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

Passings

Samantha “Sam” Lee Jennings-Jones ’08

Samantha “Sam” Lee Jennings-Jones ’08 of Alexandria, Va., died unexpectedly on March 30, 2023. She was 36. Born in South Korea, she was adopted on Aug. 23, 1986, celebrated by her adoptive family each year after that as "Gotcha Day." After graduation, she…

00s

Nikki Engel ’08

Nikki Engel ’08 was promoted to vice president of marketing at Northpass, a platform designed for digital customer education. Engel has been with Northpass for four years and previously served as the director of marketing.

80s

Lorrie Norrington ’81

Lorrie Norrington ’81 was appointed lead independent director on the board of directors of Colgate-Palmolive. She is an operating partner of Lead Edge Capital and previously held senior roles at Intuit and General Electric.

Passings

Robert Henry Merson Jr. ’56

Robert Henry Merson Jr. ’56 of Laurel, Md., died on May 6, 2023 at age 91. He grew up in Mount Rainier, Md., and graduated from McKinley Tech High School. He went on to study marketing at UMD. An accountant, Merson spent the first years of his career at…

Passings

Charles Edward White ’43, M.S. ’55

Charles Edward White ’43, M.S. ’55 of Silver Spring, Md., died on March 27, 2023. He was 100. He was born in Washington, D.C., and after earning a B.S. in aeronautical engineering during World War II, joined the Army Air Corps. He later worked at NASA…

00s

Leah Valenti ’04

Leah Valenti ’04 was appointed Charlotte County supervisor of elections by Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis. She is a board member of the YMCA of Southwest Florida and Naples Chamber of Commerce.

10s

Kevin Reilly ’12

Kevin Reilly ’12 was appointed director of the board of directors at ABG Acquisition Corp., where he focuses on private equity strategies in health care.

Passings

David Madison Healey ’69

David Madison Healey ’69, died at his Hagerstown, Md., home on April 25, 2023, at age 80. Healy graduated from North Hagerstown High School and attended Ashland University in Ashland, Ohio., for two years before transferring to UMD, where he graduated…