The Keystone Project is the anchor of the Honors Humanities curriculum, in which students are encouraged to apply their growing knowledge of the humane disciplines to a project of their choice. The Keystone can be either a creative project or a traditional research paper, but most projects are a combination of the two. For example, a substantive research component is central to all artistic projects, and many research projects involve a form of artistic application (e.g., a musical recording, paintings, etc.). At the end of their two years in the Program, students are asked to present their research or perform/display their creative projects in a symposium or other forum that is open to the public. Students typically present their work at the annual Honors Humanities Undergraduate Research Symposium, which is open to students throughout the Washington, DC/Baltimore region. Learn more about past symposia: POPsmARTs and justpolitik*
We archive these projects so that future students can explore past Keystones to get inspiration or to learn from their peers. They are archived by subject and then by last name of their creators. Each entry below can be understood as:
Name of Creator
Major
“Title of Keystone”
Graduation Year from Honors Humanities
Any Keystone whose title is highlighted will link you to a copy of that student's entire project. Please do not hesitate to email the Assistant Director, Patrick Grzanka, if you would like to speak to a specific student about his or her project.
Creative Projects
Research Projects
Creative Projects
Creative Writing
Chanan Berkovits
English Language and Literature
“Synchronicity: A Graphic Novel”
2006
Andrew Bowen
History and Women's Studies (Certificate Program)
“The Terrapist, UMD’s Magazine of Satire and Englightenment”
2006
Andria Bowman
Family Science
"Letters in an Empty Apartment," a short story
2009
Max Emmerling
Biological Sciences and Chinese
"Paris is Worth a Massace: A Novel"
2009
Daniel Greene
Psychology and English Language and Literature
“Red Dreams: A novel of old myths and new stories; where Angels and crazies meet at the end of the world”
2007
Jessica Jones
Aerospace Engineering
"Token Cleric, Reluctant Hero: Examining Religion in Fantasy Fiction"
2009
Ilana Kelsey
Biochemisty
"The Search for My Self: A Collection of Poetry"
2009
Julia Kolchinsky
English Language and Literature and Linguistics
“Tricks to Falling Asleep”
2007
Amanda Lee
Government and Politics
"A Collection of Advice Columns based on 'Sex and the City'"
2007
Wang Mingyue Li
International Business
“Novel on Colonial Latin America”
2007
Ben-An Pan
Sociology
"How People Change: A Graphic Novel"
2009
Dan Schwartz
English Language and Literature
“Synchronicity: A Graphic Novel”
2006
Hannah Wenger
English Literature and Women's Studies
"Memoirs of a Frum Feminist"
2009
Lindsay Wilcox
Secondary English Education
“The Challenge: Short Stories”
2006
Nathan Yaffe
Marketing
"Godsend: A Graphic Novel"
2009
Fashion/Textiles/Material Culture
Katie Farhang
Bioengineering
“Extreme Sporting Equipment for Women, not Mini-Men”
2008
Shannon Kielty
Marketing
"An original line of eco-friendly, sustainable fashion"
2009
Film/Documentary
Jacob Berman
Criminology and Criminal Justice
“How UMD Students Feel About 9/11 Today: A Video-Journalism Piece”
2008
Lindsay Denmark
Journalism
“Documentary Film on the Millennial Generation and the ‘Get Out the Vote’ Movement”
2007
Natalie Hankinson
Aerospace Engineering
"The Art and Sport of Fencing: History and Instruction"
2009
Music
Kyle Johnson
Music Composition
“The Time Then was Now, literally”
2007
Lauren Lane
Cell Biology and Genetics
“A Collection of Western Protest Music”
2007
Adam Optican
Finance and Accounting
“Multigenre Music Album”
2007
Tanya Ruth
Music Performance (Professional Program-Voice)
"Four Original Arrangments and Performance of Music Across Time and Cultures, for Piano, Cello and Voice"
2009
Ben Silverman
Music Education
“Characterizing Aesthetics: A Recital for Double Bass”
2008
Personal Experiences
Ndang Azang-Njaah
Biochemistry
"Cameroon: Living and Learning"
2008
Maya Jackson
Theatre
"She is Beautiful, No?"
2006
Amanda Olsen
Classics
“Guide to Study Abroad”
2005
Kimberly Schubert
Environmental Science
“Adventures on Kiwi Island”
2008
Theatre/Screen (Writing and Performance)
Alison Anne Daniels
Theatre and English Language and Literature
“Speak: An Adaptation from Book to Stage”
2006
Monica Fernandez
Animal Science
“Langley Park Children's Theater Troupe”
2007
Amii Follmer
Psycholgy and Physiology & Neurobiology
“Original Screenplay”
2006
Talia Goldman
Classics and English Language and Literature
"No More Yielding But a Dream", a play in one act
2007
Chelsea Kerl
Theatre
"The Golden Year," a play about racism and religion after September 11, 2001
2009
Visual Art
Emma Crenshaw
Architecture and Art History (minor)
“Between Space and Place: Finding Symbiotic Presence in Nature”
2008
Rebecca Deprey
Marketing
“Poetic Photography”
2006
Anne Powell
English Language and Literature
"An Exploration of the Visual Arts: A Process"
2006
Morgan Noonan
Art Studio
"Endangered Beauty: Global Climate Change and Its Effects
on Biodiversity"
2009
Camilo Sanin
Art Studio and Art History
“Understanding Art as an Affecting Presence: An Analysis and Practical Application of Color Theory in the Works of Mondrian, Rothko, and Miro”
2006
Lily Zhen
Finance and Marketing
"The Exploration of Gender, Race and Class Politics
Through Cross-Cultural Art"
2009
Research Projects
Art/Art History
Julia Clark
English Language and Literature
“Flights of Fancy and Fights for Liberté: The Practice of Social and Political Ideology in Art in Eighteenth Century France”
2007
Amanda Gaines
Broadcast Journalism and Enviornmental Economics and Policy (minor)
“Long Island Like You've Never Heard”
2008
Grant Hamming
History and Art History
“Popular Catastrophe: The Disaster Prints of Currier and Ives”
2006
Paul Lehmbeck
Economics
“A Study of the Implication of Art as a Measure of Societal Happiness in a Capitalistic Economy”
2007
Cultural Studies
Alex Campbell
Government and Politics
“Bruce Springsteen and Chuck D: Music as Social Commentary"
2008
Julianne Fretz
American Studies
“A Cultural Analysis of Autism”
2008
Allissa Goldberg
Marketing
“The Past, Present and Future of Reality Television”
2008
Marcus Hadley
Chemical Engineering
“Quantitative Analysis of the Three Major Cable News Networks”
2008
Bob Hayes
Mechanical Engineering
"Who's Got the Power: Privatization, the Public University and Student Power"
2009
Michelle McGrain
Government and Politics and Sociology
"Black Representation and Musical Theatre"
2009
Josef Parker
American Studies
"If These Stalls Could Talk: Spatializing the Ephemeral Practice of Bathroom Graffiti"
2009
Elliot Teichman
Astronomy
"Exploring the Interactions between Minor League Baseball and Its Communities"
2009
Jennifer Young
Government and Politics and Communication
“The Political Space of the Harry Potter Fandom”
2008
Education
Margaret Crenshaw
Biology and English Language and Literature
“Greenroofs: A Proposal for the University of Maryland”
2006
Brittany Harrison
English and Secondary Education
"Equality is Just a Word: Education in Our Current System"
2009
Brian McGillen
Music Education
“’GIANT STEPS’: Forming a New Concept of Music Education”
2006
Lisa Rodio
Music Performance (Professional Program - Trumpet)
"The Necessity of Music"
2009
Michael Warley
Environmental Science and Policy
"Competetive Speech in Education"
2009
History/Government/Politics
Tom Decker
History
“’…with unabated fury.’ A Vision of Civil War Battles: Antietam and Gettysburg”
2006
Lauren Dudley
Government and Politics
Comparative Study of German, Soviet, and American WWII Propaganda
2007
Rayyan Ghuma
Criminology and Criminal Justice
“Gender, Politics, and Class in the Middle East: Locating the Fight for Women’s Rights in Historical Materialism”
2007
Paul Halliday
History
"I ain’t Marchin’ Anymore: An Exploration into Protest, Music, and the College Campus"
2009
Emma Raviv
Philosophy and Economics
"Welcome to Your World: The College Student's Guide to the New Millenium"
2008
Rachel Rosen
History and Government and Politics
"Elected by the Media: The Portrayal of Barack Obama to the American Public"
2009
Nicholas Rupkey
Government and Politics
"The American Welfare State"
2009
Literature/Linguistics
Cindy Caviglia
Linguistics
Heya Hon': A Linguistic Analysis of Baltimorese
2006
Nicki Green
Government & Politics and American Studies
“A Feminist Critique of the Harry Potter Series”
2005
Brianna Johnson
Linguistics and Psychology
“Christianity and Linguistics linked in The Chronicles of Narnia” (working title)
2008
Jason Moskowitz
Sociology and Spanish (minor)
“ Post-Apocalyptic Theory in Stephen King's The Stand”
2005
