O M I C R O N D E LTA K A P PA
T HE L E ADER SPRING 2021
Honoring Leaders Among Leaders
ODK AWARDS
UMD Welcomes
PRESIDENT PINES
Celebrating
50 YEARS OF SEE
T H E N E W S L E T T E R O F T H E S I G M A C I R C L E AT T H E U N I V E R S I T Y O F M A R Y L A N D
1 | ODK Sigma Circle THE LEADER
MESSAGE FROM THE CIRCLE COORDINATOR By Brooke Supple Dear ODK members By the time you read this, we will have been fighting COVID-19 for more than a year! It has been a long and winding road, and we have worked hard to make the best of a challenging situation on campus. We are continuing to work together to try to keep our community safe. Students, faculty, and staff are required to be tested every two weeks. All residence hall rooms remain singles, but we are hoping things will look more normal next fall. Leonardtown has been converted to quarantine and isolation housing and students are moved there as they test positive or have significant exposure to COVID-19 positive cases. Although our positivity rates remain low, the presence of the variant in our communities has caused some cases on and around campus. We are so grateful for the commitment of our students to staying safe and following the 4 Maryland guidelines - wearing masks, staying physically distant, practicing good hand hygiene, and symptom monitoring. Amid all of this, we have tried to keep ODK moving forward. We have mastered virtual selections and induction ceremonies and our tapping is being done by video. In David’s letter, he shares some of the great events and activities ODK has planned this semester. In early April, we welcomed 58 new undergraduate, 4 graduate, and 12 honorary inductees to the Sigma Circle. We are thrilled to welcome these new inductees! This week we look forward to the official inauguration of our 34th President Darryll Pines with a week of virtual events and activities. See page 4 for more information and check out president.umd.edu/inauguration for more details. Although we won’t be floating turtles in the ODK Fountain on Maryland Day this year, we hope to see you back at the Fountain for Maryland Day 2022! We hope things look more normal this fall. We are planning for fully in-person classes and full residence halls! We have just begun some limited vaccine distribution on campus and we hope much of our campus population will be vaccinated by this summer. I hope you and your families are safe and well, and that we can see each other in person again soon. Brooke L. Supple ODK Circle Coordinator
Spring 2021 Executive Officers
David Polefrone Events & Lectures Chair
Kaylee Towey Digital Communications Chair
David Rekhtman President
Emily Berry Alumni & Member Engagement Chair
Jacqueline Ford Vice President
Sasha Marquez Public Relations Chair
Dr. Brooke Supple Circle Coordinator
Emily Brothman Philanthropy & Community Service Chair
Megan Berry Membership & Induction Chair
Dr. Dean Chang Faculty Advisor
Radhika Gholap Historian
THE LEADER ODK Sigma Circle |2
MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT By David Rekhtman Hello ODKers! Now more than a year into the COVID-19 pandemic, the virtual environment has forced ODKers to step-up, innovate, and lead - and I am thrilled to report that they have! The Sigma Circle and all of its members have exemplified ODK values while continuing to improve the campus community. Together, the executive board and members have ensured our Circle remains vibrant, welcoming, and exceptional. This semester, I am pleased to welcome 58 undergraduate, 4 graduate, and 12 honorary inductees to the Sigma Circle. These 74 new members - one of the largest classes in recent history exemplify the very best across all five pillars and I am confident they will represent our Circle well in the years to come. The executive board has been hard at work throughout the year to provide engaging and informative events for our members. In the Fall, we hosted a wonderful alumni panel about Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in the Workplace, and earlier this month recent graduates came to discuss the World of Virtual Work. Additionally, our Circle was a recipient of the Maurice A. Clay Leadership Development Initiative Grant from ODK National which funded the LinkedIn workshop held in late March attended by current members and alumni. Our Circle also organized a School Supply Drive to benefit a local elementary school by providing supplies for students who have returned to school as well as those who remained at home. The ODK Drury Bagwell Leadership Lecture Series has been used for many years to host exceptional speakers that the entire campus could learn and benefit from. This semester, I invite you to a conversation with Anthony Kapel “Van” Jones on May 3 at 7:00 p.m. Jones is an American news and political commentator on CNN and author of multiple New York Times bestselling books. His insights and experiences with politics, journalism, and the fight for justice are unparalleled and will be discussed with the Sigma Circle and the greater UMD community. ODK’s ability to adapt and thrive even in the face of a global pandemic exemplifies our Circle’s important and ever-lasting presence on campus. It has been a great honor and privilege to serve as the President of this phenomenal organization and work with the most inspiring, impressive, and dedicated student leaders that the University of Maryland has. I could not be more grateful for this experience and am excited to pass the baton to the next executive board in the coming weeks. Warm regards, David Rekhtman ODK Sigma Circle President
New Residence Halls Honor UMD Trailblazers By Megan Berry
Last December, several months after the construction of the new group of residence halls began on North Campus, UMD officially announced the names of two new soon-to-be residence halls.
counties in Maryland, the installation of President Pines brought this recommendation alongside other new initiatives to build a more diverse and welcoming campus community for current and future terps. Honoring the journeys and legacies of these individuals in this way will work to educate the members of our campus and larger communities on the sacrifice and perseverance of these pioneers, as well as the advancement in their fields, but also exemplify their impact for years to come. The halls are anticipated to open in the academic year of 2021-2022 and will house 902 first- and second-year students in traditional single and double rooms. The halls will also feature lounge spaces, a bike room, and spaces for laundry and waste-sorting. This newly constructed community will also house a new dining hall that will feature seating for about 1,000 students and 10-12 culinary stations. We look forward to the opening of these new facilities and the honors they bring!
From L. to R. UMD alums, Pyon Su, Chunjen Constant Chen, Elaine Johnson Coates, and Hiram Whittle.
For the first time since 1914, UMD has chosen to name the halls after four individuals and trailblazers of the UMD community who contributed immensely to the rich diversity and culture that defines our campus today: Hiram Whittle, Elaine Johnson Coates, Pyon Su, and Chunjen Constant Chen. The halls will be named Johnson-Whittle and Pyon-Chen to honor the groundbreaking achievements of these impactful UMD alumni. President Pines stated that “each exemplifies Terrapin grit, desire, and determination to succeed against all odds. Their stories serve as valuable examples for the University of Maryland students of today and in the future, as we continue to celebrate and advance diversity in our university community.” In 1951, Hiram Whittle was the first African American male to be admitted to and attend UMD while the school was still segregated, and graduated with a degree in Engineering. Elaine Johnson Coates was the first African American female to graduate with an undergraduate degree from UMD in 1959 and studied Education. Pyon Su was the first Korean student to receive a degree from any American college or university in 1891 and earned a B.S. in Agriculture. Chunjen Constant Chen was the first Chinese student to enroll at the Maryland Agricultural College, earning his Master’s in 1920 after attending UMD five years earlier for undergrad before transferring to Cornell University to finish out his B.A.. After many years of naming new residence halls after 3 | ODK Sigma Circle THE LEADER
An Unprecedented Year for a New President: A Conversation with University of Maryland President Darryll Pines By Emily Berry
Though President Darryll Pines, Sigma Circle member since 2006, has been serving as our University President for nearly ten months, his Official Investiture will occur during his inauguration this week. In the past, presidential inaugurations have involved official ceremonies with limited student involvement, primarily for the new president to be recognized by the University System Chancellor and the Board of Regents. This year, because of COVID-19, the inauguration planning committee developed a week-long celebration that could safely incorporate students, staff, faculty, and alumni. “Being in COVID and having planned two virtual commencements, we have learned a lot about what is appealing to people and what they want to see,” said Brooke Supple, our Circle Coordinator and member of the inauguration planning committee. The inauguration will take place from April 19th to April 24th; a week filled with events and activities for students and alumni. The full schedule includes a moderated panel of arts and humanities experts on Monday, an event to reflect on the life and legacy of David C. Driskell on Tuesday, a celebration of the university’s innovators, entrepreneurs, inventors, and creatives on Wednesday, the official Investiture on Thursday, the annual UMD Alumni Association awards ceremony on Friday, and the first virtual Maryland Day on Saturday!
Though most of the events are virtual, “Pines on Parade” is a dedicated time for students and the campus community to meet President Pines. The marching band will accompany the President as he travels around campus to greet Terps, share some new Terrapin pins, and try a new ice cream
flavor personally made for our new President by the Maryland Dairy. If you’d like to plan ahead, President Pines will be at the Nyumburu Amphitheater from 4:00 p.m. to 4:30 p.m., at Prince Frederick Hall from 4:40 p.m. to 5:10 p.m., and at the Eppley Recreation Center from 5:25 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. on Wednesday, April 21st. This is a great opportunity to safely welcome President Pines and enjoy some amazing ice cream! A member of the ODK executive board had the opportunity to sit down with President Pines to ask some of his thoughts prior to the inauguration. The interview can be found below! What is going through your mind as you prepare to be officially inaugurated? I imagine that the work you have already done to combat the unique challenges that this position has presented since your appointment has made the position already extremely tangible to you, but does the upcoming inauguration impact your mindset at all? Yes, partly because we’ve gone through nine months of COVID-19 challenges. I think this is an opportunity for us to pivot and inspire optimism in our collective future going forward as a university and to uphold the missions and values of our institution. To me, our past year has been like no year in the history of humanity. Our community has suffered in the United States with two to three pandemics; one, the pandemic associated with the coronavirus; two, the long history of racial injustice and social injustice in our country; and three, the uncertainty in our election process. All of this in one year, and we are still coming to grips with that. But, fortunately, the way I look at it is, this is a time for optimism. We have a new administration, we have the fact that the vaccine is getting widely distributed and the hope that folks that are 16 and above will be vaccinated soon. So there is hope and optimism, and so the inauguration is a chance to embrace that optimism to set that tone for our future -- that it will be better, and that we will continue to contribute to a better interaction between humans on the planet, and work towards solving the grand challenges of our time. How did you decide what events to host during inauguration week--are they inspired at all by your predecessors? Which ones are you most looking forward to and what message do you hope participants are able to take away from Inauguration Week?
THE LEADER ODK Sigma Circle | 4
University of Maryland's 34th President, Darryll J. Pines.
As you know, the inauguration was supposed to happen in the fall. We would have talked about the future of the university, the future of how we are going to impact a positive environment. But I think this is even more significant because there’s been an inauguration committee now with multiple people working planning events. So I’ve had actually very little to do with that. I did pick the date of my inauguration to be Thursday, April 22nd, Earth Day. I did that because I think it’s an opportunity to make a significant statement about how we, the University of Maryland, are going to positively impact humanity. And I intend to make a couple of big announcements because it is Earth Day. And I want our community here because again, it builds optimism about our future, about the future of the planet, and the future of how we as humans are going to interact positively with one another.
around) and then it concludes with something that we’re all very familiar with at Maryland, which is Maryland Day. But the other events have been chosen because I and the entire team want to highlight other elements of excellence at our institution, which will allow us to make statements about where we are headed as a university. You have served as a leader on UMD’s campus for more than two decades. What leadership lessons are you taking into your continued time as president and what has the past year taught you as you have led the university in combating society’s “seemingly insurmountable challenges” during a pandemic?
My background is I’m an engineer, and so I see things through that prism. When I came in and was announced in February, I started really thinking about the situation that we found ourselves in In terms of the other events for the week, some of with the coronavirus and I looked at it through those are traditional. There’ll be a couple of events the prism of an engineer. And so when I looked that are what all inaugural operations have had at this situation, I realized that this is particularly in the past like a parade (not your normal parade a systems engineering problem where we have to because we’re not going to have that many people come up with a solution that keeps the community 5 | ODK Sigma Circle THE LEADER
safe, under this public health crisis. Of course, I had never tried to work on such a problem before, but this was done with a whole bunch of other people. And so engineers like me, we seek these solutions that will benefit society, so we do this in a context of something called a risk management framework -- understanding what is the risk to the population and how we mitigate the risk.
stakeholder groups -- students, faculty, and staff -- and listen to their ideas carefully and include them in the discussion for big critical decisions like safety, operations, and the student experience. And then, after you’ve assessed the information, listened to the input and read the data, then you make a decisive decision. That would be my recommendation to future leaders.
So we did this by establishing a whole bunch of working groups to work on health and safety, operations, the student experience, and academic affairs. And as we brought the community together, the community came up with these collective solutions on how we were going to keep our communities safe. So for example, as you know we conducted a few in-person classes but not many. The whole challenge, based on the data that we saw for the coronavirus, is that young people were less likely to have as severe outcomes of getting the virus. Old people like me, if I got the virus, the probability of more serious illness is pretty high, like two orders of magnitude higher than you. So the challenge was how do we have these two population groups come to our campus, and be safe. So the way we did it was we would socially distance ourselves, we would obviously wear masks, we would test all the time, but also we would leverage technology to separate the two communities.
I’ll give you an example of that, which definitely made a lot of people mad, and it was a tough decision to be honest with you. You may recall, two weeks before spring break, we sequestered the campus for one week. We issued that announcement on a Saturday morning, and it went for the whole week, but it was because we saw transmission rates of the virus at a frequency that we had never seen before. This made a lot of students and parents upset. And, because they were okay, we allowed athletics to go forward, because we didn’t see any transmission in athletics specifically, nor in other things like other student employee activities. So we let those activities go forward. Now it turns out we were right, and it turns out that we were able to stop the spread and literally in that one week if you look at the data on the dashboard. So, again, a very difficult decision -- I definitely took a lot of negative emails and phone calls. But the bottom line is it was the right decision. We kept being safe and we are where we are today, which is a much better situation.
What we did wasn’t perfect, because we had never done it before, but it was a strategy that to the majority part kept our university fairly safe. We still had over 2,000 coronavirus cases to date over nine months, but I think we’re happy with how things have turned out. We can honestly say that to this day, based on contact tracing, that we haven’t had any transmissions in the classroom, and no transmissions inside of research labs, even over nine months of experiencing the coronavirus. And so one perfect example of this is these working groups have been very helpful in keeping our community safe. What people don’t know is that we’ve convened, in terms of leadership, this daily COVID operations committee that meets every day at 5 p.m., for nine months, keeping the community safe and examining the spread of COVID on and in our community. So I’m very proud of how we’ve managed the situation as a community. As an experienced leader, if you could give one piece of advice on how to be an effective and model community leader, what would you say? I would say the university is a very important collective shared operation. What’s really important to do to make everyone feel comfortable, safe, and secure, is to listen to key
Finally, what are you most looking forward to over your time as President? I’m super excited about our future. I think we have an opportunity to create one of the most inclusive campuses in the United States. And part of what has happened to us has made us more -- I think -- mindful of this, that we can be leaders in this area. We already have it, we just need to re-emphasize it as part of our DNA. The other part is, we do have an opportunity as a research institution to advance science in this area related to the pandemic, but also in some other areas that will help enhance our standing in the world in terms of technologies. We can make sure that we also enhance the human interaction of ourselves with our local community, and give back in the way of service to help others improve their lives. I think if we have learned anything from last year, we have learned that we’re all very connected. One thing, the virus, can touch every one of our lives. That’s never happened to most of us ever before, and it’s not just our lives but the whole world. And our collective efforts are an amazing accomplishment. I think it reminds us that we have a common shared humanity that we must never forget. THE LEADER ODK Sigma Circle | 6
A Perfect Year for the Perfect Pair of Sweatpants By Sasha Marquez
It’s been quite a year for the UMD community, and for the world. The COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent quarantine, work from home, and virtual world has taken a toll on students, staff, faculty, and alumni. We’re over a year into online classes and despite the highs and lows of the last year, there’s one industry that has been riding a high since last March: loungewear. It’s rare to hop on a Zoom call at UMD, whether for a club, organization, or class, and see people wearing anything other than sweatpants, sweatshirts, or any other form of soft, definitely not professional, clothing.
Here are some other ODKers’ favorite pandemic gear: From Kathleen Hamilton-Campos ‘21: “Three magic words: skirt with pockets! When one of my friends told me over a Zoom meeting about long vintage skirts she had discovered that had side pockets, I immediately investigated. For those of you also interested, they are the Belle Poque Women’s High Waist A-Line Pockets Skirt Skater Flared Midi Skirt, available in a multitude of colors and patterns on Amazon. They’re lightweight, perfect for pairing with tights/leggings, or just by themselves for days when you don’t want to deal with tight waistbands. Plus, if you have to go out for some reason - even if it’s just getting the mail - you still look super cute! This is a pandemic fave I’ll be keeping.”
From Omar Tarabishi ‘21 “My go to this My personal favorite pandemic clothing item is my pandemic has Comfy. You might recognize it from an old episode been a pair of of Shark Tank. Back then, there was no way for the sweatpants sharks to know that sales of this item would skyfrom 2011. rocket during a once-in-a-lifetime pandemic. During my junior year at The Comfy is a huge hoodie made out of fleece UMD as an blanket material that hangs down to my knees. It RA, our staff was the perfect piece of clothing to throw over my got matching sweatpants during the colder winter months and sweatpants it’s ideal for taking a quick midday nap. My roomwith “Cumbermate and I even have matching ones that we wear land 2011” on for class, to watch movies, or for a quick run to them. They’re pick up takeout dinner when we support local insanely comCollege Park businesses. fortable, black so match with Sasha Marquez follows the rule of ABC - anything, and have been a Always be Comfortable. regular part of my loungewear for a decade. During the pandemic, they’ve been a mainstay for me as only my top half is visible on zoom calls and class. I’m wearing a button down on top for external calls, and super comfortable on the bottom with memories of a more normal year with fellow RAs, first-year students, and the UMD Cambridge Community.”
David Rekhtman studies in a comfy hoodie. Many ODKers have found solace in wearing their most comfortable clothes while studying from home.
7 | ODK Sigma Circle THE LEADER
From David Polefrone ‘21: “My neighbor from home happened to win a raffle and was awarded with a sweet pair of UMD Under Armour sweatpants. As one of the few people they knew who attends UMD, he passed them along to me and they became the perfect pair of sweatpants to wear at home during the pandemic. Besides the fact that they’re high quality and really comfortable, it’s fun to feel a bit like a Division 1 athlete!”
SEE Turns 50!: Celebrating the organization that brings our favorite celebrities straight to UMD By Emily Brothman
From Olympic gold medalist Aly Raisman to comedian John Mulaney to drag queens in pink boas, recent students probably remember dozens of events UMD has hosted in the past few years. Some famous visitors they likely don’t remember are Elvis Presley, Aretha Franklin, Michael Jackson, Kayne West, and Bruce Springsteen -- all of whom at one time performed at the University of Maryland. Student Entertainment Events (SEE), the student organization largely responsible for bringing these guests to campus, celebrates its 50th anniversary this year. To honor SEE’s work since its inception in 1971, the organization produced a feature film and documentary miniseries, which already has its first episode out on YouTube.
Marks is spearheading the documentary project, which will feature interviews with previous SEE directors, video archives from performers like Kanye West, and insight into how the organization is adapting to the COVID-19 pandemic. To further celebrate the anniversary, SEE redesigned its logo, and there will be giveaways and events in the next few months, according to current SEE President Yoad Merin. Merin oversees SEE’s 24 student directors, which span from production directors to promotion directors. Two full-time staff supporters are the “glue that holds everything together,” Merin said, but he emphasized that the organization is completely “student led and staff supported.” “There is no ego attached to the positions and people step up in an instant and help when they can,” Merin said. “We see all of these events as a total team effort.”
Some SEE members believe the biggest changes “For the first time ever, I’ll be offering you a behind in the 50 years of the organization are the type of the scenes look of our organization,” SEE Multime- programming they do and the increased interacdia Director Nolan Marks said in the official video tion with the student body. They have “more culannouncement. “With never before seen inter- tural based programming” and are “creating more views and archival photos telling a beautiful story spaces to get more student feedback and listening of passion and the resilience of an organization to the student voices,” according to Vice President you’re guaranteed to find yourself immersed in.” of Finance Divya Kapoor. Merin encourages students to provide feedback. “SEE reaches out to students, but we want students to engage with us to make the events better,” Merin said. “Get on the listserv or send an email to a specific director.” Student feedback contributes to what Kapoor says are the most important things SEE brings to campus: “safe and uplifting community spaces” and “a sense of community.” While there is no telling where the organization will be in another 50 years, SEE members say they have confidence in its success, especially considering the last half century.
Members of Student Entertainment Events with comedian John Mulaney at the Homecoming Comedy Show in 2019.
“SEE is always growing and changing,” Merin said. “I hope to come in 50 years and see everything so differently, but I hope everyone continues to enjoy the work they do.”
THE LEADER ODK Sigma Circle | 8
Recognizing Our ODK Award Recipients
SARA BLAU
Sara is a Business Management and Technology Entrepreneurship major from Each year, the Sigma Circle of Omicron Delta KapBrookville, New York. She is pa is proud to select outstanding student schola member of the College ar-leaders for a variety of awards. We are pleased Park Scholars community in to highlight our Sigma Circle of Omicron Delta the International Studies Kappa members who have received awards. HonTrack and a Hinman CEO oring of these awards and others will be available Fellow. Sara sits on the exon the University Awards website in the first week ecutive board of the Real of May. Estate Club, is a member of the Hillel Freshman Leadership Summit and is an Investment Analyst The Sigma Circle of Omicron Delta Kappa Lead- for Gold Ventures Investment through the TAMID ership Society recognizes the Top Ten Freshmen Group. of the University of Maryland. These individuals have demonstrated a high level of achievement in POOJA DHARMENDRAN leadership and campus involvement in their first Pooja is a Biology major year at College Park. The award is given in anticfrom Silver Spring, Maryipation of the recipients’ continued involvement land. This Dean’s Scholar is with the university in years to come. enrolled in the Honors College. She is volunteering AKSHAYA BALAJI with the organizations Amnesty International as a StuAkshaya is a Biology and dent Activist Coordinator Environmental Science and for Maryland and College Technology dual degree InteMentors for Success as a grated Life Sciences student mentor to high school juniors. from Clarksburg, Maryland. She founded MaryPIRG’s LEI DANIELLE ESCOBAL Antibiotics Campaign, is Lei Danielle Escobal is a SoFreshman Representative ciology major and Asian of the Banneker/Key ComAmerican studies minor munity Council and Speaker from Glen Arm, Maryland. Lead for TedXUMD. She works on environmental This Honors Humanities research at UMD and is a Help Center Trainee. student is an active member of Filipino Cultural AssociaSTEVEN N. BERIT tion and commits her time to the FCArts Committee. Steven is a Government She is also a writer for Monand Politics and Computer umental Magazine and co-founder of a small busiScience double major with ness, Handmade.4.aid, which has donated over a concentration in data $1,500 to various organizations. science from Newtown, Pennsylvania. He is part of JAYDA FOMENGIA the First-Year Innovation & Jayda is a Physiology and Research Experience proNeurobiology major from gram working on the Global Beltsville, Maryland. This Development and Design Banneker/Key Scholar stream. He also serves as an Undergraduate Studserves on the Recruitment ies Representative in SGA, is a member of HackCommittee for Terp Thon 4Impact, works on the Undergraduate Studies’ and Big-Little Committee Dean’s Student Advisory Committee, and is an amfor Charles R. Drew Minoribassador for the Terps Vote Coalition. ty Pre-Health Society. She volunteers with Maryland Mentor Corps and Lean on Me and is a member of Kesem and Prima Dolls Dance Team. By Sarah Williamson
9 | ODK Sigma Circle THE LEADER
KHALIL KWOK
JULIA LIU
Khalil is a Public Policy major from Cherry Hill, New Jersey. On-campus, he is involved with Army ROTC, Student Alumni Leadership Council, and the Dean’s Student Advisory Board. He is an Ambassador for the School of Public Policy and an Academic Peer Mentor.
The University of Maryland Sophomore Leader of the Year is recognized by the Sigma Circle of Omicron Delta Kappa Leadership Society as the second year student who has demonstrated a diverse and high level of achievement in leadership and campus involvement. The recipient of this award best exemplifies the leadership qualities of the Sophomore Class. The winner will be announced on the University Awards website the week of May 2nd.
Sophomore Leader of the Year Finalists
Julia is a Finance major from Baltimore County, Mary- AMY L. RIVERA land. This Design Cultures & Creativity Honors College student serves as the VP of Events for Smith Investment Fund. Julia is also an Honors Ambassador and member of the Executive Board of the Honors Student Program-
Amy is a Criminology & Criminal Justice and Government & Politics double major from Prince George’s County, Maryland. This Dean’s List scholar is the President of Political Latinx United for Movement and ming Council. Action in Society (PLUMAS), Historian for Latinx Student ROWAN MOHAN Union, member of Global Communities, Director of Rowan is a Public Policy and UEXCEL Leadership Program, and Diversity & Inprospective Journalism ma- clusion Chair for Hermandad de Sigma Iota Alpha jor from Potomac, Mary- Inc. She serves as a weekly volunteer with the St. land. This Public Leadership Camillus Food Pantry. Scholar serves as UMD Help Center’s Public Relations AIMEE S. DASTIN Director and as a Student Aimee is an Economics and Alumni Leadership Council Theatre double degree with ambassador. She loves her an Arts Leadership Minor work at Terpzone and is from Silver Spring, Marytraining to be an Adventure Leader through land. This Presidential RecWell. She is looking forward to serving as a Scholar and University HonFederal Fellow during her sophomore year. ors student serves as VP of the Economics Association KARTHIK NAMBIAR of Maryland, VP of Talent Karthik is an Information Management for Women in Systems and Finance major Economics, and conducts research on global youth from Germantown, Mary- political participation. land. This QUEST Honors student serves as the CMNS JOSEPHINE URREA representative on the SGA Josie is a Public Policy and legislative staff. He also Mandarin Chinese double serves on the Finance commajor. Josie serves as the mittee of SGA as well as a Deputy Director for the delegate of the Campus Sexual Misconduct PrevenTransportation Advisory Committee. Karthik is curtion Committee of SGA. rently leading an initiative for a push on affordable Josie also serves on the housing prices in College Park. Senate Student Conduct Committee, Public Policy Dean’s Student Advisory Council and works as a Community Assistant. Josie currently is a Peer Advocate for the CARE to Stop Violence office and interns at the Maryland General Assembly. THE LEADER ODK Sigma Circle | 10
UMD though, it was nice because the school was big enough for us to pursue different activities on campus and do our individual best in these different activities. Throughout college, I worked a lot with my sister, Megan Berry, because sometimes By Jacqueline Ford our activities overlapped. Working with her has Each year, the Sigma Circle votes to honor a Lead- been wonderful because we constantly have iner of the Year, someone who exemplifies the five spired and supported each other while working pillars and leads with strength, empathy, and com- together and while the both of us had leadership passion. This year, the Circle voted to award Emi- roles in different organizations. UMD allowed my ly Berry, a graduating senior, with the prestigious siblings and I to encourage each other to pursue our interests, get involved, develop personal goals, award. and grow in different waays. Emily is a senior Government and Politics major from Annapolis, Maryland who is also in the five- How has ODK helped you throughout your leadyear Bachelor’s/Master of Public Policy program. ership journey? Throughout her time at UMD, she has served as the two-term President of the Residence Hall Associa- From the moment I was inducted into ODK, I starttion (RHA), as a BSOS Senator in the Senate Execu- ed to grow into a different leader. Since I was intive Committee, as a member of the Vice President ducted into the Sigma Circle my sophomore year, I of Student Affairs’ Student Advisory Council, as a have progressed from being a member who was a three-time Resident Assistant, as a staff member in younger student leader into someone who is now the Student Organization Resource Center in the on the executive board for the Circle. This proStamp Student Union, and as a Student Advocate gression has made me reflect on how I grew as a and Intern in the Student Legal Aid Office. Her oth- leader on campus and have been able to meet so er past involvements include the Student Alumni many people that inspire me, from my freshman Leadership Council (SALC), Student Government year to be where I am today. Now, being on the Association, and the National Residence Hall Hon- Sigma Circle executive board, I am so appreciative orary (NRHH). She has been awarded the 2020 - of the support that I have received and continue to 2021 Col. J. Logan Schutz ODK Sigma Circle Lead- receive from the rest of the executive board, and our advisors. Being the Sigma Circle’s Alumni and er of the Year award. Congratulations, Emily! Member Engagement Chair has also allowed me to What has being a member of ODK meant to you? pursue my interests in student affairs and help me connect with ODK members for advice related to Being tapped and inducted was a huge honor be- leadership and post grad advice. cause part of the “ODK experience” is receiving that recognition for all of your hard work from the Who is your favorite leader/hero/shero that you leaders who came before you. It is a special feeling have looked up to as you have grown as a leader? knowing that they recognize you and advocate for you to be considered a “leader among leaders.” As a I have a few women that I look up to. First, my member, I have also realized that ODK can provide mom! She really raised my siblings and me and is also many great opportunities and resources to work ways there when we need anything. She is a teachwith our Circle’s advisors and the extensive alumni er for a Title I school and moved there specifically network. I have benefited so much from being a so that she could use her talents and resources to member of the executive board as the Alumni and help students who do not have as many resourcMember Engagement Chair because it is so inspir- es to succeed. She really cares about her impact ing and super helpful to connect with this commu- on these students’ lives and I have always admired nity of past and present student leaders and know that. My second “shero” is Annie Rappeport, the that I can ask questions or for help about anything former Graduate Student Government President at any time. Once a member, ODK becomes a and President for the University System of Maryland Student Council. Annie mentored me when I shared community, and I am so thankful for that. first became RHA president and really taught me Share with us what it’s been like to be a leader on how to be a leader at this campus. Her advice and support helped me gain confidence in my role and campus with your siblings. honestly, she is by far one of the best leaders I have Growing up with my two siblings there was always ever seen on this campus because she works so a sense of competition between the three of us, hard to advocate for others and I respect that very from kindergarten to college. As triplets, we were much. Lastly, I really look up to Dr. Patty Perillo, all competing for “who can do xyz the best?”. At and it has been an honor to get to work with her during my undergraduate career. Dr. Perillo and I
An Accomplished, Compassionate Leader: Interview with the ODK Sigma Circle Leader of the Year
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have worked together a lot, especially in this past year, so I have built a relationship with her. She has coached me in various ways to be a better leader, especially a leader who identifies as a woman. Dr. Perillo has always encouraged me to speak up and not apologize for doing my job, which as a woman, has helped me grow and be confident in who I am. Her coaching and advice is something that I will definitely take with me everywhere that I go in life.
important it is to work together as students on the collective issues most important to us. Next steps: After graduating with her Bachelor of Arts in Government and Politics in May 2021, Emily plans to finish the last year of her Bachelor’s/ Master of Public Policy program. This fall, she will also be applying to law school, which she plans to attend after finishing her M.P.P.
What has been your proudest moment throughout your college experience? Definitely the spring and summer planning that I had to do to transition RHA to a virtual environment for the first time ever so that everything was all set for the Fall 2020 semester. This was challenging to do while also balancing working for my internship and my personal and mental health, all while living through the current pandemic. It’s really daunting to lead in situations that no one has ever been before. I had to work with our Board to figure out how to restructure the organization and still allow students to have the appropriate and fair platform to represent their campus communities while making sure their requests and voices were heard. That experience was very hard because it was an uncharted territory that I cannot compare anything else to; however, I am very proud of what my RHA team and I were able to accomplish all by working together. What is one thing you hope to pass on to the next generation of Terp Leaders as you move on to the next chapter in your life? I have learned how important it is to use your voice and speak up for others, especially if they are not in the position of having the ability to advocate for themselves. I believe that it is important to invite other people to the table, whether it be a conversation or a (virtual) meeting -- it is crucial to have other people’s perspectives and voices be heard and considered when making decisions. Being inclusive allows you to use the position that you have to share others’ voices, because at the end of the day, that was what you were elected for -- not just to share your own opinions or the issues you may personally care about the most. As a leader, you have to find that balance between your personal projects and those of the populations that you’re serving. It may be more time consuming than to just bring your own knowledge, but that is how you learn about and from others while you lead. And ultimately, you have to recognize that even if you have that leadership position title, that doesn’t mean you know more than anyone else -- it just means you have that responsibility to facilitate conversations, carry out projects, and share others’ voices. I hope that the next generation learns how THE LEADER ODK Sigma Circle | 12
Congratulations to the newly inducted members of ODK Sigma Circle!
Your commitment to the University of Maryland and the College Park community has served to make campus life stronger and more vibrant. We value your leadership and hope you continue to do good work today, tomorrow, and in the future.
Fall 2020 Inductees Marjorie Justine Cruz Antonio Ololade Adedamola Balogun Hunter Anderson Baxter Kelley Bishop Jessica Boyer April Brohawn Zachary Noah Caplan Elizabeth Laura Hakenkamp Carlson Mark Ryan Cerasoli Hailey Nicole Chaikin Nicole M. Coomber Anjali Sarju Dhamsania Benjamin Bauer Di Rosa Chloe Jordan Dinman Omolade Oluwaseun Gbolade Yaelle Goldschlag
Aaron Edwin Green Kunal Subodh Harmalkar Kayleigh Anne Hasson Michal Herman Nishitha Suresh Hosamane Amara Kamal Divya Shree Kapoor Cornelia Kennedy Lital Jacobs Kirshenboim Alexander Kristal Kavya Krish Kumaran Abigail Jeanette Landesman Kristin LaRiviere Alyssa Anna LeVie Naomi Lichtenstein Anastasia Marks Peter Philip Marston
Catherine Cora May Alexander Cyrus McCarren Alyssa Cara McKinney Yoad Merin Ally Amanda Merwitz Reka S. Montfort Valeria Morales Jung Oh M Pease Laura Place Nabila Mujahidah Prasetiawan Sarah Sabet Joshua Rex Steighner
Spring 2021 Inductees Davinder K. Anand Jacqueline Marie Blair Noah Austin Broth Deborah Elizabeth Brown Abraham Joseph Browne Calvin Burns D’Kiya Allyson Bynum Riya Anya Chaudhry Lauren Sunyoung Cho Andrea Crabb Adam Joshua Deutch Kyle Joseph Dineen Sarah Michelle Dresh Laura Elizabeth Exar Kimberly Sue Fleming Salma Mohamed Khaled Ghorab Shoham Ghosh Isabella Agnes Gordon Rebecca Nicole Gordon Margaret A. Hall Kathleen Amanda Hamilton-Campos Emma Julie Hammer Grant Thomas Handley Nina Harris 13 | ODK Sigma Circle THE LEADER
Talia Paige Hartman Paige Kathryn Hawksworth Malina Blanton Heng Ian Manuel Hidalgo Atara Kahn Dahye Kang Sahil Kapoor Jeff Kinney Marina Lorin Kissner Usha B. Konduri Priscilla Euni Lee Emily Leo Halle Curtice Lerner Isabelle Lim Shu-Huai Sean Lin Jennifer Littlefield Jacqueline Liu Elizabeth P. Mafrici Michael Charles Mareno John F. McCauley Carlos Rolando Meléndez Jr. Alexandra Leigh Miller Madelyn Claire Miller Brianna Hope Nabet Arsema Negash
Matthew Drake Ober Dillyn Cassidy Payne Patrick Peralta Jaime Poynter Isabelle Dianne Pula Annie Rappeport Christine Roviera Josie Emily Shaffer Sarah Jessica Shapiro Julianna Arden Solomon Jeannie Koby Spiegel Abigail Jane Svoysky Prateek Swamykumar Omar Wahby Tarabishi Rina Tova Torchinsky Alythia Jie Vo Jennifer Wang Gabriela Ellen Winter Noam Yanay Daisy Tang Yu Allison Tjaden Leah K. Tobin Anne Zappas Tiffany Zheng
2020 - 2021 Inductees
Get a closer look at this year’s inductees. This year’s inductees includes students acheiving in all five pillars. Here is a quick look at some of the impressive statistics.
583 96
Applicants
3.82 Average GPA
Selected
6
15 Founders of New Organizations
48 Presidents 42 Vice Presidents
Students with a 4.0
37
Intramurals or Club Sports
Maryland Images
3
47
Service Volunteers
Greek Life Members
16
3
Band or ochestra members
Alternative Break Participants
10
THE LEADER ODK Sigma Circle | 14
ODK 2020-2021 DONOR HONOR ROLL 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 Phil Aronson Dru Bagwell Brian Bayly and Susan Bayly Kyle Beardsley James E. Bond D. Stuart Bowers Sue Briggs Sara Brooks Kenneth Brown Adam Chepenik Zimri Diaz Devin Ellis The Honorable Gordon England Terry Flannery William Fourney Eric S. Francis Michael Freiman Susan Wachs Goldberg and Bob Goldberg Barry Gossett Lance Governale Marc Greenberg Alden Gross Jeff Hathaway Rick Jaklitsch The Kenny Family Kelly Kish Nick Kovalakides Kevin Kruger Phil Livingston Founders Circle (Gifts of $1,000 or more) Dr. Kenneth G. Brown and Dr. Amy L. Kristof-Brown Mr. Barry P. Gossett Mr. Marc S. Greenberg, C.P.A. and Mrs. Wendy L. Greenberg Mr. Jeffrey A. Hathaway and Mrs. Paula C. Hathaway Dr. Kelly A. Kish Mr. Douglas S. Mintz and Mrs. Hillary C. Mintz Mr. Khalil M. Pettus Dr. Norman M. Wereley Dr. Brooke L. Supple and Dr. Matthew L. Supple Mr. Bruce J. Winter and Mrs. Sarita Winter Dr. John D. Zacker and Dr. Terry Y. Zacker
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Paul Mandell and Lisa Mandell Deven McGraw Joan Meixner Hillary Cherry Mintz and Doug Mintz Ann Tatsios Mowrey Dawn Nichols 2012-2013 ODK Executive Officers 2014-2015 ODK Executive Officers 2016-2017 ODK Executive Officers James Osteen Khalil Pettus Caroline Carrick Pisano Philip Rever James Rychner Phil Schneider and Joyce Schneider Mark Sobel Marc Solomon Bob Stumpff Brooke Supple and Matt Supple Lee Thornton Joseph Tydings Jason Ward and Joana Ward Joel Willcher Wayne Willoughby and Gail Smelkinson Willoughby Bruce J. Winter Eric Young and Julia Young Terry Zacker and John Zacker Leaders Circle (Gifts of $500 or more) Mr. Philip S. Aronson Dr. Drury G. Bagwell, Jr. Mrs. Karen K. DeMatteo and Mr. Kenneth G. A. DeMatteo David S. Klein, M.D. Mrs. Dawn Korryn Nichols Ms. Deborah L. Potter, P.A. Mr. James J. Rychner Mrs. Joana C. Ward and Mr. Jason A. Ward Supporters Circle (Gifts of $100 or more) Ms. Elizabeth A. Arentz Mrs. Michele Barone Hunn Paul T. Barrett, Ph.D. Mr. Neal I. Bellet Mr. Jeffrey M. Bonner
Dr. Vivian S. Boyd and Mr. Henry C. Boyd, Jr. Dr. Neil W. Brayton and Mrs. Robyn J. Brayton Mr. Wesley M. Chin and Mrs. Jo Ann D. Chin Lt. Gen. James R. Clapper, Jr., (Ret.) and Mrs. Susan T. Clapper Ms. Maria C. Viera Cuellar Mr. Zimri A. Diaz Mr. Stephen D. Dubnoff Mrs. Barbara A. Dutterer and Mr. Myron A. Dutterer Mrs. Laura Elaine Dyer Mr. Michael D. Fontz Mrs. Susan W. Goldberg and Mr. Robert Goldberg The Honorable Steny H. Hoyer Mr. Stephen R. Kallmyer Mrs. Brooke S. Kenny and Mr. Edmund J. Kenny Ms. Kelly Lincoln-Falcone Mrs. Julie K. Liss and Mr. Marvin Liss Ms. Sarah E. Niezelski and Mr. Robert D. Petri Mr. Jeffrey J. O’Neal Mr. Emilio Pardo Mr. Miles Ross Patterson, Jr. The Honorable Adrian “Mac” Remsberg and Mrs. Peggy H. Remsberg Mrs. Denise L. Rosen and Mr. David M. Rosen Mr. Robert B. Schaftel Dr. Philip L. Schneider Dr. Charles A. Sneiderman Mr. Doron J. Tadmor Ms. Tessa M. Trach Mr. Jacob M. Veitch Mr. Jason H. Williams Ms. Susan E. Woda Ms. Colleen Wright-Riva
Members Circle (Gifts of $50 or more) Dr. Katherine P. Beardsley Mr. Lance W. Billingsley Dr. M. Margaret Conway Dr. Roy L. Eskow, D.D.S. and Mrs. Julie A. Eskow Mr. John C. Ford COL Bruce J. Gold Jared B. Goldberg, M.D. and Ms. Justine Young Ms. Alicia D. Harcum Ms. Katrina L. Hauprich Ms. Heather Kilcoyne Alan I. Kirschbaum, P.E. Mr. Clyde E. Taber, IV Other Contributors to Sigma Circle Mr. Henri D. Bartholomot Mrs. Lisa D. Berglund Mrs. Yvonne A. Brooks Dr. Elliot C. Chabot Dr. Edward L. Fink and Dr. Deborah Cai Mrs. Laura C. Hood Ms. Amy E. Iandiorio Dr. Dallas C. Kennedy, II Ms. Wendy J. Moyer Miss Raakhee Sharma Ms. Lauren K. Shaw Mrs. Sarah C. Williamson
PLEASE CONSIDER MAKING A GIFT TO ODK Your support of Omicron Delta Kappa will not only help offset the cost of honoring the University’s best and brightest students, but will support the educational and leadership development programs that ODK sponsors, including the ODK Lecture Series, ODK Scholarships, and awards, like the annual Col. Logan Schutz Leader of the Year award. Click here to give to the ODK Discretionary Fund or send a check, made payable to the University of Maryland, College Park Foundation, to: Brooke Lecky Supple Circle Coordinator Omicron Delta Kappa Sigma Circle 7999 Regents Drive 2108 Clarence Mitchell Building College Park, MD 20742
CONSIDER SUPPORTING THE ODK SIGMA CIRCLE WITH A CORPORATE SPONSORSHIP! Sponsorship benefits include the opportunity to network with ODK members and alumni, speaking opportunities, recognition at ceremonies and receptions, tabling at signature UMD events, brand awareness in our online media, and invitations to our programs. Please contact us for more information: Lydia Nicholson, Associate Director for Development & External Relations 301-314-1336 | lydian@umd.edu THE LEADER ODK Sigma Circle | 16
2108 Clarence Mitchell Building 7999 Regents Drive University of Maryland College Park, Maryland 20742
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