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Maryland Today

Spring 2023

mare and foal run together at Campus Farm

Campus Life

June 02, 2023
Terps Fundraise, Unite to Provide Quality Care for Unexpected Four-Legged Friend
student speaks at podium during Agora dedication

Campus Life

June 02, 2023
National Pan-Hellenic Council, Multicultural Greek Council Celebrate Agora’s Opening
Child poses with Greg Heffley statue while holding "Diary of a Wimpy Kid" book

News

June 02, 2023
Protagonist of Long-Running Jeff Kinney ’93 Book Series Immortalized on Campus
students pose by giant "Do Good" icon

News

June 02, 2023
New Opportunities Announced; Campus Icon Unveiled
car going from house to brick office building

Explorations

June 02, 2023
Survey Shows Cars Fuel Post-COVID Commute
green leaves

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
student-athletes put hands in for cheer

Campus Life

June 02, 2023
Worldwide Terps Group Provides Guidance, Community for International Student-Athletes
singers perform on stage at SNL

Campus Life

June 02, 2023
Choral Director and Singers Back Up Coldplay on ‘SNL’
student holds tiny turtle

Campus Life

June 02, 2023
Hatchlings Bring Science, Math and History to Life
collage of squirrel eating chicken tender, squirrel at tiny picnic table and squirrel near Croc, with instagram like and comment symbols

Campus Life

June 02, 2023
With Popular Instagram Account, Students Keep an Eye on the Squirrels
People chatting on the street with a wall covered with cartoons in the background

Features

May 31, 2023
Anthropology Alum’s Food Tour Dishes Out Tales From ‘Black Broadway,’ Taste of Immigrant Culinary Traditions
There are white tents set up on the green lawn in the distance, and a large crowd is holding a grand festival.

Features

May 31, 2023
As UMD celebrates 25 years of Maryland Day, we share behind-the-scenes stories and stats
An End to the Bleeding hero image

Features

May 24, 2023
The mayor of Knoxville, Tenn., picked up a UMD researcher’s book on preventing gun violence. The resulting partnership could be a model for how cities can create safer streets.

Class Notes

News on Friends and Classmates

See all Class Notes from this issue

10s

Alexander Gilbert ’17

Alexander Gilbert ’17 accepted a judicial clerkship in the New Jersey Superior Court. He plans to take the bar exam after graduating from the University of Memphis’ Cecil C. Humphreys School of Law.

00s

Cheryl Moore-Thomas Ph.D. ’00

Cheryl Moore-Thomas Ph.D. ’00 was named Loyola University Maryland’s provost and vice president for academic affairs. She had served in this role on an interim basis since July 2021. Previously, she was associate dean of the School of Education, associate…

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…

90s

Eris S. Parnes ’99

Blank Rome LLP welcomed attorney Eris S. Parnes ’99 to the firm’s International Trade practice group in Washington, D.C. Parnes is an accomplished litigator who focuses on advocating for and advising clients in international trade disputes and other…

Passings

Norine M. Walker ’81, ’83

Norine M. Walker ’81, ’83, of Franconia, Va., died on Jan. 24, 2023. She was 63 years old. Born at Fort Belvoir, Va., Walker spent her early years in California before her parents settled in Laurel, Md. She earned dual degrees in civil engineering and…
Leah Valenti headshot

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.

Passings

The Rev. Richard E. Fouse ’61

The Rev. Richard E. Fouse ’61, of Cold Spring, Ky., died on Dec. 21, 2022. He graduated from the Pittsburgh Theological Seminary and was ordained by the Presbyterian Church (USA); he served 13 congregations in five states and was the vice moderator and…

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…