Fall 2025

Features

September 15, 2025

UMD scientists built a fungus that wipes out mosquitoes. With African partners, they hope to save millions of lives.

view from behind Kermit the Frog as he addresses graduates at UMD Commencement at SECU Stadium

News

September 15, 2025

At 2025 Commencement, Famed Amphibian Implores Students to Make, Keep Connections

Jim Smith and Darryll J. Pines smile at introduction event

News

September 15, 2025

Smith Brings Leadership and Business Experience to Build on Maryland Athletics’ Success

News

September 15, 2025

Campus Core Gets First Traffic Signal

Buzz Williams dribbles basketball, with red, white and gold background

Campus Life

September 15, 2025

Get to Know New Men’s Basketball Head Coach

exterior of Barry P. Gossett Basketball Performance Center

Campus Life

September 15, 2025

Men’s, Women’s Teams Celebrate Opening of Barry P. Gossett BasketballPerformance Center

Brat Pack in academic regalia walk on Frat Row in "St. Elmo's Fire" movie

Campus Life

September 15, 2025

At 40th Anniversary of ‘St. Elmo’s Fire,’ Alums Remember Filming on Frat Row

Jan Plane speaks to students during the CompSciConnect summer camp

Campus Life

September 15, 2025

Donation Launches University of Maryland Computing Catalyst

Jose-Luis Izursa works in aquaponics lab

Campus Life

September 15, 2025

Aquaponics Greenhouse Grows Lettuce and Fish for Education on Sustainable Systems

handwritten letters with portraits of George Mason and George Washington

Campus Life

September 15, 2025

Student Finds Little-Known Correspondence Between George Mason and George Washington

Campus Life

September 15, 2025

Run Club Started by UMD Faculty Members Is Biggest in North America

Explorations

September 15, 2025

Entomology Team Delves Into Benefits, Challenges of Eating Insects

Explorations

September 15, 2025

UMD’s Unique Forest-Monitoring Capabilities Revealed an Alarming Wildfire Spike

Illustration of Warren Buffett with money

Explorations

September 15, 2025

Buffett Scholar Reflects on Role Model’s Retirement

chatbot with text boxes on screen and magnifying glass

Explorations

September 15, 2025

Ask the Expert: Advice for Real Life

Class Notes

News on Friends and Classmates

See all Class Notes from this issue

00s

Jigar Shah MBA ’01

Jigar Shah MBA ’01, former director of the U.S. Department of Energy Loan Programs Office, joined the board of directors at the Center for Sustainable Energy, a national nonprofit focused on clean transportation and distributed energy resources. A clean…

00s

Jessica Pagan Aello ’08, M.Arch. ’11

Jessica Pagan Aello ’08, M.Arch. ’11, principal and Higher Education Market leader at the national architecture and design firm Hanbury, was named among the Baltimore Business Journal’s 40 Under 40 Honorees for 2025, a roundup of rising stars in the…

90s

Erek L. Barron ’96

Erek L. Barron ’96 joined law firm Mintz in the firm’s white collar defense and government investigations practice. He will also lead Mintz’s crisis management and strategic response team, and his practice will include complex civil, criminal and…

“Goin' Viral: Uncontrollable Black Performance” book cover

10s

Gabriel A. Peoples Ph.D. ’15

Gabriel A. Peoples Ph.D. ’15 wrote the new book, “Goin' Viral: Uncontrollable Black Performance” (University of Illinois Press), in which he examines Black people and representations of Black people that have gone viral from the 18th century to today.…

90s

Vasi Philomin M.S. ’97, Ph.D. ’01

Vasi Philomin M.S. ’97, Ph.D. ’01 was appointed executive vice president and head of data and artificial intelligence at Siemens. He came from Amazon, where he most recently served as vice president of generative AI, leading Amazon Web Services' AI…

90s

Evan Morick ’98

Evan Morick ’98 was appointed senior vice president of development at PM Hotel Group. Most recently, he advised Douglas Development Corp. and previously served for over a decade as senior vice president of development at Procaccianti Cos.

10s

Ikenna C. Ejimonyeugwo ’17

Ikenna C. Ejimonyeugwo ’17, an associate at Philadelphia law firm Panitch Schwarze Belisario & Nadel LLP, was named a finalist for the Most Promising Newcomer Award by The Legal Intelligencer in its 2025 Pennsylvania Legal Awards. He specializes in…

Passings

Libby Spector Wolff ’61

Libby Spector Wolff ’61 of Baltimore died on July 27, 2025, at the age of 85. She graduated from Forest Park High School, later UMD with honors, and served as president of the Pikesville Chamber of Commerce. Wolff was a well-known, leading real estate…