Fall 2005 - Vol. 1, No. 1
Honors Welcomes Largest Class Ever
The University Honors Program experienced a dramatic rise in enrollment for the 20052006 school year. This fall, Honors welcomed 890 new students, its largest incoming class ever. “We received so many exceptionally talented students,” said Dr. Barbara Thorne, program director. The Program maintains its high quality and continues to offer its unique educational experience, despite the unprecedented enrollment numbers. According to Dr. Thorne, “We had time to add excellent courses and expand Honors housing and we anticipate a great year ahead with these terrific students.” During the past year, the Honors Program contributed to the intellectual richness and awareness of the campus community by featuring guest lectures from such distinguished speakers as Dorothy Height, civil rights pioneer, political leader and educator, and Gwen Ifill, managing editor of Washington Week and senior correspondent for The Newshour with Jim Lehrer. Honors inaugurated both a new program and a new award this past year. The Honors Film Festival, initiated in spring 2005, features monthly screenings introduced by popular faculty, who provide historical or artistic context, comment on themes, and lead a discussion following the films. The Honors Art Gallery Award encourages artistic expression among Honors students. The art works of the five spring 2005 awardees, Sicong Silvia Hou ’07, Tim Oberc ’07, Haleena Rehman ’05, Rachel Travis ’06, and Jessica Weglein ’06, now grace the walls of Anne Arundel Hall, home of the University Honors Program. ————————————————————— Student Profile
Students Read Thurgood Marshall Biography
Incoming fall 2005 students received copies of the 2005-06 First Year Book, Thurgood Marshall: American Revolutionary by Juan Williams, senior correspondent for National Public Radio and author of the best-seller Eyes on the Prize: America’s Civil Rights Years, 1954-1965. “The First Year Book Program provides a shared intellectual experience for all students, introducing them to academic life in the University,” says Dr. Lisa Kiely, assistant dean and coordinator of the program. Students across the campus read the First Year Book for class discussions and assignments. In addition, a wide range of public events, including lectures, films and performances inspired by the book, take place throughout the year and encourage examination of the historic events and issues illuminated throughout the story of Thurgood Poster design by the Office of University Publications; Photos Marshall. Author Williams received a standing ovation after delivering his courtesy of Library of Congress and AP/Worldwidephotos. First Year Book lecture, The Legacy of the Civil Rights Era: Contemporary Challenges, on November 1. Thurgood Marshall: American Revolutionary is a featured part of the University’s 150th Anniversary Year Celebration. The book chronicles the progress of a critical aspect of our nation’s civil rights struggle. It also tells a Maryland story, providing insight into the personal challenges and triumphs of Marylander Marshall during a coming-of-age period for the University. The University celebrates the book as one that offers insight into the University’s history and its institutional transformation through diversity. Each fall, the Office of Undergraduate Studies provides free copies of the First Year Book selection to incoming undergraduates. Students have responded enthusiastically to this year’s book poster (pictured above), requesting copies in record numbers. Dr. Shibley Telhami, who holds the Anwar Sadat Chair for Peace and Development at the University of Maryland, authored the 2004-2005 First Year Book, The Stakes: America in the Middle East. —————————————————————
Ramya Swamy ’05, a University Honors Program alumna, graduated Summa Cum Laude in Biological Sciences with a specialization in Cell, Molecular Biology, and Genetics and with High Honors in Entomology. She carried a double major in Psychology. Ms. Swamy received both the prestigious Howard Hughes Medical Institute Undergraduate Research Fellowship and the John Portz Outstanding Honors Student Award. She was named a 2004 Philip Merrill Senior Scholar. Ms. Swamy cites her experiences as a young girl in Indonesia as a source of inspiration for her career choice. She now attends the Cleveland Clinic Lerner College of Medicine.
The Advisor is a publication of the Office of Undergraduate Studies 2130 Mitchell Building University of Maryland College Park, MD 20742-5245 Phone: 301-405-9363 In This Issue: For College Park Scholars, Service First Student Profiles National Scholarships Winners Iraq War Vets in Army ROTC Students Design Unique Majors Undergraduate Studies Facts TRIO Programs Change Lives Film by Asian American Studies Alum
For College Park Scholars, Service First
The day before fall semester classes begin, “Service Day imprints the values of civic engagement that are inherent in College Park Scholars,” says Dr. Greig Stewart, Scholars executive director. On August 30, teams, formed from 897 new freshmen in the College Park Scholars program, volunteered a day of
First Contact: Letters and Sciences
Close to 2,500 new students each year select the Division of Letters and Sciences as their point of academic entry to the University of Maryland. Letters and Sciences serves as the advising home for students, mostly freshmen and sophomores, until they choose a degree major. In addition, juniors and seniors across campus benefit from pre-professional advising in medicine, law and the health professions provided by Letters and Sciences.
Student Profile
College Park Scholars Service Day, 2005: Environmental Studies students picked tomatoes at the Beltsville Agricultural Research Center. They participated in a USDA program that allows the public to collect food from government lands to benefit nonprofit organizations. The students donated the tomatoes to Food for Others of Fairfax, VA.
service at 25 local schools, parks and community-based organizations. A team of students in Scholars’ American Cultures program found Service Day 2005 especially meaningful. As news broadcasts detailed the devastation of hurricane Katrina, this Scholars’ team, joined by recent alumni, packed Federal Emergency Management Agency boxes at the Capital Area Food Bank in Northeast Washington, D.C. College Park Scholars programs also serve the local community by hosting an after-school tutoring program, Lakeland STARS, for students enrolled in Paint Branch Elementary School in Prince George’s County, MD. Civic engagement influences career goals. This fall, Scholars explore public service career opportunities at the Patent and Trademark Office (PTO) through the third annual Scholars on the Hill event. Students meet with a senior PTO official, tour the agency and talk with Maryland alumni employed there. —————————————————————
Sara-Michele Lazarus received recognition as the 2005 Letters and Sciences Outstanding Student of the Year. Now a junior majoring in Communication, she is an Academy of Leadership Fellow and a member of the Hinman Campus Entrepreneurship Opportunities Program. Ms. Lazarus expresses an interest in politics and hopes to work on a future presidential campaign.
First Rodler-Wood Scholarships in LGBT Studies Awarded
The Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) Studies Program awarded the Rodler-Wood Scholarships in LGBT Studies for the first time this spring. Established by Maryland graduate James Wood ’72 and his partner Peter Rodler, the $1,000 awards went to Natalie Prizel, an undergraduate English major, and to Vincent Stevens, who received his Ph.D. in American Studies in 2005.
Undergraduate Studies Facts
Air Force ROTC became a distinct program on campus in 1949. The enrollment in the four-year program this year is 129 students. The program awarded over $775,000 in scholarship funds to University of Maryland students last year.
Message from the Dean
Donna B. Hamilton, Associate Provost for Academic Affairs and Dean for Undergraduate Studies Welcome to the first edition of The Advisor, the newsletter of the Office of Undergraduate Studies. In planning this newsletter, we considered what we should say and why we should say it. We have one answer to those questions: students. Our mission is to improve the quality of our students’ academic experience. We measure our achievements by whether or not our work accomplishes that mission. We want our readers on and off campus to know that this commitment drives all of our work. So why are we calling our newsletter The Advisor? Certainly academic advisors serve as linchpins in the process by which students achieve success at the University. Through its programs, the Office of Undergraduate Studies advises and mentors approximately 6,000 students each year, supports advising practices across the University, and creates unique learning environments for students. We also name our newsletter The Advisor as a directive to ourselves to continue to enrich the education of our students, who depend on us to make available a range of academic experiences and opportunities that will prepare them to take their places among the leaders, the innovators, the thinkers, and the makers of the future. Finally, the newsletter will advise you, the reader, about the Office of Undergraduate Studies. The Advisor reports on the work we must carry on and must continue to strengthen at the University of Maryland.
Maryland Students Win 26 Major National Scholarships
More University of Maryland students “Students are more aware of opportunities, apply for and win prestigious national and prepare more strategically when scholarships than ever before. In 2004- applying for scholarships,” according to 2005, 25 students won major awards; one Dr. Camille Stillwell, NSO coordinator. undergraduate, Tony Li, received two Students now begin to research scholarships scholarships. and awards earlier in their academic careers. Students are more aware of opportu- “More sophomores and The National Scholarships nities, and prepare more strategical- juniors contact me, and Office (NSO) assists students in their quest for ly when applying for scholarships. the traffic to our web site some of the nation’s most Dr. Camille Stillwell, NSO coordinator continues to increase,” prestigious awards for notes Stillwell. undergraduate and graduate study, including the Fulbright, Mitchell, Goldwater, and A National Scholarships reception in Churchill scholarships, as well as awards May honored scholarship winners and from the National Institutes of Health and finalists. The NSO web site includes a the Department of Homeland Security. list of the University’s 2004-2005 national scholarship winners. —————————— Student Profile
Featured 2004-05 Scholarship Recipients
Ethan Buch ’99, ’02 (B.S. 1999 Cum Laude, Kinesiological Sciences, with Honors in Kinesiology; M.A. with Thesis 2002, Kinesiology) Mr. Buch, UM’s first winner of the National Institutes of Health-Oxford University Scholarship in Biomedical Research, pursues research at Oxford University and the National Institutes of Health toward a Ph.D. Melissa Boteach (B.A. 2005 Summa Cum Laude with High Honors in Government and Politics; B.A. 2005 Summa Cum Laude in Spanish Language and Literature) Ms. Boteach, a Truman Scholar (2004) and George Mitchell Scholarship awardee, now attends University College in Dublin, Ireland. Toni Li (B.S. 2005 Summa Cum Laude with Honors in Electrical Engineering) Awarded both a National Defense Science and Engineering Scholarship and a National Science Foundation Graduate Fellowship, Mr. Li now attends Stanford University. Andrew Parker (B.S. 2005 Cum Laude, Physics; B.S 2005 Cum Laude, Civil Engineering) Mr. Parker, UM’s first Churchill Scholarship awardee, now attends the University of Cambridge in the UK. Deborah Sweet (Chemical Engineering), Timothy Dulaney (Physics and Mathematics), and Eric Newman (Biochemistry) These three UM seniors all won Goldwater Scholarships. Three of the four Goldwater nominees from UM received the awards.
Fernando Balderrama began his scholarship pursuit in fall 2004 through the assistance of the NSO. Distinguished as a Rhodes Scholarship finalist, and a 2005 Jack Kent Cooke Scholar, Mr. Balderrama addressed the May 2005 commencement audience as the University’s student speaker. The Cooke Scholarship provides Mr. Balderrama with an award of $50,000 per year for up to six years. A May 2005 Summa Cum Laude graduate with degrees in General Business, with a specialization in International Business, and Economics with a double major in French Language and Literature, Mr. Balderrama now attends the London School of Economics.
Trio Programs Change the Lives of Maryland Students
Authorized by the Higher Education Act of 1965, the federally funded TRIO programs at the University of Maryland touch the lives of many students who, without the assistance of these programs, might not gain admission to, persevere and succeed in higher education. Stories of individual students, as well as the high percentage of students from these programs who gain admission to and succeed in college and then move on to graduate school, testify to the life-changing impact of the TRIO programs at the University. Pre-College Programs Mentor Area High Schoolers for College Pre-College Programs (PCP) at the University help students gain the skills and develop the motivation necessary to enter and succeed in college. For 2004-2005, PCP graduated the largest and most talented class in its history. Sixty of 61 program seniors, who graduated from high school in June 2005, gained admission to colleges and universities. Most of these students resided in Prince George’s (32) and Montgomery (21) counties, reports Dr. Georgette Hardy-DeJesus, PCP director. Several PCP alumni received scholarships and awards. Ashlee Person received the University of Maryland Presidential Scholarship and various other scholarship awards totaling $86,200; she received admission to Maryland’s University Honors Program. The University of Maryland admits the largest group of PCP alumni, with nine of these new college students now enrolled at the University. Other universities that admitted PCP alumni included Temple, George Washington, Hampton, Drexel, Syracuse, and Notre Dame. Talent Search Program Students Move on to Higher Education The Educational Talent Search Program (ETS) helps economically challenged families overcome the class and social barriers that often limit access to higher education. ETS identifies and serves individuals ages 11-27. Services include tutoring and mentoring, personal, career and academic counseling, exposure to college campuses, and assistance with college entrance exam preparation, financial aid and college applications. Of the 215 graduating high school seniors in 2005, which completed the University of Maryland’s ETS programs, 186 gained admission to colleges and universities, according to ETS data as of October 10. Thirteen of these students either matriculated at the University of Maryland College Park as of fall 2005 or gained admission for Spring 2006. All 13 reside in Prince George’s County, MD. McNair Program Students Set Their Sights on Graduate School Located at select universities throughout the country, the Ronald E. McNair Post-Baccalaureate Achievement Program serves students from populations traditionally underrepresented in academic careers. The McNair Program provides scholarly experience including faculty mentoring, counseling/advising, and research experiences/opportunities to promote graduate study in pursuit of doctoral degrees. McNair is one of five programs located in Academic Achievement Programs (AAP) at the University of Maryland. Each McNair student receives a scholarship and stipend to attend a summer research seminar and work on original research projects. Selected faculty mentors on campus advise individual scholars. The scholars meet in seminars and special events. They travel to meet with McNair Scholars on other campuses during the following academic year. This past year at the University of Maryland, 15 McNair participants (100% of those eligible to graduate) earned baccalaureate degrees in May 2005. This fall, five former McNair scholars from Maryland began doctoral studies and one a masters program. One McNair scholar received graduate school support in excess of $ 43,000 per year to pursue her Ph.D. at Purdue University. Realizing a Dream Through the Summer Transition Program All of the University’s Academic Achievement Programs (AAP) help students realize the dream of admission to and success in college. The Summer Transition Program (STP) welcomes approximately 120 students each summer to a six-week, JulyAugust program of full-time tutoring, college classes and skills training for college life. All students admitted to the University through Student Support Services/Intensive Educational Development Programs must enroll in STP. Each year, approximately 95% of Summer Transition students continue at the University. Kellie Darbouze, a 2005 Summer Transition student, explained the crucial role the program played for her. “It is a bridge-way...I would not be here without AAP. I got a 4.0 in my summer classes,” she said. Successful completion of the STP enhances student achievement at the University. The Office of Undergraduate Studies Recognizes the University of Maryland’s 2005 McNair Scholars First-Year McNair Scholars Ayobodun Akingbade, Psychology Marquita Anatsui, Psychology Isabela Acezuna, Government and Politics Farrah Childs, Journalism Alexis Cornish, Physics Juan Diaz, Geography Laura DiTizio, Family Studies Kodjovi Kpotchie, Engineering Chryl Laird, Government and Politics Second-Year McNair Scholars: Ekua Abban,Cell Biology/Molecular Genetics Kumasi Barnett, Art Studio/Art History Emmanuel Cephas, Physics Tima Hawes, Communication Regina Muhammed, Health Sciences Mandy Kang, Biochemistry
Film by Asian American Studies Alumnus of the Year Featured at Campus Screening
The Asian American Studies Program (AAST) presented its 2005 AAST Alumnus of the Year award to Noel “Sonny” Izon, a Filipino American filmmaker, in October 2005 to coincide with the national celebration of Filipino American History Month. Born in Manila, Philippines, Izon graduated with Honors from the University of Maryland in 1971. He earned his B.A. in English. At the October program sponsored by the AAST, Mr. Izon introduced his award-winning film, An Untold Triumph. Izon, who co-wrote and directed the film, answered questions following the screening. The film documents and honors the men of the Filipino Infantry Regiments of the U.S. Army, who fought in the Philippines during World War II, and struggled against the racism of pre-war America. Mr. Izon, an independent filmmaker, works out of his production house, Interactive Communication Technology, in Hyattsville, MD. His production credits encompass more than 250 films and videos, including productions for PBS and National Geographic Television.
“Green to Gold” for Active Duty Students
A college elective, the Army Reserve Officer Training Corps (Army ROTC) develops leadership skills in students as they prepare for service in the military or corporate world. Not all Army ROTC students enter the program straight from high school; some veterans of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan come to the University through the Army’s “Green to Gold” scholarship program. Active duty soldiers, such as Cadet Justin Yourtee (see right), interrupt or follow their enlistment to train and earn a degree at the University of Maryland and a commission as a second lieutenant in the active Army or Reserve Forces. Cadet Yourtee attended Frederick Community College before his enlistment. While serving in Iraq, then Sergeant Justin Yourtee applied to the University of Maryland and the Army ROTC program. The 26year-old, now in his junior year, said he “was glad to be back in school.” Following his time in Iraq, he says he is now “more focused and disciplined,” and “thankful to have the opportunity to finish college and to become an officer.” Army ROTC returned to the University of Maryland in 2001 following an absence of over 50 years. Since its return, the program has drawn more students each year. Enrollment increased from 52 students in spring 2005 to 64 at the start of fall 2005. In addition, some Army ROTC courses are open to all students on campus and draw enrollment from a variety of majors. This last year, the McArthur Foundation and the US Army Cadet Command recognized University of Maryland Army ROTC with the “Most Improved Program” award for its region. Army ROTC focuses primarily on academics and graduation as it seeks to provide world-class leadership training. The program awarded approximately $250,000 in scholarships and non-scholarship stipends to University of Maryland students last year. ————————————————————— Iraq war veteran, Justin Yourtee, majors in Criminology and Criminal Justice at the University of Maryland. Army ROTC Cadet Yourtee, looks forward to earning both an undergraduate degree and a commission as second lieutenant.
Students Design Unique Majors
The Individual Studies Program (IVSP) continues to draw talented students after implementing more rigorous standards for admission. Students interested in proposing an IVSP major receive advising and mentoring as they create their proposals. They must identify a faculty sponsor and present their proposal before the IVSP Faculty Review Board for approval. IVSP students take on issues often studied only at the graduate level, and students perform well in these challenging areas.
Jeff Kniple, IVSP coordinator
interdisciplinary majors,” says Jeff Kniple, program coordinator. “IVSP students take on issues often studied only at the graduate level, and students perform well in these challenging areas,” adds Kniple. Currently, IVSP includes majors designed around issues in public policy, applied ethics, and the fine arts in a global perspective. Ethics and Public Policy in Medicine, and Music, Technology and Culture are two examples. Prior to the approval of the University’s Environmental Sciences and Policy Program, students wishing to major in that area created their majors through IVSP. The number of students who designed such majors helped encourage development of a formal program. ——————————
Undergraduate Studies Facts
Prior to each semester, New Student Orientation Programs give incoming University of Maryland students a fastpaced and information-rich introduction to the campus, its resources and expectations. During the 2005 summer orientation, 6,200 students participated in either the oneor two-day programs; 3,296 parents also participated.
“The Program has always provided an opportunity for students to shine through the creation of truly unique,
New Publication from the Center for Teaching Excellence
Since the University’s Center for Teaching Excellence published its Graduate Teaching Assistant Resource Guide 2005-2006 in September, graduate teaching assistants have had a new tool for developing their teaching skills. This 81-page resource covers everything from constructing a syllabus and teaching your first class to grading and academic integrity. —————————————————————
Spotlight: Distinguished Teacher Lecture on December 9
The Center for Teaching Excellence presents Dr. Richard Keeling of the National Center for Science and Civic Engagement speaking on Connecting Student Learning with Real World Issues: Undergraduate Education in the 21st Century. Maryland Room, 0100 Marie Mount Hall, 2:00-3:30 P.M.
Undergraduate Studies Programs Campus-Wide Center for Teaching Excellence CORE Liberal Arts and Sciences Studies (General Education) Division of Letters and Sciences New Student Orientation Living and Learning Beyond the Classroom College Park Scholars University Honors Enrichment Center for Undergraduate Research First Year Book First Year Learning Communities Leaders for Tomorrow Philip Merrill Presidential Scholars Senior Summer Scholars Summer Freshman Seminars Concentrated Studies Air Force ROTC Army ROTC Asian American Studies (Certificate) Individual Studies (Degree) Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Studies (Certificate) Academic Support National Scholarships Office TRIO Programs Academic Achievement Educational Talent Search Pre-College For more information on these programs see: http://www.ugst.umd.edu
Support the Office of Undergraduate Studies with Your Gift
Support from University of Maryland alumni, parents and friends is at an alltime high, which is critical considering that funding from the State makes up only 27% of the University’s budget. Private support is essential to reinforce the University’s quality programs and services and to increase financial aid for students. The Office of Undergraduate Studies is the primary division at the University of Maryland responsible for leadership of undergraduate curricular and cocurricular education. Your gift will lend support to one or more of the many programs within the Office of Undergraduate Studies. If you would like to learn more about supporting the Office of Undergraduate Studies, please contact Dean Donna B. Hamilton at 301-405-9354 or dhamil@ umd.edu. Cash gifts by mail: Please make checks payable to “University of Maryland, College Park Foundation” with a memo “Office of Undergraduate Studies.” Mail to: Gift Acceptance and Receipting, 3126 Samuel Riggs IV Alumni Center, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742-1531. Gifts online: Please make your gift online at: http://www.giving.umd.edu and designate “Office of Undergraduate Studies”
Office of Undergraduate Studies 2130 Mitchell Building University of Maryland College Park, Maryland 20742-5245