Winter 2025

Winter 2025 Kan Cao holds flask as she works in lab

A UMD researcher of a rare disease that fatally ages children has discovered how an obscure blue compound could help us all look younger.

Explorations

strawberry holding umbrella with crabs on it; a pear holding a "RIPE" sign shaking hands with a banana; a sparkling steak

Fresh Takes on Fighting Food Waste

Researchers Devise Spoilage-Stopping Tech That Could Change How We Grow, Buy and Store Produce

Parting Shot

Kermit sits with statue of himself and Jim Henson on UMD campus

Kermit Comes Home

Famed Frog Makes a Rainbow Connection With Terps

Post-Grad

Ag Day A-moo-sment

An ‘Underexposed’ Photo of UMD History

Post-Grad

At Home With a Continent’s Cultural Heritage

Alumna’s Book Weaves Together African Design Principles and Contemporary Decor

Post-Grad

Pup ‘Reels’ in the Likes

Antics of Alums’ Goldendoodle Bring Joy to Millions on Social Media

Post-Grad

Creating a Cartoon You

Terp Promotes On-Screen Representation by Making Avatars More Customizable

Post-Grad

Alumni Association News

The Alumni Excellence Awards

Explorations

one person says "Bonjour!" and the other says "Tres bien!"

How to Make a Second Language Second Nature

Ask the Expert: Advice for Real Life

Features

Joi Howard poses by brick columns and greenery

A Fresh Start for ‘Maryland’s Shame’

Joi Howard ’03 seeks to turn a shuttered, segregated psychiatric hospital into a working farm and wellness site for the Black community.

Features

collage of photos: cars driving on Route 1 at night; students standing in Rendezvous; students dancing; students standing outside on sidewalk; man wearing hat playing pinball with beer; man in aviator sunglasses

The Lost Haunts of Route 1

No matter the decade, Terps found refuges and ‘Rendezvous’ points on College Park’s Main Street

Explorations

silhouette with scribble brain and garbled words coming out of mouth

Lost (and Found) in Translation

Migraines Rob Doctoral Student of Words. He Helps Youths Find Theirs.

Explorations

Commuter Crunch

Management Researcher Eyes Steps to Improve Escalator Efficiency

Explorations

Jill Bradbury signs in front of stage next to electronic sign that reads, "Welcome to the Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center"

Signs of Accessibility in Performing Arts

School’s First Deaf Leader to Expand Options to Guests

Explorations

AI Confronts Seagoing ‘Rogues’

System Can Predict Approach of Giant Waves

Explorations

house with fertilizer, salt shaker, cleaning products, cinder block and ice melt

Salt Life

Take a Home Tour to Learn How We’re Worsening Salinity Around the World

Campus Life

students sit at round tables as professor lectures; screens show slide reading, "What are the most pressing social issues of our time?"

Freshmen Philanthropists

For 10 Years, iGive Students Have Learned by Awarding Grants to Nonprofits

Campus Life

women's rifle team lies on ground to shoot

Steady Eye on the Target

Hoops Shooters and Sharpshooters Pioneered Terp Women’s Sports a Century Ago

Campus Life

collage of Edmond Dédé, flowers and musical notes

A ‘Mind-Blowing’ Premiere, 130 Years Later

UMD to Debut Oldest Existing Opera by Black Composer

Class Notes

News on Friends and Classmates

See all Class Notes from this issue

Passings

Bonni Anne Carr DiRenzi ’89

Bonni Anne Carr DiRenzi ’89 of Telford, Pa., died on Dec. 4, 2024, at the age of 57. Born and raised in South Jersey, she graduated from Audubon High School and earned a journalism degree at UMD and a Master of Business Administration in marketing from…

Passings

Barbara Jenkins Bull ’71

Barbara Jenkins Bull ’71 died on Dec. 3, 2024, following outpatient surgery in Gainesville, Ga. She was 75, She grew up in Essex, Md., and earned her bachelor's degree in math education from the University of Maryland. She taught middle school in St.…

Passings

Michael Albert “Chief” Grieb ’66

Michael Albert “Chief” Grieb ’66 of Garrett Park, Md., died on Aug. 21, 2024, at age 79 from complications from Parkinson's disease. He spent one year at St. Vincent College in Latrobe, Pa., then graduated with a B.A. in government and politics from the…

90s

Ranjit Nair ’94

Ranjit Nair ’94 was named president of Oshkosh AeroTech. He has more than 20 years of leadership in the heavy-duty equipment space and came to Oshkosh from Epiroc, where he served as president of Stanley Infrastructure. Nair holds an MBA from Duke…

70s

Robert G. Hisaoka ’79

Robert G. Hisaoka ’79, chair of the Inova Health Foundation, was named to Northern Virginia Magazine’s 50 Most Influential People of 2024. He is currently focused on raising funds for the $161 million renovation of the Inova Fairfax Hospital emergency…

Passings

Dr. Joseph Hall Jr. ’69

Dr. Joseph Hall Jr. ’69 of Columbia, Md., died on Aug. 3, 2024, at the age of 78. Raised in a military family, Hall lived in Japan, Germany, California and Ohio before graduating from the University of Maryland with a sociology degree; Hall was also a…

00s

Jason Lee ’06

Jason Lee ’06 was promoted to senior vice president of supply chain at Din Tai Fund North America. He joined the company in 2022 and before that was with Cava Group and Five Guys. He has an MBA from the University of Maryland Global Campus.

“Out of Place: Coming of Age in Cold War West Germany” book cover

80s

Mary E. McKnight ’85

Mary E. McKnight ’85 released the book “Out of Place: Coming of Age in Cold War West Germany,” the tale of one teen’s quest to establish her own voice as an Army brat living in Cold War–era West Germany. She is a teacher at UMD’s Center for Young Children…