UMUC Achiever Magazine, Summer 2008 by University of Maryland Global Campus

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SUMMER 2008

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Dear Friend: In February 2008, I was honored to preside at a black-tie gala celebrating UMUC’s 60th anniversary. It offered a unique opportunity to pause for a moment and reflect on what this university, its staff and faculty, and—most of all—its alumni and students have accomplished, and continue to accomplish, day after day. From its modest beginnings to its current status as the second-largest university in Maryland, UMUC stands as a monument to individuals who thrive on challenge, who find opportunity in adversity, who step forward when others step back. Given that focus, I’m particularly proud to introduce this issue of Achiever. In it, you’ll find the stories of several remarkable people who haven’t hesitated to take on a challenge. You’ll meet Mark Banash— a chemist with a PhD from Princeton University and an MBA from UMUC—whose job it is to help a small company in Concord, New Hampshire, grow to fit its promise as an industry leader in the exciting field of nanotechnology. You’ll meet renowned collage artist Annie King Phillips, who—at the age of 89, after first leaving her mark in the fields of education and healthcare—is now at the peak of what might be considered her third career.

President

Susan C. Aldridge, PhD Vice President of Marketing and Communications

James Hambright director of public relations

Chip Cassano Art Director and Photo Editor

Cynthia Friedman Contributing Writer

Allan Zackowitz Production Manager

Bill Voltaggio The Achiever is published three times a year by Marketing and Communications at University of Maryland University College, Adelphi, Maryland. Call 240-582-2509 with your comments and suggestions, or send e-mail to ccassano@umuc.edu. University of Maryland University College subscribes to a policy of equal education and employment opportunities.

You’ll meet Eric O’Leary, who—at 27 years of age—has already served his country with distinction in the U.S. Army and now seeks to continue that service back home in Butte, Montana, as chief executive of Silver Bow county. That’s in addition to our usual compilation of news about UMUC. In the past few months, the university played host to General Colin L. Powell (U.S. Army, Ret.), former U.S. Secretary of State, and His Excellency Antonio de Aguiar Patriota, Brazilian Ambassador to the United States, and also established exciting new agreements with the Baltimore City Police Department, in leadership management, and Frostburg State University, in criminal justice.

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It’s all in this issue of Achiever. I hope you enjoy it, and I hope you find yourself inspired, as I was, by these stories of courage and confidence—and more eager than ever to take on the challenges that life has in store for each of us in the months and years ahead. Sincerely,

Susan C. Aldridge, PhD President University of Maryland University College

Total Energy: 11,000,000 BTUs Purchased energy: 4,000,000 BTUs GreenHouse Gases: 1,745 lbs CO2 Wastewater: 5,719 Gallons Solid waste: 946 lbs The summer 2008 Achiever text pages are printed on forest-friendly Centura Matt Text and Centura Matt Cover FSC paper. Environmental impact estimates were made using the Environmental Defense Paper Calculator.

10 CONTENTS

Cover Story

6 Making the Possible Profitable

COVER PHOTOGRAPH AND CENTER, THIS PAGE, BRYCE VICKMARK, TOP RIGHT: MARK FINKENSTADT, BOTTOM RIGHT: JEREMY LURGIO

by Chip Cassano

Thanks to years of experience and an MBA from UMUC, Mark A. Banash may soon help make carbon nanotubes part of your everyday life.

New s a n d U p d a t e s

Features

2 Colin Powell Joins UMUC’s 60th Anniversary Celebration

10 A Beautiful Life by Allan Zackowitz

2 UMUC Partners with Baltimore City Police Department 3 UMUC Hosts 2008 Women’s Career Development Conference 3 UMUC Realigns Criminal Justice Program in Hagerstown 4 UMUC Welcomes Brazilian Ambassador

Acclaimed collage artist Annie King Phillips takes all life has to offer—and makes of it something beautiful.

16 The Candidate by Allan Zackowitz Eric O’Leary has a bold vision for his hometown of Butte, Montana, in Silver Bow county.

4 New Leaders at UMUC 20 Class Notes and Faculty Kudos

www.umuc.edu | | Achiever

News and Updates

Colin Powell Joins UMUC’s 60th anniversary Celebration

was assigned or went where UMUC did not have a presence,” said Powell. “You were out there taking care of our troops, giving them the opportunity to continue their education even while they served their nation in the most danBy UMUC P u blic R ela t i ons gerous of places on earth.” He added, “As a soldier, as a diplomat, I want to . . . give you my heartfelt thanks for what you have done for the people I love so dearly: the armed forces of the United States.” The gala raised more than $285,000 for UMUC, including more than $135,000 earmarked for scholarships, and easily surpassed the university’s $250,000 fundraising goal. The newly established UMUC Anniversary Scholarship Fund Gen. Colin L. Powell University of Maryland will award scholar(U.S. Army, Ret.) University College ships to students (UMUC) welcomed in Maryland and General Colin L. Powell across the country based on (U.S. Army, Ret.), as the academic performance and keynote speaker at a special financial need. black-tie gala February 9, “Throughout the past 60 2008, celebrating the universiyears, the community has th ty’s 60 anniversary. The gala been a major contributor drew a sold-out audience to the growth and developto the university’s Inn and ment of our university,” said Conference Center Ballroom Aldridge. “The money donatin Adelphi, Maryland. ed to the UMUC Anniversary UMUC President Susan C. Scholarship Fund far exceedAldridge joined generous ed our expectations and will donors and other university undoubtedly assist us in supporters alongside the forcontinuing to grow and honor mer U.S. Secretary of State, our commitment to student who spoke about his personal success and program accesexperience with UMUC. sibility around the globe.” “In my 40 years of public For more about the service, both in the military 60th anniversary gala, visit and as Secretary of State, www.umuc.edu/60years. there was never any place I

Achiever | | University of Maryland University College

UMUC Partners with Baltimore City Police Department B y U M U C P u b l i c R e l a t i o ns

The Baltimore City Police Department and UMUC announced a groundbreaking leadership development program at a kickoff ceremony March 24, 2008, at the university’s Dorsey Station location in Elkridge, Maryland. The 28-week course in leadership development, with special criminal justice elements, is tailored to meet the unique challenges and needs facing the department. Twenty-five officers—ranging from sergeants to deputy majors— are participating in the first installment of the program, which began March 31. “UMUC is thrilled to partner with the Baltimore City Police Department to help further the education of its officers and to help address the challenges they face on duty,” said UMUC President Susan C. Aldridge. “We are excited to see this program come to fruition and hope

to create similar programs with other law enforcement departments nationwide.” Aldridge joined Baltimore City Police Commissioner Frederick H. Bealefeld III and the 25 inaugural program participants for a kickoff event at Dorsey Station, where on-site classes will be held. Bealefeld approached UMUC about creating a leadership development program tailored to elevate the skills of officers and offer them new strategies for fighting crime proactively. “As Commissioner of the Baltimore City Police Department, I am committed to improving the leadership skills of our officers as part of our effort to reduce crime in Baltimore. UMUC was the obvious choice because of its exceptional criminal justice program,” said Bealefeld. “I am excited about the prospects of this program and hope to create an ongoing partnership with UMUC to provide significant educational benefits to our officers.” “Strong partnerships are critical to improving public safety and our police department,” said Baltimore Mayor Sheila Dixon. “I am excited to

see the Baltimore City Police Department and UMUC working together to give police officers an opportunity to sharpen their leadership and law enforcement skills. This program will benefit our officers and our city.” Students enrolled in the program will take four sevenweek, 4-credit courses—taught by experts in the field—and will earn a certificate in Criminal Justice Leadership. The credits they earn can later be applied toward an undergraduate degree. The courses include “Leadership and Time Management,” “Organizational Problem Solving,” “Strategic Planning for Managers,” and “Management Efficiency and Effectiveness.” UMUC is currently in talks with several other metropolitan police departments interested in developing similar leadership programs tailored for their cities.

UMUC Hosts 2008 Women’s Career Development Conference By UM UC P ub lic R elatio ns

(Left to right) Deborah A. Owens, deputy commissioner, and Frederick Bealefeld III, commissioner, both of the Baltimore City Police Department; Susan C. Aldridge, UMUC president; William W. Sondervan, collegiate professor and director of criminal justice and investigative forensics; and John “Jack” Taylor, instructor and member of the Criminal Justice Advisory Board.

UMUC hosted the 2008 Women’s Career Development Conference on March 29, 2008, in the university’s Inn and Conference Center in Adelphi, Maryland. Cosponsored by Alumni Relations, Career Services, the School of Undergraduate Studies, and UMUC’s Women in Business certificate program, the event sold out early, drawing more than 180 women interested in networking, advancing their careers, and learning tips and tricks to succeed

UMUC Realigns Criminal Justice Program in Hagerstown By UMU C Pub li c Relatio ns

Sharon Pinder (above) addresses a sold-out audience at the Women’s Career Development Conference. Clarissa Peterson (left) presents the keynote address.

in today’s workplace. Clarissa Peterson, a 1987 UMUC graduate who is now Chief People Officer (US) of DLA Piper Gray Cary—the second-largest law firm in the world—offered the keynote address. She was joined by UMUC President Susan C. Aldridge, who welcomed this year’s participants, and another UMUC graduate and now faculty member, Sharon Pinder—president and CEO of the Pinder Group, formerly Special Secretary of the Governor’s Office of Minority Affairs—who served as the moderator. A distinguished panel of guests, all graduates of UMUC, spoke about the opportunities and challenges that today’s competitive workplace presents to women worldwide. The panel included Wendy Adams, a career life coach and author of CoachCompass (iUniverse, 2005); Peggy Magee, clerk of the Circuit Court for Prince George’s County, Maryland;

Sadhu Rajput, of the World Bank; and Debra Young, assistant division chief for the U.S. Census Bureau. Nat Alston, a 1977 graduate of UMUC and the president and founder of The Horizons Group, LLC, offered a male perspective on career advancement. In 1998 Alston, along with 12 other senior human resources executives, founded the National Association of African Americans in Human Resources, and in 2001 he served as the association’s national president. He also serves as chair of the Governor’s Advisory Committee on Offender Employment Coordination and as a member of the executive board of UMUC’s Alumni Association. UMUC’s Women in Business certificate program is especially designed to prepare women for supervisory, midlevel, and senior management positions in a range of organizational settings, and the university’s Career Services office provides support and resources to its talented and diverse body of students and alumni, helping them reach their career-related goals and aspirations.

UMUC has partnered with Frostburg State University (FSU) to realign their curriculur offerings in law-related studies, with a focus on criminal justice, at the University System of Maryland at Hagerstown location starting in the fall of 2008. As part of the effort, FSU will phase out its related Bachelor of Technical and Professional Studies degree in criminal justice at Hagerstown, and UMUC will add its Bachelor of Science degree in criminal justice to

the list of programs it already offers at that location. UMUC’s criminal justice program focuses on educating students about the principles of crime and justice, trends in crime and criminal conduct and methods of prevention, along with basic skills, methods, and procedures of the criminal justice system. FSU’s degree in criminal justice will continue to be available on the Frostburg campus.

www.umuc.edu | | Achiever

News and Updates

“We are excited about making our criminal justice degree program accessible to students in Hagerstown, in order to better serve the educational needs of students in the region while optimizing the use of resources at both UMUC and Frostburg State University,” said UMUC President Susan C. Aldridge. “We have worked extensively with Frostburg State University to ensure a smooth and seamless transition for all current and future students.” Students from Frederick Community College (FCC) and Hagerstown Community College (HCC) who are currently working toward this degree at Hagerstown were informed of the transition and have the option of completing the program through either FSU or UMUC. UMUC staff members have worked to ensure that each student has the support and services needed to make a seamless transition to the new program.

UMUC Welcomes Brazilian Ambassador

International Management (IMAN) chapter of the Alumni Association. Patriota offered a broad but detailed summary of the challenges and opportunities—both political and economic—facing this largest and most populous of South American countries. Saddled in the recent past with a military dictatorship and what Patriota characterized as “galloping inflation,” Brazil now boasts one of the world’s most dynamic economies and stands as an

Spellings. “Ambassador Patriota enjoys an enviable perspective on a country that is positioned to lead in Latin America and the world for years to come, and we are delighted that he has agreed to share his insight as part of our Meet the Ambassador series.” Following his presentation, Patriota fielded questions from the audience, touching on subjects ranging from tensions between Colombia and Ecuador to the recent discovery of oil

In recent months, UMUC has welcomed several new leaders to positions in academic and administrative leadership.

His Excellency Antonio de Aguiar Patriota, Brazilian ambassador to the United States, visited UMUC March 4, 2008.

James E. Sherwood, PhD, provost and chief academic officer, is a graduate of Harvard University’s Institute for the Management of Lifelong Education. He has served as director of the Department of Distance Education and later associate dean of Continuing Studies at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln. At the University of California, Berkeley, he served as dean of University Extension and then as special academic advisor to the executive vice chancellor and provost. Sherwood has chaired the Council on Extension, Continuing Education, and Public Service of the National Association of State Universities and Land-Grant Colleges and served on the Board of Directors and the Executive Board of the University Continuing Education Association. He received the John L. Christopher Leadership Award and the Nofflet Williams Telecommunications Leadership Award.

acknowledged leader in the field of renewable energy, generating more than 40 percent of its power from renewable resources. “It is an honor and privilege to welcome Ambassador Patriota to UMUC,” said President Susan C. Aldridge, who visited Brazil in August 2007 as part of a higher education delegation to Latin America led by U.S. Secretary of Education Margaret

Gregory von Lehmen, PhD, senior vice provost, joined UMUC as area director for Japan in August 2001, where he also taught government and politics in Tokyo. He went on to serve as senior associate dean in the School of Undergraduate Studies at Adelphi starting in 2005. Prior to joining UMUC, he worked for Troy University in its offcampus programs statside and abroad. Von Lehmen holds a PhD in political science and an MPA from the

By UMUC P ub lic Rela t i ons

UMUC welcomed His Excellency Antonio de Aguiar Patriota, Brazilian ambassador to the United States, to the university’s Adelphi, Maryland, headquarters for a special presentation March 4, 2008—the latest in the university’s popular “Meet the Ambassador” series, sponsored by the Graduate School of Management and Technology, Diversity Initiatives, and the Master of

new leaders at umuc

Achiever | | University of Maryland University College

reserves off Brazil’s coast and the country’s efforts to combat climate change. Patriota and Aldridge were joined by honored guests from the Brazilian embassy and the UMUC community, including artist Patricia Secco, a native of Brazil, whose recent exhibit, “Brasil Abstrato,” celebrating her home country, was on display in the Arts Program Gallery in UMUC’s Inn and Conference Center.

James E. Sherwood, PhD Gregory von Lehmen, PhD Marie A. Cini, PhD

University of Georgia. He earned his BS in economics from Northern Kentucky University. Marie A. Cini, PhD, vice provost and dean, School of Undergraduate Studies, began her 20-year career in higher education teaching adult students. Most recently, she served as associate vice president for Academic Affairs and interim dean of the School of Management at City University of Seattle. During her tenure there, she reorganized and led the school’s e-campus initiative, established common

Michael S. Frank, PhD

curriculum standards, and enhanced the Prior Learning Assessment Program. She holds a master’s degree and a PhD in social psychology from the University of Pittsburgh, as well as a master’s degree in counselor education from Pennsylvania State University. Michael S. Frank, PhD, vice provost and dean, Graduate School of Management and Technology, held executivelevel positions in the private and public sectors before joining UMUC. As an executive vice president for a large Maryland financial institution,

Nadine M. Porter, JD

he drafted strategic and business plans, oversaw reorganizations and staffing, and controlled approximately $1 billion in assets. Prior to that, he was human resource director of one of Maryland’s largest jurisdictions, directing all human resource and collective bargaining activities for more than 4,000 employees. He has received numerous official commendations and awards, including UMUC’s Drazek Award. Nadine M. Porter, JD, vice president of human resources, began her career as Equal

Employment Opportunity director and interim associate executive director of human resources at Metropolitan Hospital Center in New York. From there she took a post as a human resources generalist at the University of Pennsylvania Health System, where she was most recently promoted to chief human resources officer in corporate services. She taught at the graduate level at St. Joseph’s University in Philadelphia. Her areas of expertise include change management, executive support, process design, and project management. She has a BS from Cornell University in industrial and labor relations and a JD from the State University of New York at Buffalo.

Creative. Caring. Committed. Join a faculty committed to helping students succeed.

As a University of Maryland University College (UMUC) faculty member, you’ll help prepare mature, motivated students to become tomorrow’s leaders. Teaching at UMUC has a variety of benefits, including

• Part-time positions in accounting, finance, international business, project management, and many other disciplines • A teaching career that fits into your professional life

To learn more and apply, visit umuc.edu/facultyrecruit

• State-of-the-art instructional technologies • Comprehensive training and support EOE/F/MC/V. Women and minority applicants are strongly encouraged to apply.

www.umuc.edu | 5 | Achiever

Making the

Possible Profitable B y C h i p C a s s ano Thanks to years of experience and an MBA from UMUC, Mark A. Banash may soon help make carbon nanotubes part of your everyday life.

Achiever | | University of Maryland University College

www.umuc.edu | | Achiever

“

As you might imagine, we already have some very interested companies in the aerospace industry, but that’s just the begin-

ning. Our chief technology officer thinks we’ve just scratched the surface when it comes to all of the possible applications.”

Nanotubes A carbon nanotube is formed of a network of perfectly interlocking carbon molecules. The structure is one of the strongest on earth— 40 to 80 times lighter than metal with a tensile strength 100 times greater than steel.

Achiever | | University of Maryland University College

very day, it seems, the worlds of science and science fiction draw closer together. We can buy a car that parks itself, clothing with solar panels to power our iPods, or a computer “keyboard” composed of laser beams. But for every innovation that makes its way into our daily lives, a dozen others vanish into the daunting divide between the research laboratory and the assembly line, between the realm of the possible and the realm of the profitable. Enter Mark A. Banash. With a PhD in physical chemistry from Princeton University and an MBA from UMUC, Banash knows both sides of that divide. And, as vice president of engineering for Nanocomp Technologies, Inc., his job now is to help bridge that divide for a company that’s poised to move to the forefront of one of the 21st century’s most exciting industries. A carbon nanotube is a tiny tube of perfectly interlocking carbon molecules, tens of thousands of times thinner than a human hair. Currently, Nanocomp can make a nanotube that’s about one millimeter long, or roughly as long as a dime is thick. So what, you ask? Well, to start, that’s about 1,000 times longer than other manufacturers can produce. And those perfectly interlocked molecules mean that a carbon nanotube is one of the strongest structures on earth—40 to 80 times lighter than metal and with tensile strength 100 times greater than steel. Bind those tiny tubes together, and you have enormously strong, lightweight fibers—and, soon enough, you’ll have the attention of everyone from sportswear manufacturers to the U.S. military. “We just issued a press release announcing that we can produce a three-by-six-foot sheet of material that’s made out of pure carbon nanotube,” said Banash. “No one else in the world can do that. Most companies will sell you a thimble-full of the material for research, but we can sell you an entire sheet that’s incredibly strong and that conducts electricity and heat very efficiently. As you might imagine, we already have some very interested companies in the aerospace industry, but that’s just the beginning. Our chief technology officer thinks we’ve just scratched the surface when it comes to all of the possible applications.” But before you can expect to buy your first pair of indestructible nanotube trousers, there’s the small matter of cost. Currently, the market price for single-wall carbon nanotubes is at least $2,000 per ounce. That’s a bargain compared to five years ago, when prices ran 10 times higher. But it’s still a long way from

While many manufacturers can only produce small amounts of pure carbon nanotube at prohibitive prices, Nanocomp recently announced that it can produce a three-by-six-foot sheet of the material. Mark Banash relishes the challenge of helping the company increase production capacity while dramatically reducing price.

competing with an exotic material like Kevlar, which is used to make bulletproof vests and sells for as little as $5 per ounce. “So we’re talking about reducing the price by a factor of several hundred,” said Banash, “and that won’t happen overnight. But I’m proud to say—and this isn’t just my opinion; it’s the opinion of others in the industry—that Nanocomp is probably the most advanced manufacturer of these materials in the world. We’re going to do very well, but fortunately or unfortunately, it’s just going to take a lot of good, hard work.” As it happens, much of that work is going to end up on Banash’s plate, because Nanocomp isn’t a big factory—yet. “That’s why Nanocomp hired me,” said Banash. “They said, ‘We’ve got expansion plans over the next five years. If we’re going to build an enormous plant to produce an advanced, state-of-theart material, and it is your job’—this is where everyone on the Board of Directors turns and points to me—‘and you’re now an officer of the company, and we know where you live, and there’s no way you can escape . . . how will you do it?’” Fortunately, Banash knows. As director of production and quality of nanomaterials for Zyvex Corp., one of the world’s first nanotechnology companies, Banash managed the company’s manufacturing operations, including the design and construction of its pilot plants. As a senior scientist at Millennium Chemicals, he worked on product development and manufacturing, helping to incorporate the company’s pigment products into different polymer matrices. And, for the past several years, he has served as an adjunct professor in UMUC’s MBA program, teaching AMBA 604 Technology and Operations Management.

“I’ll admit that one of the reasons I agreed to teach AMBA 604 was because I wanted to absolutely learn it,” said Banash. “and there’s no better way to do that than to teach it to someone else. And it’s worth learning well. Operations management isn’t particularly popular in business, but it has to be done right if the business is going to succeed.” Soon, Banash’s increasing workload will probably mean that he’ll have to take a sabbatical from teaching, at least at UMUC. On the job, though, his role as a teacher and manager will only become more vital. “In some of my earlier jobs, I worked on projects that never got developed,” said Banash. “It wasn’t because people were making bad or capricious decisions about their value, it was because I wasn’t getting enough information about what those projects meant to the business. I would attack something from a technical standpoint and I’d make it work, but I wouldn’t make it work in a way that was cost effective or made fiscal sense. “After that happened a few times, I started to understand why. That’s one reason I was willing to transition into a job with more management responsibilities. Sometimes there’s a huge disconnect between what comes out of the R&D lab and what a customer wants, or between what the sales team promises and what the factory can produce. “I live in that space. I often describe myself as the bass player in a band, because I have to keep everyone in harmony and keep them functioning as a group.” P __________________________________________________ For more about Mark A. Banash and Nanocomp Technologies, Inc., visit www.nanocomptech.com.

www.umuc.edu | | Achiever

B eautiful L ife Acclaimed collage artist Annie King Phillips takes everything life has to offer—and makes of it something beautiful.

nnie King Phillips’s business card identifies her as a collage artist, and it’s true that, for the past 14 years, she has been creating beautiful, award-winning collages. In fact, her latest and largest exhibit went on long-term display in March 2008 in the hallways of the Student and Faculty Services Center at UMUC headquarters in Adelphi, Maryland. With a practiced eye, Phillips chooses paper or fabric with the colors, patterns, and images she needs, scissors them into shape, then glues them down just so. Individually, they look like so many scraps, but taken together, dozens upon dozens of pieces come together in patterns that make artistic sense and communicate Phillips’s unique message.

Achiever | 10 | University of Maryland University College

By Allan Zackowitz

www.umuc.edu | 11 | Achiever

Annie King Phillips uses her keen eye for color and composition to assemble award-winning collages.

Achiever | 12 | University of Maryland University College

As a counselor at the Parkview model school for the District, Phillips proposed the idea of school breakfast and lunch programs— a plan that was eventually adopted nationwide.

“The day of graduation, I started work for the 1940 Census instead of going to the ceremony,” Phillips said. “But my mother went to accept my degree in my place, and she was just as proud as if she had earned it herself.” After her temporary job with the Census ended, Phillips went on to earn a master’s degree from New York University, then returned to Washington, D.C., to start her first career—in education—in the public school system. She worked as an elementary school teacher and counselor from 1942 until 1970, serving students who were mostly disadvantaged African American children from the most impoverished areas of the inner city. Phillips began developing groundbreaking strategies to counter the challenges that faced her students—poverty, unstable family lives, and lack of medical care. She changed the standard curriculum and created programs that involved parents and helped them understand the resources available for improving family life for their children. She counseled other teachers and staff on how to foster healthy physical, emotional, and social development in students. She conducted remedial programs to help students perform at grade level and organized The Saturday School to provide skill improvement sessions for student and their parents together. She made expert crisis intervention available for family members who were experiencing problems.

One of her most successful strategies was also one of the simplest. As a counselor at the Parkview model school for the District, Phillips proposed the idea of school breakfast and lunch programs—a plan that was eventually adopted nationwide. “A child can’t study if his stomach is empty,” she said matter-offactly. When she learned that some teachers discriminated against poor students, sending them to the principal’s office for improper dress when they came to school without socks, she began keeping a box of socks in the closet. Her innovative and direct approach to challenges didn’t please all administrators. “Some don’t appreciate you rocking the boat, if you know what I mean,” Phillips said with a conspiratorial smile. She was even fired once, although that decision was quickly reversed by school officials who recognized the value of her ideas and ideals.

But calling her a collage artist barely hints at all that Annie King Phillips, at age 89, has accomplished. Her entire life is reminiscent of one of her own collages, with the many pieces joined just so to tell a story of service and caring that stands as one beautiful and inspiring work of art. Phillips was born in 1920 in Washington, D.C., where she has spent most of her life and where she grew up with her two sisters and one brother. Phillips’ grandmother was a slave, and her mother cleaned and washed in other people’s homes. But her mother was never too busy to make sure that her four children got the most out of their educations in the Washington public school system. “My mother only had a third-grade education,” Phillips recalled, “but every night when we did our homework, she would study with us. She always said she was going to school, too. She taught us the value of work, the value of education, and [the importance of putting] the two together.” Her focus paid off. Phillips graduated from the District’s Dunbar High School and went on to earn a teaching degree with honors from Miner Teachers College, one of two fouryear public teachers colleges—“one for colored girls, one for white girls,” as Phillips put it—that later united to form the District of Columbia Teachers College after segregation ended in 1955.

“

Beginnings

fter 27 years in education, Phillips decided it was time for something new. She resigned from the public school system in 1970 and launched her second career—this one in health care. She went to work as director of education and training for the Upper Cardozo Community Health Center in Washington. There, she helped lead a group of doctors, nurses, and other health care professionals working to develop an alternative delivery system for comprehensive health care. The center launched programs that trained paraprofessionals to provide medical care to the indigent and offered unemployed neighborhood residents an opportunity to study for a GED and work at entry-level jobs at the center. Four years later, Phillips became director of education and training for the National Association of Community Health Centers (NACHC). Here again she led an effort to develop a training program that would bring family health workers to remote rural areas of America. “I worked out in the Appalachian corridor for a while, teaching nurse practitioners and midwives to provide services in areas where there weren’t any doctors,” she said. During her years with NACHC, she collaborated with the University of Michigan School of Public Health to develop an on-the-job, on-campus project that allowed students to earn a Master of Public Health degree while working full-time. (Phillips completed the program herself, earning her second master’s degree.) She went on to work with the Public Interest Satellite Corporation, the National Institute of Education, and the Univer-

By Annie King Phillips

Annie Johnson, Annie King Phillips’s grandmother, was enslaved on the Echols Plantation in Georgia. Phillips memorialized her in this poem.

She glanced up in the evening sky . . . There! in the distance, the star. It was time. Quickly, out past quarters, down through the tangled bushes, barefoot on the muddy path she ran with sure steps. Soon, the view: a silhouette, on the horse, a proud rider– brave Seminole– waited in anticipation. Quietly, no words spoken, just precious moments– moments of sharing sweet, wild berries, cool, clear water cupped in his hand– She touched freedom Returning to hidden spots along the river’s edge, night . . . after . . . night the rider and the slave woman lived months of moments: he, loving her daring, she, learning freedom in a strange world. Suddenly, danger, lurking in nearby shadows . . . freedom beaten . . . she, beaten to the ground . . . dragged, by a shameless oppressor. Then, standing naked, Sold! Leaving on the wagon, in the trail of tears– tears of a half-breed girl, tears of a lonely horseman– she and the earth cried and mourned freedom.

www.umuc.edu | 13 | Achiever

“

I use the events of my life and the things I remember as my inspiration. I take both the good and the painful and try to make something beautiful out of it.”

The artist tells the story of her art . . .

YES-MA’AM GIRL (Right) In the downtown area around Dupont Circle in northwest Washington, D.C., were several magnificent mansions, private clubs for “gentlemen” living in or visiting the city. From the time I was four years old, I cannot remember a time when my mother did not work outside our home, cooking, doing other people’s laundry, or working as a waitress at the Cairo Hotel or at one of the private clubs. I understood all of her jobs except the latter. I asked, “What do you do in that place?” Her answer was, “I take the ladies’ coats, and say ‘Yes-Ma’am’ when they ask me for something.” It was my task to wash, starch, and iron (with special care) the little white cap and apron she wore over the black uniform to set her apart from the cleaning women.

CIRCUS TIME (Right) As a child growing up in Washington, D.C., everyone became very excited when the circus came to town. The circus grounds were located at Oklahoma and Benning Road, N.E. For me, that was the edge of town as I knew it. It was not until after I was grown and married with two small daughters that I saw the “Greatest Show on Earth.” In the collage, you will see only what was on the outside of the big tent. This was the circus with all its excitement for me!

SHADES OF BLUE (Opposite page, top left) This was the first collage I made, just using bits and pieces of paper, all one color, but different in shades and textures. With no formal art education outside of lifelong weekly trips to local and national galleries and art museums, I studied, learned, and developed an appreciation for the great works of fine art by the masters. Unconsciously, I began to express what was in my mind’s eye. As a young adult in a segregated society, I began my study of fine arts in galleries, because art galleries were open to the public, not segregated. Over the decades, I have extended my self-teaching at various galleries in cities such as New York, Chicago, Phoenix, and San Diego. As an adult with a vivid imagination and a keen sense of color and composition, I have found my voice to tell a story rooted in the 20th century.

sity of Cincinnati to help establish communication links between health workers in remote rural areas and distant hospitals. She served as an advisor to NASA on the application of satellite technology for the education of health workers, and she worked as project director during the United Nations World Conference for Women, helping the U.S. Department of State set up the first interactive global link between women at the conference in Copenhagen and American women at six Public Broadcasting System sites around the country. “The U.N. conference link allowed women from all over the world to exchange information on health, education, and income generation,” Phillips said. “It’s through meetings like this that we can adapt to changing needs. And attention has to be paid to how we treat one another so we can all survive.” In 1978, Phillips went back to work for the government of the District of Columbia as an administrator and public health analyst for the Office of Health Care Financing. Once again she

Achiever | 14 | University of Maryland University College

BUS STOP (Left) Travel for me as a young mother was a long and tiring bus ride over a bumpy country road. The trains did not stop at the small towns, or there was only one train per day, so the trip to take our baby to see Grandma was an ordeal I will always remember. To add to the stress, there was only one taxi available; and, of course, my husband was standing in the road to be sure we were in that cab. FLOWERS (Right) To grow up in Washington, D.C., was to grow up in a city with a beautiful mix of concrete and flowers. All the parks had flowers scattered about; every front or back yard had a patch of pretty flowers. On the window ledge in the apartment where I lived for the first 20 years of my life, from spring through fall, there was a pot filled with blooms. I felt proud whenever a neighbor walked by and looked up with admiration. That spot of beauty helped us to forget that we were poor. I never knew the names of those flowers that grew and bloomed. So the flowers in my collage have no name!

focused on improving access to health care for the city’s poor and uninsured residents and monitoring the performance of the services and facilities providing health care to all District residents. In 1986, after eight more years of serving and protecting the public’s interests, Phillips retired from her second career.

ut Phillips wasn’t much suited to sitting home in a rocking chair. She chaired a legislative committee, advised on distance learning, and trained volunteers for the American Association of Retired Persons. She served on the Council for

Court Excellence in the District of Columbia, helping make legislative changes, improve the probate process, and reform the jury system. She also wrote a nationally recognized article on jury decision-making and was invited to serve as a panelist at the nation’s first Jury Summit, joining more than 400 noted judges, jurists, and attorneys. Then, at age 75, recovering from a bout of illness and pain, Phillips started creating collages to help herself feel better; it worked, and today she credits art with helping her feel “young at heart.” In the process, Phillips had launched her third career, and, as usual, she didn’t go into it halfway. In the ensuing 14 years, she has completed dozens of individual pieces of art, from miniatures to large multipanel works. She’s entered competitions and won countless awards, along with critical acclaim. She even conducts workshops on collage-making as therapy at senior centers and women’s homeless shelters.

Her works have been shown at cultural centers, churches, schools, and government buildings throughout the metropolitan Washington, D.C., area. For subject matter, Phillips has turned to common themes from her African American and Native American heritage. Her vivid scenes reflect the days of slavery, as well as hazy memories of growing up on city streets and among a large, loving family. Her children are represented in her works alongside long-lost relatives, cultural icons, and others that Phillips has admired or drawn upon for inspiration. “I never considered myself an artist,” Phillips said, when discussing her work, “but when others saw what I do with bits and pieces of paper, they told me I was an artist. So I acted accordingly. . . . I use the events of my life and the things I remember as my inspiration. I take both the good and the painful and try to make something beautiful out of it.” P www.umuc.edu | 15 | Achiever

The Candidate In this year filled with political promises, UMUC has played a small part in the campaign of a promising young politician.

By Al l a n Za c k o w i tz

Achiever | 16 | University of Maryland University College

Eric O’Leary believes that each person can make a difference in the world. So he’s running for elected office to start making a difference in his own hometown. O’Leary—a 2007 graduate of UMUC Europe—announced his candidacy in January 2008 for chief executive of Butte–Silver Bow, a post that heads up the commission governing the city of Butte and the surrounding county of Silver Bow, Montana. And although some might think that O’Leary, at 27 years of age, is too young to be running for office, his youthful face hides a wealth of experience and bold ideas that some think give him the edge he needs to win—and the qualifications to run this consolidated city and county, which covers 718 square miles in the southwestern part of the state. Eric John O’Leary is no newcomer to Montana. He was born and raised in Butte, and it was there that he learned his core beliefs and strong sense of values as part of a large extended family with roots that go back many generations. While he admits that he has “always had in interest in politics,” he probably wouldn’t have chosen it as a career path growing up. In fact, soon after he graduated from Butte High School in 1998, he joined the U.S. Army and received his military occupation specialty (MOS) training as an information technology specialist. He excelled in the field, earning honor graduate awards from his advanced training and leadership schools. www.umuc.edu | 17 | Achiever

“

My platform is based on my belief that people generally want to help others in the community who need assistance.”

As part of a 12-person rapid-deployment team responsible for setting up state-of-theart top-secret communications equipment at U.S. installations, O’Leary got to see a lot of the world for very short periods of time. During his seven years in the Army, he completed assignments in South Korea, Germany, Hungary, Bosnia, Turkey, Poland, Kuwait, and Iraq, earning 17 Army Commendation and Achievement medals along the way. He was named Soldier of the Year by the Army Signal Command at Fort Huachuca, Arizona, in 2000, and Noncommissioned Officer of the Year by the 5th Signal Command in Mannheim, Germany, in 2002. But it wasn’t his IT training that influenced his career choice. According to O’Leary’s campaign Web site, it was the frustration he sometimes felt with Army policies that affected his life and the lives of the soldiers he was leading in Iraq in support of Operation

Eric O’Leary is no newcomer to Butte or Silver Bow County, and he is eager to share his vision for the area— a vision he started to refine in a UMUC communications class.

Achiever | 18 | University of Maryland University College

Iraqi Freedom. It “made [me] realize,” he wrote, “that in order to implement great change, [I] would have to get out of the Army to tackle the issues” over which O’Leary had no control as a soldier, but about which he cared passionately. And it was this realization that brought him to UMUC. O’Leary learned about UMUC Europe from on-base promotions. He began taking courses during his last few months on active duty. “UMUC is the biggest and most well known [program] over there,” said O’Leary. “I took my first course in Hungary along with a pal, just because he was taking it.” But O’Leary soon got serious about pursuing a degree. After his discharge in the spring of 2005, he decided to remain in Germany where his wife was working as a civilian employee of the U.S. Department of Defense. They both liked the culture and people of Germany, and O’Leary continued to take courses—mostly in the evenings and on weekends—while working as a stay-at-home dad during the day, caring

for his young son while his wife was at work. In 2007, O’Leary graduated cum laude from UMUC Europe, earning both a bachelor’s degree in political science and an associate’s degree in German studies in just 28 months. “I did a lot of driving to different bases in order to take as many courses as I could,” O’Leary said. “I even took a few upper-level courses online toward the end to finish up. I wanted to get my degrees as soon as possible.” His hard work paid off, and after graduation O’Leary was chosen for an internship with the U.S. State Department. He spent the fall of 2007 working in the public diplomacy section of the U.S. Consulate General in Leipzig, Germany. He traveled extensively throughout the consulate’s district in what used to be East Germany, meeting with groups of German students and teachers, leading discussion groups, and developing presentations for the “Meet US” intercultural program, which aims to foster German–American understanding and improve relations between the two countries. O’Leary’s experiences as a representative of the consulate in Germany, discussing American foreign and domestic policy, helped reinforce his conviction that he wanted to do more than talk about the world’s problems; he wanted to help solve them. And his UMUC teachers helped encourage his dreams. “All the UMUC faculty members were great,” said O’Leary, “but one political science professor in particular—who had realworld experience in government—along with a couple of German studies teachers, really supported my learning and my interest in politics,” O’Leary said. “I’ve stayed close friends with them and they’ve been valuable advisors to my campaign.”

hen his State Department internship ended in November 2007, O’Leary decided it was time to pack up his family, head for home, and put his convictions to the test. Although he had been away from Butte for almost 10 years, he knew that was where he

belonged, and shortly after he arrived home he filed the papers necessary to run for chief executive. At the same time, he published a campaign platform that outlined his vision for a better Butte–Silver Bow. And here again he got a little help from UMUC. “I originally developed many of the ideas that appear in my platform for a UMUC communications class in 2006,” O’Leary admitted. “It was my final project, and I even submitted it to the current chief executive of Butte–Silver Bow back then, but I don’t think he ever read it. When I started working on my campaign, about 75 percent of the platform was already done, and now I can try to implement the ideas myself.” That platform takes a decidedly global view of four main policy areas: the environment, education, the economy, and health care. Some of the proposals may seem far-reaching for a county-level election, but O’Leary is confident that people will be open minded and receptive to new ideas that promise to improve the community. Thus far, feedback from citizens has been mostly positive. There are controversial aspects of the platform, but O’Leary is forthright in defending them. “My platform is based on my belief that people generally want to help others in the community who need assistance,” said O’Leary. “We can’t sit back and wait for state or national action on the problems that affect us. And we don’t want to wait until a crisis before we act. We can start improving our community and achieving better outcomes right now with our own policies. My platform is about hope, about the future, about ideas.” If his election bid fails, though, O’Leary is ready for that, too. “I’ve been thinking about going on to graduate school and earning a master’s degree in political science or international relations,” he said. But for now O’Leary is focused on winning the primary in June, then the general election in November. It’s the perfect attitude for a would-be chief executive of Butte, Montana, which calls itself the “Can Do City.” At press time there were three candidates running for the chief executive position. A June 3 primary will determine which two will run in the November 4 general election, and the winner of the general election will take office in January 2009. P __________________________________________________ For more about Eric O’Leary and his campaign for chief executive of Butte–Silver Bow, visit his Web site at www.forabetterbutte.com.

www.umuc.edu | 19 | Achiever

CLASS NOTES

UMUC Graduate Named UCEA 2008 Outstanding Non-Traditional Student By UMUC P ub lic Re l a t i ons

Kulsum “Kay” Malik, a 2007 UMUC graduate, received the prestigious Outstanding Non-Traditional Student Award from the University Continuing Education Association (UCEA) at the organization’s 93rd National Conference, March 29, 2008, in New Orleans, Louisiana. Malik was chosen based on her outstanding academic achievements and many extracurricular activities while attending UMUC. During her time at the university, Malik was involved in many of the Kulsum “Kay” Malik university’s programs, serving as student coordinator for the online English major club, organizer and contributor to the poetry reading series, and contributor to UMUC’s literary magazine. Most recently, she was a member of the student panel at UMUC’s annual writing conference. “UMUC is thrilled to have one of its students recognized for achieving academic excellence while being so actively involved in the university community and activities,” said UMUC President Susan C. Aldridge. “UMUC is dedicated to providing quality higher education and programs for students of all ages and backgrounds who wish to further develop their skills in and outside of the classroom.” The UCEA Outstanding Non-Traditional Student Award recognizes students over the age of 25 for exceptional personal accomplishments in the quest for excellence in education. Earlier, Malik received the 2007 UCEA award for Excellence as Outstanding Continuing Student of the Mid-Atlantic Region, which honors institutional excellence, individual achievement, and contributions to the association and the field of continuing higher education. While attending UMUC, Malik maintained a 4.0 grade point average despite challenging personal circumstances, and made the National Dean’s List for five consecutive years. Along the way, she earned a number of scholarships, including the Montgomery County Public Schools Retiree Teachers’ Scholarship, the Montgomery College Women’s Studies Scholarship, the UMUC Community College Transfer Scholarship, the UMUC President’s Scholarship, and the University System of Maryland Women’s Studies Scholarship. UCEA works to increase access for nontraditional students through a wide array of programs and services. UCEA also provides national leadership in support of policies that advance workforce and professional development. Since its inception, the association has been committed to making higher education available to everyone and to ensuring that programs and services address societal needs and economic trends.

Achiever | 20 | University of Maryland University College

1970s

Richard F. Blewitt ’73

Middleburg, Virginia, has joined W2 Group, a next-generation marketing services ecosysem, as a senior advisor, where he will focus on supporting the growth of Racepoint Group’s World 2.0 global reputation practice, which works with corporations, countries, and nongovernmental organizations to establish online and offline dialogues and communities to promote agendas. (Racepoint Group is a global public relations agency with special expertise in digital media relations.) Blewitt founded and led Rowan & Blewitt Inc., a premier issues and crisis management firm that advised many of the world’s leading corporation, including 30 of the Fortune 100 companies. The firm worked with Exxon after the Valdez oil spill; supported American Airlines after the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks; assisted Household Finance during the subprime lending controversy; and counseled Ford Motor Company during its issues with Firestone Tires. In 2005, he formed The Blewitt Foundation, which supports severely injured military servicemembers and their families by offering programs that provide special comfort, enjoyment, and enrichment opportunities, with a special focus on children. Blewitt is a member and past chair of the UMUC Board of Visitors and the Board of Governors of the Josephson Institute of Ethics. He was named UMUC Alumnus of the Year in 1998.

1980s

Wesley Paulson ’85 & ’92

Silver Spring, Maryland, accepted a position in February 2007 as chief financial officer for the General Board of Church and Society of the United Methodist Church. The General Board is the church-wide, international agency focused on social justice issues for the denomination; it is headquartered in the United Methodist Building on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C.

1990s

Alan Ingram ’91

Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, is chief accountability officer for Oklahoma City Public Schools,

where he previously served as director of federal programs, acting director of Title I, executive administrator for GEAR UP, and assistant director of magnet and specialty schools. He also served for two years as an undergraduate admissions counselor at Oklahoma City University. In addition to a bachelor’s degree from UMUC, Ingram holds an AA from City Colleges of Chicago, an MA from Webster University, and an EdD from the University of Oklahoma. He served for 22 years in the U.S. Air Force before retiring as a chief master sergeant. He was a 2007 fellow at The Broad Academy, which trains military and business leaders to lead urban school districts, and his doctoral dissertation was a case study of No Child Left Behind in Oklahoma City Public Schools. He stresses that student achievement is the barometer by which to measure success, and he serves on the board of the Oklahoma City Youth Leadership Exchange.

Stephen Provencal ’92 Galveston, Texas, retired in April 2008 from the U.S. Department of State following 30 years of service in information technology management at embassies and consulates in Europe, Africa, and the Middle East. He has been married for 25 years to Maria Petringa, who recently published her first book, Brazza, A Life for Africa. Together, they are looking forward to retirement in Galveston and Paris, France.

Frank Blackley ’95 Wilmington, North Carolina, assistant chief in the Wilmington Fire Department, was appointed by a unanimous vote of the city council to serve as interim head of the department after the chief of the department retired. Blackley joined the department in 1999 after previously working for Wrightsville Beach Fire Department and New Hanover County Fire Services. In addition to his bachelor’s degree from UMUC, Blackley holds an associate’s degree in fire science from Guilford Technical Community College. He is president of the North Carolina Fire Marshal’s Association.

They’ve become our heroes. Now you can become theirs. Your donation to UMUC’s Scholarships for America’s Heroes makes the difference.

Give back to those who have already given so much. Your generous support of the Scholarships for America’s Heroes program will fund • Various scholarships for servicemembers and their families • Military students’ textbook purchases • Scholarships for veterans and their dependents through the Military Veterans Endowed Scholarship Fund and more Three easy ways to make a tax-deductible contribution 1. Visit umuc.edu/heroes 2. Call 240-684-5100 3. Return the enclosed reply envelope Make checks payable to “The UMUC Foundation.”

www.umuc.edu | 21 | Achiever

CLASS NOTES Faculty Kudos

prepare your organization’s future leaders today.

The National Leadership Institute (NLI) offers a variety of programs that make it easy to strengthen the performance of your employees. Develop truly effective, cutting-edge leadership skills in your managers and executives by choosing from the following: • Leadership Development Program June 9–13, July 14–18, August 11–15, September 8–12, October 20–24

• Foundations of Leadership

June 25–27, September 24–26, November 19–21

• Negotiating Conflict Program

June 18–20, September 22–24, December 15–17

• Executive Coaching

Sessions scheduled at your convenience

NLI is a part of University of Maryland University College and a network associate of the Center for Creative Leadership. Find out how we can make your best employees even better.

Call 877-999-7195 or visit umuc.edu/nli

Achiever | 22 | University of Maryland University College

2000s

April Woodard ’05

Lacey, Washington, is currently enrolled in a Master of Social Work program at the University of Washington–Tacoma. She was recently accepted into a Child Welfare and Training Advancement Program (CWTAP), which pays her tuition and includes a two-year contract to work for Washington State as a child welfare social worker upon graduation. She wrote, “I never realized how important the writing and research I completed at UMUC was—until now. The essays that I wrote to gain acceptance into my graduate program and the CWTAP program had to be competitive, and I thank UMUC teachers for helping me learn the skills I needed to write topnotch essays!”

Paola J. Canales ’07 Gaithersburg, Maryland, received a prestigious scholarship from the Young Americas Business Trust (YABT)—part of the Organization of American States—to attend a workshop entitled “Entrepreneurship for Youth: A Tool for Poverty Alleviation.” The month-long workshop was hosted by the Golda Meir Center in Israel. Canales was the only American invited to attend the workshop—sponsored by Paola J. Canales

Jim Chen, program director for information technology in UMUC’s Graduate School of Management and Technology and architect of the university’s information assurance program, received a 2008 University System of Maryland (USM) Regents’ Faculty Award for teaching excellence. It is the second consecutive year that UMUC has won one of the coveted awards; last year, James Howard, who teaches finance, won for mentoring. Linda Perry, an ethnobotanist who teaches in UMUC’s School of Undergraduate Studies,

Israel—and one of only 28 individuals worldwide chosen to participate. “UMUC is a very globally focused school, so I felt very comfortable working with students from different countries on a variety of projects,” said Canales. “My experiences at UMUC really prepared me to engage with my classmates, share my previous experiences, and learn from theirs.” Canales, who spoke no English when she immigrated to the United States in 1990, graduated from UMUC in 2007 with a bachelor’s degree in communication studies. She was nominated by a UMUC professor and chosen to attend the workshop based on her commitment to creating opportunities in impoverished nations through her work with multifaceted youth development programs at the Riecken Foundation, a nonprofit organization that helps establish community libraries with free Internet in isolated regions of Honduras and Guatemala. As a program assistant at the foundation, Canales is responsible for communicating regularly with staff members in Antigua, Guatemala, and Tegucigalpa, Honduras, on expense accounting, budget monitoring, and a changing array of administrative tasks.

recently won a funding award from the National Geographic Society to study the relationship between intensive agriculture and social complexity in the foothills of the Andes to the east of Lake Maracaibo. Perry was also invited to participate in an expedition to Cairo and Hierakonpolis in Egypt, funded by the National Science Foundation. Elizabeth “Beth” Hawthorne, who teaches in the information systems management program in UMUC’s School of Undergraduate Studies, was appointed chair of the Association for Computing Machinery’s Two-Year College Education Committee. She is only the second woman in 30 years to chair the committee. Her first column appeared in the December 2007 issue of Inroads, published by ACM’s Special Interest Group for Computer Science Education (SIGCSE). The committee is currently working on a project focused on information security curriculum.

“UMUC is thrilled that Paola was selected among a highly competitive pool of individuals to attend this prestigious workshop,” said Dr. Robert Bromber, academic director for African American studies at UMUC. “There is no question the commitment of the Young Americas Business Trust, the Golda Meir Center, and Paola’s dedication to creating opportunity in developing nations came together at the right time and space. We at the UMUC School of Undergraduate Studies could not be more proud.” The “Entrepreneurship for Youth: A Tool for Poverty Alleviation” workshop prepares women and men to serve as ‘entrepreneurial facilitators’ who can encourage and prepare young people to start micro and small businesses as a means of achieving economic independence. The workshop provides participants with the tools and methodologies to transfer concepts of business management to a young target population and teaches the main factors involved in managing micro enterprises. YABT is a nonprofit corporation that acts as a catalyst to spur the development of young

entrepreneurs. The organization promotes social and economic development through programs, projects, and activities focused on using entrepreneurship to help improve the quality of life of youth and young adults, especially those living in or near poverty.

Jennifer Lee Haubert Capili ’07 Norfolk, Virginia, was named Norfolk Homeport Area Shore Sailor of the Year. Capili manages a $1 million budget for ATGs (Afloat Training Groups) in Norfolk; Mayport, Florida; and Ingleside, Texas. She earned her Master Training Specialist designation in November 2007, and she was elected First Class Petty Officer Association President for the second consecutive year. During her term as president, she increased membership by 300 percent and raised more than $1,600 for the Marine Corps’ Toys for Tots charity drive. In 2006, she earned the Navy and Marine Association Leadership Award. She is currently enrolled at Liberty University in Lynchburg, Virginia, where she is pursuing a Master of Arts in professional counseling.

www.umuc.edu | 23 | Achiever

University of Maryland University College

St ay

Co nn ec ted

A L U M N I

A S S O C I A T I O N

UMUC Networking Connecting you to a lifetime of educational and professional development resources The Alumni Association provides you with opportunities to stay connected with fellow alumni, students, and faculty through volunteer service, social interaction, and philanthropy. Programs and resources include career services, affinity partner discounts, special alumni events, UMUC library services, and chapter activities. Membership in the UMUC Alumni Association is FREE and OPEN to all UMUC alumni. To activate your FREE membership, visit www.UMUConnect.org and begin enjoying exceptional benefits and the opportunity to expand your personal and professional networks. Join today!

Link to the POWER of the UMUC Alumni Network

Make connections and build lasting relationships

Join UMUConnect.org—a secure online community with a searchable online directory, discussion forums, links for professional networking, and information about coming events. Join or Start an Alumni Network—or create a virtual network— for UMUC alumni who share your career or personal interests.

2 Expand your professional networks Receive special invitations to university-sponsored events that will connect you to UMUC’s diverse population. Events such as the Meet the Ambassador series, art opening receptions, the Human Resource Networking Reception, and the Alumni Association’s Annual Meeting and Awards Reception provide an excellent opportunity for networking with fellow alumni, faculty, and staff.

3 Join the growing network of alumni volunteers Volunteering gives alumni, faculty, and staff the opportunity to build lifelong friendships by helping with a specific program or by serving on various committees. The Career and Professional Development Committee develops programs to assist UMUC alumni and students with their professional development through career seminars, mentoring programs, and job resource assistance. The Communications Committee coordinates with staff and other committees to increase alumni and business community awareness of association programs and successes.

The Outreach and Chapter Development Committee promotes the interests and welfare of UMUC; develops programs and events that enrich the professional, cultural, and personal lives of alumni; and represents alumni interests and concerns. The Student Relations Committee enables students, alumni, and the academic community to enjoy a successful UMUC experience and an enhanced relationship among the university populations by providing opportunities for growth and development, information exchange, and easy interaction. The D.O.D. (Department of Defense) Relations works in conjunction with UMUC’s Office of Department of Defense Relations to support initiatives that increase involvement and connection to and among current and future alumni with DOD affiliations. UMUC 411 is an orientation to online learning, and alumni volunteers can help answer questions from current and prospective students. Alumni Ambassadors welcome students to on-site classes in College Park. The Allies Mentoring Program provides alumni volunteers to mentor new undergraduate students as they transition to UMUC.

4 Visit UMUConnect.org online Career Resouce Center Share business-related information, search for jobs, identify networking opportunities and locate mentors among fellow alumni community members. You can also access quality resources and timely services that will assist you with career planning and job search needs through UMUC’s Career Services office.

alumni association ANNUAL meeting: Thursday, June 26, 2008

in the UMUC Inn and Conference Center Chesapeake Room

Achiever | 24 | University of Maryland University College

Can’t make the meeting? Visit UMUConnect.org to read the annual report and see highlights from the event.

VIEW FROM THE TOP

DID YOU KNOW? The thriving and active UMUC alumni community has more than 125,000 members in 47 states and 24 countries around the world. YOU should be a member, too!

“W

Dear Friend: In February 2008, I was honored to preside at a black-tie gala celebrating UMUC’s 60th anniversary. It offered a unique opportunity to pause for a moment and reflect on what this university, its staff and faculty, and—most of all—its alumni and students have accomplished, and continue to accomplish, day after day. From its modest beginnings to its current status as the second-largest university in Maryland, UMUC stands as a monument to individuals who thrive on challenge, who find opportunity in adversity, who step forward when others step back. Given that focus, I’m particularly proud to introduce this issue of Achiever. In it, you’ll find the stories of several remarkable people who haven’t hesitated to take on a challenge. You’ll meet renowned collage artist Annie King Phillips, who—at the age of 89, after first leaving her mark in the fields of education and healthcare—is now at the peak of what might be considered her third career. You’ll meet Eric O’Leary, who—at 27 years of age—has already served his country with distinction in the U.S. Army and now seeks to continue that service back home in Butte, Montana, as chief executive of Silver Bow county.

President

Susan C. Aldridge, PhD Vice President of Marketing and Communications

James Hambright director of public relations

Chip Cassano Art Director and Photo Editor

Cynthia Friedman Contributing Writer

Allan Zackowitz Production Manager

And you’ll meet Mark Banash—a chemist with a PhD from Princeton University and an MBA from UMUC—whose job it is to help a small company in Concord, New Hampshire, grow to fit its promise as an industry leader in the exciting field of nanotechnology. That’s in addition to our usual compilation of news about UMUC. In the past few months, the university played host to General Colin L. Powell (U.S. Army, Ret.), former U.S. Secretary of State, and His Excellency Antonio de Aguiar Patriota, Brazilian Ambassador to the United States, and also established exciting new agreements with the Baltimore City Police Department, in leadership management, and Frostburg State University, in criminal justice. It’s all in this issue of Achiever. I hope you enjoy it, and I hope you find yourself inspired, as I was, by these stories of courage and confidence—and more eager than ever to take on the challenges that life has in store for each of us in the months and years ahead. Sincerely,

Susan C. Aldridge, PhD President University of Maryland University College

hen I graduated from UMUC in 1991, I knew I’d had an outstanding educational experience. I didn’t give any thought to the huge and diverse network I was connecting to through the university. When I began to get involved with the UMUC Alumni Association several years later, I became part of a network of alumni, faculty, and staff that brought me new friendships, colleagues, and amazing resources in both my personal and professional life. UMUC has given me relationships for a lifetime.”

Show Your School Spirit! Order your UMUC gear—online! UMUC alumni receive a 10 percent discount. So, whether you want a stylish polo, a backpack, or a UMUC teddy bear, you’ll save on your entire order. Go to www.UMUConnect.org and log on to the online community to receive your alumni discount code. Then, visit www.umuc.edu/umucgear, and place your order today!

Anna R. Doroshaw ’91 Vice President for Philanthropy UMUC Alumni Association

Join the UMUC Alumni Association today

As a member of the Alumni Association you’ll be eligible to receive benefits and discounts from F GEICO Auto Insurance F State Employees Credit Union

Visit www.UMUConnect.org eco box Paper Requirements: 15,932 lbs. XX% 10%

Using this combination of papers saves the following:

The UMUC Alumni Association is a way for smart and savvy UMUC alumni to connect, network, and share benefits. All Alumni Association members enjoy opportunities such as discounts and memberships from local and national businesses, as well as career and networking services. An exciting new online community just for alumni brings members together in a secure online environment where networking can flourish.

F Marriott Inn and Conference Center F UMUC’s National Leadership Institute F UMUConnect.org, UMUC’s online community Visit www.UMUConnect.org to learn more about these and other association benefits.

Trees: 16 Certno no..XXXSW-COC-2006 XXX-000

congratulations 2008 graduates! Welcome to the Alumni Association, your valuable lifetime connection to the UMUC community.

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ND UN

R IVE

4th Annual U.S.–China Forum on Distance Education Mega Trends and Innovation in Distance Education for Sustainable Growth: Pedagogy, Technology, Services, and Partnerships

JUNE 29–JULY 2, 2008 UMUC Inn and Conference Center by Marriott Adelphi, Maryland For more information or to register, visit www.umuc.edu/uschina. Don’t wait; register today!

SUMMER 2008

the magazine of university of maryland university college