Iribe’s $2.85M Gift to Expand Computing Pathways at UMD

A $2.85 MILLION DONATION from alumnus Brendan Iribe will boost support for UMD computing majors and local middle and high school students through experiential learning, scholarships and professional development programs.

The new Computing Catalyst will continue the university’s efforts to cultivate an inclusive computing community at UMD. It will be a unit in the Department of Computer Science with additional funding from the Institute for Advanced Computer Studies and the College of Information. Tamara Clegg, an associate professor in the college, will lead the Catalyst.

Iribe’s latest gift establishes the Dr. Jan Plane Endowed Program Support Fund in Computer Science, honoring the principal lecturer emerita of computer science who pioneered the university’s K-12 outreach programs in computing. He previously donated $30 million to help build the Brendan Iribe Center for Computer Science and Engineering, made gifts to support tech-related experiential learning opportunities for local K-12 and UMD students, and endowed a scholarship fund and professorships.

He said that Plane’s launch of CompSciConnect, a three-year summer camp that introduces middle schoolers to computing, and her “compelling vision to support women and so many others in computing” ignited his commitment to this initiative.

“Collaborating with her has been one of the most rewarding experiences of my career,” says Iribe, co-founder of the artificial intelligence digital voice startup Sesame. “I’m thrilled to see her legacy live on and inspire others.”

Plane, who retired in 2022 after 33 years at UMD, touched the lives of thousands of students from elementary to graduate school. Thanks to Iribe’s gift, a student lounge in the Iribe Center will also be named in her honor.

“He is a true advocate for broadening participation in computing and improving the quality and quantity of computing education at all levels,” she says. “I’m so grateful that he believes in what we do and what we’ve accomplished—his commitment to continuing this work means everything.”