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Letter from the President
Dear Friends and Colleagues,
It feels as though spring is creeping in slowly! On one of the last very cold days in February, the full Foundation
board met in the Crist Board Room at UMCP on February 16.
Chair Bonnie Stein and the board were pleased to kick off the meeting by hearing from President Wallace Loh and Robert Grimm Jr., Director of the Do Good Institute (DGI) at UMCP.
In 2016, UMCP announced $75 million in new public-private commitments to create the DGI, which transforms students' idealism into extraordinary, real-world outcomes. The DGI offers classes that ask students to choose a cause, write grants for philanthropic ideas, and compete for seed funds as a final project. The DGI has four faculty endowments, a Nonprofit Leadership Fellows Program, and a Do Good Accelerator that provides leadership mentoring to students. Two DGI alums, founders of Hungry Harvest and Food Recovery Network, have been named to the Forbes Top 30 Social Entrepreneurs Under 30 list, and the show Shark Tank awarded $100,000 to Hungry Harvest in January 2016. As President Loh stated at the meeting, the purpose of education is to grow an educated mind, in addition to growing the spirit and heart.
I am pleased to announce that Board Chair Bonnie Stein is being inducted into
The Maryland Daily Record's Circle of Excellence on April 24. The Circle of Excellence is an honor reserved for women who have won Maryland's Top 100 Women award three times. Please join me in congratulating Bonnie, who is most deserving.
In December, I was saddened to learn of the passing of former Board Chair Ted Peck. Ted was an influential leader for the Foundation and the state, and he is remembered for his community-minded advocacy and his tireless support of education. You may read more about Ted farther down in the newsletter.
To ensure that our goals are met, state support remains a critical component of USM's budget and to that end, directors and staff travelled to Annapolis for Advocacy Day on February 28, where Vice Chancellor for Government Relations Patrick Hogan introduced us to key influencers in higher education. The conversations we had were engaging and constructive.
or 301-445-1941 with any questions or comments.
Leonard R. Raley
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University of Maryland, Baltimore's School of Nursing Receives $2 million from Carlyle Group Co-Founder
Bill Conway and his wife, Joanne, gifted UMB's School of Nursing $2 million at the end of January. The gift will address nursing shortages and comes through the Conway's Bedford Falls Foundation. The gift will help expand the school's Nurse Practitioner program at its Baltimore campus and at the Universities at Shady Grove, where the first cohort of nursing students is expected this fall.
Additionally, the gift will help fund scholarships to students eligible for financial need and students pursuing advanced nursing degrees. In 2015, the Conways gifted $5.24 million to the School of Nursing, making it the largest gift in the school's history.
Bill and Joanne Conway hope that more students at the School of Nursing will be trained to become primary care providers.
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Harvey-Danner Family Awards $85,500 for ACES Scholarships to the Universities at Shady Grove and Montgomery College
The Harvey-Danner family awarded a $85,500 scholarship fund to USG and MC in January in order to support students in the Achieving Collegiate Excellence and Success (ACES) program. Over the next five years,
USG will receive $56,000 and MC will receive $29,500 and scholarships will be awarded to full-time students in the ACES program who meet certain criteria.
The ACES program aims to create a smooth educational pathway from high school to community college to university through a one-on-one mentoring program for students underrepresented in higher education. Currently, more than 1,800 high school and college students benefit from the ACES program.
Stewart Edelstein, Executive Director of USG, expressed his thanks to the Harvey-Danner family, saying "We appreciate the support of Patricia Harvey and her family. Through her generosity, ACES students will have the opportunity to stay in school and complete their bachelor's degree."
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UMUC President Javier Miyares Named One of Five Higher Ed Leaders to Watch in 2017
UMUC President Javier Miyares has been named one of "five higher ed leaders to watch in 2017 and beyond" by Education Dive.
Lately the office of the college president has seen high turnover rates due to stressors of the job such as budget shortfalls and the rising costs of higher education. However, there are many college presidents who are innovative and thriving in the industry and President Miyares is first on Education Dive's list.
Under his leadership, UMUC has increased enrollment by 20% while spending 20% less on advertising by using an advanced model of data analytics, which UMUC has marketed to other institutions. Miyares also leads a professoriate comprised of many industry professionals, rather than tenured academics, which allows UMUC to produce many employable graduates. UMUC also cultivates partnerships with local school districts, the federal Office of Personnel Management, and the Department of Defense to elevate UMUC's impact in the national workforce and surrounding area.
Miyares is joined by Pradeep Khosla of the University of California San Diego, Drew Faust of Harvard University, Tristan Denley of the Tennessee Board of Regents, and Tashni-Ann Dubroy of Shaw University.
Read the complete list here.
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UMBC President Freeman Hrabowski Named Recipient of the Louis S. Diggs Award for 2017
Freeman Hrabowski is being honored for his commitment to the celebration of the African American experience in Baltimore County with the Louis S. Diggs Award. The award is in its second year and is named after Baltimore County resident and authority on county African-American history, Louis S. Diggs.
President Hrabowski has been president of UMBC since 1992. He believes the award is recognition for how UMBC has helped young people of all backgrounds excel. The other 2017 awardees are Baltimore County Public Schools Superintendent S. Dallas Dance and UMBC alumna Delegate Adrianne Jones.
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In Memoriam: Charles Edward "Ted" Peck
Former Foundation Chair Ted Peck passed away on December 26. Peck was the CEO of the Ryland Group, a home building and mortgage company in Columbia MD; the founder of the Columbia Festival of the Arts; and a great contributor to the USM, among other roles. In addition to serving as Foundation Chair, Peck served as chair of the Chancellor's Advisory Committee and on the Board of Visitors at UMCES. In 1995, Peck was awarded an honorary doctor of philosophy degree from UMUC. Peck was a generous leader in the community and the USM and we remember him fondly.
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Chancellor Caret Named to The Daily Record's Maryland Business Leaders to Watch in 2017
The Daily Record's list is comprised of six leaders who have a proven track record and new projects that are predicted to move Maryland forward in 2017.
Chancellor Caret, according to
The Daily Record, is "no stranger to running a complex education system" due to his experience as president of the University of Massachusetts System. His primary goals for the University System of Maryland are to ensure students receive a quality education and to shape the USM's institutions as "research-based economic engines" for the state.
Chancellor Caret is joined on the list by Prince George's County Executive Rushern Baker III, CEO of Anne Arundel Medical Center Victoria W. Bayless, and others.
Read the full list here.
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UMES President Juliette Bell Testifies on Capitol Hill
In December, Juliette Bell testified before the U.S. House of Representatives agriculture committee to request funding for scholarships for minorities pursuing careers in agriculture. President Bell was one of three presidents of a historically black institution who is in support of a proposal that would provide $1 million a year to nineteen land-grant schools that were founded to offer black students agriculture training following the Civil War.
Bell told the committee that this bill would give the universities an opportunity to provide financial support to students who are academically prepared, but not economically prepared to sustain their educational experience. According to Bell, it is essential that students know that agriculture is a viable career option.
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Bowie State President Mickey Burnim Inducted Into CIAA Hall of Fame
 President Burnim has been instrumental in helping the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA) become one of the elite conferences in NCAA II athletics. As Chair of the CIAA Council of Presidents, Burnim helped grow media presence for the conference through radio and television deals that are unprecedented in Division II sports. Burnim also helped stabilize the conference after it faced a $1.7 million deficit and misappropriation of fund allegations.
At Bowie State, Burnim has helped the athletic department's infrastructure become one of CIAA's best. Bowie has a football stadium with a state-of-the-art field house and locker rooms, a new world-class track, and an upgraded basketball facility. Under Burnim, the Bulldogs won their second CIAA Basketball Championship, football's north division for the last two years, and five championships in women's bowling.
Burnim was honored in February and inducted into the CIAA's Hall of Fame class of 2017 at the CIAA Basketball Tournament in Charlotte, North Carolina.
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Executive Director Mark C. Halsey Receives Leadership Award
The National University Technology Network (NUTN) out of Dallas, Texas has named Mark Halsey, executive director of the University System of Maryland at Hagerstown, the 2016 recipient of the J.O. Grantham Leadership Award. The award recognizes Halsey's service to the field of distance learning and technology and his leadership within NUTN.
Halsey is chairman of the Network's finance committee and has served on the governing executive committee for over six years.
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Towson President Kim Schatzel and UMES Executive VP Kimberly Dumpson Named to The Daily Record's Top 100 Women
Kim Schatzel and Kimberly Dumpson have
been named to
The Daily Record's
list of Maryland's Top 100 Women for 2017.
They were selected from a pool of 435 nominees and applicants and will be honored on April 24, alongside Bonnie Stein, who is being inducted into the Circle of Excellence.
Maryland's Top 100 Women make an impact through leadership, community service, and mentoring and are selected by business leaders and past Top 100 Women. Congratulations, Kim and Kimberly!
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UMBC launched the Hill-Lopes Scholars Program in January to support high potential women in STEM majors, where women are underrepresented. Barbara Hill and Ancelmo Lopes were impressed by UMBC's commitment to providing holistic support to students of all backgrounds. The program was inspired by the Meyerhoff Scholars Program and will provide financial assistance to scholars. The program will also connect scholars with faculty mentors and campus services that will aid them in obtaining their degrees.
Former President Barack Obama commemorated
UMUC's 70th anniversary with a letter that highlights the school's service to the US military.
UMUC was recently awarded a 54-month contract by the Department of Defense to offer graduate and undergraduate instruction at military installations in the Middle East and Africa.
UMB continues to help establish the
Southwest Partnership in Baltimore. The Southwest Partnership consists of seven neighborhood associations and six institutions in the city, including
UMB,
University of Maryland BioPark, and
University of Maryland Medical Center, and aims to build strong communities in the associated neighborhoods. WYPR produced a podcast series on the Southwest Partnership. The podcast features an interview with UMB President Jay A. Perman, a spotlight on UMB's Cure Scholars Program, and remarks from UMB professor Gregory B. Carey, among other features.
UMCP debuted Discovery District, which encompasses more than 150 acres from Baltimore Avenue along River Road in College Park. According to President Loh, in Discovery District, students, faculty, and businesses will turn knowledge into jobs. Discovery District is part of UMCP's Greater College Park initiative, a $2 billion public-private investment to revitalize the Baltimore Avenue corridor. The Hotel at the University of Maryland is set to open this summer and will anchor the Discovery District. The hotel will feature four restaurants and space for meetings and events.
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Vice President for Advancement
News
Brian DeFilippis named Towson University's Vice President for University Advancement
Brian DeFilippis is Towson's new vice president of University Advancement and vice president of the Towson University Foundation. DeFilippis came to TU from the University of Maryland School of Medicine where he served as associate dean for development and as chief development officer.
While at the School of Medicine, DeFilippis directed the capital campaign "Transforming Medicine Beyond Imagination" and raised $454.2 million. Prior to his position at the School of Medicine, DeFilippis served as assistant vice chancellor for medical alumni and development at the Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis until 2010.
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Board Member News
Cary Hatch is managing the Rebranding Greater Washington Taskforce. It aims to transform DC and the Greater Washington area's image from a government-focused area to a good place to start a company or expand a business and lead a high-quality life. Across the country, people often think of the region as a "political gridlock." However, according to Hatch, the location welcomes talent, energy, and passion to the community and workforce.
Anirban Basu
was named to St. Mary's College of Maryland Board of Trustees and to the Economic Development Commission by Govenor Larry Hogan's "Green Bag" appointments. According to Hogan, the appointments represent the administration's continued commitment to the people of Maryland to provide representatives that Marylanders deserve and respect. The "Green Bag" tradition dates back to 17th-century England when Gubernatorial nominations to the Senate were carried in a green satchel.
Read more here.
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Board Meeting Update
Chancellor Caret gave a USM update at the board meeting on February 16. He and his office continue to ensure that our 12 institutions and 2 regional centers work together to excel and gain more leverage as a System. The Chancellor has continued his 2015 bus tour of the state with a van tour for 2016-17. Each month, he meets with business groups to learn about the unique needs each region in the state faces.
Director Larry Boggs gave a very informative and positive investment committee report, and Director Bill Couper presented the spending policy committee report, resulting in board approval of a 4% spending rate. Leonard Raley provided an update on the Foundation, as well as emerging plans for a Systemwide federated campaign, with an ambitious target to raise $2.5 billion and double the endowment by 2027.
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Staff Member News
Sam Gallo represents the USM Foundation on Trusted Insight's list of the Top 30 CIOs for 2017. The list highlights 30 CIOs who have expertly navigated the markets and kept their institutions on sound financial footing.
Read more here.
Congratulations to
John Simcox on the birth of his daughter, Chloe Marie Simcox! Chloe was born on January 9, 2017 at 6lbs, 15oz.
Sylvia Means, IT Support Assistant, has retired. Sylvia began working for the Foundation in 1986 and has moved to San Diego to be close to family and to enjoy the beautiful weather on the West Coast. Congratulations, Sylvia!
Abby Coutant, Operations Manager at the Foundation, has resigned in order to move back to Chicago and be close to family. Abby worked for the Foundation since 2013 and we will miss her greatly!
Congratulations to
Nell Walker on the birth of her daughter, Blythe Reagan Walker! Blythe was born on December 16, 2016 at 7lbs, 12.9 oz.
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