Terp, Spring 2009 by University of Maryland

TERP

CONNECTING

THE UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND COMMUNITY

VOL. 6, NO. 3 SPRING 2009

From

Combat To The

Classroom Maryland Helps Veterans Transition 16

GET GOLFING AGAIN 2

A TERP IN SPACE 9

SCARE TACTICS 11

RHAPSODY IN RED 20

TERP PUBLISHER

Brodie Remington Vice President, University Relations ADVISORY BOARD

J. Paul Carey ’82 M.B.A. CEO, Enumerate Sid Yu Chief Marketing Officer, University Marketing and Communications John Girouard ’81 President and CEO, Capital Asset Management Group Anil Gupta Ralph J. Tyser Professor of Strategy and Organization, Robert H. Smith School of Business Danita D. Nias ’81 Assistant Vice President, Alumni Relations and Development Vicki Rymer ’61, ’66 M.B.A., ’83 Ph.D. Teaching Professor, Robert H. Smith School of Business Keith Scroggins ’79 Bureau Head of General Services, City of Baltimore, Department of Public Works Lee Thornton Professor and Eaton Chair, Philip Merrill College of Journalism MAGAZINE STAFF

Beth A. Morgen Executive Editor Lauren Brown University Editor Kimberly Marselas ’00 Managing Editor John T. Consoli ’86 Creative Director Jeanette J. Nelson Art Director Monette A. Bailey ’89 Mandie Boardman ’02 Monique Sheree Everette Rebecca M. Ruark Tom Ventsias Writers Denise Jones David Ottalini Cassandra Robinson Lee Tune Contributing Writers Anne McDonough Magazine Intern

Dear Alumni and Friends, I THINK IT’S fair to say that we have all

faced some unwelcome decisions these past several months. For some, the economic downturn has meant making some temporary adjustments, like cutting back on dining out or holding off on the family trip to Disney World. But for many, the recession has translated to painful choices, as extreme as choosing between making a mortgage payment or paying a tuition bill. The latter hit close to home here at Maryland, where requests for financial aid have risen by more than 35 percent. In response, this past March the university launched Keep Me Maryland to provide emergency aid for students struggling to stay in school. In true Terp fashion, alumni and friends stepped up, giving more than $100,000 in two months to the initiative. Our thanks—from students and their families to faculty and staff—is heartfelt. But the need continues, and it is great. To learn more about Keep Me Maryland and how you might be able to help, see pages 24 and 26. That you will “click” to read about the Keep Me Maryland initiative rather than turn a page is evidence of a choice we made to curb expenses during challenging times. Our decision to publish the spring issue of Terp online is a cost-saving measure, but it is also an opportunity to test the power of the

Web. While we plan to print our next issue (look for it in your mailboxes this fall), we will continue to explore ways to entice you with online content. In the meantime, we hope you enjoy this virtual issue of Terp. It highlights the latest from the university—from a new journalism dean to groundbreaking discoveries by the Joint Quantum Institute. Our cover story addresses an increasing concern for our nation—acclimating veterans, especially those back from active duty, to everyday society. Read about the university’s Veterans Program Office and its impact on page 16. Readers’ favorites are here as well, including university factoids from archivist Anne Turkos, alumni profiles and more. As always, we welcome your thoughts. Send comments to terpmag@umd.edu. We look forward to hearing from you!

E-mail terpmag@umd.edu Terp magazine is published by the Division of University Relations. Letters to the editor are welcomed. Send correspondence to Kimberly Marselas, Managing Editor, Terp magazine, 2101 Turner Building, College Park, MD 20742-1521. Or, send an e-mail to terpmag@umd.edu The University of Maryland, College Park, is an equal opportunity institution with respect to both education and employment. University policies, programs and activities are in conformance with pertinent federal and state laws and regulations on non-discrimination regarding race, color, religion, age, national origin, political affiliation, gender, sexual orientation or disability.

Danita D. Nias ’81 Assistant Vice President, Alumni Relations and Development

Spring09terp DEPTS:p1-15;29-32 5/29/09 12:00 PM Page 1

2 BIG PICTURE Campus opens its doors for Maryland Day; journalism names new dean; golf course reopens; and more 6 THE SOURCE Preserving precious resources 7 ASK ANNE “Team” comes first; dual championships; and more 8 CLASS ACT A foster home founder builds more hope; and more 10 M-FILE Jell-Olike material stops bleeding; emergency messages get urgent help 12 PLAY-BY-PLAY Former quarterback puts teamwork to use off field 13 SPOTLIGHT National Orchestral Institute returns 14 MARYLAND LIVE Fourth of July celebration; National History Day; fall football; and more 24 IN THE LOOP Alumnus wins Grammy, donates children’s literature; tee off in Easton to help Maryland; and more 26 INTERPRETATIONS A commitment to student aid

departments

features 9 A WALK IN SPACE As a child, Richard Arnold M.S. ’92 was fascinated by men on the moon and ocean explorer Jacques Cousteau. This spring, the NASA astronaut blended his love for science, space and education by serving as a mission specialist aboard the space shuttle Discovery.

TOUGH TRANSITION

Freshman Chris Day traded armored vehicles in Afghanistan for isolation on campus. How can a new office providing comprehensive support to vets like him help make the transition to college life easier? BY LAUREN BROWN

TEN YEARS OF CELEBRATION

The alumni association marks 10 years of honoring outstanding alumni with a “Rhapsody in Red”-themed gala. BY REBECCA RUARK

KEEP MARYLAND AFFORDABLE

With the economy hitting their parents’ wallets and decimating college savings plans, Maryland students are asking for help to stay in school. BY PAMELA BABCOCK

PHOTO COURTESY OF NASA

TERP SPRING

2009

Spring09terp DEPTS:p1-15;29-32 6/1/09 10:14 AM Page 2

bigpicture

uilt in he t r Ira hether

Reopened Course Par Excellence “GREENER” GREENS AND a chance for

a rare double eagle sighting await golfers teeing off this summer at the university’s 18-hole golf course. A $3.5 million renovation should enhance play and enjoyment for all levels of golfers while improving the challenge of the course for tournament competition. “We’ve kept the routing (layout of the course) the same, but made it a bit more difficult to keep pace with today’s caliber of players,” says Jeff Maynor, golf course director and senior PGA professional. The golf course is a popular venue, with more than 40,000 rounds of golf played each year.The renovations are the first major upgrade since the course was built half a century ago.The yearlong project was finished soon after the golf course’s 50th-anniversary celebration on May 15. Maynor says longtime players will notice changes in the appearance of some of the fairways and greens, with encroaching trees having been thinned back and many of the golf cart pathways relocated to offer a “cleaner” view.

TERP SPRING

2009

Less noticeable additions include the planting of new trees, expanding the amount of naturally maintained areas, significantly decreasing the use of chemical pesticides and upgrading the drainage and watering systems to make them more environmentally friendly.“These changes are just as important as the course renovations,” Maynor says. “We consider these 150 acres to be sustainable, open green space—it’s more than just a place where people play golf.” Five years ago, Audubon International named the golf course a Certified Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary, one of only eight golf courses in the state so designated. For Maynor, the certification really hit home when he noticed an influx of new species inhabiting the golf course, including a pair of American bald eagles that now reside in foliage next to the ninthhole fairway. For photos of the renovation, go to www.golf.umd.edu. —TV

Spring09terp DEPTS:p1-15;29-32 5/29/09 12:01 PM Page 3

Beam Me Up, Maryland SCIENTISTS AT MARYLAND’S

Joint Quantum Institute have earned worldwide acclaim by instantaneously teleporting information between two separate atoms. Placed a few feet apart, the atoms had no physical connection or communication. Though a long way from “Star Trek,” the research represents a significant milestone in the global quest to develop superfast, immensely powerful quantum computers. The potential impact of the teleportation advance is so valuable that the institute’s breakthrough was reported in The New York Times, The Times of India and Time magazine, among many other media outlets around the world. A different team of scientists from the institute has drawn attention for pushing the envelope of Albert Einstein's “spooky action at a distance,” known as entanglement. In this work, the researchers demonstrated a “quantum buffer,” a technique that could be used to control data flow inside a quantum computer. These two discoveries by the Joint Quantum Institute, a partnership between the university and the National Institute of Standards and Technology, are just the latest of many advances Maryland physicists are making in the weird and amazing field of quantum computing. —LT

Klose Tapped as Journalism Dean

HE PRESIDENT EMERITUS of National Public Radio took

Former reporter and editor Kevin Klose became dean April 13.

over this spring as dean of the Philip Merrill College of Journalism. Kevin Klose is a veteran reporter and editor who spent more than two decades at The Washington Post. He later held the title of president or CEO at three international news organizations and served in leadership positions at government-funded civilian broadcast services. “Kevin brings to us the perfect blend of seasoned journalism, highest integrity, a global perspective and a passion for building institutions,” says President Dan Mote. “Kevin's vision will guide us in educating the next generation of journalists, as well as in redefining journalism.” A former associate director of the U.S. Information Agency, Klose also served as a foreign correspondent and wrote or co-wrote five books. During his 10 years at NPR, the news and cultural radio service was transformed into America's premier nonprofit provider of journalism for radio, the Internet, mobile phones and satellite delivery systems. NPR's national radio audience doubled to 26 million weekly listeners, while the organization raked in 15 Peabodys and 11 DuPont awards and secured more than $400 million in grants and gifts. Now, as dean of one of the nation’s most respected journalism programs, Klose will lead development efforts, oversee construction of the college’s new John S. and James L. Knight Hall and shape instruction in a time of journalistic upheaval. “We will explore new formats and delivery platforms to prepare the next generation of journalists for the digital world rising around us,” says Klose. “We will envision how new technology can be used to strengthen and protect the freedom and veracity of information.” —KM

TELEPORTATION IMAGE COURTESY OF THE NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION; KEVIN KLOSE PORTRAITS BY MIKE MORGAN

TERP SPRING

2009

bigpicture

Spring09terp DEPTS:p1-15;29-32 5/29/09 12:02 PM Page 4

Maryland Day Moves Into Second Decade THE TEMPERATURE DIDN’T quite break a record high on April 25, but attendance at the 11th annual Maryland Day open house did. The event drew a history-making crowd of 77,500, with students, alumni, faculty and visitors from across the Washington-Baltimore region participating in 415 events ranging from hula-hooping on the mall to touring an Air Force helicopter near Memorial Chapel. Many of this year’s events were tied to a “Discover What’s Next” theme and emphasized expanding academic programs and university initiatives. Several university partners, including the National Archives, the city of College Park, Prince George’s County and the Beltsville Agricultural Research Center, showed the crowd how research collaborations broaden the university’s influence in the state and beyond. NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center took part in Maryland Day for the first time, with a Mission Madness exhibit exploring what it takes to design, build and launch spacecraft that lead to exciting discoveries about Earth and the universe. Other highlights included a parade of 209 international flags at the Global Village; Robot Alley, examining robots past, present and future; a fresh look at the campus as an official arboretum and botanical garden; and, of course, basking in the sun on McKeldin Mall. —KM

TERP SPRING

2009

PHOTOS BY JOHN T. CONSOLI, LISA HELFERT AND ANNE MCDONOUGH

CREDIT

Spring09terp DEPTS:p1-15;29-32 5/29/09 12:02 PM Page 5

College-Career Training Program Turns 50

Thousands of Maryland fans flooded to McKeldin Mall on April 25, participating in Maryland Day events on video (below), in costumes and at hundreds of live demonstrations (above).

THE UNIVERSITY’S COLLEGE Student Personnel program, part of the No. 1-ranked Department of Counseling and Personnel Services in the College of Education, is marking its 50th anniversary and celebrating its commitment to student excellence. The College Student Personnel program prepares students for positions in student support around the country, including placement in academic advising centers, resident life offices and multicultural centers. “Our faculty and graduates are experts on how to maximize the college student’s experience,” says Susan R. Jones, associate professor and program director. Jones says that from the beginning, the program has been known for its research in college student development and, in particular, for its examination of underrepresented college student populations. Alumni include college presidents, deans, faculty and vice presidents for student affairs— “people making a difference both as leaders on campuses and through professional associations,” says Jones. The program offers master’s and doctoral degrees. Anniversary events included a symposium that explored the program’s history and future, and a dinner cruise on the Potomac in March that brought together more than 200 alumni, faculty and friends of Maryland. To view event photos and more information—or to make a donation to the program’s professional development fund—visit the 50th anniversary Web site at www.csp50.umd.edu/index2.htm. —KD

A High Note for A Cappella An article in the Winter 2009 issue (Everything Old Is New Again, Page 17) highlighting a cappella groups at the university inadvertently left out the Treblemakers, one of seven official a cappella groups active at Maryland. The all-female group—which boasts more than 100 alumnae— celebrated its 20th anniversary this spring. The Treblemakers have recorded live albums and performed at other universities and at Disney World. Terp apologizes for the omission.

TERP SPRING

2009

Spring09terp DEPTS:p1-15;29-32 5/29/09 12:03 PM Page 6

the Source

THE UNIVERSITY IS A LEADER IN PRESERVATION, PROTECTING ARCHITECTURE AND HERITAGE. TAP INTO OUR RESOURCES TO HELP SAVE YOUR MEMORIES, BETTER UNDERSTAND YOUR CULTURE OR SAVE A HISTORIC HOME IN YOUR COMMUNITY.

Link to the Past

Check It Out

H OT L I N E

Hornbake Library is home to the National Trust for Historic Preservation Library Collection, which includes the nation’s largest set of books and magazines devoted to the theory and practice of preservation. Reference specialists can help sort through images, including 18,500 postcards depicting buildings and sites from 1903 to 1914, obscure newsletters that may prove useful in restoring your old home, and organizational and personal papers from leading preservationists. Highlights include collections from Preservation Maryland, the state’s leading advocacy group, and Margot Gayle, champion of New York’s Victorian cast-iron buildings.

The Center for Heritage Resource Studies hosts lectures and conferences that help communities define and protect their unique pasts. Watch for events on campus or at outreach sites including Annapolis, Baltimore’s Hampden neighborhood or New Philadelphia in Illinois, the first town founded and registered by an African American in the antebellum United States. Maryland experts who have preserved such landmarks also connect you—via a thorough online directory—to preservation agencies and organizations that may help get your project off the ground.

Get Into the Field Treasure Language With the help of Maryland professors and students, the new National Museum of Language traces the way people preserve and share information. The Department of Anthropology’s Janet Chernela is a curator of the first exhibit, “Writing Language: Passing It On.” She and her students provided materials for the museum—located just south of the university on Route 1—highlighting Sumerian, Phoenician, Hebrew, Greek, Latin and Arabic languages. Maryland students also serve as docents and created online supplemental materials.

Permanent exhibits at Reynolds Tavern and the Governor Calvert House in Annapolis highlight nearly 30 years of archaeology work in the state capital by university researchers. A third Annapolis exhibit at the Jonas Green House and Print Shop is available for viewing by reservation. Elsewhere this fall, you can monitor a work in progress closer to College Park. A site curator will welcome volunteers to help dig or process artifacts from Riversdale Plantation, home of the university’s founder.

NATIONAL TRUST FOR

CENTER FOR HERITAGE

NATIONAL MUSEUM

REYNOLDS TAVERN

HISTORIC PRESERVATION

RESOURCE STUDIES

OF LANGUAGE

www.reynoldstavern.org

LIBRARY COLLECTION

www.heritage.umd.edu 301.405.0085

www.languagemuseum.org 301.864.7071

JONAS GREEN HOUSE

www.lib.umd.edu/NTL 301.405.6320

annecatharinehouse@verizon.net GOV. CALVERT HOUSE

www.historicinnsofannapolis.com RIVERSDALE PLANTATION

www.heritage.umd.edu

TERP SPRING

2009

PHOENICIAN AND FIELD PHOTOS BY JOHN T. CONSOLI

Spring09terp DEPTS:p1-15;29-32 5/29/09 12:03 PM Page 7

ask Anne Questions for Anne Turkos, university archivist for University Libraries, may be sent to terpmag@umd.edu.

In the original version of the “Maryland

Victory Song” by Thornton W. Allen, copyrighted in 1928 by the Student Assembly of Maryland, do the lyrics go: “We’ve got the steam boys, We’ve got the team boys” or “We’ve got the team boys, We’ve got the steam boys?” —Sammy Popat ’04 A. It’s “team” first, then “steam.” I always remember that it's the reverse of alphabetical order. The University Bands produced the first new songbook since 1941 and a companion CD this spring. If you would like to purchase a copy, please contact Director of Bands L. Richmond Sparks at 301.405.5542 or lrsparks@umd.edu.

Q. My great-uncle, Ralph Williams, was the president of the class that donated the original Testudo statue. I'm interested in perusing material specific to the planning and unveiling of the Testudo statue, as well as any general information available on Ralph's time as class president. —Cammie Backus A. I met your great-uncle on several occasions, and I always enjoyed the time I spent with him. He made a significant contribution to the university in many ways, as a student and an administrator. One of the photos that came immediately to mind when I saw your query is of your great-uncle, Maryland Vice President Harry Clifton Byrd, Maryland President Raymond Pearson and others at the dedication of the statue of Testudo, which is part of University AlbUM at http://hdl.handle.net/1903.1/2033. I have seen your great-uncle’s correspondence in various places in our administrative files. You may also find the yearbooks from his undergraduate days helpful. Materials from University Archives may be reviewed in the Maryland Room in Hornbake Library, Monday through Friday, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. We are open Wednesdays until 8 p.m., and Saturdays from noon to 5 p.m. during the academic year.

Q. Can you list the schools that have won a national championship in football and basketball? It is quite a select and limited group. —Burt Bondy ’67 A. Six schools, including

Maryland, have won national championships in football (right) and men’s basketball (left). The other five are Florida, Michigan, Michigan State, Ohio State and Syracuse, so the Terps are in some pretty select company. Maryland is the only school of the six to also win a national championship in women’s basketball during the NCAA era.

IMAGES COURTESY OF UNIVERSITY ARCHIVES

TERP SPRING

2009

Spring09terp DEPTS:p1-15;29-32 5/29/09 12:03 PM Page 8

alumniprofile

classact

Alumna Brings Community Service Home

An artist’s rendering (top) and an architectural drawing illustrate plans for Aunt Hattie’s third location. The two-story addition will house eight boys.

TERP SPRING

2009

UNCLE BOB WOULD be proud. After he made a living building houses, his niece now provides homes for local boys who need stability and direction. Hattie Washington Ed.D. ’87 founded Aunt Hattie’s Place 12 years ago after her efforts as a foster mom didn’t seem enough. Her “place” is really two—soon three—group homes where she and her dedicated staff help boys ages 12 to 19 become strong young men. She calls her organization a residential leadership training program rather than a foster home, and she emphasizes education as a means to personal improvement. “The goal is not to keep kids in a group home,” she explains. “It’s to get them back to their biological parents or to relatives or a good foster home. If a group home is the best placement—temporary or long-term—they then need to be in a home like Aunt Hattie’s Place.” Washington, a professor of special education at Coppin State University, uses a spacious house left to her by the late Robert “Uncle Bob” Hill as her home and headquarters. Washington says that Hill built more than 200 homes in and near Montgomery County. At the Sandy Spring, Md., house, Washington is renovating the home’s five-car garage and its attached wing into Aunt Hattie’s third location. Others are in the Forest Park area of Baltimore city and Randallstown.

Ray Meeker, the project’s manager from Dillon Development Partners, says that construction should be complete by this fall. The three and a half years that it’s taken to secure proper zoning permits, meet regulations and raise funds, he says, will be worth it. “These boys aren’t different. They’re just kids that want a good home,” Meeker says. “You have to think about this [long term]. It’s not just the eight boys that will live here at a time.” Most partners on the project work either free or at reduced rates. Washington’s also won over the local civic association, despite some initial neighborhood resistance. “I visited her other homes and talked with people in those neighborhoods,” says Carolyn Snowden, a 50-year resident of Sandy Spring and association president. “I knew it was needed here, anything that helps young people, especially males.” Nearly 100 boys have come through Aunt Hattie’s and benefited from its comprehensive services—and Washington’s high expectations. The boys are expected to do chores, excel in school and respect others. Cooks, counselors, program managers and live-in supervisors provide the boys with a caring environment that Washington says is key to their growth. So is love. Her “Super Kids,” as she affectionately calls the boys, are part of her family and were in both daughters’ weddings. “I tell my boys, ‘You’re smart, you’re great, you’re nice, you’re lovable,’ and they add, ‘And handsome.’ ” —MAB

PHOTOS COURTESY OF HATTIE WASHINGTON

Spring09terp DEPTS:p1-15;29-32 5/29/09 12:03 PM Page 9

alumniprofile

High Flying NASA MISSION SPECIALIST Richard Arnold II

M.S. ’92 has just about done it all on this Earth. An accomplished teacher, scientist, world traveler and aquanaut, he’s now seeking new challenges in space. Arnold was a crew member on space shuttle Discovery’s 14-day mission to the International Space Station in March. “I was very fortunate to be a part of the international team that is assembling this amazing complex in space,” says Arnold, who completed three space walks to help install solar panels and a truss element at the space station. “There is immense satisfaction to have played a small part in that. When you are on the International Space Station and have a few minutes to look out the window, you quickly realize that it is just a toehold on the edge of a limitless frontier.” Arnold grew up in Bowie, Md., and credits marine explorer Jacques Cousteau with sparking his interest in science. Arnold became a middle school science teacher, then went on to earn a master’s degree through Maryland’s marine estuarine environmental sciences program on the Eastern Shore. “It was the sense of purpose at the university, particularly at the Horn Point Environmental Lab, that instilled in me a desire to be a part of a strong team brought together to do complicated things,” Arnold says. Following graduation, Arnold taught math and science in Morocco, Saudi Arabia, Indonesia and Romania. In 2004, he became an astronaut and an aquanaut working on NASA’s Extreme Environment Mission Objectives project, or NEEMO, at the world’s only undersea laboratory. “Ricky was a fun, dedicated and interesting student who dove into the Chesapeake Bay both literally and intellectually,” says Professor Bill Dennison, Arnold’s graduate adviser. “I am not surprised that he has been selected to be one of the few individuals to conduct missions to space.” While on the STS-119 mission aboard Discovery, Arnold didn’t forget his Maryland pride. “We were tracking the Terps’ progress in the NCAAs as best we could while in orbit,” says Arnold, who circled Earth in a Maryland T-shirt and took along a small banner from the alumni association as well. —DO

PIMAGES COURTESY OF NASA

Astronaut Richard “Ricky” Arnold is the fourth Maryland alumnus to travel in space.

TERP SPRING

2009

Spring09terp DEPTS:p1-15;29-32 5/29/09 12:03 PM Page 12

m-file Engineer Reinvents the Heal THE SECRETS OF Jell-O may one day save your life.

The science behind the wondrous transformation of a liquid into a jiggly gel underlies the work that Srinivasa Raghavan, associate professor of chemical and biomolecular engineering, is doing with new materials that can treat wounds and deliver medications. Raghavan is behind “Nano-Velcro,” a patentpending material based on chitosan, a polymer derived from the shells of crabs, shrimp and other shellfish. The material stops bleeding from minor cuts to acute wounds. “By tweaking the chemistry of chitosan and attaching Velcro-like hooks, we can make it go from a material that weakly interacts with blood to one that coagulates blood,” explains Raghavan, director of the Complex Fluids and

Nanomaterials Group in the A. James Clark School of Engineering. Chitosan is commonly found in nutritional supplements and is believed to absorb fat. But Raghavan and colleagues working with viscoelastic substances that transform liquids into soft solids such as Jell-O found another use. Nano-Velcro could be used as a sponge bandage for profuse bleeding or as a spray that could substitute for stitches during minor surgical procedures. Unlike gauze, Nano-Velcro effectively stops bleeding and can be removed without peeling away the underlying skin. “When we work with new kinds of materials, we try to make them at low cost and in a simple manner,” says Raghavan, the Patrick and Marguerite Sung Professor of Chemical Engineering. “Quite

possibly people would consider our materials over alternatives for these reasons. And they work better.” Joseph Schork, chair of the chemical and biomolecular engineering department, says Raghavan has “developed quite a reputation in his field” in the seven years he has been at Maryland. The Sung Professorship, the first awarded in the department, provides added resources to support his work. “These types of gifts help us to retain and attract more top-notch faculty like Raghavan who will enable our department to move to the next level in the chemical engineering community,” says Schork. Raghavan works closely with doctoral student Matthew Dowling, who won the 2007

No Place Like Homes for Romanian Orphans EIGHT YEARS OF work by College of Education Professor Nathan Fox have led to dramatic changes in how Romania deals with orphaned infants and children, who were once routinely warehoused in institutions. Fox and colleagues from Harvard and Tulane universities created the “Bucharest Early Intervention Project” with a MacArthur Foundation Grant to follow a group of 136 children living in six different orphanages in the former communist nation. “They got adequate nutrition, clothing, a roof over their head,” Fox says. But there was little “nurturing or sensitive and responsive caregiving.” Large groups of infants lay in shared cribs, while young children aimlessly walked around. “We were struck by the significant deficits that the institutional children had across the board—in brain development, in social development and in cognitive or motivational development,” Fox says. Under communist dictator Nicolae Ceausescu, Romania pursued a plan to increase the nation's population. “The country was still very poor at the time,” explains Fox. “So there was a high rate of infant abandonment.” To take care of children that parents could not support, Ceausescu set up a

TERP SPRING

2009

RAGHAVAN PHOTOS BY JOHN T. CONSOLI; FOX PHOTO BY DAVID OTTALINI

Spring09terp DEPTS:p1-15;29-32 6/1/09 11:26 AM Page 13

University of Maryland $50K Business Plan Competition. Raghavan serves as advisor to Remedium Technologies Inc., a company Dowling and fellow students founded to market Nano-Velcro. The company is developing other applications for the modified chitosan, which include packaging it with proteins in a bandage that can be applied to minor cuts to expedite healing. This may be especially beneficial for diabetic patients whose wounds often take longer to heal. They expect to market the product in two years. “If every emergency medical unit is equipped with Nano-Velcro, it would be very satisfying to know that we’ve actually made an impact,” Raghavan says. —DCJ

Engineering Professor Srinivasa Raghavan (top left) oversees a team developing a Jello-like substance that stanches bleeding.

series of maternity hospitals and orphanages that remained after he was deposed. The post-communist Romanian government knew it needed to help these children by making changes in its child welfare system but needed proof a Western-style foster care program could make a difference. “Many children raised in orphanages in Romania are at dramatically increased risk for a number of social and behavioral abnormalities such as disturbances of attachment, inattention/hyperactivity, externalizing behavior problems, and a syndrome that mimics autism,” reports the Web site www.macbrain.org. Fox and colleagues created a solution that had never existed in Romania—a foster care system. Under their randomized clinical trial, half of the children between 6 months and 31 months old went into supervised foster care homes. The rest remained in orphanages. For comparison, the researchers also identified a third group of infants in normal home settings. After just four years, the results from the early intervention program were positive and dramatic. As a result, Romania set up its own foster care network to get the infants and young children out of institutions. Today, just 12 of the original 136 who started the study are still in Bucharest institutions. The rest are in foster care, back with their parents or have been adopted by relatives. Fox says the researchers hope to win another grant to follow these children into adolescence and extend their work into Russia and the Ukraine. They have concerns that children who suffered from deprivation while in institutions will not be able to do as well making friends or establishing healthy relationships with adolescents of the opposite sex. —DO

ILLUSTRATION BY JEANETTE J. NELSON

Scared into Action ARE AMERICANS NUMB to all of the dire news reports on challenges we face ⎯ food safety, natural disasters like Hurricane Katrina and the threat of terrorist attacks? Despite intense public relations campaigns, most Americans have yet to prepare for such crises, and each new disaster amplifies scrutiny of the government’s approach. A new study led by communication Professor Monique Mitchell Turner and her colleagues finds the best way to get the message across is by using scare tactics. Funded by a grant from the Time-sharing Experiments for the Social Sciences, part of the National Science Foundation, Turner and her team researched the intersection between emotion and risk to find out how to best appeal to the public when it comes to emergency preparedness. “It is critical for campaign message designers to understand how to communicate disaster preparedness messages that change attitudes and get people to take action,” says Turner, director of the Center for Risk Communication Research. During the study, 390 participants listened to radio public service announcements using various appeals. Fear-based messages warned that food and water would be scarce, phone and power lines down and ATMs unavailable during a disaster. Angry messages told listeners terrorists would compromise security, careless people would start wild fires and insurance companies would not help. Listeners judged their emotional reaction, risk perception, attitude and behavioral intention. Results from Turner’s research reveal that the fear appeals provoked the highest perceptions of risk, but overall, moderately intense emotional messages were the most effective in creating an impetus for preparedness behaviors. —MSE

TERP SPRING

2009

Spring09terp DEPTS:p1-15;29-32 5/29/09 12:03 PM Page 16

play-by-play Committed to the Cause WHEN ASKED TO describe his former quarterback, Jordan Steffy ’08, Coach Ralph Friedgen ’70, M.A. ’72 has one word: committed. As starting quarterback for the Maryland football team, he played through adversity and injury and earned an undergraduate degree. Now, at 23, he’s on his way toward a master’s degree from the real estate development program in the School of Architecture, Planning, and Preservation. But Steffy is just getting started. In 2004, he added foundation organizer to his résumé when he founded Children Deserve a Chance, a charity intended to aid in the financial, emotional and spiritual development of underprivileged and disabled youth. During Steffy’s senior year of high school in Pennsylvania, he organized a fundraiser to help pay for life-saving brain surgery for a classmate with epilepsy. “Seeing how people can team up for a cause—the unbelievable results that are created—was lifechanging for me,” explains Steffy. This experience set Steffy on the trajectory to establish his foundation in his hometown of Leola, Pa. According to Friedgen, Steffy is “one of the few kids who can look into the future and see what he wants.” Despite a strenuous training regimen and a full course load, Steffy remained dedicated to his foundation. While throwing for more than 900 passing yards during his college career, he spent the off seasons driving back and forth to Leola. As on the field, Steffy relied on teammates to keep the game going when he couldn’t be in town to lead the charity. “I’ve been blessed to have a team of dedicated volunteers who are willing to do whatever it takes to help this foundation achieve its goals,” he says. The foundation’s current fundraiser seeks $500,000 to build the first Children Deserve a Chance Developmental Center for Youth in Lancaster, Pa. After receiving his master’s, Steffy says he wants to spend a year and half overseeing the center’s development and construction. It will offer adolescents in a high-risk area—where they are surrounded by drugs and gangs and need positive role models—a haven after school. The center, Steffy says, will give them the opportunity to develop personal relationships with their peers as well as mentors and staff members. —MB

TERP SPRING

2009

Volunteers from the Children Deserve a Chance foundation deliver drinks and food to participants at a 2008 charity golf tournament (top). Founder Jordan Steffy interacts with patients during a visit to the National Children’s Hospital in Washington, D.C (middle and bottom).

PHOTOS COURTESY OF THE CHILDREN DESERVE A CHANCE FOUNDATION

Spring09terp DEPTS:p1-15;29-32 5/29/09 12:03 PM Page 17

spotlight

National Orchestral Institute Brings Sparkle and Substance to Maryland EIGHTEEN- TO 28-YEAR-OLD performers. A 19-city audition tour. A grueling selection process. No, it’s not “American Idol,” but the National Orchestral Institute, or NOI, at the University of Maryland School of Music. The program doesn’t take the musicians to Hollywood, but NOI’s consistently well-reviewed concerts—all open to the public and some free—demonstrate that it is turning out some of the orchestral world’s newest stars. From January through March, more than 600 young musicians applied to be a part of this summer’s four-week institute. Only 85 to 90 are chosen to attend the program, covering orchestral performance, chamber music and professional development. A high percentage of the participants are studying at top conservatories and universities. In fact, many Maryland School of Music students and alumni are participating in the program. The goal of NOI is to prepare musicians for a career in music, says Managing Director Richard Scerbo ’02, M.M. ’04. The program’s alumni have gone on to win positions in almost all the major U.S. symphony orchestras, including the Boston Symphony Orchestra, the Cleveland Orchestra and the New York Philharmonic. The program opens with a week of chamber music, a focus of the School of Music, and conductor-less chamber orchestras coached by notable players from the world of professional chamber music. “Great musicians must have superior command of their instruments, but they must also possess welltuned interpersonal communication skills. In the conductor-less chamber music performances, the onus of responsibility is on our NOI students,” says Scerbo, who

PHOTOS BY STAN BAROUH

studied bassoon and conducting with NOI Artistic Director James Ross at Maryland. New for 2009, the New Lights Inaugural Concert will challenge a select group of 2008 NOI alumni, who will lead chamber groups of current participants. One such leader is Marybeth Brown-Plambeck, a cellist who attends the Cleveland Institute of Music. The NOI alumna is honored to be granted the leadership opportunity, and is “especially looking forward to learning and sharing modern music.” The fresh sounds will feature music by living American composers including John Adams, Leon Kirchner and Christopher Rouse. “Participants come to perform the warhorses of music,” says Scerbo, “but we also want to challenge them to perform works of our time.” Weeks two through four consist of full orchestral programs, led by renowned conductors and coached by some of the country’s finest orchestral players, including 13 School of Music faculty members. Throughout the program, guest speakers address topics from the practical to the enlightening. NOI students bone up on injury prevention, instrument repair, audition strategies and career management. They also discuss the issue of period practice, where they learn from university musicology scholars what musicians would have encountered at the time a piece of music was composed. It all adds up to a program that grooms America’s next generation of orchestral professionals, and in doing so, these art-makers sprinkle an extra dose of stardust on the Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center and on the university. —RR

for more information on the noi, see maryland live or visit www.music.umd.edu/noi. for a calendar of noi concerts and ticket information, visit www.claricesmithcenter.umd.edu/ 2009/c/performances/calendar& month=6&year=2009.

TERP SPRING

2009

Start planning now. The alumni association presents activities for each member of the Maryland family all weekend long. On Friday, Golden Terps—alumni from the Class of 1959—will join the rank of Emeriti Terps at an induction ceremony and reception. On Saturday, bring the whole family to the Samuel Riggs IV Alumni Center for the annual Homecoming Festival, featuring food, fun and a variety of activities for the young and young at heart. Then, rally the Terrapin spirit with Maryland grads and friends before the Terps take on the Virginia Cavaliers.

OCTOBER 16-17

Save the Date: Homecoming and Reunion Weekend 2009

Come celebrate the Fourth of July with a fireworks display on the University of Maryland campus. Lot 1 Co-sponsored by the City of College Park

Independence Day Celebration

H JULY 4

ances and Web sites.

8:30 A.M.-12 P.M. FREE

Awards Ceremony Cole Field House

JUNE 18

8:30 A.M.-12:30 P.M. FREE

Senior performance and documentary finals Stamp Student Union

JUNE 17

5-10 P.M. FREE

Junior performance and documentary finals Stamp Student Union

JUNE 16

JUNE 15 5:30-8 P.M. FREE JUNE 16 7-9 P.M. FREE JUNE 17 9 A.M.-5 P.M. FREE

Exhibits: Public Viewing Grand Ballroom Stamp Student Union

JUNE 15-17

see amazing work: exhibits, documentaries, perform-

families and visitors, to join in the activities. Come by to

competitions will be on campus, along with teachers,

Boston College

NOVEMBER 28

Virginia Tech

NOVEMBER 14

Virginia (Homecoming)

OCTOBER 17

Clemson

OCTOBER 3

Rutgers

SEPTEMBER 26

Middle Tennessee State

SEPTEMBER 19

James Madison

SEPTEMBER 12

MARYLAND CHEERLEADERS BY LISA HELFERT

SPORTS TRAVEL INTERNATIONAL 888.785.7767, ext. 105, sportstravel@globetrottermgmt.com

NATIONAL HISTORY DAY CONTEST 301.314.9739, www.nationalhistoryday.org/NationalContest.htm

www.claricesmithcenter.umd.edu

CLARICE SMITH PERFORMING ARTS CENTER 301.405.ARTS (Ticket Office),

ATHLETICS 301.314.7070 (Ticket Office), http://umterps.cstv.com

ALUMNI ASSOCIATION 301.405.4678 or 800.336.8627, www.alumni.umd.edu

H OT L I N E

The Terps kick off the 2009 football season in style against the Golden Bears. Spend your Labor Day weekend on a Terrapin Club-sponsored trip to San Francisco with fellow alumni and Maryland fans, and join the alumni association for a pregame tailgate party.Also be sure to check out all the action at Chevy Chase Bank Field at Byrd Stadium this season—including four home games in a row. Cheer on the Terps while you connect with other alumni.

SEPTEMBER 5 | Maryland vs. California | Berkeley, Calif.

Fall Means Football

$40 NONMEMBERS

$30 ALUMNI ASSOCIATION MEMBERS

6-8 P.M.

Enjoy the beautiful cityscape of Manhattan along with cocktails, hors d'oeuvres and special alumni guests. Testudo will be there, too. Midtown Loft, Manhattan 267 Fifth Ave. New York City

schools in Europe. More than 2,000 students in grades 6-12 who have won local and state

Connect in the Big Apple

600,000 students from the United States, Guam, American Samoa and Department of Defense

JUNE 18

National History Day Contest events are the culmination of a yearlong program for more than

History in Action

JUNE 14-18

As you ease into the changing seasons, be sure to take advantage of the university’s many events. Late spring and summer feature music and history, while fall brings us seven home football games. Start making your plans.

OCTOBER 16-17

Save the Date: Homecoming and Reunion Weekend 2009

Come celebrate the Fourth of July with a fireworks display on the University of Maryland campus. Lot 1 Co-sponsored by the City of College Park

Independence Day Celebration

H JULY 4

ances and Web sites.

8:30 A.M.-12 P.M. FREE

Awards Ceremony Cole Field House

JUNE 18

8:30 A.M.-12:30 P.M. FREE

Senior performance and documentary finals Stamp Student Union

JUNE 17

5-10 P.M. FREE

Junior performance and documentary finals Stamp Student Union

JUNE 16

JUNE 15 5:30-8 P.M. FREE JUNE 16 7-9 P.M. FREE JUNE 17 9 A.M.-5 P.M. FREE

Exhibits: Public Viewing Grand Ballroom Stamp Student Union

JUNE 15-17

see amazing work: exhibits, documentaries, perform-

families and visitors, to join in the activities. Come by to

competitions will be on campus, along with teachers,

Boston College

NOVEMBER 28

Virginia Tech

NOVEMBER 14

Virginia (Homecoming)

OCTOBER 17

Clemson

OCTOBER 3

Rutgers

SEPTEMBER 26

Middle Tennessee State

SEPTEMBER 19

James Madison

SEPTEMBER 12

MARYLAND CHEERLEADERS BY LISA HELFERT

SPORTS TRAVEL INTERNATIONAL 888.785.7767, ext. 105, sportstravel@globetrottermgmt.com

NATIONAL HISTORY DAY CONTEST 301.314.9739, www.nationalhistoryday.org/NationalContest.htm

www.claricesmithcenter.umd.edu

CLARICE SMITH PERFORMING ARTS CENTER 301.405.ARTS (Ticket Office),

ATHLETICS 301.314.7070 (Ticket Office), http://umterps.cstv.com

ALUMNI ASSOCIATION 301.405.4678 or 800.336.8627, www.alumni.umd.edu

H OT L I N E

SEPTEMBER 5 | Maryland vs. California | Berkeley, Calif.

Fall Means Football

$40 NONMEMBERS

$30 ALUMNI ASSOCIATION MEMBERS

6-8 P.M.

Enjoy the beautiful cityscape of Manhattan along with cocktails, hors d'oeuvres and special alumni guests. Testudo will be there, too. Midtown Loft, Manhattan 267 Fifth Ave. New York City

schools in Europe. More than 2,000 students in grades 6-12 who have won local and state

Connect in the Big Apple

600,000 students from the United States, Guam, American Samoa and Department of Defense

JUNE 18

National History Day Contest events are the culmination of a yearlong program for more than

History in Action

JUNE 14-18

CHRIS DAY QUIETLY SEETHED AS HIS UNIVERSITY 101 CLASSMATES, ONE FRESHMAN AFTER ANOTHER, GAVE PRESENTATIONS ON THEMSELVES: THEIR OCEAN CITY VACATIONS, FAVORITE SOCCER MEMORIES AND BEDROOMS AT HOME. LIKE THEM, HE ALSO BROUGHT PHOTOGRAPHS TO SHARE.

FROM

ne was a shot of his Army unit’s primitive operating base plopped in the middle of the Afghan desert. Another showed a caravan of Humvees and tanks. The third vehicle ahead of his, he explained, was blown up a few hours later, killing the soldiers inside. Another showed Day in his armored truck, which one day later another soldier was driving when it struck an IED and killed that soldier and an officer. Day’s sweat was probably still on the seat, he later thought. “When I talked, you could hear a pin drop.That was my goal, to give them perspective,” Day, 23, says. “They complain about dorm rooms, and I was living in a tent with 10 other guys. I’m a lot more grateful for stuff these guys have no concept of.” After 27 months in the war zone, the sergeant returned to the U.S. in May, got out of the Army in July, and started his freshman year at Maryland in August. He describes himself as “isolated and overwhelmed.” Or: “the tall, redheaded guy who looks like he doesn’t fit in.” Reaching out to veterans like Day is one of the primary goals of a series of veterans’ initiatives launched at the

by Lauren Brown

TERP

spring 2009

Chris Day, above left, center, returns from Afghanistan with fellow platoon members last May. At Maryland, he says he often feels alone in the classroom.

PHOTO BY JOHN T. CONSOLI

TERP

spring 2009

university this academic year to support members of the military who are employed or enrolled here. The estimated 1,000 student veterans at Maryland can take advantage of a new Veterans Programs Office that advocates for them in dealing with admissions, the offices of the registrar, bursar, financial aid and residential life, and steers them to any counseling services they might need. A new Web site www.veterans. umd.edu is a one-stop shop for veterans, with information on university services, a calendar of events and discussion forums. The university has also established a campus veterans group, TerpVets, to connect veterans and nonveterans in a social atmosphere. Other services include a new policy allowing deployed students continued use of their university e-mail accounts and a series of V eterans Day events to recognize and applaud service members’ contributions. “We’re taking action to make them feel more supported and included,” says Warren Kelley, assistant vice president for student affairs, who is leading the new initiatives

with Marsha Guenzler-Stevens, director of activities. Both hope the initiatives address what he called “the hassle factor” of making the transition to a university, such as getting credit for academic training and paying tuition before GI Bill benefits kick in. They would like to see the initiatives become a national standard. “Without question, this is one of the more comprehensive models we’ve seen,” says Jim Selbe of the American Council of Education. He says that since the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, the nonprofit council has seen “an incredible acceleration” in the number of universities seeking to address veterans’ issues. More than 500,000 veterans

“A LOT OF PEOPLE WANT TO SEE ME SUCCEED.” – Army Sgt. Nathan Steelman, Criminal Justice and Criminology Major nationwide have received GI Bill benefits each of the last two years, and more than 2 million will be eligible for them once a new GI Bill goes into effect in August. Also known as the Post-9/11 Veterans Assistance Act of 2008, it will cover the cost of tuition of any public institution’s undergraduate program or will match the cost of attending a postsecondary private school. The act will also supply a monthly allowance for housing and a book stipend.

CHALLENGES AND CHANGES

Day, left, and Terp Vets President Laurissa Flowers join other members of the organization for a tailgate.

184

TERP TERP spring spring2009 2009

emotional problems, such as post-traumatic stress disorder, or PTSD. Such aggressive efforts to meet the financial and emotional needs of veterans are relatively new, even if having military members on campus isn’t. Back in the 1860s, the university’s earliest students, then called cadets, were trained as Army officers, wearing uniforms and practicing drills. Following World War II, the Air Force formed an ROTC unit at Maryland—replacing the Army ROTC unit here for 50 years—and the first GI Bill prompted enrollment and building booms. The Vietnam era, however, divided the university amid protests, violent confrontations between police and students and

xperts nationwide stress that veterans offer unique perspectives and diversity that enrich the academic and social aspects of universities, but they also present distinct challenges. They tend to be older, be married, have children and live off-campus. They may have sustained serious combat injuries or be suffering from

blockages of Route 1. Returning veterans struggled, recalls David R. Segal, distinguished scholar-teacher, professor of sociology and director of the Center for Research on Military Organization. “It took me a couple of years to realize veterans were showing up in my classes not only for academic reasons, but for therapeutic ones. There is no doubt that some of my students were suffering from PTSD,” Segal says. “Today, veterans still feel that they have had an experience that others don’t understand.” Recognition of this population’s needs, particularly as the country remains at war on two fronts, prompted the creation of a task force in spring 2007 to seek better ways to accommodate veterans in the university community. Member Sally Koblinsky, a family science professor who has since become assistant president of the university, organized several focus groups with veterans of Iraq and Afghanistan, and found that no one even knew how many veterans were on campus. Koblinsky and her colleagues surveyed 30 service members about their needs and campus experiences and issued a series of recommendations, most of which have been adopted, or will be. For one, the university will resume asking prospective students on the admissions form whether they are

Clockwise from top left: a guard tower Day and members of his unit built; Day presenting American-made scarves to local Afghans; his military base; a cuff honoring two of Day’s company members killed in action; and Kirby Bowling working with children in Iraq.

veterans. Other recommendations included re-evaluating residency and transfer credit policies, and identifying a place on campus where veteran students can meet, socialize and get support and mentoring from other vets.

VALUING VETS

ne of the biggest tasks for the Veterans Program Office is helping veterans get acclimated to college life. “That’s proven difficult,” says Kirby Bowling, a doctoral student in sociology who served six months in Iraq as an Air Force major. He and MBA graduate student Steve Olivera, a former naval flight officer, do much of the advocacy work in the office, including testifying last fall before state legislators about such challenges as helping military students who have been deployed overseas re-establish their Maryland residency and become eligible for in-state tuition. A military sociologist who has long pushed for increased programs and support for veterans, Bowling is pleased that the university’s Counseling Center, Center for Healthy Families, Health Center and other offices are working together to create a support network for veterans to specifically treat their individual or family needs–or refer them if they need further, specialized help.

Bowling, who has twice taught “The Sociology of Combat,” says veterans tend not to identify themselves as such in the classroom, and may recoil from insensitive or antiwar comments from peers, or even from professors who seem to ask their opinions as if the students represent the entire military’s standpoint. “We not only want to educate all the administrators, but also the faculty and staff about how to make (veterans) feel valuable, and do it in a way that makes them feel comfortable,” he says. That’s why Bowling was so enthusiastic about helping to organize 15 events during the week of Veterans Day, including recognition ceremonies at Memorial Chapel and at a football game, a field trip to Walter Reed Army Medical Center and two brown-bag lunches focusing on veterans’ issues. Terp Vets President Laurissa Flowers, a senior majoring in kinesiology, says

the university’s progress in reaching student veterans is “awesome.” Her group, which has more than 370 people on its listserv, has organized a monthly happy hour called Warriors Wednesday at a local bar, a bowling night at TerpZone, and the visit to hospitalized veterans. “The (national) VA system is like a black hole. It’s daunting to find information,” says Flowers, a former Army sergeant who focused on public health during a year in Baghdad. “Having the Veterans Program Office involved, and so many resources, when (a veteran) wants to talk, there’s help available all the time.” Army Sgt. Nathan Steelman, who came to the university from his post guarding a Baghdad prison, said university staff and administrators, particularly in the financial aid office, went out of their way to make sure he graduated this spring. “A lot of people want to see me succeed,” says Steelman, a criminal justice and criminology major. Chris Day says he’s found some support through the Veterans Program Office and Terp Vets, even as he continues to struggle with lecture-hall distractions and keeping a schedule without a military regimen: “It’s good to know there are people who are here who were there and understand what it’s like. But I still haven’t found anyone who’s had a trip like mine.” TERP

TERP

spring 2009

19 5

ALUMNI ASSOCIATION

AFFAIR TO REMEMBER BY REBECCA RUARK

TERP

spring 2009

PAST AWARDEES INCLUDE INAUGURAL GALA AWARD RECIPIENT PHILIP R. REVER ’64 WITH PRESENTER RENALDO NEHEMIAH ’81; TYSER GOTTWALS AWARD RECIPIENT MARILYN BERMAN POLLANS M.A. ’73, PH.D. ’79; AND OUTSTANDING YOUNG ALUMNUS KEVIN PLANK ’97 WITH UNIVERSITY PRESIDENT DAN MOTE.

ROBERT FISCHELL M.S. ’53, D.SC. (HON.) ’96, INVENTOR, ENGINEER AND THIS YEAR’S PRESIDENT’S DISTINGUISHED ALUMNUS AWARD WINNER, MAKES HIS ACCEPTANCE SPEECH.

3 BROTHERS D. HAROON MOKHTARZADA ’01 AND ZEKERIA MOKHTARZADA ’01, FOUNDERS OF WEBS.COM, SHARE THIS YEAR’S OUTSTANDING YOUNG ALUMNUS AWARD.

10 YEARS AND COUNTING

wardees and guests of the 10th annual University of Maryland Alumni Association Awards Gala cast off their blues—economic or otherwise—and raised the Terrapin spirit at a “Rhapsody in Red”-themed event. Gershwin music helped set the mood for the evening, when the alumni association honored seven recipients and individual colleges and school gave commendations to another 14 for demonstrating unparalleled excellence in their fields and devotion to their alma mater. Awardees, families and friends arrived dressed to the nines for the annual awards gala on April 18. The 21 award recipients, including academics and entrepreneurs, scientists and philanthropists, engineers and athletes, are a proud reflection of the leadership nurtured at Maryland. 4 Until 10 years ago, the university recognized its exceptional alumni in separate ceremonies, resulting in a series of small gatherings rather than one high-spirited and grand commemoration. In 2000, the alumni association began recognizing alumni at a signature event each spring. This April, both current and past award recipients—including former NASA administrator Michael Griffin Ph.D. ’77, Google founder Sergey Brin ’93, broadcast journalist Connie Chung ’69, and engineering trailblazer Marilyn Berman Pollans M.A. ’73, Ph.D. ’79—were celebrated in style. “It was a glamorous evening, like the Oscars for the Maryland family,” said Danita Nias, assistant vice president of alumni relations and development and co-master of ceremony. “Between the dinner and the awards, the gala feels like an exclusive event—but all can aspire to join the ranks of our honorees.” TERP

6 4

THE UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND CHAMBER SINGERS CAP OFF THE NIGHT BY INVITING THE MORE THAN 400 GUESTS TO JOIN THEM IN SINGING THE ALMA MATER.

MOTE PRESENTS THIS YEAR’S TYSER GOTTWALS AWARD FOR SERVICE TO THE UNIVERSITY TO ALMA GILDENHORN ‘53 PHILANTHROPIST AND CO-FOUNDER OF THE JOSEPH AND ALMA GILDENHORN INSTITUTE FOR ISRAEL STUDIES AT MARYLAND.

THIS YEAR’S A. JAMES CLARK SCHOOL OF ENGINEERING DISTINGUISHED ALUMNA, ANH DUONG ’82, DIRECTOR OF THE BORDERS AND MARITIME SECURITY DIVISION IN THE SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY DIRECTORATE OF THE DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY, TAKES THE STAGE.

TERPP TERP spring fall

2008 2009

21 3

MOTE AND THIS YEAR’S INTERNATIONAL ALUMNI AWARD WINNER AND TECHNOLOGY ADVISER TO THE PRESIDENT OF SOUTH KOREA CHAN-MO PARK M.S. ’64, PH.D. ’69 GIVE THE BLACK-TIE AFFAIR A “THUMB’S UP.”

A FESTIVE STAGE IS SET FOR THE 10TH ANNUAL AWARDS GALA IN THE SAMUEL RIGGS IV ALUMNI CENTER’S DOROTHY D. AND NICHOLAS OREM ALUMNI HALL.

PAST AWARDEES INCLUDE HUMANITARIAN AWARD RECIPIENT AVIS ROBINSON ’74; CLARICE AND ROBERT H. SMITH ’50, RECIPIENTS OF THE TYSER GOTTWALLS AWARD AND THE PRESIDENT’S DISTINGUISHED ALUMNUS AWARD, RESPECTIVELY; AND CONNIE CHUNG ’69, RECIPIENT OF THE DISTINGUISHED ALUMNUS AWARD FOR THE PHILIP MERRILL COLLEGE OF JOURNALISM.

GUESTS ARE GREETED WITH LIVE PIANO MUSIC AS THEY ENTER THE SAMUEL RIGGS IV ALUMNI CENTER FOR THE 10TH ANNUAL ALUMNI ASSOCIATION AWARDS GALA.

FORMER TERRAPIN FOOTBALL PLAYERS MADIEU WILLIAMS ’03, DISTINGUISHED ALUMNUS FOR THE SCHOOL OF PUBLIC HEALTH AND MINNESOTA VIKING, and JAIME FLORES ’94, RECIPIENT OF THE HUMANITARIAN AWARD AND SURGEON, SHARE MARYLAND MEMORIES AT THIS YEAR’S CEREMONY.

THIS YEAR’S AWARD RECIPIENTS ARE ACADEMICS, ENTREPRENEURS, SCIENTISTS, PHILANTHROPISTS, ENGINEERS AND ATHLETES.

22 4

TERP

fall 2008 spring 2009

BEHIND THE SCENES: View a short video commemorating the 10th annual Alumni Association Awards Gala and learn more about this year’s awardees at http://alumni.umd.edu/annual_awards/video.cfm. For more information, contact Cornelia Kennedy at ckennedy@umd.edu, 301.405.7118 or 2100 D Samuel Riggs IV Alumni Center, College Park, MD 20742-1421.

7 7

MOTE PRESENTS THIS YEAR’S HONORARY MEMBERSHIP AWARD TO NANCY KOPP, TREASURER FOR THE STATE OF MARYLAND.

PRESENTER, NUTRITION AUTHORITY AND AUTHOR JOY BAUER ’86 PRESENTS THIS YEAR’S DISTINGUISHED ALUMNUS AWARD FOR THE COLLEGE OF EDUCATION TO HOPE KRAMER ’83, CEO AND PRESIDENT OF BETA CENTER, A FLORIDA NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION.

PAST AWARDEES INCLUDE JODY BRECKENRIDGE M.P.P. ’91, OUTSTANDING ALUMNA FOR THE SCHOOL OF PUBLIC POLICY, ACCEPTING HER AWARD FROM MISS MARYLAND 2007, MICHAÉ HOLLOMAN ’03; JEONG H. KIM PH.D. ’91, RECIPIENT OF THE PRESIDENT’S DISTINGUISHED ALUMNUS AWARD; AND JOHN (JACK) ’47 AND JACQUELINE ’49 HEISE, RECIPIENTS OF THE SPRIT OF MARYLAND AWARD, WITH DANITA NIAS ’81 OF THE ALUMNI ASSOCIATION (CENTER).

TERP

spring 2009

“Keep Me Maryland” Heard Across the Country

Maryland is Golfing Maryland alumni on the Eastern Shore can now support their alma mater with a swing of a golf club. Allen & Rocks Inc., former owner of the Easton Club in Talbot County, has donated the championship 18-hole course to the university, allowing proceeds from memberships and greens fees to directly benefit Maryland. Robert D. Rauch ’73, a civil engineer who designed the facility and was a business partner in the Easton Club, played a key role in the transfer of the $5 million, 180-acre golf complex to the university. It includes a 10,000-square-foot clubhouse and a 5,000-square-foot pavilion overlooking the Tred Avon River, all amid a $1 BILLION community of 300 houses and about 200 town homes. 900 M “I can’t imagine having a better neighbor and busi800 M ness interest in our community than the University of 700 M Maryland,” Rauch says. “Any time you can bring an 600 M entity with that presence, those resources and vision 500 M into a community, it’s just an exciting partnership.” 400 M Given the significant number of Maryland alumni 300 M living on the Eastern Shore, Rauch notes, “it will be a 200 M great venue for alumni activities, retreats, conferences 100 M and promotional activities.” Jeff Maynor agrees. Director of the University of Maryland Golf Course for the past 11 years, he is also managing the Easton Club. “We get caught up in the busy pace of the campus and I think there’s a different feeling there. And it gives us a fantastic opportunity to connect with the Eastern Shore alumni on their own turf,” he says. College Park and Easton Club golfers will have dual memberships with access to either facility. “With this reciprocal relationship, we’re hoping to see a lot more memberships being used in both places,” says Maynor. —DCJ

To see more campaign news or make a gift, visit www.greatexpectations.umd.edu.

TERP

spring 2009

HEN THERE IS plenty of economic distress to go around, it might seem a bit easier to bear if you can help someone who is hurting even more than yourself. That’s what alumni and friends weathering the recession are finding as they respond to the Keep Me Maryland initiative. Support of the fundraising effort, launched in March, provides emergency financial aid for students struggling to stay in school. A growing number of Maryland families are struck by unemployment, lost homes and depleted savings. One Terp parent saw his salary cut by $50,000; another was laid off from an automaker after 15 years; and another found a new job after a layoff but took a $32,000 pay cut. Many students are considering putting their education on hold.

Maryland is determined to avert that decision. “These are tough times for nearly everyone, but for some members of the Maryland community, the situation is critical, threatening the futures of our students,” says Brodie Remington, vice president for university relations. “When the Maryland family bands together, our collective support can add up to a big difference.” The university has intensified the scholarship fundraising efforts already under way as part of Great Expectations, The Campaign for Maryland with a new focus on the immediate needs of current and incoming students across all income levels. All contributions to the Keep Me Maryland Fund go directly to support student aid, meeting a need that is expected to continue to grow with the recession. This year, the need for more aid dollars is especially critical because investment returns on

Keep Me Maryland

many endowed scholarships are insufficient to make an award to students. New scholarship contributions to these funds for immediate use can help support students until the investments recover. Erin Callaway ’05, one of the first to respond to the fundraising appeal, says she recalls what it was like to struggle to pay for her education. “As a student at Maryland, I worked two part-time jobs while also maintaining a heavy course load. It would have been a great comfort to know that if I needed assistance, it was available,” says Callaway. “The Keep Me Maryland initiative provides this security, and any little bit that I can contribute to help current students is an investment that I will never regret.” You can learn more about Keep Me Maryland and how you can help online at www. keepmemaryland. umd.edu. —CR

Make your mark on Maryland cheer join share volunteer give

Grammy Winner Donates Works to Maryland And the Grammy for best compilation soundtrack goes to … “Juno!”With those words

in February, Barry Louis Polisar ’77 became a Grammy Award-winning songwriter. “All I Want Is You,” a playful love song written in 1977 as filler on his second children’s album, was featured in the opening credits of the popular movie about an offbeat teenager facing an unexpected pregnancy. Polisar’s original recording is the first song on the soundtrack. “This is extremely rewarding,” says Polisar, known to teachers and librarians across the country for his ability to excite children with his humorous, insightful music and books. “It brings a degree of mainstream recognition that had been missing in my career. Now, everyone knows this song, even if they don’t know who wrote it.” Polisar renewed his connection with Maryland last year when contacted by a student from the university’s fundraising call center, Tell-a-Terp. He later offered to donate selected music and books from his extensive works to the university’s Center for Young Children. “Some of our teachers had Polisar’s recordings as children and are delighted to have this collection to share with students today,” says Francine Favretto, center director. Many children also met Polisar in the 1990s through his Emmy Award-winning children’s program, “Field Trip,” which aired nationally on network television and public broadcasting stations. It was later syndicated on cable networks in the U.S. and overseas. Copies of Polisar’s videos have come to Maryland’s National Public Broadcasting Archives in Hornbake Library. “This is a great addition to our collection,” says Acting Curator Karen King. “Children’s broadcasts are a strong part of our archive, and to have award-winning works produced by an alumnus is something special.” —CR

photo by john t. consoli

TERP

spring 2009

Spring09terp DEPTS:p1-15;29-32 5/29/09 12:03 PM Page 36

Interpretations A Commitment to Student Support MARYLAND STUDENTS WHO have yet

to enter the job market are already feeling the strain of the national recession. Some of their parents are out of work and others are fighting to keep their homes. For some students, putting their education aside seems like their only option. The goal of our new Keep Me Maryland campaign is to ensure that a Maryland education remains accessible and affordable. This effort is the latest example of our long-standing commitment to financial aid, a commitment that promises qualified students are not turned away because of financial limitations. We cannot allow the economy to derail our students. As the state’s flagship institution, we provide a top-quality education to all qualified Maryland residents, and keeping that education affordable is a primary objective of our 10year strategic plan. About two-thirds of our students qualify for and receive aid each year, and their average need for Fall 2008 was $15,500. During the last fiscal year, the university’s Office of Financial Aid awarded $32.5 million in aid, including $10.7 million in need-based grants. Many more students qualify for additional dollars from state, federal and private programs. Students also work at more than 12,000 jobs on campus. We make every effort to support students coming from a broad range of socioeconomic backgrounds by combining need-based aid with innovative scholarship programs. Maryland Pathways, one of the first initiatives of its kind in the nation, makes good on the university's promise to assist deserving students with the highest need, combining grants and work-study to reduce, or in some cases eliminate, their debt at graduation. The Pathways program awarded $3.2 million to about 1,000 students last year. 26

TERP SPRING

2009

Meanwhile, our Terp Payment Plan allows families to spread out their tuition payments—an option that is becoming increasingly popular. We have also created flexible payment plans and provided loans and grants to keep students at Maryland. Still, many families with payments due are struggling to meet their obligations. In a typical year the university spends about $500,000 to meet student appeals for additional financial aid. This year, we more than doubled that to $1.2 million. And now we need to do more. Payouts from our endowed scholarship funds are down following the financial markets, and our financial aid office reports the number of returning and new students appealing for additional aid is still on the rise. By Feb. 15, appeals requesting more aid for the 20092010 academic year were up more than 35 percent over the same time last year. In some cases, modest support from the new Keep Me Maryland Fund will help students see their way through. For example:

800

finances student health services for a semester

1,000

finances textbooks for a year

4,000

finances in-state tuition for a semester

It is important to recognize that financial aid does more than simply keep students in school during times of crisis. With less debt, graduates can consider furthering their education or taking jobs—such as teaching—that may not be high-paying, but benefit us all. Families across all economic strata have been affected by the recession and will continue to face tightened credit markets and diminished market-based college savings funds. New appeals for help continue to come into our financial aid office every day. Our students are appealing for assistance to stay at Maryland, with the refrain, “Keep Me Maryland.” I thank you in advance for your support. For more information or to make a gift to the Keep Me Maryland campaign, please visit www.keepmemaryland.umd.edu. —Dan Mote, President

PHOTO BY JEREMY GREEN