development Administration’s Office of Innovation and Entrepreneurship as a winner of the STEM Talent Challenge, which seeks to develop or expand regional workforce capacity, build STEM workforce readiness, and spur innovation that will enhance economic competitiveness and create jobs. HCC is one of seven awardees and the only community college in the country to be selected.
HCC’s award-winning proposal aims to scale the college’s work-and-learn programs to new audiences of employers and trainees. The focus is on underrepresented and underemployed populations, as well as Howard County high school students, with a goal of approximately 100 participants in work-and-learn programs over the two years. The project will also provide entrepreneurial consulting free-of-charge to small-to-medium sized information technology businesses that have been impacted by COVID-19.