January 2021
A Newsletter for Legislative and Business Communities
University of Maryland Honors Campus Trailblazers with Naming of New Residence Halls
Johnson-Whittle Hall will honor Elaine Johnson Coates, the first African American woman to graduate with an undergraduate degree and Hiram Whittle, the first African American man to be admitted to the university. Pyon-Chen Hall, will pay tribute to Pyon Su, the first Korean student to receive a degree from the Maryland Agricultural College and Chunjen Constant Chen, the first Chinese student to enroll at the college.
University of Maryland Pilots Calculus Course for Prince George's Students
Fifty students from demographically diverse schools are enrolled in the class, taught by a College of Computer, Mathematical, and Natural Sciences (CMNS) faculty member and coordinated by the College of Education. A collaboration with PGCPS, the calculus course is fully funded by the UMD Office of the President.
University of Maryland Announces Partnership with Jordan McNair Foundation
The University of Maryland and Jordan McNair Foundation are joining together on a series of initiatives to honor the life and legacy of Maryland football player, Jordan McNair, who passed away in 2018. The partnership will focus on student athlete health and safety and cover important topics such as heat exertion, concussions, mental health and nutrition.
Highlights
University of Maryland Stands With Collins Family After Urbanski Sentencing: It has been more than three and a half years since the life of 1st Lt. Richard W. Collins III was senselessly taken on our campus. As a community, we remain deeply affected by the tragic loss. On January 14, 2021, Sean Urbanski, a former UMD student, was sentenced to life in prison for the first-degree murder of Lt. Collins. Our hearts are with the Collins family and we will continue to work together through the Social Justice Alliance.
UMD Student Group Provides Funds for Students in Need: The University of Maryland Student Government Association has allocated more than $400,000 for "critical services" to support students in need.
Maryland Developmental Disabilities Council Funds Inclusive Postsecondary Education Program at the University of Maryland: The Council awarded $100,000 to the University of Maryland Center for Transition and Career Innovation (CTCI) to create "Terps-EXCEED," an inclusive higher education program for students with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
Computer Science and Psychiatry Unite to Improve Behavioral Telehealth Services: Funded this fall by a COVID-inspired seed grant from the joint UMD-UMB MPowering the State initiative, new research is seeking to break down that electronic divide with artificial intelligence-based tools.
Provost Rankin to Step Down: Senior Vice President and Provost Mary Ann Rankin has resigned after eight years at UMD, effective January 29. Her accomplishments include expanded learning opportunities, new facilities and administrative modernization. Dr. Ann G. Wylie, professor emerita of geology, has agreed to serve as interim provost during this time of transition.
Research Impact
National Academy of Inventors Names University of Maryland Vice President for Research and a University Professor as 2020 Fellows: Laurie Locascio, Vice President for Research at the University of Maryland, College Park and the University of Maryland, Baltimore, and Ramalingam "Rama" Chellappa, College Park Professor at UMD have been elected 2020 Fellows by the National Academy of Inventors.
14 Mtech-Affiliated Companies Named to List of 20 Most Innovative Start-ups: Maryland Technology Enterprise Institute (Mtech) programs have assisted 14 of the companies named to Maryland's Future 20, a recent list of innovative startups from various industries that have the potential to be the state's next major business success story.
Alumni Spotlight
The Passing of Former Maryland Senate President Thomas V. "Mike" Miller, Jr.
The University of Maryland community mourns the death of Maryland Senate President Emeritus Thomas V. "Mike" Miller, Jr., the longest-serving state senate president in the history of the United States and a visionary leader and tireless advocate for the university. In June, the university commemorated his contribution to campus with the naming of the main administration building in his honor.