- September 04, 2026
- By Alumni Association Staff
- Illustration by Valerie Morgan
Letter From the Senior Executive Director
AS I TRAVEL TO ALUMNI EVENTS across the country, one thing I’ve found myself saying often is, “There has never been a more exciting time to be a Terp.”
Maryland’s momentum is undeniable. What does that mean for you? It means you’re part of a powerful network with a shared connection to a university continuing to rise. It means there are more opportunities than ever to connect with fellow Terps, share your expertise, grow professionally and support the next generation of Maryland graduates.
One of the best ways to do that is through Terrapins Connect, our networking and mentorship platform that helps students and alums build meaningful connections across industries, interests and generations. We’re excited to have recently launched a new mobile app, making it even easier to tap into the strength of the Maryland network wherever you are. Visit alumni.umd.edu to learn more.
We’re also investing in new ways to support your personal and professional growth. This year, we relaunched our Coaches Corner program, offering exclusive opportunities to connect with professional coaches and gain guidance at every career stage.
No matter where life takes you, I encourage you to stay connected to Maryland and to one another. Whether you’re attending an event, volunteering with a local network, mentoring a student or simply striking up a conversation when you spot a fellow Terp, you’re helping strengthen a tradition that defines our community: Terps supporting Terps.
It’s a tradition that has connected generations of Maryland graduates, and one that will continue to move us Forward together.
Jessica K. Roberts ’02
Senior Executive Director
University of Maryland Alumni Association
The Alumni Association fosters Terrapin Pride by rallying alums through programs that merge passion and purpose. Make a gift now through the Forward campaign.
3 Terp Stories, 1 Forever Home
Every Terp’s path to and through the University of Maryland is different. But all of us can commemorate that connection with a personalized brick or paver on Legacy Plaza or Testudo Row, just steps away from SECU Stadium at the Samuel Riggs IV Alumni Center. Here’s why three alums did just that.
FAMILY IN DIFFERENT FORMS
Kirk Bell’s favorite memories of his days on campus with his fraternity, Phi Sigma Kappa (PSK), aren’t about big events like Greek Week. They’re the shared moments spent on the porch of 7 Fraternity Row, looking out toward Memorial Chapel, reading The Washington Post or cheering for their hometown teams.
“We all came from different walks of life, different backgrounds, different areas and formed a very close-knit bond,” says Bell ’88. “It was a true brotherhood.”
His fraternity brothers were there for his wedding and remain close with his family. Whenever one of the group passes on, all too soon, Bell and his brothers come together to gather donations for a brick on Testudo Row, right by the iconic Testudo statue at Riggs Alumni Center that greets fans on football game days. He always shares the bricks’ location with his brothers’ surviving family members, so they can visit anytime.
“It was about finding a way to remember them,” Bell says, “and to further our bond at UMD.” His children, Megan ’16, Connor ’18 and Ryan ’21, M.Ed. ’22, also attended Maryland, where the boys joined PSK. Bell purchased bricks for all three when they graduated.
“Maryland provides us all a common bond, to go to alumni events, sporting events and tailgate for football,” Bell says. “It’s always going to be near and dear to my family.”
A FULL-CIRCLE MEMENTO
Blessing Enekwe ’04, M.A. ’09, Ph.D. ’16 moved from Massachusetts to attend UMD as an undergraduate, but never expected to be here 25 years later. First she fell in love with the campus—suburban, but close to Washington, D.C. Then she got involved with student groups, from the Black Student Union to The Eclipse.
Now the triple Terp serves as program director for postdoctoral affairs at the Graduate School, where she supports these scholars and helps them decide what’s next.
“One of the things about Maryland is that there are a lot of opportunities, but it can be pretty overwhelming at times,” she says. “Having been here for this many years in various capacities, I’m able to draw on my own experiences.”
That quarter-century on campus is something she chose to celebrate with a commemorative brick.
“I’ve walked these sidewalks, I’ve walked this whole terrain, for 20-plus years,” she says. “My hope is that my children will attend the university and as they walk by the Alumni Association, they can always look out for my brick.”
ACROSS MILES AND MILESTONES
The study abroad trips that Rudy de Leon Dinglas ’07 took to Germany and Italy as an undergraduate weren’t just the defining experiences of his time at Maryland. They sparked a lifelong love of travel.
Even as his journey has taken him around the world, many times and many miles from Maryland, his connection remains strong.
“[Seeing a Terp abroad,] you have this instant connection and end up talking to a random stranger just because you see someone with a [Terps] hat or a backpack or a pin,” he says. His brick serves as a reminder that no matter where he goes, he’s part of a network larger than himself.
“The brick was a meaningful way for me to give back while leaving a small piece of my story on campus, particularly next to Testudo,” Dinglas says. “When you look down at the names and quotes on the bricks, it creates a link across generations of Terps.”
WHAT’S YOUR STORY?
Leave a permanent mark on campus at alumni.umd.edu/bricks.