Letters to the editor
From the president
Higher education research is one of our nation’s crown jewels. Discoveries and innovations in fields spanning space exploration, quantum science, personalized medicine and food safety have exponentially improved our quality of life. And as a top-20 public research institution, the University of Maryland is at the forefront of maintaining this momentum and making real change for real people.
UMD entomologist and Distinguished University Professor Raymond St. Leger is doing just that through an ambitious project featured in this issue of Terp to stop mosquitoes from spreading malaria and other deadly diseases. Bringing together a global team with funding from the federal government, St. Leger is pioneering the use of a genetically engineered fungus to target and kill the insect. This research has the potential to solve one of humanity’s most enduring public health challenges and save millions of lives.
Terps are also serving the public good by shaping the future of artificial intelligence. AI holds tremendous promise as a tool to advance industry, government and society, and we are making sure our students have the education and experiences necessary to lead the next-generation workforce. One of our latest projects is using AI to measure K-12 students’ engagement in math classes across the country and create a new database for scholars and educators to identify best practices. Led by the UMD College of Education in partnership with the Gates Foundation and Walton Family Foundation, this three-year initiative could help stop the decline in test scores since the COVID-19 pandemic.
Elsewhere in this issue, we profile Ryan Collins ’16, MBA ’20, who overcame horrific injuries to become a world record-breaking ultracyclist; celebrate the 25th anniversary of The Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center; and introduce new leaders of our athletic department and men’s basketball team.
I hope this issue gives you a full sense of how the University of Maryland is continuing to set a new standard of excellence and impact. I invite you to come back to campus and see it for yourself at Homecoming, Oct. 27-Nov. 1.
Sincerely,
Darryll J. Pines
President, University of Maryland
Glenn L. Martin Professor of Aerospace Engineering
How Students in UMD’s Forensic Accounting Club Helped Crack a Murder Case
I really enjoyed the magazine’s cover story. What a difference a few years make in tech tools. When I was a student in College Park, I took a few computer programming classes. To run a program back then, you punched it up on Hollerith cards, including the Job Control Language, took the stack of cards to a service window in the computer center, and waited a day for the results. Today’s kids have 10th-gen computers and AI. Wow, just wow!
Kenneth Richardson ’75, M.A. ’77, Twin Lake, Mich.
New ‘Image,’ Name for UMD’s Tour Guides
Walk Back Through 40 Years of Fun Facts and Surprising Perks
Anne Kirwan was my tour guide in 1987. When we found out who she was (her father was UMD’s president), my father said, “Don’t ask anything dumb or they’ll revoke your admission. Better yet, don’t talk at all!” Thanks, Dad! I remember she was so sweet and incredibly well versed about everything on campus. The University of Maryland will always hold a special place in my heart.
Bonnie Weinberg ’93, via Instagram
I was an Imager in the early ’90s. My partner was a Testudo (no, he didn’t dress for the tour). We had red cardigans with white “M”s then. One of my favourite campus organisations!
Donna Dewick ’93, via Instagram
My tour guide, when I told him I was from NY, pointed to a tree and jokingly said, “That’s a tree!” Ha ha. I then said, “Not NYC, but Syracuse.” “Oh you’re going to love it here,” he said, “It never snows!” That winter was one of the worst the area had ever seen, like shut-down-the-campus worst.
A few months ago I drove over to campus. I hadn’t been back in about seven or eight years, and oh my! I knew they were building tracks for the [Purple Line] and that they had moved the M circle a while back, but there were so many other areas that were unrecognizable! I still think it’s a pretty campus but it’s changed a lot—as has College Park!
Erin Dillenbeck ’89, via Instagram
Reading the article brought back memories of my time as a campus tour guide in the early ’80s. Back then we were paid; it was part of my job as an admissions representative. There were no auditions, no facts to memorize (and no Terps T-shirt, either). Each rep could say whatever they wanted on a tour!
Julie Waxman Liss ’82, Potomac, Md.
No matter the decade, Terps found refuges and ‘Rendezvous’ points on College Park’s Main Street
I did want to let you know that the Cellar was definitely going strong through at least 1996 (the article mentions it closing in the 1980s). A friend gave the graduation address that year at Cole Field House, and he reflected on his fond memories of the Cellar. At the end of the night, every night they would play “December, 1963 (Oh, What a Night).” I’ll never forget singing along after a few too many drinks.
I was also wondering about Penguin Pizza—another honorable mention? I hung out with some Maryland basketball players there; they were celebrities around campus but always kind to all of the students. Thank you for creating such a special article. Keep up the great work! I hope you’ll write a sequel.
Brian Marquardt ’96, Los Altos, Calif.