U. of MD Honors College

Congratulations to ACES students Samai Patel ‘25 and Matthewos Gashaw ‘25 of App Dev Club (ADC), which took home the $5,000 prize in this year’s Do Good Challenge project category, along with the $2,500 Audience Choice Award. ADC is a new student club that helps computer science majors hone their skills while supporting socially impactful corporate initiatives.

📣 Heads up! The Honors College Anne Arundel Hall location will be closed from June 1 until at least August 4 for building renovations. We hope to reopen Monday, August 7. Staff will be working remotely during this time. Contact [email protected] for general inquiries or [email protected] for admissions-related matters. We apologize for any inconvenience.

Congratulations to all of the Honors students who received a 2023 Do Good Medallion! Each awardee is recognized for their dedicated commitment to social impact and innovation and their efforts to bolster the University of Maryland's impact as the nation's first Do Good Campus. Recipients include students who were Do Good Accelerator Fellows, Do Good Ambassadors, Impact Interns, Do Good student workers, or finalists or semi-finalists in the Do Good Challenge.

This year, the Honors College had students from University Honors - University of Maryland, Design Cultures & Creativity, University of Maryland, Gemstone Program, Honors Humanities at the University of Maryland and Integrated Life Sciences UMD among the Do Good medallion awardees.

https://dogood.umd.edu/news/60-students-receive-2023-do-good-medallion

Do Good Institute

60 Students Receive 2023 Do Good Medallion | Do Good Institute The Class of 2023 is full of bold thinkers, chance takers and difference makers who are passionate about doing good on campus, in their communities and throughout their careers. The Do Good Institute is happy to award 60 of these driven Terps who make up the Class of 2023 with a Do Good Medallion.

Congratulations to all of the (many!) Honors students named senior marshals for this year's commencement ceremony! The senior marshals, who carry the banners for schools, colleges and departments, are Spring, Winter and Summer graduates who have stood out during their time at the University of Maryland for academic excellence, service to the university community, noteworthy extracurriculars and good character.

https://today.umd.edu/nearly-80-terps-honored-as-senior-marshals

Nearly 80 Terps Honored as Senior Marshals Program Recognizes Students for Academic, Extracurricular and Personal Accomplishments

Congratulations to Gemstone student Isha Yardi '23 on being named this year's university medalist! Sriya Potluri '23 (ILS), Tesia Shi '23 (Gemstone) and Jerry Yang '23 (Gemstone) were also among the highly selective list of finalists.

The highest honor bestowed on a graduating senior, the university medal commends academic achievement, service to the community and exceptional character. Finalists earned at least a 3.96 GPA and 60 or more credits during their undergraduate career at UMD.

https://today.umd.edu/one-medalist-four-finalists-embody-terp-spirit

Gemstone Program Integrated Life Sciences UMD

One Medalist, Four Finalists Embody Terp Spirit Seniors Make a Lasting Mark Through Service, Achievement

Walking around the campus, you may not think twice about the names of the buildings that surround you. But each one has been named after someone or something historically significant. Dorchester Hall, the home of the Honors Global Communities (HGC) program, is named after Dorchester County, the home of the famous abolitionist and social activist Harriet Tubman. HGC students visited Dorchester County last month to learn more about this important figure in American history.

Read the full story at go.umd.edu/hgcdorchester.

Global Communities - UMD

Honors Global Communities Explores the Legacy of Harriet Tubman in Dorchester County - University of Maryland Honors College Walking around the UMD campus, you may not think twice about the names of the buildings that surround you. But each one has been named after someone or something historically significant. Dorchester Hall, the home of the Honors Global Communities (HGC) program, is named after Dorchester County, the....

Congratulations to Professor Michel Cukier, director of the ACES Program at University of Maryland, on being among four leaders from the University of Maryland (UMD) to make the 2023 Higher Education Power List produced by The Daily Record!

The list—which names President Darryll J. Pines, Senior Vice President and Provost Jennifer King Rice, Vice President for Research Gregory F. Ball, and Director of Advanced Cybersecurity Experience for Students (ACES) Michel Cukier—highlights 30 of the most influential figures in Maryland higher education, each selected for their vision and impact on the space.

Cukier, a first-time awardee, was recognized for his over 20-year tenure at UMD. Cukier has served as the director of the ACES program—an undergraduate Honors College program that provides students the opportunity to explore the world of cybersecurity and its real-world applications—for more than a decade. Additionally, he serves as a professor of reliability engineering with a joint appointment in the department of mechanical engineering and was noted for his significant contributions to cybersecurity research.

Read the full announcement: https://research.umd.edu/articles/four-umd-leaders-named-daily-records-higher-education-power-list

Congrats to UH student Ethan Huegler '24 and his team on taking first prize for their violence-detection system, Guardian at this week's Northrop Grumman Student Challenge, an Internet of Things (IoT) hackathon!

The competition was part of Northrop Grumman Day, an all-day event for executives with the aerospace and defense company to connect with University of Maryland leaders, students and faculty. It highlights the university’s close partnership with Northrop Grumman as well as the company’s investment in fostering talent and technology to meet industry needs.

https://today.umd.edu/at-northrop-grumman-day-students-pitch-the-future-of-networked-computing

University Honors - University of Maryland,

At Northrop Grumman Day, Students Pitch the Future of Networked… From Next-Gen Security Cameras to Smart Sorters, Hackathon Winners Provide Innovative IoT Solutions

Congratulations to all who received an award and/or their Honors citation at our citation ceremony last Friday! It was a joyous occasion celebrating the achievements of our community, with an inspiring keynote talk by Dean Kimberly Griffin from the College of Education.

📸 Thai Nguyen

Congratulations to Honors students Jack Yang '24 (ILS) and Kevin Tu ’23 (UH) on winning their respective categories at the 2023 Do Good Challenge. Yang and his team won first place for Kesem, taking home the $5,000 first prize on the project track, along with the $2,500 Finalist Audience Choice Award. Tu won the $5,000 first prize on the venture track for his work with Sustainabli.

The annual Do Good Challenge inspires students to make a difference for the issues, ideas, and communities they care about. Teams competing on the project track focus on advocacy for an existing effort, while the venture track focuses on a new program, business or product.

Damiana Colley '24 (UH) and her team, Preventing Sexual Assault, took the $1,000 third-place prize on the project track, and Katherine-Aria Close ’23 (DCC) and Marie Brodsky ’24 (ACES) took the $1,000 third-place prize on the venture track for WISE Cities.

Congrats to all involved in this inspiring work to do good!

https://today.umd.edu/green-lab-startup-camp-for-kids-dealing-with-parents-cancer-take-first-place-in-do-good-challenge

Green Lab Startup, Camp for Kids Dealing With Parents’ Cancer Take… 6 Student Teams Split $20K for Their Impactful Ventures, Projects Tackling Social Issues

Congratulations to Honors students Kevin Tu ’23 (UH), Oliver D'Esposito '26 (GEMS) and Telon Yan ’23 (UH) on winning the $30,000 grand prize at the 2023 Pitch Dingman Competition, the Dingman Center’s annual competition to provide UMD's most talented student entrepreneurs the opportunity to compete for seed funding and exclusive access to venture development resources. Their startup, Sustainabli, is dedicated to reducing energy loss from fume hoods in laboratories and making the practice of science more sustainable.

Katherine-Aria Close ’23 (DCC) and Marie Brodsky ’24 (ACES) took the $1,000 third-place prize and $1,000 audience choice prize for WISE Cities, a digital platform connecting senior citizens to local groups, community centers, city departments and businesses.

Congrats to all involved in this inspiring entrepreneurial work!

Read the full story: https://today.umd.edu/pitch-dingman-winner-closes-the-hood-on-labs-energy-waste

Pitch Dingman Winner Closes the Hood on Labs’ Energy Waste Student-Led Startups Share $100,000 in Funding at Annual Competition

In celebration of National Librarian Day today (April 16), we share how the Honors College’s Gemstone program connects student research teams with librarians, setting them up for successful futures in research.

“Libraries provide a springboard for our students to dive into their research,” says GEMS faculty director, Dr. David Lovell.

Read more about the partnership at https://honors.umd.edu/2023/04/celebrating-gemstones-partnership-with-umd-libraries-on-national-librarian-day/

Gemstone Program McKeldin Library, University of Maryland

Celebrating Gemstone’s Partnership with UMD Libraries on National Librarian Day - University of Maryland Honors College In celebration of National Librarian Day (April 16), we share how the Honors College’s Gemstone program connects student research teams with librarians, setting them up for successful futures in research. “Libraries provide a springboard for our students to dive into their research,” says GEMS...

Last year, the students behind Smiles for Our Future (SOF) identified a significant need for dental resources and education among refugee communities in the College Park area. Learn about what motivated SOF founder and student Julia Shpigel to launch the organization with a mission to support refugees from around the world: go.umd.edu/sof.

Congratulations to Honors students Corinne Martin '24 (DCC) and Neel Panchwagh '24 (ILS), who have been awarded 2023 scholarships by the Barry Goldwater Scholarship and Excellence in Education Foundation. The prestigious Goldwater Scholarship encourages students to pursue advanced study and research careers in the sciences, engineering and mathematics.

Read the full story: go.umd.edu/gw23

Integrated Life Sciences UMD Design Cultures & Creativity, University of Maryland

Congratulations to IBH students Ocarina Lin, Angela Luo, Krushi Shah and Jiayi Wang on coming in third place at Deloitte’s National Undergraduate Case Competition last month! The team was eligible to compete in the national competition after winning first place at UMD’s Deloitte Case Competition in February. The national competition featured sixteen of the top teams from universities around the country.

Read more at go.umd.edu/ibhdeloitte23

is TODAY! 🎉 Small gifts can make a HUGE impact. Help Terps move Fearlessly Forward throughout today: givingday.umd.edu.

is on Wednesday! UGST and Honors are out here giving out ice cream and swag leading up to the big day. Come on out!

Free ice cream on Monday!🍦

The Office of Undergraduate Studies (UGST) and the Honors College are kicking off (March 8) with an ice cream party near the sundial on McKeldin Mall on Monday, March 6 from 12:30 to 2:30 p.m. Help us kick off UMD's annual day of giving and share your favorite stories on social media.

is one week away! 🐢

On March 8, support and our living-learning programs. Donations to the Honors College allow us to recruit diverse, engaged, exceptional students with competitive scholarships and to enhance the experience of our current students.

Learn more: givingday.umd.edu

How did scientists decode the human genome and how can we even conceptualize such a complex system? Freshman ILS students gained insight into DNA sequencing and analysis through an innovative new course introducing them to hands-on computational approaches in the biological sciences.

Read the full story: go.umd.edu/hlsc208

Congrats to University Honors student and biological sciences and economics dual-degree student Kevin Tu on being awarded a 2023 Churchill Scholarship! One of only 15 other STEM students nationwide to win the prestigious honor, Kevin will pursue his MPhil in oncology at the University of Cambridge.

University Honors - University of Maryland

Congrats to Biological Sciences and economics dual-degree student Kevin Tu on being awarded a 2023 Churchill Scholarship! One of only 15 other STEM students nationwide to win the prestigious honor, Kevin will pursue his MPhil in oncology at the University of Cambridge.

“My long-term goal is to produce socially impactful research as a professor and make personalized cancer care more accessible to populations that typically wouldn't have access to it,” Kevin said.

Read the full announcement: go.umd.edu/tu

What value does creativity bring to your life? Honors Humanities seminars encourage students to reconsider what art is and what role it can play in their lives. Read the full story: go.umd.edu/hhguests.

Images: (1) Blackout poetry by sophomore Sydney Jones; (2) Studio design by sophomore Maryam Khan; (3) Afrobeats dance class with guest Sunmoluwa Hamilton-Samuel; (4) Visit by Dean Stephanie Shonekan about Nigerian hip hop; (5) Virtual visit by Lebanon-based artist Nasri Sayegh.

Humanities at the University of Maryland

Posted • In November, 12 student teams from the Gemstone Honors Program competed in the Do Good Showcase. Teams of students designed, directed and conducted significant research on critical social issues. They presented their findings to a panel of judges, where the top three teams were awarded $500 dollars towards their continuing research efforts. Congratulations to teams Hivemind, Marine, and Solar and to all of the students who presented their impressive work! Read the full story at the link in our bio.

Terps support Terps! 🐢 Make a gift to support the Honors College. Your support allows us to recruit top students with competitive scholarships and enhance the experience of current students by endowing Honors seminars and innovative living and learning programs.

Give to the Honors College Gift Fund at go.umd.edu/givehonors or at link in bio.

Congrats to seven Honors students among this year's Philip Merrill Presidential Scholars: Janna Chapman (UH), Kyra Cromwell Reed (UH), Aimee Dastin-van Rijn (UH), Maanasa Gurram (ILS), Juanna Hung (DCC), Rachel Robin (HH) and Racheal Ssentongo (UH).

As some of UMD's most successful seniors, Merrill Presidential Scholars recognize the K-12 teachers and UMD faculty who helped guide, inspire, coach, tutor and challenge them during their academic journeys.

Read more: go.umd.edu/merrill22


Honors Humanities at the University of Maryland
Design Cultures & Creativity, University of Maryland
Integrated Life Sciences UMD
University Honors - University of Maryland
Office of Undergraduate Studies at UMD

19 Seniors Honored as Merrill Presidential Scholars Program Recognizes Stellar Students Along With Teacher, Faculty Mentors

Congrats to University Honors - University of Maryland on the dedication of their new building, Yahentamitsi, in 's new Heritage Community.

"The largest living-learning program in UMD’s Honors College, University Honors, calls the Heritage Community home. The ground floor of Yanhentamitsi features the University Honors Commons, featuring individual and collaborative work areas, state-of-the-art instructional technology, and two seminar rooms that open into a dynamic event space."

https://today.umd.edu/umd-honors-piscataway-heritage-at-yahentamitsi-dining-hall-dedication

UMD Honors Piscataway Heritage at Yahentamitsi Dining Hall Dedication Tribal Elders, Campus Community Partnered to Develop Name of New Building

Congratulations to Pavan Bhat (ILS, Banneker/Key), Skylar Chan (DCC), Nora Fadul (GEMS), Adam Levav (DCC), Matthew Nikzad (ILS) and Sragvi Pattanaik (ILS) on their awards at UMD’s Bioscence Day poster competition! Bioscience Day is an annual event on the College Park campus that features research talks, an inventor pitch competition, poster session, networking panels, a keynote lecture and more.

Congratulations to Pavan Bhat (ILS, Banneker/Key), Skylar Chan (DCC), Nora Fadul (GEMS), Adam Levav (DCC), Matthew Nikzad (ILS) and Sragvi Pattanaik (ILS) on their awards at UMD’s Bioscence Day poster competition! Bioscience Day is an annual event on the College Park campus that features research talks, an inventor pitch competition, a poster session, networking panels, a keynote lecture and more.
College of Computer, Mathematical, and Natural Sciences - Univ. of Maryland

✨ Congratulations ✨ to Isha Yardi '23 of the Gemstone program on being named one of two Spirit of Maryland Award winners, and Kevin Tu '23 (UH) and Angela Sun '23 (ILS) on being among the ten finalists! The Spirit of Maryland is a prestigious award presented at Homecoming each year to two seniors with outstanding scholarship, leadership, campus involvement, community service and communication skills.

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Gemstone Program University Honors - University of Maryland Integrated Life Sciences UMD

Dean Hebert, former assistant director of University Honors, is featured on this morning in a story about pandemic retirements. We miss you, Dean!

https://www.npr.org/2022/10/24/1130944768/older-workers-retired-after-the-pandemic-gave-them-time-to-rethink-priorities

University Honors - University of Maryland

Many older workers retired after the pandemic gave them time to rethink priorities Older workers have not returned to the workforce at the same rate as the under-55 set. Many college-educated older workers in particular are financially secure enough to retire.