THE OFFICIAL NEWSLETTER FOR SUPPORTERS OF THE CAMPAIGN FOR MARYLAND ⁄ MAY 2021

EVENTS PROMOTE GRADUATE RESEARCH
AND ALUMNI NETWORKING P4

“A REAL FAMILY AFFAIR”
Rick Davis ’84 adds to a legacy of supporting
the success of UMD's journalism students P6

DETERMINED TO SUCCEEDFifteen years after graduation, IAP scholar Tiana
Wynn ’05 rose to partner in an accounting firm P7

Naomi Lichtenstein
NAOMI LICHTENSTEIN ’22 IS PUSHING TO
REDUCE PLASTIC WASTE ON CAMPUS P5

McKeldin Mall, University of Maryland
DEAR FRIENDS OF MARYLAND,

Thank you for everything you are doing to support umd and help provide resources to prepare current and
future Terps for lifelong success. Your dedication continues to make a big difference in the University of
Maryland, our state, our nation and the world.

Giving Day 2021 was a new milestone for our university. I was deeply moved to see our worldwide Terrapin
community come together for this annual online fundraising marathon and the record-breaking results
demonstrate a strong commitment to Maryland. We raised a total of $2,787,447 from 8,882 donors,
significantly higher than last year’s totals of $1,639,139 from 7,299 donors. This means our efforts in 2021
yielded a 68% increase in dollars and a 20% jump in donors compared to last year—another testimony of
the great things we accomplish by working together toward a shared purpose.

This enduring Maryland spirit continues to drive our Fearless Ideas Campaign. We have raised more than
$1.445 billion so far toward our goal of $1.5 billion.

I was very pleased to join our provost, Ann Wylie, in co-hosting a recent conversation about graduate
education at Maryland: an essential part of the university’s mission of preparing students for the rigorous
demands of our increasingly competitive knowledge economy. For more about this and other recent
campaign events, please see page 4.

In this issue of our newsletter, you will read about the inauguration of Darryll J. Pines as the university’s
34th president and his bold vision for Maryland. You will also hear from Naomi Lichtenstein ’22, who is
promoting her fearless idea to reduce single-use plastic waste on campus. On page 6, we have the story of
Richard (“Rick”) Davis ’84, an exemplary alum whose longtime employer cnn made a gift in his honor to
support graduate student education at the Philip Merrill College of Journalism. And you will be inspired
when you meet Tiana Wynn ’05, who was in the first cohort of our Incentive Awards Program and is now a
partner in an accounting firm.

We are grateful to have you as part of our Maryland family. Thank you again for your dedication to the
university and our students. Go Terps!

Sincerely yours

William “Brit” Kirwan

Chancellor Emeritus, University System of Maryland

Honorary Trustee, University of Maryland College Park Foundation

Campaign Co Chair

PUBLISHER Brodie Remington, Vice President, University Relations CONTRIBUTORS Maria Clark, Director of Marketing, Fundraising Campaigns, Josh Arinze,
Development Writer, Mary Harvey, Director of Campaign Planning, Jason Keisling, Senior Graphic Designer, John T. Consoli, Stephanie S. Cordle, Photographers, Gail
Rupert, M.L.S. ’10, Photography Archivist, Jagu Cornish, Production Coordinator

PRESIDENTIAL INAUGURATION
HIGHLIGHTS EXCELLENCE AND INCLUSION

THE UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND community celebrated the inauguration of
Darryll J. Pines with a week of events showcasing its strengths in the arts,
innovation and research.
The events, spanning April 19-24, highlighted Pines’ focus as the university’s
34th president on tackling the grand challenges of our time to benefit our
state, nation and world, and reflected his priorities of excellence and inclusion.

“i will have two priorities as your president: to
promote excellence in everything we do—teaching and
learning, research, innovation, the arts and athletics;
and to create an inclusive, multicultural campus
environment...these two priorities are closely related;
excellence must be rooted in our values because what
the university does matters.” —darryll j. pines.

The president’s investiture ceremony featured remarks by U.S. House
Majority Leader Steny H. Hoyer ’63, Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan, and four of
Pines’ predecessors at umd: John B. Slaughter, William E. “Brit” Kirwan, C.D.
“Dan” Mote Jr. and Wallace D. Loh, along with students, faculty and staff.
Highlights of the week include the first annual “Flagship’s Finest: An
Evening of Gratitude” honoring the university's most generous donors.
It focused on the life and legacy of the late artist, scholar, curator and
distinguished university professor emeritus David C. Driskell. The virtual
gala featured a conversation between Pines and Curlee Holton, artist and
director of the university’s David C. Driskell Center.
The Innovate Maryland 2021 event included awards for Invention of the Year
and Startup of the Year; the Alumni Association held its annual Celebration
of Terps: Featuring the Maryland Awards; and Pines crossed the campus to
distribute to students and employees samples of the new Dairy ice cream
flavor named for him—TerraPines and Pralines.
Inauguration Week wrapped up on April 24 with Maryland Day, the
university’s annual tradition of fun, learning and discovery, which was
broadcast online this year.
“It was a fitting celebration of Dr. Pines’ bold vision for Maryland,” said
Brodie Remington, vice president for University Relations and chair of the
Committee to Inaugurate the President. ”The Maryland family is energized
by Dr. Pines’ priorities and his vision for a university at the forefront of
advancing the well-being of humankind.”

The University of Maryland thanks the individu-
als and organizations whose generous support
helped make possible President Darryll J. Pines'
Inauguration Week celebration:
THANK YOU!

Clark Construction Logo
COPT Logo
Leidos Logo
Pepco Logo
Pepsico Logo
University of Maryland, College Park Foundation Logo
University of Maryland, Alumni Association Logo

DONORS

Wanda Alexis AlexanderAnonymous DonorAl CareyMr. Teguh J. Haryanto and
Ms. Marguerita M. ChengMrs. Rose Horan Cohen and
Mr. Robert L. CohenUMD Engineering Alumni Network
The Honorable Gordon R. EnglandMarlene and Philip FeldmanMr. Emilio A. Fernandez and
Mrs. Ofelia FernandezMr. V. Raymond Ferrara and
Mrs. Kim FerraraMr. Richard M. Finkelstein and
Mrs. Susan FinkelsteinEric S. Francis, Esq. and
Frann G. Francis, Esq.
The Honorable Joseph B. Gildenhorn
and Mrs. Alma G. GildenhornMr. Stanley H. Goldstein and
Mrs. Sara F. GoldsteinDr. Christopher T. Jones and
Ms. Vernice B. JonesMr. Paul S. Mandell and
Mrs. Lisa MandellMr. Amit T. Mehta and
Dr. Ruchi MehtaMr. Michael J. Mellor and
Mrs. Pamela A. MellorMr. Daniel I. MillmanNicole R. Pollard, Esq.
Ms. Sapienza Barone and
Mr. Brodie RemingtonDr. Philip R. Rever and
Mrs. Brenda Brown ReverMr. Jeffrey A. Rivest and
Mrs. Michelle M. RivestMr. Harvey L. Sanders and
Mrs. Ellen SandersMr. Robert R. SatterfieldMr. Michael J. Schwab and
Mrs. Debbie L. SchwabMrs. Jennifer B. Spencer and
Mr. James G. SpencerMr. Craig A. Thompson, Esq. and
Mrs. Deborah K. St. Lawrence-
Thompson, Esq.
Mr. Pedro E. Wasmer and
Mrs. Ann G. Wasmer

Student research of MRI brain scans

EVENTS PROMOTE GRADUATE
RESEARCH AND ALUMNI NETWORKING

THE ESSENTIAL ROLE of graduate students
in the university’s research enterprise was in
focus during a conversation held on March
10. Former president, chancellor emeritus,
and campaign co-chair, William E. “Brit”
Kirwan , and interim provost, Ann G. Wylie,
co-hosted this event, convened to broaden
donor support for graduate fellowships
and demonstrate the valuable relationship
between graduate students and Maryland’s
research enterprise.
Kirwan noted the impact of umd’s
graduate programs in producing a highly
skilled workforce and the next generation
of faculty. “Any faculty member will tell you
their research success would not be possible
without talented, enthusiastic graduate
students,” he stated.
Wylie highlighted the importance of
donor support of graduate fellowships in
attracting outstanding students and faculty.
“Philanthropy has a huge role to play,” she
said. “It also builds loyalty to the institution.”
Three graduate students participated
in the discussion: Ashley Chapin ’22, a
Ph.D. candidate in bio-engineering; Ebony
Toussaint ’22, a Ph.D. candidate in health
policy and management; and Varun Suryan ’22,
a Ph.D. candidate in computer science.
Chapin explained her research on the gut-
brain axis: “The gut is a complex organ, not
just for digesting food, but for sensing our
environment, sending signals to our brain
to influence our basic emotions, our pain
sensitivity and even guide our decisions.
We still know little about the connection
between the gastro-intestinal tract and the
brain. That’s where my research comes in.”

Toussaint described how her research
in health policy and health services uses
mathematical models to generate data
about access to mental health care. “I’m
using patient reports and outcome
measures, specifically psychological
distress,” she said. “One component of
my dissertation is explaining who is at
risk for developing moderate or severe
psychological distress.”
Suryan, who works with robots, said: “The
broader question in my research is: How can
we make robots learn faster and use them
efficiently for our day-to-day applications?
How can we get robots to transfer between
tasks and generalize better, like humans?”
An earlier event, on March 1, was
designed to build affinity for Maryland and
sustain alumni engagement among Terp
employees of Venable llp, a high-profile
law firm. Craig Thompson, ’92, a partner
at Venable, campaign co-chair and chair
of the University of Maryland College
Park Foundation’s executive committee,
spearheaded this initiative, encouraging
participants to deepen their involvement
with umd.
President Darryll J. Pines and several
university officials also participated,
providing updates about administration
priorities and such current issues as
admissions, rankings, diversity and inclusion,
and how umd and the Fearless Ideas
Campaign are prioritizing student success.
Attendees also heard about opportunities to
engage with the umd Alumni Association.

CAMPAIGN PROGRESS

$1,500,000,000, 96% of goal met

$1.445B given to date

$55M remaining

FEARLESSIDEAS.UMD.EDU

Naomi Lichtenstein
Making a difference

We have the science, the facts, and the strength to make a difference"

naomi lichtenstein ’22 is quick to
state that she’s not the only University of
Maryland student passionate about the
grand challenge of climate change. “My
work is merely a continuation from those
before me who fought and are still fighting
for their rights to proper water and air
quality, to protect the environment and our
communities,” she said.
Lichtenstein, an environmental science
and policy major from Baltimore, Md.
was a 2020 recipient of the University of
Maryland Alumni Association Scholarship.
She’s promoting an initiative to reduce
single-use plastic waste on campus by
branding and selling umd containers and
reusable bags; and using the proceeds to
assist marginalized communities affected
by climate change. In this interview,
Lichtenstein discusses her commitment
and why it matters.

How did you first develop a passion
about climate change and the
environment?
I was lucky enough to attend a school that
began educating us youngsters about
climate change and the importance of
tikkun olam, which in Hebrew means to
fix the world, not just for ourselves but for
others. This fostered a sense of community
in me that extended beyond my family to
anyone else struggling. I also grew up in a
family that cares deeply about animals and
biodiversity overall.

You’ve shared an idea for reducing
single-use plastic waste on campus.
How would this work?
We’ve initiated conversations with
Dining Services on this. The plan is to
sell sustainably made products like hot/
cold cups and multipurpose containers
to students at lower prices. The incentive

is that students will get a higher discount
than before for reusable items. Ideally,
Dining Services would save money on
purchasing less single-use items and would
have increased sales from students as
well. The extra profit yielded would go to
organizations helping vulnerable and often
marginalized communities suffering the
effects of climate change now.

Can you share any highlights from
being involved in promoting better
care of the environment?
Working with the Do Good Institute on
this initiative has been such a positive
experience. They have stuck with me
through everything. I really don’t know
where I’d be without their assistance.
I’m also slightly obsessed with my
environmental fraternity here on campus
(Epsilon Eta). I get to spend time with
people I love while practicing sustainability
and aiming to create permanent and
impactful change.

Why do you consider good
stewardship of the environment an
important issue for umd students and
the larger community?
Caring for the environment means caring
for one another in efforts to save future
generations from terrible consequences
of climate change. College Park is not just
home to students. It also has large Hispanic
and Black communities that have been hit
hard by the pandemic, and who suffer the
most from avoidable pollution. It's the right
thing to do and it touches everyone. And we
have the science, the facts, and the strength
to make a difference.

What's your message for other umd
students who might be wondering
what more they could do to promote
awareness about climate change?
I’d highly recommend getting involved
through the environmental fraternity

on campus or the Student Government’s
sustainability committee. I’m currently a
coalition coordinator on the climate action
campaign for a student activist group called
Marypirg. Everyone is welcome and we’re
working on a ton of great things right now!
I also would encourage seeking out the
information that’s out there. Knowledge is
our greatest power.

Have you decided whether or how
you’ll pursue a career geared
toward environmental and climate
change issues?
Absolutely! Short term, I’d like to continue
my grassroots organizing and also
pursue research abroad on rising sea
levels/climate change consequences on
marginalized communities. Long term,
I’d like to use that field experience to help
inform international climate policy and
participate in global negotiations.

How are your studies here at umd
preparing you for career success?
I’ve been exposed to environmental policy
and law, a key part of my future career, I
hope! I first developed my passion for
negotiations from a science diplomacy
course I took through the Global Fellows
program. I’m more prepared for the job
search, the interview process, and for
navigating the world after graduation.

How did you benefit from the
scholarship you received from the
umd Alumni Association?
It truly relieved the stress I’d been
experiencing. I could rest easy knowing
that part of my textbook fees were covered
and that I had that much less loans to pay
back. Scholarships can be the difference
between staying in school versus having
to leave and focus on survival. They really
make a difference for us students.

PHOTO BY STEPHANIE S. CORDLE

“A REAL FAMILY AFFAIR”
Rick Davis ’84 adds to a legacy of supporting the success of UMD's journalism students

Rick Davis headshot
YEARS BEFORE HIS LONGTIME EMPLOYER cnn honored his work and
service with a $300,000 endowed fellowship for graduate student
education at the Philip Merrill College of Journalism, Richard (“Rick”)
Davis ’84 was a steadfast supporter of the University of Maryland—
firmly devoted to the success of Maryland students in the classroom
and after graduation.
In establishing the cnn Richard Davis Endowed Distinguished
Graduate Fellowship in Journalism, which was announced just
before Davis retired at the end of January, the television network
recognized the exemplary role he has played in mentoring students
from a broad range of backgrounds at Merrill College. But his support
for the college, where Davis also serves on the Board of Visitors, was
making a significant difference long before that.
“Over the last 10 years, no one has taken a greater interest in
our students than Rick Davis,” said Lucy A. Dalglish, dean of the
Merrill College. “Not only has the Davis family contributed student
scholarship support, they have made it a point to meet and mentor
each scholarship recipient, which is not an easy thing to do when you

live in Atlanta. We are regularly blown away by Rick’s generosity to
the college.”
In 2015, Rick Davis and his wife Linda demonstrated their
commitment to umd when they established the Davis Family Endowed
Scholarship in Journalism—under the auspices of the TerpStart
Matching Scholarship Program—to support need-based scholarships
for undergraduate students at Merrill College. This Davis scholarship
gives preference to students who are graduates of high schools in
Baltimore City and Prince George’s County, Md., but it’s also open
to students from other jurisdictions who meet TerpStart program
criteria.
The Davises followed up their TerpStart gift with another
endowment establishing the Davis Family Maryland Promise
Scholarship, also designated to support Merrill College undergraduate
students. They made this commitment as part of the Clark Challenge
for the Maryland Promise Program (mpp) designed to increase access
to higher education for students with demonstrated financial need
from the state of Maryland and the District of Columbia. Gifts to the
mpp are matched dollar for dollar by the A. James & Alice B. Clark
Foundation and the University of Maryland.
It is particularly important to Rick Davis that the hands-on
mentorship he’s been providing to Merrill College students will
continue as part of the cnn Richard Davis Graduate Fellowship, and
that the fellowship will support diversity in journalism and train
talented students for newsroom leadership. Graduate students
selected for the fellowship will be mentored by leaders and staff at
cnn’s Washington, D.C., bureau—as well as Davis himself.
"I look forward to meeting and, yes, mentoring the recipients of the
fellowship who will have the benefit of working with my remarkable
colleagues at cnn’s Washington bureau,” Davis said. “My connection
to Maryland extends to my daughter Sarah and son-in-law Jonathan
Michaels, both Maryland grads. For me, this is a real family affair.”
Davis earned his B.A. in government and public affairs from
American University, followed by his master’s in television production/
communications from Maryland in 1984. He’d joined cnn in 1980 as
one of the pioneer team members who helped launch the network.
He retired this January after serving as cnn’s executive vice
president of news standards and practices since 1998.
“Rick Davis is a cnn original,” said Jeff Zucker, president of cnn
Worldwide. “This fellowship will support diversity in the newsroom and
provide training for newsroom leadership. We cannot think of a better
way to show our appreciation for Rick than the well-trained journalists
of the future.”
Explaining why this way of honoring his four decades at cnn holds
special meaning for him, Davis said: “It combines three of my
great passions: cnn, the University of Maryland and helping
to grow diversity in America’s newsrooms.”

Tiana Wynn
DETERMINED TO SUCCEED
Fifteen years after graduation, IAP scholar
Tiana Wynn ’05 rose to partner in an accounting firm

“ Wynn has proved herself a trailblazer in
several respects. When she set her sights on
getting into umd and succeeding in college,
she was a role model for her siblings."
shortly after the beginning of her freshman year at the
University of Maryland, Tiana Wynn lost her mother. It was a time
of intense, disorienting grief for her and her six siblings—among
whom she’s the oldest. But Wynn wasn’t going to let her emotional
pain derail her intense desire for college and success. So, even as
she struggled with the loss, she stayed the course. She had a goal to
reach, and she knew her siblings were looking up to her.
This difficult time was also when Wynn realized the strength and
depth of the support network she had in umd’s Incentive Awards
Program and at the Robert H. Smith School of Business. “I was in
the first cohort of the program, and I felt strongly supported, by
my iap peers and the program staff, as well as people at the Smith
School,” she said. “That personal support meant a lot to me. That
was what kept me going. And it has also kept me connected to umd
to this day.”
Wynn’s connections to umd run deep. She’s a lifetime member
of the umd Alumni Association. She is also a member of the
Association’s Board of Governors, and has served as chair of the
board’s scholarship committee. Wynn is now a donor as well: she
gives to the Alumni Association, as well as the Alpha Kappa Alpha
Sorority, Inc. Incentive Awards Fund, which supports iap scholars.
In a sense, her umd journey has come full circle—from scholarship
beneficiary to donor. It’s a commitment anchored on robust
gratitude for the pivotal impact her Maryland education has had
on her career success.

Wynn has proved herself a trailblazer in several respects. When
she set her sights on getting into umd and succeeding in college,
she was a role model for her siblings. In addition to being one of
only nine scholars in the first cohort of iap, Wynn was also the
first iap scholar to pledge for a umd sorority and the first to study
abroad—in Britain—during the spring semester of 2004. Many
more iap scholars have followed her example since.
Born and raised in Baltimore, Md., Wynn always wanted to
attend umd—she was so laser-focused on this goal that she only
applied to a couple of other universities just to please her high
school guidance counselor. But even as she looked forward to being
accepted, she worried about the cost of college. The Incentive
Awards Program solved that problem, while providing her with a
level of guidance and mentoring that surpassed her expectations.
After graduating in 2005 with bachelor’s degrees in accounting
and finance, Wynn joined the Baltimore office of the accounting
firm Ernst & Young, and spent about five years there, along the way
earning an MBA from Loyola University Maryland. Then she went
to work as an audit manager for SB & Company, llc, a certified
public accounting and business advisory firm headquartered in
Owings Mills, Md. She quickly rose to senior manager and then, in
July 2020, she was named a partner at SB & Company.
Wynn’s promotion to partner demonstrated the confidence SB &
Company’s founders and senior management had in her abilities
and work ethic. In her new role, she’s entrusted with managing a
new line of business for the company, to ensure compliance with
technical requirements, make decisions that are in the best interest
of the firm, and help protect its profitability.
Wynn has been highly motivated for as long as she can remember,
but she’s also quick to credit the impact of her Maryland education.
“umd pushes you, encourages you to break barriers,” she said. “And
the iap provided excellent training in so many ways. I was always
trying to see what else was out there, but umd encouraged me to
aim high, to work harder, and to be more inquisitive.”

PHOTO COURTESY OF TIANA WYNN '05

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Division of University RelationsOffice of Strategic Communications2101 Turner Hall, 7736 Baltimore Ave.
College Park, MD 20742

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GIVE THE GIFT OF EDUCATIONThe Clark Challenge for the Maryland Promise is building a $100 million endowment that is providing need-
based scholarships to undergraduate students from the state of Maryland and the District of Columbia.
For more information, contact Susan Smith in University Development at 301.405.0196 or ssmith86@umd.edu.

FOLLOW THEIR JOURNEY ON INSTAGRAM @MARYLANDPROMISEPROMISE.UMD.EDU

1 With a pledge commitment
of $50,000 or more, you can
support the lifetime success of
talented students in any school
or program of your choice.
2 Establish a named and
endowed fund or make a gift to
the Maryland Promise General
Endowment Fund (contact us
for program details).
3 Receive a dollar-for-dollar
match from the university and
the A. James & Alice B. Clark
Foundation.
4 See your scholarship awarded,
enhancing the success of UMD
students—in perpetuity.
SUPPORT THE
MARYLAND PROMISE
PROGRAM TODAY!

Clark Challenge for Maryland Promise
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