Start Your Engines … and Your Sneakers!

0

If you hadn’t heard, Baltimore City recently hosted its very first Grand Prix, turning the streets of downtown Baltimore into a closed track for IndyCar racing.

Welcome to the Baltimore Grand Prix (Camden Yards Greeting)

Located just a few miles from the Johns Hopkins Homewood campus, this event brought more than 150,000 people to the city this past weekend and was a huge hit!  The three-day event attracted people from all over the country to see street racing at its best. Luckily, I was able to take part in the event.

Zoooooooommmmmmmmmm!

Starting a few weeks ago, preparation for the races began. Slowly but surely, downtown Baltimore transformed into a street racing course for the pros. At first, steel gating and cement barriers were put up. Tire bumpers padded sharp turns where cars would have the potential to go off course. A few days later, grandstands were erected, pit lanes built, and stages constructed for concerts that would be going on throughout the weekend in-between and after events. On Thursday night, the final barricades were put into place, dividing the downtown area from Federal Hill.

Baltimore Grand Prix track takes over all of downtown.

With the race course set to go, practice sessions began on Friday morning. I arrived early to check out the cars during these sessions, and was also able to see a few qualifying races. It was amazing how loud the cars really were—I could even hear the racing in my home on the others side of the city on Saturday morning, which is about three miles away. Inside the track, there were food vendors, car showcases, a kid’s corner, and much, much more.

These cars are awesome (and oh yeah, quite fast.)

To kick off the weekend, there was also a Grand Prix 5K on Friday night. Over 1,300 runners gathered on the actual course, right where cars had been reaching speeds of over 180 miles per hour shortly before. I, along with several colleagues from the Admissions Office (Sarah, Missy, and Amy included), lined up at the start line. As a checkered flag waved, the race marshal declared “Start your sneakers!” and we began to run. We went through hairpin turns, straight-aways, and pit lanes. It was really cool to see the course by actually being on it, rather than looking at it from the stands. We did a lap and a half around the track to make up our 5K. During the run, we went down Pratt Street, along the harbor, and in-between Camden Yards (home of the Baltimore Orioles) and M&T Bank Stadium (home of the Baltimore Ravens). It really was a cool experience.

Grand Prix 5K runners

Even though I was only able to make it to the track on Friday, the festivities continued through the weekend, with the IZOD IndyCar Race Finals taking place on Sunday. Famous drivers like Dario Franchitti, Will Power, Marco Andretti, and Danica Patrik were all in attendance, with Will Power taking the win after 75 laps around the 2.2 mile track. The American Le Mans Series was also held over the weekend, a race that includes multiple classes of cars and is known for being the leading sports car series.

It is hard to catch these cars on camera when they are going so fast.

At 180 mph, I had to take like 20 photos each time to even catch the car in frame.

In the end, race weekend was a huge success—so much of a success that it looks like we will be hosting a second Grand Prix next September.  If you plan on visiting us next September (or maybe you’ll be arriving on campus as a freshman!), plan early to try and catch some of the race while you’re in town. Hopefully this will become a Baltimore tradition!

Maybe I can race in the second Baltimore Grand Prix over Labor Day Weekend 2012?

Artscape 2011

1

While July may be one of the hottest months in Baltimore, it is also one of the most exciting. Summers in the city are full of festivals and street fairs, and this past weekend happened to be one of my favorites: Artscape (http://www.artscape.org/).

Artscape 2011

Artscape, the largest free arts festival in the United States, is guaranteed to be a great experience! This past weekend, over 350,000 people attended the 30th annual three-day festival located in the Mount Vernon area (just a few miles from the Homewood campus). The festival spread across 12 city blocks from the train station (Penn Station), past MICA (Maryland Institute College of Art), and into Bolton Hill. With three stages, 172 tents, 173 exhibitors, and tons of food stands, there was a lot to see and eat.

Map of all the wonderful Artscape happenings

I started my day at Artscape by scoping out the vendors. There were so many different things to see, from t-shirt designers to jewelry makers, from painters to potters, from sculptors to photographers. I picked up a monkey t-shirt, crab necklace, and a blownglass cupcake. It was amazing to see the many talented artists out there and learn about their inspirations and creative processes.

Yum!

As we were walking down the street, a small parade came towards us. Sarah, my admissions colleague, and I stopped to chat with the group and learn more about them. The group was called the Nana Projects, and we found that they were a Baltimore-based company that does parades and puppet shows. We found out that we can even sign up for classes with them to learn how to walk on stilts!

Admissions_Shannon and Admissions_Sarah with Nana Projects stilt walkers

Throughout the day, there were many performers on the stages—ballet groups, theatre troupes, the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra, DJs, and bands. On Saturday night, we were able to see G Love & Special Sauce. The stage area was packed with thousands of people, some sitting on the lawn enjoying the music while others danced around. Other musical performers on the outdoor stages included Baltimore City High School groups, The Kings of Crownsville (a New Orleans style jazz band), Big Daddy Stallings (blues,) Fantasia (pop), and Matisyahu (reggae/hip-hop).

G Love & Special Sauce

Most importantly, or at least in my book, was the food! There were so many delicious things to eat—corn dogs, tacos, chicken on a stick, gyros, French fries, funnel cakes, ice cream…the list goes on. There was even a hot dog truck giving out free hot dogs. I definitely recommend splitting everything with friends so you get to try all of the festival food.

Free Hotdogs!

Overall, the day was packed with exciting things to see and do. Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to see everything I wanted to see…I guess next year I will have to plan on spending two days at Artscape!

Artscape 2011 = Awesome

Summer in Baltimore: So Many Options for Hopkins Students

0

After final exams and graduation in May, students head home to take a break from the school year. Some will vacation and visit friends, while others will work. Some will volunteer, while others will study abroad.  For a few short weeks, campus is quiet. The quads are bare, the dining halls are empty, and only a handful of guests come to the visitor center for information sessions and tours. Then, with the start of June, things really pick up. While we have many high school students on campus taking classes through our various Summer Programs or the Center for Talented Youth (CTY), participating in Engineering Innovation, or attending one of our athletic camps, we also have many current undergraduates that return for a variety of different reasons. Whether it is to take a class, work, participate in an internship, or just hang around, there are many things to do both at Johns Hopkins and in Baltimore for the summer.

Since I am in charge of student workers in the office and also oversee the tour guides, I get to chat with a lot of students about all of the great opportunities available to them. Here are some students who are really taking advantage of their summers:

Jessie – Class of 2013 – studying Behavioral Biology from Phoenix, AZ
Currently, Jessie is tackling the second summer session of Organic Chemistry. Since she heard the course was a pretty difficult one, she decided to take it in now so she could really focus on the topic. While it can be a bit intense because it is so fast paced, she is happy that she can get it out of the way and not have to worry about it during the school year. On top of taking Orgo, she has also been working in admissions, giving tours, and conducting interviews for our office. When I asked Jessie what she liked about being in Baltimore during the summer, she said:

“One of my favorite things about being in Baltimore is the food! The restaurant scene here is awesome, and it’s so fun trying new restaurants and learning about great deals on great food. My friends and I recently discovered RA Sushi happy hour and we’re able to get really good sushi for pretty cheap (The Las Vegas Roll is probably the best sushi ever!). Plus going downtown is fun because you’re able to get off campus and explore more places around Baltimore like the Inner Harbor, Harbor East, and Fell’s Point. Restaurant Week is coming up soon and I’m excited about being able to try even more great restaurants.”

Jessie has also managed to make it to Philadelphia for the 4^th of July with her sister and to Washington, DC, where she has not only obtained her visa for her study abroad program next semester in Madrid, but also visited Georgetown Cupcake which is featured in the show “DC Cupcakes”!

Jessie visits DC Cupcakes

Corey – Class of 2012 – studying Political Science from Cedar Grove, NJ
While Corey did not take classes like Jessie this summer, he has certainly taken advantage of several job opportunities. Similar to Jessie, he has been an office intern, giving tours and interviews and assisting with daily office tasks. In addition, at the beginning of this week, he started a four-week internship in Washington, DC, working for Senator Jeff Sessions of Alabama. Since he can take the train from Baltimore to DC, he will be living in Baltimore and commuting each day to his new job.  Through this internship, he is hoping to make some great connections that will help him after graduation as he looks for a job and eventually heads to law school (he hopes to go to school in Alabama where some of his family is from!) In addition to working, Corey is also a soccer player at Hopkins. To keep in shape, he says,:

“As an athlete with a season in the fall, most of my summer is dedicated to training hard for the season. I run and lift six days a week with some of my fellow teammates who are also living in Baltimore for the summer. Our main goal is to pass our fitness test on the first night of preseason, which happens to take place at midnight. In order to pass, I have to complete a 300 yard shuttle (10 yards back…20 back…30 back…40 back…50 back) in 58 seconds with a two minute rest, ten times. We try to play some pickup games as much as possible on Homewood Field when our schedules allow it. The start of preseason is coming up soon (August 19th), but we all are doing our best to get better every day so we can take part in the NCAA tournament again.”

Corey travels with the soccer team.

Richard – Class of 2013 – studying Public Health from Accra, Ghana
As one of our international students, Richard decided to not to go home this summer, and has stayed on campus to work and learn more about the city. As a tour guide, he walks around families every morning at 11am (if you visit at this time, Richard may be your guide!) Also on campus, he has been working with WJHU radio to paint, move furniture, and fix up the studio for the fall semester. During the school year, he actually has his own show! To learn more about the city, Richard has gone to concerts with friends and joined the Baltimore Beach Volleyball League in the Inner Harbor. He plays 2 vs. 2 on Thursdays with some of his friends who play on his club team here at Hopkins. For the 4^th of July, he headed out on the Chesapeake Bay to see the fireworks. He said:

“The highlight of my summer by a long shot was watching my first 4^th of July fireworks show in front of the Chesapeake. The largest fireworks show up until that point was one at Spring Fair and although that one was great, it wasn’t even in the same league as the 30-minute extravaganza I witnessed on the Bay.”

Richard enjoys some Baltimore sailing during the 4th of July.

As you can see, summers at Johns Hopkins can be full of new experiences. Students really do make the most of their time on campus and in the city!

How Baltimore Celebrates the Fourth of July

0

Here in Baltimore, the weather is a breezy 84 degrees and most families are getting ready for a long weekend of celebrating. With a number of students still on campus working, taking classes, and doing research during the summer, it’s a good thing that there are plenty of nearby places for them to celebrate the holiday.

The most popular event of the weekend will no doubt be Baltimore’s fantastic fireworks and concert in the Inner Harbor. Just a few miles from the Homewood campus, the Inner Harbor is sure to be filled with locals, tourists, and families who are ready to watch a spectacular display over the water.

Happy 4th of July

Other fun events throughout the weekend include the Visionary Pets on Parade, a pet-friendly celebration held by Baltimore’s American Visionary Art Museum—by the way, if you’re visiting campus soon, you should try to work this unique spot into your travel plans—and Fort McHenry’s own Fourth of July Celebration, which includes a public reading of the Declaration of Independence. About 18 miles from campus, the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra will be playing against the beautiful scenery of Oregon Ridge Park. Nighttime concerts here offer a relaxing and family-friendly time out—especially when they include a fireworks show! Downtown, the African American Festival will be going on over the weekend, bringing two days of awesome music to M&T Bank Stadium.

Fireworks!

As you can see, there is a lot going on in Baltimore this summer. If you’re planning a visit to come see us, check out http://www.baltimorefunguide.com/ to see if there are any events you’d like to check out while you’re in town.

(Also, a programming note: The Office of Undergraduate Admissions will be closed for Independence Day on Monday, July 4, but we’ll be open and waiting for you after that!)

Have a safe and happy Fourth of July!

This is Birdland

0

I slouched into my chair with a grin on my face. Finally, after six years of living in Baltimore, I was able to go to Opening Day in Camden Yards! You see, for the last five years, the Orioles home opener fell right around our admissions decision release day. So, while others were attending the big game, I was putting together admissions packets, triple checking decisions, stuffing letters, or helping to bring all of our mail to the post office downtown. Not this year though…

At the game in our Orioles gear! (That's me on the right.)

The crowd outside Camden Yards before the game.

With their first series on the road, I was able to attend Opening Day for the Baltimore Orioles baseball team on April 4^th, 2011. Since the game started at 3:05 p.m., I skipped out of work a bit early and headed down to the stadium. I had seen vendors setting up that morning when I was on my way to work, but I did not realize how crazy things would be by the time I got down there. The surrounding streets were lined with fans decked out in black and orange, local establishments had their patios full with patrons, and food and clothing stands were bustling.  Major roads around the stadium were shut down, while DJs played in the streets.

We made our way inside the stadium just a few minutes before the opening pitch. In fact, I almost did not make it to my seat in time because I saw a Carvel Ice Cream stand that was serving soft-serve in a baseball cap (you may remember these from when you were younger…I was always mad when I got a Boston Red Sox cap…who likes the Red Sox anyway?? J )

Yummy ice cream in an Orioles baseball cap.

After 9 innings of hot dogs and peanuts, watching the ketchup, mustard, and relish race, playing the crab shuffle, dancing to Cotton Eye Joe during the 7^th inning stretch, and seeing amazing hits and diving catches, the game was finally over. The Orioles won! We defeated the Tigers with a score of 5-1. I couldn’t think of a better way to start things off, and am now super excited for the rest of the season.

Camden Yards with the old warehouse (and the city of Baltimore) in the background.

The park goes wild as the Orioles WIN!

So, if you are an Orioles fan (or even a fan of another team they might be playing later this season), you may want to check out some of their promotions and catch a game when you are in town visiting Johns Hopkins!

• Ollie’s Bargain Night – On Tuesdays, all upper reserve seats are only $9.
• Student Nights – Every Friday is Student Night…you can get upper reserve tickets in left field for only $6!
• Fireworks Nights – On certain Fridays, after the game, stay and watch the fireworks!

Plus much, much more that you can check out by visiting the Oriole Website (http://baltimore.orioles.mlb.com/schedule/promotions.jsp?c_id=bal&y=2011).

We look forward to seeing you in Birdland…whether it is for an Orioles baseball game, a Ravens football game, or even a Hopkins Blue Jays game!

Orioles fans and the team's dugout. This is Birdland!

Holidays at Hopkins

1

In an attempt to get into the holiday spirit while also reading applications and having committee meetings, I try to take advantage of the many holiday events that Baltimore has to offer. Here’s a list of some of the really fun things I did this December.

Lighting of the Monument–This event kick starts the holiday season. On Thursday, December 2, JoJo and Reagan from 106.5 (a pop radio station out of Baltimore, probably one of the most listened to in the city) hosted the event. There were appearances by many local choirs including ones from Gilman School and Morgan State. The event began at 5 pm, giving us  a chance to walk around the Christmas village to shop with local vendors and sample some local food. At 7:30, the monument was lit and fireworks followed. It was definitely chilly, but well worth it!

Admissions_Shannon at the lighting of the Washington Monument

Fireworks at the Lighting of the Washington Monument

Eggnog Tasting and Lighting of the Fells Point Tree–All day long, we  stopped in at stores and bars on the main strip in Fells Point to taste and rate eggnog in the annual competition. The day ended with the lighting of the a tree, which is made completely out of lights!

Egg Nog in Fell's Point

Christmas in Fell's Point

Lighted Boat Parade–One of my favorite holiday events, the parade goes through the Inner Harbor and around to Fells Point. Boats were decorated with thousands of lights, blasted holiday music, and tossed candy to those watching on the piers.

Lighted Boat Parade - Santa Sleigh

Lighted Boat Parade - Holiday Sailboat

Lighted Boat Parade - Too Many Santas?

Miracle on 34^th Street–The homeowners on 34^th Street in Hampden (right around the corner from Johns Hopkins) go all out in making their homes festive for the holiday season–lights, animatronics, and art decorations are just the beginning. People from all over Maryland come to take a look, driving or walking  the two blocks.

Miracle on 34th Street

Miracle on 34th Street - So Festive

Miracle on 34th Street - Infamous Hub Cap Tree

Celtic Solstice Five Mile Run–While some people may think I am crazy for running a five-mile race in the winter (it was 35 degrees), it really was a lot of fun.  Running alongside of people dressed as reindeer, Santa, and elves, this definitely put a smile on my face. I also get to tour Druid Hill Park, which is right next to Johns Hopkins.

Admissions_Shannon during Celtic Solstice run

Baltimore Symphony Orchestra Holiday Spectacular–This year was the first time I went to the BSO at the Meyerhoff Symphony Hall, and it was great! Not only was the music fantastic, but there was also a number with tap dancing Santas who are students from Baltimore City’s School of the Arts. There were also guest appearance by a Liberace impersonator (hysterical) and a former winner of America’s Got Talent who did a Christmas performance with his Frisbee-catching dogs.

Baltimore Symphony Orchestra Holiday Spectacular

Having participated in all of these events, I feel like I am ready for the coming weeks. You just might want to think about visiting Johns Hopkins next December, and maybe you can stick around for one of these great events!

HAPPY HOLIDAYS

&

A HAPPY NEW YEAR

FROM THE ENTIRE ADMISSIONS STAFF AT

JOHNS HOPKINS UNIVERSITY

Why I ♥ Baltimore

0

Editor’s Note: Today’s guest author is Senior Assistant Director of Admissions Sarah Godwin. When Sarah was asked what topic she wanted to write about she immediately said she would write about her love of Baltimore. So here is Sarah’s musings on her love of Charm City.

My guess is that you didn’t wake up this morning and say, “I want to go to college in Baltimore!” True, it is not a traditional ‘destination’ city for college the way Boston, New York, or San Francisco is. Like many of our students, Johns Hopkins is the reason I landed here. Now, two years later, I can hardly say enough good things about this charming, quirky, little, big, accessible, humble city. I love Baltimore, my adopted hometown, and  here are five reasons why (in no particular order):

1.) Fun stuff to do. This past weekend my good friend Susie (who also served as photographer, thanks Suse!) took the train from Washington, DC, to Baltimore (a 45-minute, $7 trip). Susie has been to visit me in Baltimore several times, so I was trying to think of something fun and different to do. Luckily there is always something fun and different to see in B’more. We ended up taking a self-guided tour of the Bromo Seltzer tower. Built in 1911 by Captain Isaac Emerson and located right in downtown Baltimore, it was home to the offices (and attached factory) that produced the Bromo Seltzer headache remedy. If it looks familiar, it might be because it was modeled after the Palazzo Vecchio in Florence, Italy. Today artists rent studio space in the narrow tower. We started on the 17^th floor and wound our way down to the lobby, meeting artists and admiring their work along the way.

2.) Yummy places to eat! Have you ever seen “The Best Thing I Ever Ate” on the Food Network? If not, the title of the show is pretty self explanatory. One of my favorite restaurants in Baltimore, Woodberry Kitchen, was featured for a dessert, the C.M.P. The menu describes it as “malt ice cream, chocolate sauce, marshmallow fluff, wet peanuts.” But it is so much more! It is gooey yummy-ness topped with a burnt sugar top. I don’t know what wet peanuts are, but I know I love C.M.P. There are also tons of other yummy dishes in our fair city. Another favorite dessert? The Candy Bar at Gertrude’s. This restaurant is located in the Baltimore Museum of Art, just steps from the Johns Hopkins Undergraduate Admissions Office. If you come to visit us, convince your parents to take you to lunch there (or better yet, save some money and take THEM to lunch).

3.) The Inner Harbor. Typically, if there is one place in Baltimore out-of-towners know about, it’s this one. Located in downtown Baltimore and just a short (free) shuttle ride away from Hopkins’ Homewood campus, the Inner Harbor has a dizzying array of restaurants, shops, and museums. Need cool new shades at Urban Outfitters? Easy. What about a birthday dinner with your roommates? You’ll probably head here. That ship you see in the background behind me is an old World War II war ship that has been transformed into a floating museum. Come visit, you can take a tour.

4.) The Farmers’ Market. I grew up in Vermont, so I appreciate fresh produce from local growers. When I moved here, I was pleasantly surprised to find that Baltimore has a huge, bustling outdoor market nine months out of the year. I go to the one downtown on Sundays but on Saturdays there is one in Waverly, a short walk from Hopkins. In addition to local produce (I purchased apples and squash this week) there are lots of delicious food vendors who for a few dollars will sell you the best tasting banana-chocolate crepe you’ve ever tasted.

5.) Johns Hopkins. Like peanut butter with no jelly, it is hard to imagine Baltimore without our beloved university.  I could write a whole separate blog on why I love Hopkins. The number one reason is the people. From staff members (like me!) to faculty, librarians, residential advisers, security guards, and even the President,everyone here at Homewood is dedicated to making the Hopkins student experience a positive one. On any given evening, you can find professors playing poker with students in Charles Commons, Donny Deutsch (of CNBC’sThe Big Idea) giving a speech in Shriver as part of the MSE Symposium, or students rehearsing for a performance of Arsenic and Old Lace.  Peanut butter, jelly, and even a little fluff—just like the dessert from Woodberry—the combination is near perfection.

That’s my list, as you can see I really do love Baltimore. I hope you’ve learned a few things and that you come to Baltimore to visit us soon!

Fresh Food and More—Straight from the Farmers Market!

0

Farmers' Market

Since Johns Hopkins is in a city, and you may not be able to make it to a local produce center in a nearby suburb, our area farmers bring their products to you. Most markets in the city open at the end of April or beginning of May and run through mid-November or early December. Located throughout Baltimore, you can find one open almost any day of the week; on Tuesdays the University Market is open on Paca Street, on Thursdays you can find the Johns Hopkins Hospital Market on North Caroline Street, on Saturdays you can make your way to the Waverly Farmers’ Market on 32^nd Street (this one is only a few blocks from campus and is open year-round!), and on Sundays you can make your way to the Downtown Farmers’ Market beneath Interstate 83 on Saratoga Street. For a full list of markets, see http://www.mda.state.md.us/md_products/farmers_market_dir.php#baltcity.

Living downtown, I tend to frequent the Downtown Farmers’ Market (go figure ;-) ). Just a few blocks from my apartment building, I like to walk over to check out what is available on Sunday mornings. On a recent trip to the market, I really made out:

Carton of Peaches = $4
Melon = $2.50
Two White Eggplants = $1
Bushel of Beets = $1
Acorn Squash = $2
Black and White Muffin = $2
– Total Purchase = $12.50

mmmmm ... fruit

more fruit

eggplant ... yum

the day's purchases

One of my favorite things to watch at the market is the Wheely Good Smoothie Stand. First you pick out your favorite fruits and put them in a blender. Then you put the blender on the back of a stationary bike. Finally, you pedal the bike to mix your own smoothie. You can definitely get a few good laughs out mixing your own drink AND you get a little exercise too!

smoothie bike

Hop on the bike to blend your own smoothie.

Some of my favorite things to buy at the market:

* Salsa: Each week a man brings in plastic containers of homemade salsa – be sure to get there early though—he usually runs out by 10 a.m.!

* Fresh Flowers:You can always find Black Eyed Susans at the market. Did you know they are Maryland’s state flower?

flowers for sale

* Crabs: One of the foods that Baltimore is best known for, they are really inexpensive when in season.

* Candy Coated Walnuts: YUM. These are great to put on salads or for a snack at work.

* Pickles: The downtown market has some of the biggest pickles I have ever seen. There are buckets with different types, and you can pay by the pound.

While the market is not open year-round, students can definitely take advantage of it during the fall. Also, if they stay on campus to take summer classes, they can get most of their food from here. Next time you are in Baltimore, you may want to pop in to check it out too.

Happy shopping!

delicious muffin

Exploring the Peabody Institute

0

Walking around the Johns Hopkins University is like walking into a magnificent jewelry store. There are so many amazing hidden gems around this university; it’s really quite unbelievable that Johns Hopkins University has, over time, become one of the most highly concentrated areas of human capital. Humanists, engineers, physicians, researchers, artisits, performers, social scientists, among others make up this incredibly talented community. This entry is meant to highlight one of the jewels in the Hopkins crown: The Peabody Institute.

Peabody was founded in 1857, but didn’t actually open its doors until 1866. The delay was caused by the Civil War, a particularly hard time for the State of Maryland, which was located on the dividing line between the North and South. Some of the students appreciate the classic architecture of the campus, others hardly notice it. The advantage of being…well…old is that Peabody has been producing top quality musicians for a century and a half, and the music world has come to assume that anyone who graduates from Peabody is a good performer. It takes a long time for an assumption like that to spread worldwide.

The Peabody Institute

My own personal connection to the Peabody Institute is rather interesting. I played the oboe from sixth grade, through high school and through most of my university career for a total of about eight years. There wasn’t a concerted effort to play the oboe as an eleven year old—in fact I distinctly remember picking it off a page of pictures when we had to choose an instrument in sixth grade! Oboists are a rare breed —in fact most orchestras usually only have, at most, two oboists. During my four years of university there were no more than seven oboists (of 15,000 students) who played in the ensembles! Nonetheless, in ninth grade, I began taking private lessons with one of the few professional oboists in Ottawa, Angela Casagrande. Angela was a graduate of the Peabody Institute. Of course for me, this didn’t mean much as a thirteen-year-old. In fact, until I became the liaison to the Peabody Institute during my first year here at Hopkins, I didn’t even know the Peabody Institute was a division of Johns Hopkins University.

Peabody to Homewood

The Peabody campus is located about three miles away from the Homewood campus and is easily accessible by free shuttle for students, faculty and staff. Located in Mount Vernon which is the cultural district of Baltimore, it encompasses an entire city block bounded by West Moument and Centre Street from the North and South respectively and Saint Paul and North Charles Street.

The spectacular Peabody Library

There are limitless musical opportunities at the Peabody Insititute. The undergraduate degrees are offered in the following areas:

Composition
Computer Music (Emphasis on Performance or Composition)
Early Music Instruments (Baroque flute, Lute, Viola da Gamba, Harpsichord)
Guitar
Jazz
Keyboard Instruments (Piano, Orgran)
Orchestral Instruments (Brass, Harp, Percussion, Strings, Woodwinds)
Voice

The Double Degree program is a unique opportunity that is offered between Homewood and Peabody. Students can simultaneously pursue a degree in arts (BA), science (BS), or engineering (BSE) as well as a bachelor’s degree in music (BM) through Peabody. Naturally this is quite demanding but, of course, is a wonderful opportunity for those who want it. Students must audition for Peabody and apply separately to the Homewood campus at Johns Hopkins University. Students indicate on their supplement that they are interested in pursuing the “Double Degree” between Homewood and Peabody. Applicants are reviewed by both schools, independently of each other, and once a year the admissions committee at Peabody and Homewood get together to discuss those who should be admitted to the Double Degree program. On average, we offer 20to 30 students admission into the Double Degree program. Further details about the Double Degree program can be found here: http://apply.jhu.edu/pdf/peabody_brochure_2010.pdf

During my time here I have seen so many wonderful combinations of what students pursue at Peabody and Homewood. Often the students have areas of interest which are so disparate that Johns Hopkins University is one of the very few places that can accommodate their unique interests as such a high level. Sometimes, however, the areas of study are very closely related (Italian at Homewood and voice at Peabody). But I have seen combinations such as biomedical engineering and clarinet, history of art and harp, mathematics and jazz guitar! The freedom to combine areas of study which are often not related to one another is one of the signature pieces of the Johns Hopkins University experience. For students not interested in pursuing a Double Degree, there are many opportunities for Homewood students—information can be found here: http://www.peabody.jhu.edu/172

In fact, the Lighting of the Monument yearly tradition in Baltimore is held near the Peabody Institute and they host concerts, performers and food throughout the evening—that’s the perfect time to get down to Mount Vernon and Peabody!

Experience Peabody

A Great Way to See More of B-More

0

Posted by Admissions_Shannon

It all started with the Shamrock 5K a little over five years ago. My friend Ann Marie twisted my arm and convinced me that running the race with her would be fun. In all honesty, I didn’t really love running—I just ran so I could eat more. :-)

Then came the addiction. For some reason, I can’t stop racing.  I’ve done the Shamrock 5K every year since; biked, ran, and canoed in the Adventure Race in Rocky Gap; and took part in my first-ever sprint triathlon in Columbia last spring. While the heat can be exhausting, my legs burn, and I have problems walking up stairs for at least a day after, the feeling of accomplishment you get when you cross the finish line is unbelievable.  So, when I saw that I would not be away on university this year for the Baltimore Running Festival, my colleague Missy convinced me to sign up! (I also signed my sister up—did I mention I tend to do that? Luckily, she doesn’t seem to mind…)

Me and my sister Ceri before the race

This year was the 10^th anniversary of the Baltimore Running Festival. On race day, the city of Baltimore pretty much shuts down for the morning (trust us, we know —when the course route changed a few years ago, our visitors could not get to our Saturday Session because the marathon runs right through our Homewood campus.)  Starting at 8:00 a.m. with the full marathon, the day continues with a 5K, kids fun run, relay, and half marathon, which is what I decided to try out this year.

Here we go!

The race started out in Baltimore’s Inner Harbor, on Light Street, with a bang of confetti. We then made our way along Fayette Street into the Fells Point neighborhood. People were lining the streets—some doing the wave, some giving high-fives, and others ringing cowbells. During mile two, it was great to have people around cheering you on—it made you forget there were still 11 miles to go! We then made our way around Patterson Park where a band was outside and the first water station was located. They say the first three miles are the hardest, so when I paused for a drink of water, I thought to myself, this can’t be too bad. However, what I didn’t realize was that the next four miles would be uphill. As we went up past the Johns Hopkins Hospital, north on Washington Street, I got to see a lot of Baltimore I had never visited. Again, people were sitting on their stoops cheering us on as we ran by.  Next, we came into Clifton Park and rounded Lake Montebello. Once again, I had never been to these parts of the city, so I didn’t realize there was such a nice park space in the northeast part of the city. I can definitely say that I will be heading there in the future to run around the beautiful lake.

Lake Montebello

Next stop on our route was 33^rd street, a road I had driven on many times by car, but had no idea what a hill it would be (let me tell you, things seem a lot flatter when you are driving!) Finally, we reached the top and the edge of the Johns Hopkins campus. We zig zagged our way through Charles Village, and I saw several students outside of their row homes, yelling as people ran by. Some were even handing out gummy bears to runners to give them a little sugar boost as they started the last leg of the race.

Finally, the last three miles led us downhill to the finish line outside of M&T Banks Stadium where the Baltimore Ravens play. Here, the crowds grew, people yelled louder, and everyone gave you the final encouragement you needed to not stop before you reached the finish line. As we made our way through the final half mile, we even got to run through Camden Yards, home of the Baltimore Orioles!

We made it.

As I crossed the finish line, 2:28 showed on my watch. I had done it! 13.1 miles after two months of training while on the road for work. Not only had I done something that I had never done before, but I also got to see more of Baltimore, and now have some new favorite places to go jogging.  The race was exciting and motivating, and it was great to see the whole community come out to support the runners. It didn’t matter if you knew someone running or not, people were there to cheer you on and encourage you to make it to the finish line.

Now, I am just waiting for sign ups to open for next year’s race!