Alumni Association News

Letter From the Executive Director

When you stepped on campus your first day at Maryland, you instantly became part of an alumni network now 361,000 strong. Your life experiences will continue to grow—marriage, children, jobs—but you are always part of the Terp network.

One of the greatest benefits of being a Terp is being part of this powerful, professional network that provides opportunities for alumni to advance their careers. Your fellow alumni live in every state and dozens of countries. They are leaders in Congress and in statehouses. Industry executives. Teachers, coaches and nonprofit leaders.

Are you tapping into your alumni network and benefitting from the resources offered by the University of Maryland Alumni Association?

Through our online platform Terrapins Connect, you can link up with other alumni based on profession, background or interest—and you can enter into a formal mentorship. Our free webinar series offers advice ranging from resume writing to retirement planning to leadership communication.

Small, industry-focused Terp Professional Network (TPN) events around the country provide alumni with an opportunity to network while hearing from business leaders in their professions, and the Career Center job board provides alumni with concrete leads on open positions.

If you’re not in the job market but would like to help fellow Terps, consider serving as a mentor through Terrapins Connect; offering an externship to a current student; speaking at a TPN event; or simply posting a job opening at your organization on the student or alumni job board.

Congratulations on being part of this powerful network for life!

Amy Eichhorst

Executive Director

University of Maryland Alumni Association

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Leaders Among Us

The University of Maryland Alumni Association honored the Latino Alumni Network as the 2017 Network of the Year for its work creating programs for alumni and building Terp pride.

The Network Awards, part of the Alumni Association’s 2017 Leadership Conference, honored volunteers from across the nation who help lead regional, affinity and academic networks. Nearly 100 volunteers from 30 networks traveled to the Samuel Riggs IV Alumni Center Oct. 26–27 for interactive sessions and celebrations of Terp pride leading up to the Homecoming football game.

“Leadership is one of the most integral components to the University of Maryland’s success,” said Amy Eichhorst, Alumni Association executive director. “It is because of volunteers’ unwavering leadership and dedication that we are able to engage alumni in over 500 events each year nationwide.”

The networks develop programs to keep alumni connected to the university. Volunteers at the conference learned about topics including event engagement, board management and the fearless ideas that will propel Maryland forward.

“It was interesting to see how we all—regional, academic and affinity network leaders—have similar challenges,” said Gerson Elias ’12, president of the Latino Alumni Network. “Being able to talk about ways to overcome those challenges and how we can collaborate and help each other was valuable.”

His network’s mission is to serve as a representative voice for Latino alumni and support their professional, social and developmental interests. In the last year, it has organized events for alumni ranging from social brunches to the Latinx Leadership Summit, a collaboration with student groups, the Office of Multicultural Involvement and Community Advocacy and university leaders.

“A lot of the events that we’ve had are geared toward reaching out to students and connecting with them so they can see successful alumni as role models and use them as a resource,” Elias says.— Daryl Lee Hale, Alumni Association staff

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Master of Tailgates

Bill Van Dyke ’79 has attended every Terps home football game and nearly every men’s basketball home game since ’71—even pedaling his bicycle as a teen from his family’s home in New Carrollton, Md.

Long married to his Terp sweetheart, Barbara ’78, the father of two Maryland alumnae and owner of Paradigm Mortgage in Bethesda these days drives to games, where he is a master tailgater.

“I never really left,” says Van Dyke, a lifetime member of the University of Maryland Alumni Association. “It’s all I’ve ever known.”

As a student, he was in Theta Chi Fraternity and upon graduation 37 years ago he created its football tailgates—225 and counting. The menus of the once beer-only assemblies have evolved to feature grilled steak and shrimp.

Later, he started hosting basketball tailgates, now held in the Terrapin Trail Garage next to the Xfinity Center for family, fraternity brothers and many other friends. He estimates he’s presided over 200 to 300 of those.

He even remembers his first Maryland basketball game, when he was in high school: “Maryland beat South Carolina, the No. 1 team. Bob Bodell steals the ball, throws it to Jim O’Brien, and O’Brien just swishes it in.”— Tony Glaros

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Events

Do Good Service Month

Terps are bold, innovative, smart—and generous. Every April, alumni from coast to coast unite to do good in their communities, and you’re invited to take part in the action.

Last year, nearly 500 Terps participated in 15 events across the country on issues including food insecurity, homelessness, river pollution and refugees.

To organize a Do Good Service Month project with alumni in your area, contact your regional representative by visiting alumni@umd.edu.