This blog post is by Emily Schweich, junior broadcast journalism major.

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Leigh Smiley, director of the University of Maryland School of Theatre, Dance, and Performance Studies, wears many hats as a teacher, administrator and working professional. This spring, she worked as the vocal coach for Marley, a musical about the legendary musician and activist that opens May 13 at Center Stage in Baltimore.

“I feel extremely proud to work on this piece, because I think the message is right. I think the heart in the project and humility in the project is really what we need right now in this region and in the nation.”

This blog post is by Emily Schweich, junior broadcast journalism major.

Part of the value of a performing arts degree is that it teaches important skills that are transferable to any career. As a sales engineer for Cisco one of the largest companies in internet working technology, School of Theatre, Dance, and Performance Studies alumnus Chris Martin (Ph.D. in Performance Studies ’10), draws on the interpersonal skills and work ethic that he developed through his training in the humanities to better serve customers.

Martin hasn’t completely abandoned theatre – quite the opposite. He said his position at Cisco has given him the financial freedom to continue pursuing the arts in other ways. “I’m able to do things like volunteer at a high school,” he said.