Giving Newsletter March 2021

T H E O F F I C I A L N E W S L E T T E R F O R S U P P O R T E R S O F T H E C A M PA I G N F O R M A RY L A N D ⁄ M A R C H 2 0 2 1

“EDUCATION IS THE GREAT EQUALIZER” Two events amplify umd’s campaign theme of

“LET’S MAKE MARCH 3RD THE BEST GIVING DAY EVER!” Parent Michael Schwab is fired up and ready to go P6

GIVING BACK

IGN NEARS TH MPA A E C

LINE. ISH FIN

L RAISED, U MD GOA B ’S .5

TERPS GEAR UP TO SUPPORT UMD DURING FUNDRAISING MARATHON P3

WITH $1.4B O F$ 1

student success P4

GETTING READY FOR ANOTHER GIVING DAY WATCH PARTY P5

GRAND CHALLENGES DEMAND FEARLESS IDEAS

DEAR FRIENDS OF MARYLAND, The momentum of our Fearless Ideas: The Campaign for Maryland—now in its home stretch—remains strong. Our steadfast focus is on student success: raising the funds Maryland needs to equip current and future Terps with the knowledge to pursue their fearless ideas and confront the grand challenges of our time.

I am thrilled to share with you that we have reached the important milestone of $1.4 billion in this campaign, placing us within sight of our goal of $1.5 billion. Many of you are responsible for this significant accomplishment. Thank you.

Our Maryland community has also been energized by the recent announcement of a $9 million gift from Michael and Eugenia Brin and the Brin Family Foundation to establish the Maya Brin Institute for New Performance in the School of Theatre, Dance, and Performance Studies—a major investment in our College of Arts and Humanities. Our entire community deeply appreciates the Brin family’s generosity.

Now more than ever, Maryland needs all of us to be “all in.” I encourage you to get involved by showcasing the university’s strengths and successes within your personal networks, and by making your own campaign gift.

It was a pleasure to host two campaign events in December that demonstrated the powerful impact of scholarship gifts on Maryland students, their families and communities and the university itself.

President Pines joined us for these fireside chats with scholars in the Maryland Promise Program. For more, please see page 4.

This issue of our newsletter spotlights Giving Day, our annual 24-hour online fundraising marathon. You’ll meet three members of the Maryland community who have gone the extra mile to support our Giving Day efforts: Eleanor Vanvranken, a student volunteer; Michael Schwab, a Terp parent whose love for Giving Day is truly remarkable; and Nancy Clarvit, an alum, parent and Giving Day champion.

This year’s Giving Day has the potential to unlock even more support from Terps worldwide, bridging the $100M gap between what we’ve raised so far and our campaign goal of $1.5 billion. I’d like to emphasize here the same message I share with our Maryland community at every opportunity: Every gift counts.

Gifts of all sizes make a difference for UMD and our students.

When our community comes together, great things happen. The extraordinary success of this campaign is just one inspiring example of our unified impact. This Giving Day, as we draw closer to our goal, I invite you to give anything you can to support our university! Thank you again for your dedication to Maryland.

Sincerely, Al Carey ’74 Campaign Cabinet Chair

PUBLISHER Brodie Remington, Vice President, University Relations ADVISER Bernadette Maldonado, Assistant Vice President, University Relations CONTRIBUTORS

Maria Clark, Director of Marketing, Fundraising Campaigns, Josh Arinze, Development Writer, Mary Harvey, Director of Campaign Planning, Jason Keisling, Senior Graphic Designer, John T. Consoli, Stephanie S. Cordle, Photographers, Gail Rupert, M.L.S. ’10, Photography Archivist, Jagu Cornish, Production Coordinator

ALL SET FOR MARCH 3!

Excitement Builds Among Terps as Giving Day 2021 Draws Near SINCE 2013, the worldwide community of Terps and friends have made more than $8 million in gifts to support the mission of the University of Maryland through a highly anticipated annual event that has become a cherished tradition. Giving Day, a 24-hour marathon of online fundraising, continues to win ardent backing among alumni, students, parents, faculty, staff and friends of the university. The buzz for Giving Day 2021— on Wednesday, March 3—has been building for months.

Over the years, funds generated from Giving Day have supported some 500 university initiatives, programs and units.

The impact resonates campus-wide—from broadly advancing umd ’s mission of learning, teaching and research, to specifically enhancing student scholarships, the arts, libraries, athletics and student life, as well as individual schools, colleges and departments.

This annual celebration of Terp generosity has grown significantly, to the point where it now has its own ecosystem powered by excited anticipation, friendly competition, social media promotions, challenge grants and watch parties. When the first Giving Day was held in 2013, under $300,000 was raised from 1,113 gifts. On Giving Day 2020, 9,464 gifts were made, generating $1.6 million in voluntary contributions from a cross section of the Maryland community.

Giving Day is anchored on fundraising, but not limited to it. For sure, it helps to raise resources the university deploys to provide umd students with an excellent education, preparing them for lifetimes of success as

they pursue fearless ideas and tackle the grand challenges of our time. But Giving Day is also a celebration of community engagement, an opportunity to bolster the Terp spirit of working together toward a common purpose.

Its grassroots nature is a unique aspect of the event. On Giving Day 2020, for instance, most gifts made were below $100.

But combined, they amounted to a substantial sum—a testament to the power of Terps coming together to make gifts of all sizes.

This is why, year after year, several of the university’s major donors have stepped up to encourage everyone to pitch in, offering such incentives as matching funds and challenge grants to promote giving and generate friendly competition among various university units during the donation marathon. This year, as before, the message to all Terps is simple: Every gift makes a difference.

In February, umd reached the $1.4 billion milestone in its current fundraising endeavor, Fearless Ideas: The Campaign for Maryland. To meet its goal of $1.5 billion, the university needs to raise another $100 million by the time the campaign ends in December. On March 3, every Terp has the opportunity to show their support by making a gift to help Maryland reach this target or, better still, exceed it. Every donor visiting givingday.umd.edu can choose from hundreds of university programs, initiatives, schools, colleges or departments to support.

Not sure where to give?

The university is highlighting these four initiatives:

Clark Challenge for the Maryland Promise: This scholarship

program makes a Maryl and education possible for local studen ts with demonstrated financial need. Every dollar donated to the Ma ryland Promise Program is matched by the A. James & Alice B. Clark Foundatio n and the University of Maryland.

Student Crisis Fund:

This fund provides assista nce to students facing unanticipa ted financial emergencies. Due to the massive economic disruptions of the covid-19 pandemic, the university has ramped up this assistance program, distributing more than $1.5 million from thi s fund to help almost 2,900 students as of January.

Campus

Pantry: Because of the coronavirus pandemic and reduced operations on campus, ma ny members of the UMD community are facing food insecurity. The umd Cam pus Pantry alleviates food insecurity and hardship throughout our campus community.

University

Libraries: Through the University Libraries, Ma ryland students can check out laptops or tablets, spark innovation by using a 3-D printer, and remotely access hundre ds of specialized databases to help them reach their academic goals. And bec ause the university’s eight-library system supports every major on campus , your gift can have a broad and far-re aching impact.

Whichever Maryland pro gram or initiative you support on Giving Da y 2021 and beyond, you will be helpin g the university advance its commitment to excellence and student success. In the vital work of finding solutions to the grand challenges facing our state, our nat ion and our world, every gift counts .

FEARLESS IDEAS / 3

CAMPAIGN PROGRESS

“EDUCATION IS THE GREAT EQUALIZER” Two events amplify umd’s campaign theme of student success PERSONAL STORIES SHARED at two December events demonstrated the profound impact scholarship gifts have on the lives of University of Maryland students, their families and the university itself. The heart-to-heart discussions, labelled Fireside Chats, were held Dec. 10 and 14 as part of the university’s Fearless Ideas: The Campaign for Maryland, which recently reached $1.4 billion of its $1.5 billion goal.

The discussions featured President Darryll J. Pines, three Maryland Promise Program scholars, campaign Chairman Al Carey ’74, and a select group of other university stakeholders. They focused on the Maryland Promise Program—a flagship partnership between umd and the A. James & Alice B. Clark Foundation—which provides need-based scholarships to undergraduate students from the state of Maryland and the District of Columbia.

Pines set the tone from the first event.

“Education is the great equalizer,” he stated.

“It’s the best way to give a young person a chance at success.” He shared the story of a conversation he once had with A. James Clark ’50, the builder and businessman whose generous support culminated in the establishment of the Maryland Promise Program. “James Clark told me he was accepted the same year into the University of Maryland and Princeton University,” Pines recalled. “He chose Maryland because he needed a scholarship and this university offered him one. As we all know, Jim Clark later became one of the university’s largest benefactors.”

Campaign Chairman Al Carey, himself a major donor to the mpp scholarship, hosted the events. Carey told the audience how his appreciation of the big difference the gift of education makes was further bolstered by

“After the passing of my stepfather, worries about the cost of college were the last thing my mother and I needed. I couldn’t thank you enough for your generosity.”

—Winter Hawk

the matching grant provision built into the mpp program, which doubles the impact of donors’ gifts.

Three mpp scholars played central roles in both discussions: Madeleine Oum-Ray ’24, Jackson Martinez ’24, and Winter Hawk ’23.

Madeleine Oum-Ray is majoring in African American studies and pre-med, and looking forward to a career in medicine.

“When I got this scholarship, I felt really humbled and blessed,” she said. “My mother and I cried tears of joy. I’ll never forget this generosity..”

Jackson Martinez said it means a lot to him that mpp provides more than financial support. “I really like that there are other parts of the program, such as community involvement, visiting speakers, workshops on leadership development and building our professional skills,” he said. “I’m learning everything I can from all of them.”

Echoing the sentiments of her fellow scholars, Winter Hawk expressed gratitude to donors who support the mpp. “After the passing of my stepfather, worries about the cost of college were the last thing my mother and I needed,” she said. “I couldn’t thank you enough for your generosity.”

95%

of goal met

$1.4B

given to date

$100M

remaining

FEARLESSIDEAS.UMD.EDU 4 / FE AR LE SS I D E A S

GETTING READY FOR THE NEXT GIVING DAY WATCH PARTY

How did you first become involved in Giving Day? I have worked in the Club Sports department of Recreation and Wellness for almost three years now and so I see the back end of the donation process for all of our club sports teams, including my own. We typically have a watch party-type day where the website with the live donation updates is pulled up on the TV and we cheer when large milestones are hit by any club sport.

Will you be participating in this year’s event on March 3?

I will be involved in the marketing for Club Sports in general, as well as more in-depth for Clubs that I am a part of or that I have close friends participating in. Whether I just spam my Facebook and Instagram feeds with information on how to donate, reach out to potential donors for my club or even make a donation myself, I will definitely be a part of Giving Day this year, as always!

What has your experience been like taking part in this annual university fundraising marathon?

It’s been fun taking part in the watch parties we’ve had for the club sports specifically that participate in Giving Day. We cheer for clubs that we are either members of or just have close friends on (which is basically all of them!) We love our teams!

PHOTO CO U RT ESY O F E LE ANO R VANV RANK E N

Eleanor (Elly) Vanvranken ’21 is a kinesiology major in the School of Public Health. A dedicated Terp who has served as an undergraduate student representative in the University Senate, Elly is also a strong supporter of Giving Day. She has made gifts during this fundraising marathon to the University Recreation & Wellness Sport Club Enhancement Fund, as well as the umd Men’s Club Volleyball Gift Fund.

In this interview, Elly shares her excitement about Giving Day, what motivates her—even as a student—to support it, and why she would like to see other umd students follow her example:

Is there any particular highlight from your involvement in a previous Giving Day that you’d like to share?

Last year we got a cake for our boss with the amount of money we raised as a department overall ($91,000!). It was such a big deal to us!

Why do you consider Giving Day an important initiative for UMD and its students?

Giving Day is important because it highlights activities and organizations on campus that may not receive the funding that is seen for the Athletics Department for example. Much of what our ncaa teams are able to do and have is because of donors. Highlighting that our school is even more than just good at varsity sports is so important. Did you know that we had nine nationally ranked Club Sports teams last year?

What’s your message for other Maryland students who might be considering volunteering for Giving Day? It’s vital to highlight all of the great things that Maryland students are doing. And Giving Day is a great way to do that. No offense; but if somebody called me and said “Please give us money because you went to school here,” I probably would not respond. But when somebody says “Hey!

You are an alum of the Women’s Club Ice Hockey team at umd; we are hoping to fund a trip to nationals this spring.” Or, “We have multiple players who can’t afford gear this year but want to try the sport; could you donate?” I will give as much as I can because I remember how much of a growth experience being in that organization was and I want many more students to get to experience it too.

Is there anything else you’d like to add?

We must recognize that so much of the funds raised from Giving Day are used to make the student organization experience that much more beneficial to students from all walks of life.

RALLYING THE TERP COMMUNITY EDIMA ESSIEN ’21 is a theatre major and an arts leadership minor in the School of Theatre, Dance, and Performance Studies. She appears in a promotional video rallying Terps and friends of Maryland to support Giving Day 2021.

“Being a part of Giving Day is an honor for me,” she says. “I think it’s important that more umd students participate in Giving Day each year, to continue cultivating a community of giving back and helping to invest in the next generation.” givingday.umd.edu

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“LET’S MAKE MARCH 3RD THE BEST GIVING DAY EVER!” Parent Michael Schwab is fired up and ready to go It was no surprise when Michael J. Schwab described his high regard for the University of Maryland by pointing out “the vibrant, innovative, and entrepreneurial spirit that pervades the campus.” After all, Schwab is a businessman—he lives and breathes entrepreneurship as co-president of D&H Distributing, a privately held technology and electronics goods distribution company based in Harrisburg, Pa. Schwab actually earned his bachelor’s degree from the University of Pennsylvania, and a law degree from Villanova University. Though his mother Elaine Siegel Schwab graduated from Maryland in 1959, Michael and his wife first became involved with the Terp community 12 years ago when their son Brett ’13 was accepted into umd.

“Stepping onto campus in 2009 as Terp parents, it became obvious to me and my wife Debbie that Maryland truly is a flagship institution,” he said. “Not only are the research endeavors and academics held in extremely high regard but, equally important, the university’s leadership cares deeply about its students.”

This extraordinary focus on student success has moved the Schwabs to take decisive actions ever since to strengthen their involvement with the Maryland community. A second son, Brandon, ’15 followed his brother Brett to umd.

Michael Schwab is a trustee—since 2011—of the University of Maryland College Park Foundation and serves on the Board of Advisors at the Dingman Center for Entrepreneurship in the Robert H. Smith School of Business. He and his wife Debbie have also served on the university’s Parent Advisory Council, and they both received the university’s Honorary Alumni Award in 2013.

On top of that, two of Michael’s nieces, Madison and Alexa, are current umd students. And his brother Daniel Schwab—the co-president of D&H Distributing Co. and father of Madison and Alexa—serves on the Board of Visitors of the university’s College of Education as well as on the Board of Advisors at the Maryland Smith.

It’s no wonder that Michael Schwab is a dedicated supporter of the university’s

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Giving Day fundraising marathon.

He provided generous matching gift incentives during the 2018, 2019 and 2020 Giving Day drives. “I have found that my passion for Maryland is shared by so many: including alumni, students, parents, faculty, staff and friends of the university,” he stated. “That is why I focus so strongly on our annual Giving Day initiative.”

Schwab enjoys the excitement that builds up every year as this special umd event approaches, and particularly the impact of Giving Day on students who benefit from funds raised to enhance scholarships and other university programs. “In one 24-hour period in March, we not only create meaningful

“Giving Day is our opportunity to demonstrate pride, commitment, and gratitude for the positive impact Maryland has had on each of us and the community at large.”

impact through our donations and gifts but we also literally change lives,” he noted. “Whether it’s support of scholarships, student affairs, the Student Crisis Fund, athletics, a specific school or major, or fraternity and sorority life, we each feel a connection which brings a sense of warmth and a smile to our faces.”

Schwab added that Maryland’s emphasis on a “students first” approach is the reason behind his continuing involvement with the university. He also appreciates umd’s success in cultivating a diverse, global student population as well as an inclusive and welcoming environment.

“Giving Day is our opportunity to demonstrate pride, commitment, and gratitude for the positive impact Maryland has had on each of us and the community at large,” he said. “Perhaps the small role I have played will encourage others to demonstrate their Terp pride for years to come. I have no doubt that our Terp Nation not only remains strong, unified, and resilient, but also extraordinary!”

Schwab then offered a rallying cry to the University of Maryland community: “Let’s make March 3rd the best Giving Day ever!”

MICH AE L SC H WA B A N D H I S FA M I LY; LE F T TO R I G H T: B RA N DO N , RAC H E L, DE B B I E , M I C H A E L, A ND B RETT

P H OTO COURTESY OF SC HWAB FAM I LY

“There is nothing like the feeling of giving back and knowing someone will be able to follow their dreams. Dreams turned into reality create success.”

A GIVING DAY CHAMPION LOOKS FORWARD TO ANOTHER ROUND IN SEVERAL WAYS ,

Nancy Clarvit ’78 is an exemplary Terp—as deeply involved with the university as she is generous. She serves on the Board of Trustees of the University of Maryland College Park Foundation. She and her family have made major gifts to university programs and initiatives: among these are scholarship funds for students in graphic design and special education, and a leadership gift in the College of Education that supported a new Center for Early Childhood Education and Intervention.

But there’s something about Giving Day, the university’s annual online fundraising marathon, that feels particularly special to Clarvit. “Giving back on Giving Day is such a rewarding feeling,” she said. “Every year, I look forward to this day because I know how much it helps the university. Watching the numbers grow online brings me so much joy!”

On Wednesday, March 3, Clarvit will once again enjoy watching the university’s Giving Day numbers grow, and hoping they will rise faster and higher than in any previous year. Over the years, she has emerged as one of the most dedicated supporters of umd ’s Giving Day programming. This year, she and her family will again provide a substantial matching grant designed to encourage as many Terps as possible to make gifts to the university during the fundraising drive.

Clarvit views Giving Day as a rallying force that unifies the Maryland community to get behind an exciting goal, similar to what happens when Terps are rooting for one of the university’s sports teams. “This special day gives students, alumni, and parents the opportunity to identify with the incredible work that goes on at our campus,” she stated. “There are so many areas you can support, and you are sure to find something you feel strongly about to help further a student’s dream.”

The wish to help Maryland students achieve their dreams is the driving force behind everything Clarvit does to support the

PH OTO BY ST EPHANI E S. CORD L E

university. She noted that what she learned from her studies in graphic design and business marketing at umd helped set her on a successful path after graduation, and she wants to help today’s students get on a similar path. She particularly enjoys meeting with students who benefit from her family’s philanthropy. “There is nothing like the feeling of giving back and knowing someone will be able to follow their dreams,” she said. “Dreams turned into reality create success.”

For the Clarvit family, deep respect for the value of a sound education is a shared endeavor. Her husband, Charles (“Chuck”) Clarvit is a Johns Hopkins University graduate who has spent his career in the financial services industry and is now a private investor. Their daughter Ali Clarvit ’13, M.Ed. ’14 earned her degrees in early childhood special education and is now a special education teacher in New York City. She also serves on the Board of Visitors of umd ’s College of Education.

In leading the charge for her family’s support of the university’s Giving Day, Nancy Clarvit is deeply aware of the urgent need to make educational opportunities available to talented students from a broad range of backgrounds. As she sees it, this is an imperative for our state and the nation as a whole.

“More than ever, our society needs our youth to be educated in the humanities and the sciences to compete in the world and have a voice in how we are governed,” she stated. “Informed decisions are made by the educated. Economies are built on a skilled workforce. And respect is earned through quality learning.

Not all of our students can afford the cost of their education. We, the donors, can make education at the University of Maryland available to them.”

Then she added: “Nothing makes me prouder.”

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Division of University Relations Office of Strategic Communications 2101 Turner Hall, 7736 Baltimore Ave. College Park, MD 20742

On March 3, 2021, join the University of Maryland’s annual tradition: Giving Day. It’s when thousands of Terps come together to raise millions and compete in friendly campus competitions. Over $8M has been raised since 2013 to support hundreds of campus areas, creating endless opportunities for faculty and students.

This Giving Day, the opportunity is yours.

What will you support? # G I V I N G D AY U M D | G I V I N G D AY. U M D . E D U

fearlessideas.umd.edu