Spring 2023

Photo

red shoes peek out of a teal hammock on McKeldin Mall

In the Sling of Things

Students Embrace Warmer Weather on McKeldin Mall

Post-Grad

Underexposed

Can You Help Us Identify These Terps?

Post-Grad

Kylie D’Alessio films Alex measuring wall

Renovation Sensations

Thousands Follow Alums on TikTok, Instagram

Post-Grad

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

Following the Yellow Brick Road

Alum to Head International Wizard of Oz Club

Post-Grad

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

Serving Up Time-Honored Flavors Fast

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

Post-Grad

Amber Mayfield with "While Entertaining" magazine cover

Party Queen, Behind the Scenes

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

Post-Grad

Alumni Association News

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

Explorations

woman with briefcase walking through red tape

Why Noncompetes Could Soon Be a Non-Thing

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

Explorations

Antidote to Overdoses: A Universal Treatment

New Compound Fights Both Fentanyl and Meth in Bloodstream

Explorations

A Season of Healing

REI-Funded Center Promotes Nature-Based Research and Reparation

Explorations

Roll Over, Paper Towels

Engineers’ Picker-Upper Is Even Quicker

Explorations

An On-Campus Oscar Nominee

Researcher Executive-Produced Lauded Documentary

Explorations

Wildlife Ecologist Explains How to Get Ticks Off, Not Ticked Off

Ask a Researcher: Advice for Real Life

Explorations

car going from house to brick office building

Maryland, Start Your Engines

Survey Shows Cars Fuel Post-COVID Commute

Explorations

$30M in Grand Challenges Grants Awarded

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

Campus Life

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

Sports Briefs

Achievements by Women’s Basketball, Softball and Gymnastics Teams

Class Notes

News on Friends and Classmates

See all Class Notes from this issue

Passings

Mary Honora Wohlgemuth ’49

Mary Honora Wohlgemuth ’49 of Annapolis, Md., died on April 20, 2023, at age 96. She grew up in Baltimore, attending All Saints Elementary School, Trinity Preparatory School and Forest Park High School. She graduated with a bachelor's degree in elementary…

00s

Kiandra D. Steffy ’09

Kiandra D. Steffy ’09 was named to the Pennsylvania Continuing Legal Education Board, an agency of the state’s Supreme Court. Steffy is senior counsel in Saxton & Stump’s Labor and Employment, Title IX, Investigations and Criminal Defense, Education…

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.

00s

Bryan Shuy ’05

Bryan Shuy ’05 was appointed senior vice president of the Conafay Group. He has over a decade of experience in the legislative and executive branches of government. He most recently served as chief of staff to U.S. Rep. Andy Harris (R-Maryland).

Passings

Lucienne Marie Beach ’70

Lucienne Marie Beach ’70 of Severna Park, Md., died on May 3, 2023, two days after turning 75. She earned a degree in French language and culture at Maryland and worked for eight years as a bilingual secretary for Monsanto Chemical in Brussels, Belgium.…

Passings

Kenneth Robert Baker ’68

Kenneth Robert Baker ’68, of Greencastle, Pa., died on May 1, 2023. He was 77 years old. After graduating from UMD, he received his master’s from Shippensburg State College. He had a nearly four decade teaching career in Washington County Public Schools…

Passings

Andrew Gwynn Bowie Jr. ’68

Andrew Gwynn Bowie Jr. ’68 of Annapolis, Md., and Swan's Island, Maine, died on May 1, 2023, after a brief illness. Gwynn was raised on his family farm, Beechwood, near Upper Marlboro and studied political science and French at UMD. He also graduated from…

90s

Susan Ferensic ’91

Susan Ferensic ’91 was named assistant director of the Weapons of Mass Destruction Directorate at FBI headquarters. She most recently served as special agent in charge of the Columbia Field Office in South Carolina. Ferensic joined the FBI in 1997.