The Omicron Delta Kappa
Spring 2014
LEADER
“To Recognize Leaders Among Leaders”
VICE PRESIDENT CHRIS RILEY WINS COLONEL J. LOGAN SCHUTZ SIGMA CIRCLE LEADER OF THE YEAR
ODKREATIVITY By Vaughn Midder, Sigma Circle Membership Coordinator ach spring, the Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center on the University of Maryland campus releases a list of performances (plays, dance pieces, etc.) that it will produce for the upcoming year; referred to as the “Mainstage Season.” Students all over campus, and particularly those within the School of Theatre, Dance, and Performance Studies (TDPS), Vaughn Midder are able to audition for these mainstage productions, and showcase their talents. Last year however, TDPS introduced its students to a new program titled, “Second Season.” This serves as a platform of opportunity for undergraduate and graduate students to accomplish entrepreneurial endeavors of independently conceiving, designing, and performing original work. Selected students were able to initiate and follow through with their own ideas; experiencing real world, doit-yourself theatre and dance in every aspect: writing, casting, directing, designing, budgeting, promoting, performing, managing, and more.
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enior Environmental Science major Chris Riley was selected by the Sigma Circle membership to win the Col. J. Logan Schutz Sigma Circle Leader of the Year Award. Chris will go on to compete against other Circle winners for the ODK National Leader of the Year. Here is what his fellow officers had to say about him. Chris always approaches challenges with optimism and Chris Riley lightheartedness, which no doubt makes working with him all the more enjoyable. Since launching his undergraduate leadership career as a member of the Centreville Hall Council Executive Board, a lot has changed about him – transforming from a young, energetic freshman to a passionate, change-making senior. But what hasn’t changed is his constant display of initiative, passion for academic excellence, and drive for enacting positive change in the communities in which he works. Serving as the Sigma Circle’s Vice President, Chris has
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IN THIS ISSUE OF THE LEADER... • • • • • •
CHRIS RILEY WINS LEADER OF THE YEAR AWARD ODKREATIVITY MARYLAND’S CLUB GOLF PROGRAM TURNS FOUR HONOR ROLL OF DONORS 2013 AND 2014 INDUCTEES TERPS MENTORING TERPS KICK-OFF
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THE SMITH EFFECT: A DAY IN THE LIFE OF A SMITH STUDENT LIFE AFTER GRADUATION: BIKE AND BUILD ACROSS AMERICA TERPS MAKING A DIFFERENCE: ALTERNATIVE WINTER BREAK ABROAD CALLING ALL SIGMA CIRCLE ALUMNI! ALUMNI UPDATES
THE NEWSLETTER OF THE SIGMA CIRCLE AT THE UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND, COLLEGE PARK
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The Omicron Delta Kappa
LEADER
Message from the President By Stephanie Graf Greetings, ODK! s I sit here writing this message, I cannot help but feel energized by everything going on around me this semester. The spring is an exciting time for the Sigma Circle. Our juniors and sophomores rise into additional leadership opportunities. Our seniors land their dream jobs, plan service trips, and choose graduate programs. Overall, our members are committing to new roles and
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The Omicron Delta Kappa
LEADER
striving to make a real impact on campus. It is an amazing group to stand among! At the beginning of the year, I am certain that many Sigma Circle members made New Year’s Resolutions. This semester, our executive board decided to commit ourselves to a new “resolution” – mentorship. This March, the Sigma Circle began a mentorship program between current ODK members and some of the newest Terps on campus (freshmen!). For me, the mentors I found at Maryland, whether they were students, professors, or advisors, made the most significant impact on my college career. Our Executive Board echoed this sentiment, inspiring the creation of our program. We look forward to sharing our success stories with you in future semesters! In addition to our mentorship initiative, the Sigma Circle also support-
ed a Voices of Change lecture from Paul Farmer. As a medical anthropologist and physician, Paul dedicates his body of work to serving those living in poverty. We look forward to our own ODK Day of Service on April 12th, where we plan to rejuvenate the University of Maryland grounds. We have many reasons to be thankful for our time at Maryland, and look forward to yet another way that we can leave our footprint on campus. We would love to hear from you! We are so grateful for our ODK alumni – send us an update on your life, personal or professional. Or, come visit the ODK Fountain on Maryland Day! We will have Fun at the Fountain with our kid-friendly floating turtles. I hope you enjoy this issue of our newsletter! Best, Stephanie Graf
OMICRON DELTA KAPPA SIGMA CIRCLE 2013-2014 EXECUTIVE OFFICERS STEPHANIE GRAF
RYAN LEE-YOUNG
President
Public Relations Coordinator
CHRIS RILEY
VAUGHN MIDDER
Vice President
Membership Coordinator
JENNIFER KING
JULIA RUTH
Communications Coordinator
Historian and Webmaster
KIERAN MCGUIGAN
BROOKE SUPPLE
Philanthropy & Community Service Coordinator
ALEX BISTANY
Faculty Secretary
BILL FOURNEY Faculty Advisor
Calvert Cotillion Chair
SIGMA CIRCLE OF OMICRON DELTA KAPPA University of Maryland 2108 Mitchell Building College Park, MD 20742 www.odk.umd.edu
Chris Riley continued from page 1 spearheaded the Terps Mentoring Terps Program and secured one of thirteen Clay Grant Awards awarded by the ODK National Headquarters Office. Chris also coordinated the committee that selected the Sigma Circle’s Top Ten Freshmen and Sophomore Leader of the Year Awards. Finally, Chris pioneered an invasive species removal project as the Sigma Circle’s new service initiative, drawing from his involvement in Alpha Phi Omega, the national service fraternity. Apart from his involvement in Omicron Delta Kappa, Chris was honored as a Spirit of Maryland finalist at Homecoming, recognizing his dedication to the University of
Printed on recycled paper with soy ink.
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Maryland as one of Maryland’s top five male leaders. A 4.0 student in the University Honors and Environmental Science & Policy Honors programs and a research assistant to Dr. Michael Raupp, Chris seldom seeks open recognition for his accomplishments, instead seeking to lead and motivate others through his persistent drive to achieve ever higher goals. Chris intends to enroll in graduate school to study Entomology starting in the fall and we are honored to have him as the Sigma Circle’s 2014 Leader of the Year.
The Omicron Delta Kappa
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Message from the Faculty Secretary By Brooke Lecky Supple, Ph.D. Greetings from College Park! hat a crazy winter we have had on campus!! Several major snowfalls and lots of missed classes have us ready for spring on campus. We even had to cancel the ODK Induction in December for the first time due to poor travel conditions. Fortunately, almost all of our fall inductees were able to join us for a rescheduled induction ceremony on January 26th. We had a wonderful banquet featuring new inductee and Professor of Entomology Michael Raupp. Speaking of a wonderful event, we had another enormous applicant pool this spring. President Stephanie Graf ran a smooth, efficient selection process. We had 244 undergraduate and graduate applicants. From that pool, the General Body selected 32 undergrads and two graduate students, in addition to five faculty and staff, and two alumni members for induction into Sigma Circle. It was a marathon event, but all
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voting occurred online which made it a more comfortable six hour meeting! Tapping was just before Spring Break and we are planning for Induction on Sunday, April 13 at 4:00 pm in the Chapel. In other ODK news, Zimri Diaz and I will take a multigenerational group of ODK officers from 2013, 2014 and 2015 (hopefully) to Lexington, Virginia for the ODK Centennial Conference and Celebration June 11-14, 2014. We will present on the traditions of the Sigma Circle at a conference session on Friday, June 13. The events include a backyard BBQ, keynote speakers, conference sessions, and a Centennial Gala among many exciting events. All are welcome. Tickets are available online at www.odk100.org. We invite you to join us! As in years past, we have just selected our ODK Top Ten Freshmen and Sophomore Leader of the Year. These individuals will be announced at the University Awards Banquet on Sunday, May 4th. We had a record number of applications this spring and were able to select truly the “leaders among leaders” for these awards. Thanks to ODK Vice President Chris Riley for running another effective selec-
tion process. As the spring semester moves along, I hope you will mark your calendars to join us on Saturday, April 26th from 10:00 am-4:00 pm for Maryland Day 2014. Thanks to Sigma Circle alum Susan Goldberg and her husband, Bob, we will have more red and black floating turtles in the fountain. Come out and see us for Fun at the Fountain! Also, please join us for an ODK Sigma Circle Alumni photo at 1:00 pm at the Sundial end of the ODK Fountain. We hope you can come back to campus to see old friends, smile for the camera, and welcome our new Stewards of the Fountain! As always, please keep us informed of any changes to your contact information and provide us with updates about your lives. Visit www.odk.umd.edu to update us electronically. If you are willing and able, please support our activities and events by making a gift to the Sigma Circle. Please see the enclosed envelope for more information. Enjoy the remainder of the spring and we hope to see you at Maryland Day!
INFORMATION REGARDING THE UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND DATA BREACH he University of Maryland was victim to a data breach on February 18th, 2014 which exposed the names, dates of birth, and social security numbers of all faculty, staff, and students who were in possession of a university ID anytime between 1998 and present, as well as
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some students enrolled from 1992 1998. To help protect your identity, the university is offering a free five-year membership of Experian’s ProtectMyID Alert. To register, please call Experian at 1-866-2743891.
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The university has formed a task force to investigate the breach and ensure it does not happen again. For the most up-to-date information about the data breach, visit www.umd.edu/datasecurity.
The Omicron Delta Kappa
Midder continued from page 1 During spring 2013, TDPS students were asked to submit proposals for shows they were interested in producing as part of Second Season. One of the lucky groups of students chosen was a performing arts group named, Kreativity Diversity Troupe. As part of Black History Month, Kreativity partnered with PhD student Khalid Yaya Long to present a show titled for colored folks… The
show was a hybrid collaboration of a play titled for colored girls who have considered suicide when the rainbow was enuf, written by Ntozake Shange, and a lesser known work written by Keith Antar Mason, for black boys who have considered homicide when the streets were too much. Vaughn Midder, Co-Artistic Director of Kreativity, and Membership Coordinator for the Sigma Circle, served as Assistant
LEADER Director on this project which recruited many students outside of TDPS to perform for their first time. For colored folks… sold out all of its performances in February, and in fact, attendees had to be turned away after reaching capacity. The performances sparked intense intellectual conversations, and the show’s positive reception overall helped to keep Second Season alive for next year.
FORE!!! MARYLAND’S CLUB GOLF PROGRAM TURNS FOUR By Ryan Lee-Young, Sigma Circle Public Relations Coordinator f you are reading this article, chances are a Club Golf Program didn’t exist during your attendance at the University of Maryland. But with a current undergraduate student body topping 25,000, there are bound to be aspiring golfers somewhere on campus who could use some Friday, Saturday, and Sunday afternoon tee time. It is with this idea in mind that the Club Golf Program came to fruition in the fall of 2010, and now competes as a member of the Capitol region in the National Collegiate Club Golf Association (NCCGA). Club Golf ’s journey to approval experienced more than its fair share of hitches and roadblocks. From piles of paperwork to meetings with the Office of Campus Programs and the Student Government Association, at times it seemed as if the cause wasn’t worth the effort. It wasn’t until nearly the start of its third full year that the club was eligible and successfully received funding from Campus Recreation Services’ Sport Club Program. From that point forward, the Maryland Club Golf Program has thrived, not only competitively but also in giving its officers the oppor-
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Ryan Lee-Young
tunity to develop priceless leadership skills like negotiation and responsiveness. As a co-founder and past president of the Club Golf Program, my daily interactions with the Maryland Golf Course staff, Director and Assistant Director of Sport Clubs, and NCCGA officers demanded delegation of responsibility, constant communication, and the allocation of substantial funding. If there was any part of my undergraduate career that taught me how to build an or-
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ganization from scratch by surrounding yourself with similarly motivated individuals, it was my involvement with Maryland Club Golf. If anything, I am proud to have left even a small piece of an important part of my life, golf, for other students to enjoy, and an organization that allows other aspiring leaders to learn and develop as young professionals. Besides, life is a game; golf is serious. The Maryland Club Golf Program currently fields a competitive team of 12 as well as a recreational membership of approximately 50 students. Competitive members compete in two regional tournaments per semester in and around the D.C./Capitol region, which typically sport a field of approximately 12 teams and 100 individual golfers. Individuals and schools have the opportunity to qualify for the National Championship, held at a different site around the country each semester. Past National Championship courses include Firestone Country Club, Pinehurst No. 5, and The Homestead Resort. The Club seeks to provide a competitive and cordial environment for golfers of all skill levels and interests, while cultivating leadership skills through executive officer positions.
The Omicron Delta Kappa
LEADER
We are so grateful for all of our alumni and friends who support the Sigma Circle of Omicron Delta Kappa. Thank you for all of your continued involvement and support! Steward of the Fountain Society Drury G. Bagwell, Jr. Kyle Clark Beardsley Stuart Bowers Devin H. Ellis Gordon R. England Michael J. Freiman Bob Goldberg and Susan Wachs Goldberg Barry P. Gossett Marc and Wendy Greenberg
Rick Jaklitsch Phil Livingston Paul and Lisa Mandell Deven C. McGraw Ann and Jeff Mowrey Dawn K. Nichols James M. Osteen Caroline Carrick Pisano Philip R. Rever
Phil Schneider Mark Sobel Marc Solomon Lee Thornton Joseph D. Tydings Joel Willcher Wayne and Gail Willoughby Bruce J. Winter ODK Executive Officer Class of 2012-2013
2013 Honor Roll of Donors Founders Circle (Gifts of $1,000 or more) Dr. Drury G. Bagwell, Jr. Dr. Katherine P. Beardsley and Dr. Robert S. Beardsley Mr. D. Stuart Bowers Mr. Marc Greenberg and Mrs. Wendy L. Greenberg
Mr. Philip B. Livingston Dr. Elizabeth M. Nuss Dr. Philip R. Rever Mr. Marc W. Solomon and Mrs. Michelle Solomon Dr. Lee Thornton
Mr. Michael J. VanderVat Mr. Bruce J. Winter Fidelity Charitable Gift Fund
Mr. Daniel R. Granot Ms. Tiffany A. Lin Ms. Deven C. McGraw Dr. James M. Osteen Mr. David Patrician Ms. Katherine M. Rennenkampf
Mr. Michael J. Schwab and Mrs. Debbie L. Schwab Mr. W. Donald Soderberg Dr. Richard Stimpson and Mrs. Lyn Stimpson
Leaders Circle (Gifts of $500 or more) Dr. Brian S. Bayly and Susan L. Bayly, Esq. Dr. Robert S. Beardsley Mr. Stephen E. Brannan Ms. Starr Z. Chen Mr. Ralph W. Crosby Mr. Devin H. Ellis
Supporters Circle (Gifts of $100 or more) Mr. Dirk L. Allen Dr. Walter R. Beam James E. Bond, Esq. Mr. Zimri A. Diaz Freiman Family Foundation Mr. Michael J. Freiman and Mrs. Ann L. Freiman Mrs. Michele Barone Hunn and Dr. Richard H. Hunn Dr. Kelly A. Kish Mr. Richard T. Koffenberger
Mr. Bryan Jeffrey Loeffler Mr. Michael P. Luzio Mr. John F. Martin, Jr. Mrs. Jane M. McCarl Ms. Joan Meixner Col. Nicholas C. Nicholas, USAF, Ret. and Mrs. Linda L. Nicholas Mrs. Calliopi S. Ratcliff Mr. Adrian M. Remsberg, Jr. and Mrs. Lisa Remsberg Dr. Dennis C. Roberts and Mrs. Diane V. Roberts
Mr. Robert B. Schaftel Ms. Keren Shefet Dr. James C. Smith, Jr. and Mrs. Kay L. Smith Mr. Willard D. Stevenson Mr. Fred B. Wachter Edgar V. Weir Family Foundation, Inc. Ms. Rebecca A. Weir Lt. Col. Edwin J. Whitney, M.D. Dr. John D. Zacker and Dr. Terry Y. Zacker Ms. Kiera E. Zitelman
Mr. Ryan R. Dietrich Mr. Stephen D. Dubnoff Mr. Lee Dumars and Ms. Louise R. Dumars Dr. Roy L. Eskow, D.D.S. and Mrs. Julie A. Eskow Mr. Edward L. Fink Mr. Ronald F. Mace
Mr. John E. Prevar Col. J. Logan Schutz, Ret. Mr. Jonathan M. Solomon Ms. Monique A. Thornton Ms. Ruth A. Watkins Mr. Matthew V. Zanger and Mrs. Kathleen Zanger
Mr. Robert W. Lemken Dr. Katharine A. Pawelko Ms. Timmy F. Ruppersberger, Esq.
Mr. James J. Rychner Dr. Jan V. Sengers Mr. C. Rennie Smith
Members Circle (Gifts of $50 or more) Mr. Philip S. Aronson Mr. Neal I. Bellet Mr. Lance W. Billingsley Dr. Robert A. Campbell The Honorable Paul H. Carlson and Mrs. Brandy Carlson Mr. Ralph P. Conlin
Other Contributors to Sigma Circle Mr. Edward O. Dovel and Mrs. Deanna L. Dovel Mrs. Marianne Joseph
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The Omicron Delta Kappa
LEADER
SIGMA CIRCLE FALL 2013 INDUCTEES Alumnus Allison Hall – Class of 2007 Faculty/ Staff Sylvester Gates, Jr. – Professor of Physics Kerry McCoy – Head Coach, University of Maryland Wrestling Michael Raupp – Professor of Entomology Graduate Students Steve Mobley, Jr. Emily Warheit Nicole Zion
Undergraduate Students Andrew Aggabao Anthony Belton Madeline Bersch Chelsea Brown Tiffany Burba David Burkey Fang Cao Kathryn Connolly Jasmine Cruz Matthew Cuozzo Sylvie DeLaHunt Emily Fraik Joshua Gilstein Shawn Greenspan Joel Guttman
Catherine Hamel Allison Kipping Rachael Lee Emily McDermott Kristina Moyer Khalil Pettus Praneet Puppala Alison Schumacher Victoria Shi Michael Sikorski Sree Sinha Catherine Thompson Rebecca Vanover Timothy Von Thun Alexandra Winter Andy Xin
SIGMA CIRCLE SPRING 2014 INDUCTEES Alumnus Nicole Pollard – Class of 1991 Faculty/Staff Missy Meharg – Head Coach, Women’s Field Hockey Josh Montfort – Head Coach, Gymkana Daniel Ostick – Assistant Director, Adele H. Stamp Student Union Cathy Reese – Head Coach, Women’s Lacrosse Leigh Smiley – Associate Professor and Director, School of Theatre, Dance & Performance Studies
Graduate Students Ian Feller Zachary Sivo Undergraduate Students Princess Agha Raja Ayyagari Eric Bailey Itay Balely Sarah Brown Benjamin Cannon Ellen Clark Julia Connell Moriel Daniel Ashley David Zoe DiGiorgio Margaret Doyle Brittney Flack Samantha Gottlieb
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Adam Janus Emily Jones Matthew Kannan Ehson Kashfipour Jocelyn Knazik Sophia Lewin Adams Michael Lichtenberg David Lieb Rachel Mahler Brendan McNelly Davian Morgan Sarah Niezelski Kirsten Petersen Renuka Tripu Sofia Vega-Ormeno Christopher Waddail Jazmyn White Alexander Wilson
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TMT, IT’S DYNAMITE:TERPS MENTORING TERPS KICK-OFF By Jennifer King, Communications Coordinator s a leadership organization, the ODK Sigma Circle is always striving not only to acknowledge current leadership, but also to facilitate rising leaders on campus. In order to continue ODK’s legacy, ODK must support new leaders in their endeavors to better themselves and their communities. This initiative is the goal of the Terps Mentoring Terps Program (TMT) that was recently initiated by the Sigma Circle. In early November, the ODK National Office requested all Circles apply for the Maurice A. Clay Leadership Development Initiative Grant to further develop the leadership of the Circle. There were a total of 13 Clay Grants to be awarded. Sigma Circle Vice President, Christopher Riley, submitted a Clay Grant proposal to the ODK National Office detailing an idea for
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Khalil Pettus, Ryan Lee-Young and their mentees.
the Terps Mentoring Terps Program, which was readily accepted by the ODK National Office. The proposal for TMT was approved, and our Circle was awarded one of 13 Clay Grants, amounting to $500 to support the new circle initiative. We have now been actively working to implement this new mentorship program. TMT is designed as a program where current ODK members are matched with rising freshmen leaders. Every year, the ODK Sigma Circle awards the Top Ten Freshmen and Sophomore Leader of the Year Awards. This year, applicants in the freshman
Chris Riley & Stephanie Graf welcome the mentors and mentees.
pool were given the option to express interest in a mentorship program sponsored by ODK; current members of the Sigma Circle were matched with the applicants who expressed interest. The objective of TMT is to facilitate rising leaders and connect them with the “leaders among leaders” of the University of Maryland campus. Twenty-four students were paired up for our first effort. Mentors and mentees will meet throughout the semester to discuss any topics relating to leadership ranging from how to go about improving an organization to how to approach a particular leadership issue. The hope of the TMT program is that the up-and-coming leaders of UMD will be able to use the experience and advice of the ODK mentors to improve their own leadership skills and to assist them in obtaining their goals and aspirations of becoming a
ODK mentors Matt Cuozzo, Shawn Greenspan and mentees.
better leader and improving their own organizations. This exchange of information will directly influence and hopefully improve campus leadership. The
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TMT program is trying to create a pipeline of future ODK leaders. Ideally, we will try to match up leaders within the pillars so the advice can more directly relate to the new leaders’ situations and experiences. By assisting future leaders in maintaining and improving their campus leadership, the TMT program also aims to strengthen the prestige of the Sigma Circle’s Top Ten Freshmen and Sophomore Leader of the Year Awards. On March 12th, the Sigma Circle hosted the TMT Kick-off to bring the mentors and mentees together and start the program. The Kick-off fea-
ODK mentor Cara Hamel and mentees chat with Marsha Guenzler-Stevens.
tured leadership experts and Sigma Circle faculty/staff members from campus including Linda Clement, Vice President for Student Affairs; Michael Raupp, Professor of Entomology; Cary Gillett from the School of Theater, Dance and Performance Studies, and Marsha Guenzler-Stevens, Director of the Adele H. Stamp Student Union, who shared their experiences about being a leader and what being a leader means to them. The mentors and mentees participated in miniature roundtable discussions with the campus leaders. The ODK Sigma Circle is excited about the newly created TMT Program. Hopefully the new budding leaders will feel encouraged by their mentors to seize leadership opportunities with new vigor, improving their leadership skills and improving the campus as a whole.
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THE SMITH EFFECT: A DAY IN THE LIFE OF A SMITH STUDENT By Stephanie Graf, Sigma Circle President hen I walked into Van Munching Hall four years ago, I could not tell you the difference between stocks and bonds. I laughed when my father asked if I wanted to read the newspaper, and the brands I knew best were CollegeBoard and College Park. Now, in my second semester of my senior year, I’m leaving with a wealth of knowledge that I never dreamed of as a freshman. To me, this is the “Smith Effect” that you may hear advertised for the Robert H. Smith School of Business. A day in the life of a Smith student begins with a coffee run to Rudy’s, our café in Van Munching. Hot and cold drinks in hand, we head to our classes. When our classes finish
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in the afternoon, we often head back to our apartments to change into our business casual or business professional outfits. Almost any day of the week, the Smith School offers a lecture series, CEO at Smith speaker series, or SUSA (Smith Undergraduate Student Association) club meeting. We attend networking nights to meet past Smith alums, and occasionally enjoy a business dinner. Unlike our friends in ROTC or the Crew Team, our events usually last into the evening, rather than starting with an early morning. After our events, Smith leaders spend time on homework, trying to balance our balance sheets, designing new logos, and creating international business plans. The next day, many of us wake up early and head to internships
or part-time jobs. Smith students make ideal interns, if any of our ODK alums are looking for one! With our proximity to DC, Smith students take advantage of the many financial institutions, think-tanks, political organizations, and technology companies who are headquartered in the area. Life in the Smith School is all about balancing academics with networking, extracurriculars, and internships. When we graduate from Smith, we are ready to join the workforce! I am personally grateful for the Smith School, the opportunities and knowledge it afforded me, and the fact that I can now hold my own in a conversation about the stock market! I’ll truly be a Terp, and a Smith Alum, for life!
LIFE AFTER GRADUATION: BIKE & BUILD ACROSS AMERICA By Jennifer King, Sigma Circle Communications Coordinator s graduation looms, everyone’s plans seem to be falling into place. But before next fall sends new UMD graduates in a million different directions, the final summer escapade awaits. The plans span the spectrum from backpacking across Europe to having one final lazy summer at the beach. So while some students are in the midst of planning a road trip across the country, I am spending my next 11 weeks training for a 4000-mile bike ride. This summer I am biking from Providence, Rhode Island to Seattle, Washington to raise money and awareness for affordable housing with Bike&Build (B&B). While biking across the country, I will be giving presentations on affordable housing, as well as assisting in the construction of affordable homes. Affordable housing is a very real problem within the United States. Over 10 million households are considered extremely low-
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Jennifer King
income (ELI) as they spend over 30% of their income on gross housing costs. Affordable housing organizations, such as Habitat for Humanity and Rebuilding Together, work to provide houses that are affordable to low-
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income families. I have been fortunate enough to never have been without a home, and I can’t imagine where I would be if shelter had been an issue for my family and me. This summer I will bike nearly 4000 miles and raise over $4500 so that others may, without worry, have a place they can call home. My friend, Meghan, did a B&B trip two years ago, and it has been in the back of my mind since then. She inspired me to do something incredibly challenging for a good cause. Though I enjoy cycling, I am not currently an avid road biker (I will be by the end of summer!). The more I think about this trip the crazier I think I am, but I am thoroughly thrilled to have my post-graduation adventure of a lifetime while having an impact on part of my community! Follow my journey at: http://bikeandbuild.org/rider/7360
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TERPS MAKING A DIFFERENCE: ALTERNATIVE WINTER BREAK ABROAD By Ali Schumacher, Sigma Circle Member rowing up, I have volunteered my time to help others, from visiting the sick to distributing supplies to the homeless to serving food at a soup kitchen. Although I felt as if I was making a difference, it never left the lasting impact I wanted. I wanted to be placed in a challenging situation where I would feel uncomfortable. It was these feelings that prompted me to participate on Maryland Hillel and the JDC’s Alternative Break trip this past winter break to Ethiopia, an opportunity for me to step outside of my comfort zone. JDC, also known as the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee, is the world’s leading Jewish humanitarian organization that focuses on helping both Jews and non-Jews around the world. Since 1983, JDC has been working in Ethiopia in order to help advance the health and wellbeing of the Ethiopian people. Ethiopia’s per capita Ali Schumacher income is among the lowest in the world and more than a third of Ethiopians live below the poverty line. Ethiopians, especially in rural areas, lack the access to basic human needs, including healthcare, education, and safe drinking water. While in Ethiopia, we balanced our time between learning and service, emphasizing the fact that education and action go hand in hand, and it is not effective to do one without the other. We visited JDC’s projects in both Addis Ababa, the capital of
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Ethiopia, and Gondar, a more rural part of the country. JDC’s projects currently include providing health services, digging potable water wells, building primary schools, offering vocational training and university scholarships for women, and running a medical program, which is led by an American doctor, Dr. Rick Hodes. We also had the opportunity to help build and paint a school, teach children English, and even hand out de-worm-
ing pills. It was through these activities that we saw the difference we were making and how we were aiding in this one area of rural Ethiopia’s development. Our numerous interactions with Ethiopians were the moments that brought us face to face with the tragic truth of poverty and gave us a glimpse into the lives these people live every day. During our trip, we reflected on everything we did and everything we saw. What many students grappled
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with was comparing the poverty we see in metropolitan areas in the United States to the poverty we see in African countries like that in rural Ethiopia. On one hand, the homeless in the urban American cities understand how the wealthy and upper class live, yet they tend to have blankets to sleep under, clothes on their back, and shelters to visit. Those that live in rural areas, in this extreme poverty, do not know what they are missing. They wake up when the sun comes up and they go to sleep when the nighttime starts. Women walk miles and miles every day just for a “cleaner” source of water, which is not even up to the standards of the United States. However, these individuals spend time with their families and are somewhat satisfied with what they have. Alternative breaks are valuable opportunities for students to step outside of their comfort zone and use their time over break wisely. Maryland Hillel runs Alternative Breaks every winter and spring break and there are numerous Alternative Break trips through the Stamp Student Union’s Leadership and Community Service Learning component under the Division of Student Affairs. Students like us donating our time and learning more about communities outside of our own can lead to major change, development and tolerance, which will truly “repair the world.”
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CALLING ALL SIGMA CIRCLE ALUMNI! id you know that ODK has and will continue to offer many different opportunities for you to connect with your fellow student leaders who like you, left a lasting impact on this campus? Here are just a few ways throughout the year that you can stay connected. Homecoming is of course a great time of year, and we enjoy seeing each and every one of you at the annual Homecoming Student Leadership Celebration at Cole Fieldhouse two hours before kick-off when the Terps will take on the Iowa Hawkeyes on October 18, 2014. Come celebrate our second home game in the Big Ten! We also encourage you to join us every fall and spring semester as we induct a new group of Sigma Circle members at the Sigma Circle Induction Ceremony and Reception held each December and April at the Memorial Chapel, and later at the Stamp Student Union Atrium. This is a wonderful opportunity to hear about the achievements of current Sigma Circle members, and to also learn about what
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alumni are doing through their work and community involvement. Another great opportunity to volunteer with current students and stay connected to campus is through Fun at the Fountain on Maryland Day, which will be held this spring on Saturday, April 26 from 10:00 am-4:00 pm! A tried and true ODK tradition, Fun at the Fountain is a great way to share the ODK traditions with future Terps who are experiencing the ODK Fountain for the first time. This will be their first impression of the student leaders, and an everlasting one at that. Just steps away from the Fun at the Fountain tent will be an ODK Information Tent at Maryland Day which will serve as the hub to reconnect with fellow alumni, provide contact information and stay cool on a hot day. This is another great way to reconnect with ODK so that we can stay in touch with you! And if you are not able to make it to campus, we still want to hear from you! The ODK Newsletter is a wonderful way to share updates with fellow alumni
and read about your peers’ accomplishments. Please make sure to send us the latest and greatest so that we can feature them in the ODK Alumni Updates Section of the ODK Newsletter. Staying in touch is very important, and so is supporting all of the work that ODK does to invest in student leaders on campus. We encourage you to reach out and learn about the programs that you can sustain so that students just like you have the tools they need to succeed here. We encourage you to join the Steward of the Fountain Society, a wonderful group of alumni who have prioritized ODK philanthropically. See a complete list of stewards on pg 5. From the ODK Scholarship Funds that offer freshmen and sophomore students financial support to the Thomas and Bagwell Lectures that inspire students to excel as leaders, you can continue to make a difference philanthropically. To learn more about making a gift today and leaving your legacy with today’s student leaders, visit odk.umd.edu or call us at (301) 314-4900.
GET INVOLVED TODAY BY DONATING TO ODK! Your support helps ODK provide educational and leadership development programs throughout the year. Below is some more information about programs you can support directly, and ways you can make an impact through ODK.
ODK’s Lecture Series
ODK’s Scholarship Program
ODK’s Lecture Series provides students with opportunities to hear from inspiring speakers, and learn about the qualities and achievements of leaders in our community. It exemplifies the values that ODK instills in our student body. Your support will ensure that ODK can continue to bring outstanding speakers to campus to inspire our students and help them grow.
ODK recognizes outstanding students through its scholarship fund. Annual scholarships are awarded to entering first year students who demonstrated outstanding leadership potential, and now will help students with fees when joining the society, and ensure that they can focus on leadership. Your support helps students continue to lead through ODK.
Sigma Circle’s Giving Societies
Consider a Bequest in Support of the Sigma Circle!
A donation of any amount will make an impact, but we encourage you to join Sigma Circle’s Annual Giving Societies. Your involvement in this special group ensures that you are recognized for your generosity in the ODK newsletter and the Sigma Circle’s website. For those who contribute at the Steward of the Fountain level, your name will also be engraved on a plaque by the benches encircling the ODK Fountain. $5,000 Steward of the Fountain $1,000 Founders Circle $500 Leaders Circle $100 Supporters Circle $50 Members Circle
By making a provision in your will, you may be able to make a substantial gift by designating from your collective assets. For example, you may commit a percentage of your overall estate value, a sum of cash, or otherwise described property. Working with your attorney, the preferred language is: “I give, devise, and bequeath to the University of Maryland College Park Foundation, a tax-exempt organization located at 2119 Main Administration Building, College Park, MD 20742, (insert a percentage of estate, or residue or sum of money, or otherwise describe property) to support the University of Maryland Omicron Delta Kappa Sigma Circle (or insert specifics).
You can make a gift to ODK today! Use the enclosed envelope or go to www.odk.umd.edu. 10
The Omicron Delta Kappa
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ODK Alumni Updates Thanks to all of you who keep us informed of your activities. If we haven’t heard from you recently, drop us a note. As always, we particularly want to hear from those of you who graduated between 1927 and 1976. You may use the form on the back of the newsletter, send your updates to odk@umd.edu, or submit online at www.odk.umd.edu. Please forgive us if the information below is a little dated. It is very difficult to have up-to-date news when we only publish our newsletter twice a year. But here is what we have and we hope you enjoy reading about your friends. John Viner ’58, retired in 1996 from the Federal Highway Administration as a Senior Research Engineer receiving a Superior Career Award. He specialized in highway safety research and we can thank him for his contribution to the current guardrail shape which is useful in reducing collision severity for all sizes of vehicles! During retirement, he and his wife, Eliane, are doing lots of volunteer work and see it as a “rewarding retirement avocation.” George Kemp III ’74, is working with PODS in Richmond, VA introducing a last-resort, self-contained, transportable coolant injecting system. He is a studio engineer for the longest running radio broadcast in Richmond - the Live Broadcast of Sunday services for Grace Covenant Presbyterian Church - since January 27, 1924! He is also involved with local Chapter of IEEE in Richmond-just made ‘Life Member’. When he catches a break from everything else, he sails when he can--offshore, mostly Florida to Chesapeake Bay to New England & Bermuda. Fred ’77 and Linda ’81 Vogelgesang, are celebrating the birth of their first granddaughter. Last summer, Linda participated in a career seminar in Sheffield, England. Sabina Mazzanti Baker ’78, and her husband, Joe, are getting ready to celebrate the next generation of being a Terp family when son Joe graduates in May with an MBA from the Smith School of Business.
Richard Inguanti ’78, is very busy with a family of five. 19-year-old son, Michael is in his 2nd year at Villanova; 16-year-old son, Jack is a junior in high school; and, 12-year-old son, Brian is in 6th grade. Wife, Rose, is pursuing her Master’s degree online with Villanova. Rick is speaking regularly for audiobooks, textbooks, and corporations. He has been rehearsing again with improv. The whole family went on vacation to the Dominican Republic in 2013 and had a great time. Luis Luna ’78, and his wife, Bonnie, have moved back to Salisbury, Maryland, where he has been named CEO for Lower Shore Enterprises, which provides employment opportunities for individuals with disABILITIES. A multi-million dollar enterprise with a staff of 40 and over 150 clients, Luis calls it a “happy place” and his “last job.” [Congratulations – you deserve the best, Luis!] Larry Kirsch ’79, is still providing strategic planning and marketing consulting services to small and mediumsized manufacturing companies in Carlsbad, California. He has also received certification as a Family Business Advisor, helping family owned companies work through their succession and exit strategies. Linden Mosk ’79, celebrated his last day with IBM in February. It's been a great experience and after 15 years there he is able to take advantage of some retirement benefits (however he
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is not retiring permanently yet - he wishes...). He is excited about moving to the next phase of his career and is actively pursuing a new full time sales position across the Cloud, SaaS, Enterprise Software and Services landscape. Drs. Caryn Brenner ’84 and Ron Williams ’85, have been very busy, especially with the successes of their children, Evan and Arleen. The exciting news for Ron this year was being promoted to Full Professor of Pediatrics and Medicine. [Congratulations Ron!]
Clyde Taber ’84, wife Shirin, and children
Clyde Taber ’84, is thrilled about the growth of the Visual Story Network, which now includes 220 organizations and 1600 “media innovators” in 65 countries.
Burman Berger ’85, wife Debbie, and children
The Omicron Delta Kappa
Burman Berger ’85, as a Tax Accountant, is up to his ears in work this spring. He and wife, Debbie, are very excited that their oldest son, Benjamin, is now a freshman at Maryland! [A future ODKer Burman?] John Tegen ’86, is so happy. His daughter, Madison, has been accepted to Maryland and invited to the Scholars Program! [Congratulations John and Madison!] Amy Aballo Casey ’89, is completing her Master of Arts Degree in Industrial/Organizational Psychology from The Chicago School of Professional Psychology and looking forward to starting a new chapter in her career. Laura Head Atkinson ’90, and her family have lived in three houses within a year, but have moved into their new home in Richmond, Virginia, where her cloud hosting company has taken off like gangbusters.
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[Congratulations on all of your significant contributions, Sherita]. Dr. Jennifer Lee ’97, recently opened REN Dermatology in Franklin, Tennessee. Jen says that “My goal is to provide quality care in a comfortable environment, where patients can be treated for a full spectrum of skin issues, including skin cancer, acne and psoriasis. We also perform injectable and laser cosmetic services. We want to offer a boutique practice that’s centered on a superior patient experience.” Cory Baker ’99, is now Principal & Founder at Julian Wolf, Inc. Bridget Bryer Groff ’00, along with her husband, David Groff (’03), recently welcomed their daughter, Maren Groff, on September 13, 2013. She joins older brothers, Derrick (2) and Lucas (4). Ryan Spiegel ’00, is now Principal and Chair of the Government Contracts Practice Group at the law firm of Paley Rothman. Jennifer Storipan ’00, relocated back to Washington, DC in May 2013 to serve as Congresswoman Joyce Beatty’s (OH-03) Legislative Director and Counsel. Ohio State is in Rep. Beatty’s District so she’s looking forward to Maryland joining the Big 10!
Engaged couple Joana Chang ’01 and Jason Ward ’01
Joana Chang ’01 and Jason Ward ’01, are engaged to be married on May 11, 2014! [Congratulations to two of our favorite people!] Branden Engorn ’04, graduated from Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine in 2009 and then completed his residency in Pediatrics at Johns Hopkins Hospital in 2012. This year he is serving as Pediatric Chief Resident at Johns Hopkins. He plans on continuing to further his training in Anesthesiology. Jessica Thompson ’07, was promoted to Agent at WME (William Morris Endeavor). She is the youngest female agent and received the only promotion this year in the New York office. [Congrats, Jessica!]
Andrew, Chris and Sherita Hill Golden ’90
Dr. Sherita Hill Golden ’90, continues to combine clinical research, teaching and patient care as a member of the Endocrine Faculty at Johns Hopkins. Last Spring was a great one, as Sherita was elected to the American Society for Clinical Investigation and installed into an endowed chair, the Hugh P. McCormick Family Professorship in Endocrinology and Metabolism.
Kyle Beardsley ’01 and family
Dr. Kyle Beardsley ’01, is now an Associate Professor at Duke University.
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Bob Rossomondo ’77 and family
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Cathy Barham Campbell ’84, husband Dan, and son Danny
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Dr. Ken Brown ’93, wife Amy, and daughters
The Bill Meury ’90 family
The Steve Carlson ’82 family
The Stuart Ritter ’92 family
Inspiration. Boldness. Curiosity. Passion. You’ll find it all at Maryland Day, the University of Maryland’s one-day open house of 400 educational, family-friendly and interactive events. Come explore our world of Fearless Ideas.
SATURDAY APRIL 26 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. marylandday.umd.edu Rain or shine / Admission and parking are free # MARY L AN D DAY A N D FO L LO W U N I VE R S I T Y O F MARY L AN D O N
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The Omicron Delta Kappa
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Marc Greenberg ’93 and family Ally, Jack, Kate, Lisa and Paul Mandell ’95
Jane McCarl
Doug ’95 and Hillary Cherry Mintz ’97 and children
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The Omicron Delta Kappa
Matt and Brooke Supple, and daughters Stirling and Campbell
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Jim Osteen and his family
FACULTY/STAFF HIGHLIGHTS
Bob and Kathy Beardsley
Dr. Kathy Beardsley, is close to retirement, but not quite yet! The College gave her a big party; she received the Dean’s medal; and an alum endowed a fund in her honor. But, she continues to work on four different projects and served on the search committee for a new Dean of the College, looking toward April when she can finally retire. [What part of retirement did you NOT understand, Kathy?]
Dr. Marsha Guenzler-Stevens, continues as Director of the Student Union and the mentor-in-chief for literally hundreds of students. She has just completed a significant renovation of the Union, and continues to teach freshmen each fall and women’s leadership in the spring, coordinate the University’s Veterans’ Services, and teach a graduate seminar in the Student Affairs graduate program. Marsha recently received the Zenobia Hikes Award from the NASPA Center for Women, which recognizes a NASPA member who has demonstrated a commitment to the advancement of women in higher education and student affairs! [Congratulations on this well-deserved honor, Marsha!!! The University, and all of us, are honored to have you as a part of our lives!] Dr. Robin Rudd, after cutting back her practice to one day a week, has enjoyed retirement by doing a lot of traveling with husband, Bruce, exercise, and volunteer work.
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Dale Vander Wall and his family
Dr. Dale Vander Wall, has had an eventful last year. After breaking two bones in his left hand while playing basketball last Spring, he has taken a new position as the Assistant Dean of Strategic Operations for the R.H. Smith School of Business. He was also elected to serve as an elder in his church. [Congratulations, Dale!]
OMICRON DELTA KAPPA
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ALUMNI INFORMATION Please use this form to update us on what is happening in your life. Or, contact us at www.odk.umd.edu if you prefer. Name: __________________________________________________
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