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Explore ARHU on Maryland Day 2026

Celebrate Maryland Day with the arts and humanities on Saturday, April 25.

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Philosophy

How a Philosophy, Politics and Economics Major Helped Shape a Policy Brief for Congress

Senior Liam Little ’26 has used the interdisciplinary PPE major to explore global issues, conduct research and gain hands-on experience in diplomacy and policy.

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American Studies, Art, Art History and Archaeology, Classics, College of Arts and Humanities, Communication, English, History, Joseph and Rebecca Meyerhoff Program and Center for Jewish Studies, Linguistics, Philosophy, School of Languages, Literatures, and Cultures, School of Music, School of Theatre, Dance, and Performance Studies, The Harriet Tubman Department of Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies

2026 ARHU Commencement: Undergraduate Ceremony

We look forward to celebrating the important milestone of commencement with our graduates, their families and friends and our faculty and staff.

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Arts for All, College of Arts and Humanities, School of Theatre, Dance, and Performance Studies

Heart of the Tiger: From UMD to Broadway and Back

Betsy Rosen ’06 reflects on her journey from her childhood puppetry influences to playing the fierce tiger Richard Parker in Broadway’s “Life of Pi.”

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What interests you?

learning about...

a career in...

Whatever your interests and aspirations, ARHU is committed to providing the knowledge, skills and opportunities all our students need to write their own stories and chart their own paths.

"In ARHU, you’re learning about how people interact with the world and each other. My goal is to build things that people are going to use. Just technology knowledge can only go so far. You have to understand how people are going to use them to be truly successful."

Ozzie Fallick '14, Software Engineer, Google
Linguistics

"Cross-cultural communication is one of the most important skills that I learned at ARHU, and I use it to engage and inform the community in Barbados and the Eastern Caribbean about our events, exchanges and any other information that supports our key policy priorities in the region. ARHU gave me the tools to understand why in diplomacy, it’s as much about what you say as how you say it."

Krystle Norman '08, Foreign Service Officer, U.S. Department of State
Spanish and Portuguese

"I had always loved art, but I never knew you could make a career out of it until I studied abroad in Rome. There, I took a full course load of art courses and learned all about the factors of being an art professional. It was life-changing. Now I feel lucky that I’m doing something that I’m so passionate about."

Laura Sheridan Raiffe '09, Regional Account Manager, Christie's Fine Arts
Art History and Archaeology

"One of the most important things I got out of my ARHU experience is my ability to parse arguments, think critically and see multiple sides of an issue. Being in law school, it’s important to do that—it’s a skill I use every day. Not a class goes by, not a case gets read that this skill doesn’t come into play."

AJ Clayborne '13, Student, Harvard Law School
English

GRAND CHALLENGES

DEMAND FEARLESS IDEAS

The research and creative works of our faculty, students and alumni are setting the agenda for transformative dialogue about the value of the arts and the humanities in the world today.

Research Highlights

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Happening at ARHU

This National Poetry Month, Professor Fatemeh Keshavarz, director of the Roshan Institute for Persian Studies and a leading scholar of the 13th-century Persian poet and Sufi mystic Rumi, reflects on the importance of poetry and what we can learn from Rumi. Born in Shiraz, Iran, Keshavarz is the author of multiple acclaimed books on Persian literature, including “Reading Mystical Lyric: The Case of Jalal al-Din Rumi.” She also shares the connection between poetry and everyday life on Instagram at @radiorumi2.0 . #NationalPoetryMonth #rumi
Thanks to all who joined us for the inaugural Douglass Dialogues! Students, faculty, staff and community members gathered at The Driskell Center on April 20 to consider “What to Us Now is the Fourth of July?.” Inspired by Frederick Douglass’ 1852 speech, “What to the Slave is the Fourth of July?,” the event invited people to explore our outlook on the United States as the country observes its 250th anniversary this year. Students interspersed throughout the audience read excerpts from Douglass’ speech to help set the tone. Situated among the poignant artworks included in the “America Will Be” exhibition, the event opened with remarks by Driskell Center Director Jordana Moore Saggese, Provost Jennifer King Rice, ARHU Dean Stephanie Shonekan and Government and Politics Chair Antoine Banks. In a wide-ranging conversation between Christopher Bonner (associate professor of history), Janelle Wong (professor of American studies and government and politics) and Larry Thompson (professor in corporate and business law at the University of Georgia), moderated by Douglass Center Director Quincy Mills, the panel explored topics including voting rights, birthright citizenship, the business and moral imperative of diversity, equity and inclusion and the health of our evolving and still young democracy. Explore more University of Maryland events reflecting on the 250th anniversary of the United States.
Explore the arts and humanities this #MarylandDay! From vibrant performances to banned books to community art making to interactive games and more, we have fun scheduled for all ages and interests! Then end your day with “American Anthems,” a 5 p.m. concert presented by @umdartsforall and ARHU in reflection of the nation’s 250th anniversary. Free parking and admission. See link in bio to learn more.

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