Alumni Association News

AS A TERP working at the Alumni Association, I often get to experience UMD traditions with a new perspective.

One exciting example was our revival of the Valentine’s Dance in February after a 12-year hiatus. I met my husband on campus 25 years ago, and we have fond memories of attending the dance as recent grads. I hope you’ll join us next year to celebrate Terp love, whether it’s for a partner, a student group, or the friends and bonds you’ve made here.

Your Alumni Association is always innovating ways to connect alums to each other, to resources and to students. One thing we know: Terps support Terps. We just relaunched the Terp Business Directory, a place where all alums can support Terp-owned companies and where enTERPreneurs can showcase their ventures to our amazing community of more than 422,000 alums.

In January, nearly 1,000 alums took part in our fifth annual Career Week through in-person and online programming. New this year, we created four tracks to support Terps at every stage of their career journey. The tracks—Job Readiness, Corporate and Industry, EnTERPreneurs and Business Leaders, and Lifelong Learning—helped alums find the right sessions for their personal and professional goals.

As part of our commitment to offering personal development opportunities for alums, we debuted the Terp Book Fair at Maryland Day in April, kicking off our popular Summer Reading Challenge. Alums from around the world connecting over books and shared learning is a true testament to the strength of our Terp community.

While I travel the country meeting our alums, members, friends and fans, I thank everyone who supports the University of Maryland. Terp love comes in many forms, but one thing is certain: it lasts a lifetime. When you give back—whether by mentoring a student, supporting a Terp-owned business or becoming a member of your Alumni Association—you’re spreading that love even further.

WHEN LAURIE (SHIELDS) LOVAAS ’12 lugged her belongings up to the fourth floor of Elkton Hall during freshman move-in, she had no idea that her future love was just two floors up.

She met Mike Lovaas ’12 in their second semester, when Laurie needed more players for an intramural soccer team. “I don’t think we stopped talking from that point forward,” Laurie said.

After winning the championship, the couple went on to wed in 2014 and are now raising sons Mason, 5, and Luke, 1, to share their love for the University of Maryland. The Lovaases stay engaged with their alma mater by bringing the boys to family-friendly Homecoming and Maryland Day, and a host of athletics events throughout the year.

As lifetime members of the Alumni Association, one of their favorite spots to show the kids is the Frann G. & Eric S. Francis Lifetime Member Wall, where the couple’s names are inscribed.

“It’s nice to have that legacy,” Mike said. “And if our kids do go to Maryland one day, the fact that they can walk by and see our names there is special to us.”