Fall 2021

Terp Group’s Virtual Performance Earns First Place in International A Cappella Competition

Jones-Hill House, Named for Athletics Trailblazers, Features Tech-Filled Training Areas, a Tricked-Out Locker Room and Plenty of Maryland Pride

Campus Life

‘Inclusion Matters’

New Program Enrolls UMD Students With Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities

Explorations

Vaccine Distrust Gets a Trim

Program to Make Barbers and Stylists Ambassadors for Public Health Goes Nationwide

Explorations

Harriet Tubman’s ‘Training Ground’

Professor Helps Discover Site of Eastern Shore Cabin Owned by Abolitionist’s Father

Post-Grad

Open Secrets

Alum Leads Renovation of NSA Museum—and Shares Some of its Treasures

Post-Grad

‘Freedom House’ at 50

Nyumburu Celebrates Milestone Anniversary as Center for Black Culture on Campus

News

Making Rooms for History

Pyon-Chen Hall Opens, Honoring Pioneering Terps

Campus Life

The ‘Ripple’ Effect

Terps to Build Sustainable Structures Near Burning Man Festival Site

Explorations

Conservation Crime Fighter

Geographical Sciences Researcher Shapes New Way to Understand Offenses Against the Earth

Explorations

Sniffing Out Climate Change

New Lab Detects Subtle Differences in Methane to Pinpoint Sources of Pollution

Explorations

How the ‘Diet Soda Effect’ Cuts the Benefit of Climate-Friendly Cars

Explorations

Diagnosis: Rude

Business Research Finds Everyday Unpleasantries Affect Doctors’ Performance

Post-Grad

An Imagined History

Alum Finds Success With Debut Novel on Vietnamese Family Immigrating to U.S.

Post-Grad

Reaching New Heights

Entrepreneur Creates Taste of Mountain Adventure in Midwest

Explorations

The Big Question

Where Should Infrastructure Investments in the U.S. Start?

Class Notes

News on Friends and Classmates

See all Class Notes from this issue

70s

Margaret Nagle ’78

Margaret Nagle ’78, senior director of public relations at the University of Maine, is the recipient of the 2021 Steve Gould Award for demonstrating superior qualities of unselfishness and compassion in service to the university and its ideals.

Passings

William Levenson ’83

William Levenson ’83 died April 29 from esophageal cancer. He played an instrumental role in the space industry and successfully launched over 100 Atlas and Delta rockets. His passions included aviation flying, diving, motorcycling, hiking and sailing. He…

Passings

John Charles LaBerge ’53

John Charles LaBerge ’53 died on May 10 at his home in the Birchaven Heights retirement community in Findlay, Ohio. He was 91 and a proud Terp, who participated at UMD graduations as a Golden Terp in honor of the 55th, 60th and 65th anniversaries of his…

90s

Michael “Jarmo” Jarmolowich ’92

Michael “Jarmo” Jarmolowich ’92 was hired as a managing director at PACE Loan Group, a provider of Commercial Property Assessed Clean Energy (C-PACE) financing. He held that same title at Stifel Financial Corp.; his experience also includes progressively…

00s

Balaji Panchapakesan Ph.D. ’01

Balaji Panchapakesan Ph.D. ’01, professor of mechanical engineering and founding director of the Small Systems Laboratory at Worcester Polytechnic Institute, was selected for a 2021-22 Fulbright Award to India.

00s

Matt Tarascio M.A. ’02

Matt Tarascio M.A. ’02 joined Booz Allen Hamilton as a senior vice president in the strategic innovation group, leading the analytics and artificial intelligence (AI) business in support of the U.S. Department of Defense. In his most recent role, he…

00s

Ryan Higgins MBA ’07

Ryan Higgins MBA ’07 was named chief commercial officer of OmniTRAX, the Broe Group's transportation affiliate. Higgins joins OmniTRAX from CSX Transportation. Higgins has a bachelor's degree from DePauw University and the Certified in Transportation…

00s

Brian Nixon ’00

Brian Nixon ’00 rejoined Davis Wright Tremaine as a partner in its technology, communications, and privacy and security practice. Nixon spent a decade at Loeb and Loeb, where he was partner, and previously practiced for seven years with DWT. Nixon…