Linehan Artist Scholars Program

Two student actors performing on stage in a U-M-B-C Theatre production of Proof by David Auburn. They sit on a front porch, and are having a serious discussion.
Proof by David Auburn. Fall 2016. Photo by Marlayna Demond ’11.

About The Linehan Artist Scholars Program

The Linehan Artist Scholars Program is a four-year scholarship and mentorship program for talented students who are serious about pursuing their art in a university setting as an arts major at UMBC.

Linehan Artist Scholars:

  • Explore ideas about contemporary concepts in the arts in a first-year seminar.
  • Live on campus in a Living Learning Community with artists who share your passion.
  • Attend performances and visit museums in New York, Philadelphia, and Washington, D.C.
  • Receive summer research support to study with professional artists across the globe.

The Linehan Artist Scholars Program supports students who distinguish themselves both academically and artistically. The arts departments and Selection Committee evaluate students on academic excellence, audition or portfolio, and achievement in the arts.

The Linehan Artist Scholars Program is open to incoming freshman only. We encourage freshmen from any Theatre major or track apply. Learn more about The Linehan Artist Scholars Program here.

How We Support Our Scholars

The Linehan Artist Scholars Program provides four-year awards, which often cover the greater part of the cost of attendance at UMBC.

Scholarships awarded may be in the amount of:

  • $5,000, $10,000, or $15,000 per academic year for in-state students
  • $10,000, $15,000, or $22,000 per academic year for out-of-state students

How to Apply

  1. FIRST: Start by applying to UMBC.
    1.  When applying, please indicate Acting (BFA) or Theatre (BA) as your preferred major.
      1. We strongly encourage prospective Linehan Artist Scholars to complete your undergraduate admissions package by the Early Action deadline of November 1st.
    2. The Linehan application will require that you have your UMBC Campus ID. Your Campus ID will be sent approximately five to seven business days after you have submitted your Common Application to UMBC. Once you apply, we will communicate with you through your new UMBC email address.
  2. SECOND: Register for your audition or portfolio review via the UMBC Theatre Linehan Artist Scholar Registration Form, 2025 – 2026.
    1. For incoming freshmen planning to enter in Fall 2026, the Linehan (LAS) Audition and Portfolio Review Day for Theatre will be Saturday, January 24, 2026 beginning at 10am EST. The make up date, should there be snow, is Saturday, January 31, 2026.
    2. Linehan Audition and Portfolio Review Day will be held in person, on campus. Further instructions will be sent about location, etc. via email after you complete the registration form.
    3. Incoming Acting students will be expected to prepare an acting audition, and incoming Design and Production students will be expected to prepare a digital portfolio. If you are an incoming Theatre Studies or Theatre Education student, you may pick which method of preparation (either an acting audition or a portfolio) is more suited to your work.
    4. More specific instructions about what to prepare can be found below.
  3. THIRD: Complete the separate, written Linehan Artist Scholars application.
      1. The Linehan Artist Scholars application and all supplemental materials must be received by:
        1. For Priority Selection: January 15th, 2026
        2. Application Closing Date: January 30th, 2026
  4. FOURTH: Attend your audition or portfolio review, and if selected to move forward:
    1. Mid-February 2025: Linehan Artist Scholar candidates will be invited to Scholar Selection Day on campus for final consideration.
        1. Scholar Selection Day 2026: TBA
    2. Mid-March 2026: Linehan Artist Scholar Award decisions will be announced.

What to Prepare

Incoming Acting students will be expected to prepare an acting audition, and incoming Design and Production students will be expected to prepare a digital portfolio. If you are an incoming Theatre Studies or Theatre Education student, you may pick which method of preparation (either an acting audition or a portfolio) is more suited to your work.

Linehan Acting Audition Requirements

  • Prepare one 60-90 second contemporary monologue (comedic or dramatic).

Ideally, your audition monologue should feature material you feel connected to and excited to perform. It’s helpful if the monologue is from a published play, but not required.

Linehan applicants who are actors will automatically be evaluated for the BFA Acting program during their Linehan audition, and will not need to conduct an additional interview or audition with the Theatre Department.

Immediately following your audition, you may complete a brief interview with the faculty. Interview questions can be found below.

Linehan Portfolio Review Requirements

  • Prepare a digital portfolio of visual material that represents your theatre work.

We recommend you prepare this using Google Slides, with any appropriate links made live in the document. You will present this digital portfolio to the faculty live and in person on Linehan Audition and Portfolio Review Day. Please note: A portfolio review is only necessary for BA in Theatre students pursuing the Linehan Artist Scholars Program (who are not completing an acting audition).

Please add Katie Hileman (hikat1@umbc.edu), Adam Mendelson (am@umbc.edu), and Eric Abele (abele@umbc.edu) as VIEWERS of your portfolio.  Make sure the title of your portfolio is LAST NAME – LINEHAN PORTFOLIO. Portfolios will be due at least one day prior to review day, so that faculty may have access to your materials for your presentation.

You are welcome (and encouraged!) to bring items in person to supplement your digital portfolio.

The portfolio can include any of the following:

  • Photographs of Productions: No matter your job, large and clear photographs of the set, theatre, performance venue, etc., help us see the scale of the show and its inherent storytelling.
  • Unrealized Class Projects. Drawings, renderings, light plots, costume sketches, fabric swatches, etc. for shows you did in class, for yourself, or for any after-school program.  These should all be clearly labeled with the show title and playwright.
  • Side Projects: Cosplay, church, and event work, even non-theatre, are good to include.
  • Paperwork Samples: Paperwork is vitally important to your process!  This could include stage management scripts or prompt books, action charts, budget, marketing plans, logos, or anything you generated to communicate for your production.
  • Audio or Video Clips: If your design area is in sound or media, then install links to YouTube or SoundCloud to share your work so that we may experience it.

How much should I include in my portfolio?

  • There’s no right or wrong answer, but make sure you can share your work in 5-7 minutes
  • Put your absolute best work first, however you define it, so you’re sure to share your most awesome self; then add in your remaining work
  • You don’t have to share everything.  We’re not necessarily looking for artists with lengthy resumes, rather artists who have made interesting and compelling choices with the experiences they have had.

Immediately following your portfolio review, you may complete a brief interview with the faculty. Interview questions can be found below.

Interview Questions

After your monologue or portfolio review, the faculty may ask you the following questions. There’s no need to prepare scripted answers; the purpose of this interview is to get to know your interests as a theatre artist. It’s meant to be casual, and an opportunity to get to know you better!

  1. Why are you interested in the UMBC Department of Theatre?
  2. Choose one of your recent roles/performances OR production/class experiences.  What did you learn about yourself both as an artist and as a person from working on this process?
  3. In addition to acting/performance OR design/production/stage management, what are your other academic and artistic areas of interest?
  4. When you see yourself working in your craft, where is that?
  5. What other colleges are you looking at?

Need Help?

We are always happy to answer your questions.

  • For questions about UMBC Theatre, please contact the Theatre Office (theatre@umbc.edu)
  • For questions about Linehan, please contact Ann Sofie Clemmensen, Linehan Program Director (asclem@umbc.edu)
  • For questions related to Admissions, please contact our Visual and Performing Arts Admissions Coordinator, Hana Albrecht (halbrecht@umbc.edu)