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Are You Engaged?
Matched at Maryland Move over Harry and Sally. Maryland alumni have their own stories of courtship that rival those of the two characters played by Billy Crystal and Meg Ryan in the cinematic classic, When Harry Met Sally. In response to our question asking alumni if they met their spouse at the university, we heard from generations of graduates, including Mary (Garner) ’37 and Charles Wantz ’35.
When Hugh Met Helen
When Cheryl Met Daniel
“… I was in the cafeteria line to get something to eat, right behind was Helen … She suddenly turned around with a big smile and said, ‘Are you following me?’ … New Year’s Eve we ended up at the same party, I with some little blonde I’d met, she with one of my best friends … At midnight we ended up in a passionate kiss, and have been ‘each other’s’ ever since. I proposed to her on St. Patrick’s Day, 1966.” —Hugh Michael Mealy ’71 married to Helen Louise Wason ’69, Sept. 3, 1966
“I met my husband, Daniel P. Clemens Jr., the winter of 1986 outside my advisor’s office in the journalism building. He was unlike any guy I’d met on campus—he dressed up to come to class, drank coffee before it was cool, read several newspapers every day … It took me a year and a half to persuade him to even go out with me … Someday we’ll take our kids to the fourth floor of the journalism building and show them where it all began.” —Cheryl Chapwick Clemens ’87 married to Dan Clemens ’87, October 21, 1989
When Bev Met Mike
When Marie Met Oscar
“My husband-to-be and I met at the first coed dorm at the University of Maryland, Hagerstown Hall. ... What a scandalous notion for the times! … Mike introduced himself to me as I was standing on a chair trying to install a hanging pole in the upper part of a dorm closet … Our developing dating pattern consisted of many long walks and late night talks …” —Bev (Brawley) Billingslea ’72 married to Mike Billingslea ’71, June 23, 1973
“Oscar, pursuing his degree in animal sciences, and myself, growing up on a dairy farm, took the same class in the artificial insemination of cattle. We happened to end up with cows that were side by side. We now laugh that our relationship started out with the rectal palpation of cattle. … We still have careers in agriculture.” —Marie (Speak) Sipler ’96 married to Oscar Sipler ’96, March, 1997
The Maryland Alumni Association wants to host your dream wedding—compliments of us! As part of the Samuel Riggs IV Alumni Center Dedication activities, we will host a wedding for an engaged University of Maryland couple in May 2005. Imagine walking down the aisle in the grand Alumni Hall surrounded by your friends, family and other distinguished guests. Or taking a turn around the Moxley Gardens, a lovely backdrop for the reception and photo opportunities. If you’re interested in returning to campus for the event of a lifetime, apply by April 30, 2004. General Application Information: • The couple must be University of Maryland, College Park, alumni and members of the alumni association by the application deadline. • Share the story (in no more than 500 words) of how you and your betrothed met and why you wish to say “I do,” in the Riggs Alumni Center. • Include a photo of you and your fiancée. For more information, including additional application criteria, visit www.alumni.umd.edu, or contact Linda Roth at 301.403.2728 ext.22 or lsroth@terpalum.umd.edu.
alumniprofile
BYalumni Hope Fuels Foundation’s Drive AS ANNIVERSARIES GO, this one was bittersweet. The Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation recognized, last year, 20 years of success and loss in the fight to cure breast cancer. Alumna Susan “The celebration had to look at how much closer we’ve [come] to the goal, but Braun, president and we would be remiss if we did not recognize the losses along the way,” says Susan CEO of the Susan G. Komen Breast Braun ’86 M.A., president and CEO. “Though there are a lot less than otherwise.” Cancer Foundation As with many people in such fights, Braun came to the foundation in 1996 with a personal story. A close friend from her undergraduate days died as a result of breast cancer, leaving two young children and a husband behind. Braun, who at the time also had a small child, felt the loss deeply. Her commitment to the foundation’s work pulls from this painful experience. “There are things we can do today and tomorrow. I’m convinced that we can and will find a cure.” The foundation works through its 118 affiliates, and the Komen Race for the Cure Series®, to raise money for research and to create greater awareness of the disease. Since its inception, the foundation awarded more than $112 million for research projects through 850 grants. Braun says a “very strategic … very real world” approach to fighting breast cancer keeps the high-profile foundation moving forward. Though Komen-affiliated volunteers number in the thousands, Braun insists that the organization “is very grassroots … We’re lean, mean and targeted to make a difference for real people … Hope is a huge part of what we do.” And once they work and hope themselves out of business? “Then we’ll work on world peace,” says Braun, only half-jokingly. —MB
The Komen Race for the Cure Series® raises money for research on breast cancer. To locate your nearest Komen Foundation affiliate, visit www.komen.org.
CLASS E-NOTE: Peter
H. Michael ’66
Down on the Farm Peter H. Michael ’66 is the seventh consecutive generation of his family to purchase Cooling Springs, the Michael ancestral farm. Located in Frederick County, Md., the farm was founded by the family in 1768 and was used by Michael’s great-great-grandparents as a station on the Underground Railroad. —Submitted to the Terp Alumni Network
The wedding photo of Julia (Martin) ’53 and Seth Harter ’55 that appeared in the fall issue of Terp prompted other alumni to share their memories of romance at Maryland. The Harters, who were married on Aug. 1, 1953, returned to Maryland over Homecoming Weekend 2003 for another walk down the aisle of Memorial Chapel.
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FAR LEFT PHOTO COURTESY OF JULIA AND SETH HARTER; LEFT PHOTO BY MIKE MORGAN; RIGHT PHOTO BY JOHN T. CONSOLI
Share your news and catch up with classmates by visiting Class e-Notes on the Terp Alumni Network. This online alumni community also allows you to update your alumni profile, search the alumni directory and establish a Terp e-mail forwarding address. Reconnect at www.alumni.umd.edu. If we print your Class e-Note, we will send you a mouse pad featuring the Terp athletics logo from the Maryland Alumni Association.
TOP LEFT PHOTOS COURTESY OF THE SUSAN G. KOMEN BREAST CANCER FOUNDATION; RIGHT PHOTOS BY JOHN T. CONSOLI
Liz Kelly ’84 wants you to find a good man. Her new book Smart Man Hunting: How to Get Out There, Get Dates, and Get Mr. Right! is a dating guide for women who want to meet the perfect match and build self esteem. Kelly gives tips on everything from when to avoid a guy to when you should trust your gut. Bob Violino ’80 is a kidney recipient and knows receiving a transplant can be an overwhelming ordeal. He shares his story as well as the stories of other organ recipients in New Life: Lessons in Faith and Courage from Transplant Recipients. The book displays the courage, faith, and strength it takes to turn such a difficult situation into a positive experience. Jessica Gregg McNew ’92 profiles the courage of a group of rescue workers who fought to save lives after a powerful tornado plowed through Birmingham, Ala. In Eyes In A Storm: How One Community Weathered Life After a Deadly Tornado, McNew follows the actions of the workers during the tornado and how they coped with life after a storm that killed 32 people.
TERP WINTER
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