Fall 2023

Explorations

water from air absorbing into black cube

Water Out of Thin Air

Invention Offers Trickle of Hope for Climate-Driven Crisis

Explorations

‘Mallpark’ Figure

How MLB Stadiums Scored With Fans by Adding Shopping, Theme Park Elements

Campus Life

five Team USA lacrosse players pose with gold medals

Sports Briefs

5 Terps Win Gold in Lacrosse Championship; Shortstop Becomes UMD’s Highest MLB Draft Pick

Campus Life

‘Tau-ring’ Over Maryland’s Record Books

After Setting Nearly Every Terps Passing Mark, Star Quarterback ‘Not Done Yet’

Campus Life

‘Rising’ Awareness

Libraries Exhibit Looks at Century of Student Activism

Campus Life

Blast From the Past—and Into the Future

75 Years After Its Groundbreaking, Revived UMD Wind Tunnel Revs Up

Campus Life

Summ-AR Immersion

Using Emerging Tech, Students Create Innovative Art, Interactive Games in Incubator Program

Campus Life

UMD’s Stumble Bees

Gardens Host Pollen-Fueled Rager, Earning National Recognition

Campus Life

A Commencement Speech Fit for a King

News Anchor Gayle King ’76 Recalls Life, Love and Ledo on First Return to Campus

News

electric Shuttle-UM bus at charging station

Electrifying!

$40M Grant to Fund Climate-Friendly Shuttle-UM Buses

News

Rendering of new basketball performance center

Basketball Performance Center Breaks Ground

Facility Will House Practice Court, Locker Rooms, Strength and Conditioning Areas, and More

Class Notes

News on Friends and Classmates

See all Class Notes from this issue

20s

Brandon Bennett Young ’22

Brandon Bennett Young ’22 (above) won the National Havoc Robot League’s August tournament and "Golden Dumpster" trophy in Norwalk, Conn., in the 30-pound category with his vertical spinner bot "Vorion.” This win qualified Young for the league’s…

Passings

Herbert LeRoy Strawsburg Jr. ’56

Herbert LeRoy Strawsburg Jr. ’56 died on June 5, 2023, at Frederick (Md.) Health Hospital at age 89. He graduated from Frederick High School and earned an accounting degree at UMD. He served as vice president of Farmers and Mechanics National Bank until…

Passings

Stephen Arthur Pettit ’72

Stephen Arthur Pettit ’72 of Crofton, Md., died on July 30, 2023, at age 78. He went to Duke University for his bachelor’s degree, and earned his master’s and doctoral at the University of Maryland. Pettit was a computer scientist and, in the early 1970s,…

90s

Alka Bhave ’96, M.S. ’98

Alka Bhave ’96, M.S. ’98 was hired as president of Fearless Digital, Baltimore’s largest software development company and one of its largest minority-owned businesses. Prior to joining Fearless, Bhave was chief operations officer for the nonprofit…

Passings

James Boyle ’74

James Boyle ’74 of Levittown, Pa., died on May 17, 2023, at Abington Memorial Hospital at age 71. Boyle was raised in Levittown and played football at Bishop Egan, helping the Eagles earn two City League and Catholic League championships, and earning…

90s

Stefan Zastawski ’93, M.Arch ’95

Stefan Zastawski ’93, M.Arch ’95 was promoted to associate in Quinn Evans’ Washington, D.C., office. Since joining the firm in 2019, he has contributed to innovative design solutions for projects including the McMillan Community Center and Park and DAR…

70s

Charlie DeSando ’78

Charlie DeSando ’78 was featured in the May issue of Milwaukee Magazine and on the local radio show “This Bites,” for his YouTube series, “Cooking with Milwaukee Community Leaders,” in which he welcomes community leaders to his home for an interview and…

Passings

James T. Brannon III ’71

James T. Brannon III ’71 died on May 17, 2023, at the University of Tennessee Medical Center at age 74, He was a graduate of LaSalle High School in Cumberland, Md., and earned a football scholarship to UMD, where he earned a degree in journalism.…