Spring 2023

red shoes peek out of a teal hammock on McKeldin Mall

Parting Shot

June 02, 2023

Students Embrace Warmer Weather on McKeldin Mall

Post-Grad

June 02, 2023

Can You Help Us Identify These Terps?

Kylie D’Alessio films Alex measuring wall

Post-Grad

June 02, 2023

Thousands Follow Alums on TikTok, Instagram

Ryan Bunch poses with "Oz and the Musical" book, on yellow background with white and gray Wizard of Oz illustrations

Post-Grad

June 02, 2023

Alum to Head International Wizard of Oz Club

Sahil Rahman ’12 and Rahul Vinod ’11 pose outside Rasa restaurant

Post-Grad

June 02, 2023

Friends’ Fresh Take on Indian Cuisine Expands Across D.C. Area

Amber Mayfield with "While Entertaining" magazine cover

Post-Grad

June 02, 2023

Alum Highlights Black Chefs, Artists at NYC-Based Event Agency

Post-Grad

June 02, 2023

Alums Share Advice at Terps Under 30, Women’s Leadership Development Conference

woman with briefcase walking through red tape

Explorations

June 02, 2023

Maryland Economist’s Studies Fueled Federal Drive to Ban Controversial Employee Contracts

Explorations

June 02, 2023

New Compound Fights Both Fentanyl and Meth in Bloodstream

Explorations

June 02, 2023

REI-Funded Center Promotes Nature-Based Research and Reparation

Explorations

June 02, 2023

Engineers’ Picker-Upper Is Even Quicker

Explorations

June 02, 2023

Researcher Executive-Produced Lauded Documentary

Explorations

June 02, 2023

Ask a Researcher: Advice for Real Life

car going from house to brick office building

Explorations

June 02, 2023

Survey Shows Cars Fuel Post-COVID Commute

Explorations

June 02, 2023

Unprecedented UMD Research Program Targets Climate, Racial Justice, Energy and More

Maryland women's basketball player shoots ball vs. South Carolina

Campus Life

June 02, 2023

Achievements by Women’s Basketball, Softball and Gymnastics Teams

Class Notes

News on Friends and Classmates

See all Class Notes from this issue

10s

Michelle Smirnova Ph.D. ’13

Michelle Smirnova Ph.D. ’13 wrote the book “The Prescription-to-Prison Pipeline: The Medicalization and Criminalization of Pain,” which focuses on the opioid drug epidemic. She is an associate professor at the University of Missouri-Kansas City.

Passings

Donald Robert Benton Ph.D. ’85

Donald Robert Benton Ph.D. ’85 died at his home in Lower Merion, Pa., on May 5, 2023 at the age of 63. He grew up in Escondido, Calif., and obtained his bachelor’s degree from the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena, Calif. While pursuing his…

Passings

Richard Levick ’79

Richard Levick ’79, a prominent Washington crisis communication consultant, died April 11 at a hospice center in Bethesda, Md., at age 65. The cause was cancer. He graduated in 1975 from Walt Whitman High School, majored in urban studies at UMD, earned a…

Passings

Joseph Kapust ’89

Joseph Kapust ’89, of Rockville, Md., died on April 29, 2023. He was 56 years old. He spent much of his professional career with the Occupational Safety and Health Administration. He was a craftsman, avid outdoorsman and fan of cinema and the Terps. He is…

00s

Julie Turner M.P.M. ’03

President Joe Biden nominated Julie Turner M.P.M. ’03 as special envoy on North Korean human rights issues. She most recently served as director of the Office of East Asia and the Pacific in the State Department’s Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and…

Passings

Leslie Leibowitz ’56, M.S. ’90

Leslie Leibowitz ’56, M.S. ’90, of LaValle, Md., died on April 7, 2023, after a yearlong battle with ovarian cancer. She attended Allegany High School and earned a bachelor's degree in radio and television communications at UMD. Leibowitz became a…

00s

Allison Edmondson MBA ’01

Allison Edmondson MBA ’01 was hired by the Investment & Wealth Institute as director of communications. She most recently was director in corporate communications at BNY Mellon and has held a variety of marketing and communications positions at firms…

Passings

Charles Paul Grier ’54

Charles Paul Grier ’54 died in Dallas at the age of 92 on Jan. 29, 2023. Grier grew up in Florida, where he was senior class vice president, captain of the varsity baseball team and a varsity basketball player at Montverde Academy. He attended Montgomery…