Hello Sigma Circle!
I hope you all are enjoying a fantastic start to the New Year! I am so happy to be back in College Park and share in the wintery weather with fellow ODK members. I am inspired everyday by the dedication, focus, and passion that our members have, and it is because of this drive for a better tomorrow that our Circle has found its mission and vision weaved into the fabric of our University.
I am happy to share that the Sigma Circle will be welcoming 47 undergraduate, 8 graduate and 3 honorary inductees this spring. These new members have worked as leaders on campus across all five pillars, from research assistants to magazine editors, and are incredible role models in the communities they serve. We continue the wonderful ODK tradition of tapping our new members on campus and look forward to officially inducting them on Sunday, April 7th.
Our executive board had a stellar first semester of our term, providing ODKers opportunities to learn more about one another and get involved in our community. We’ve hosted an ODK Cookies & Crafts Night and collaborated with campus partners to host a campus-wide movie night and a Back to School Lecture featuring New York Times Bestselling author Michelle Zauner. ODKers have also joined together to volunteer on Good Neighbor Day and with the campus arboretum, and collected over 150 books for the Maryland Book Bank! Beyond our great work in the DMV, the Sigma Circle was fortunate enough to send four members from our executive team to ODK’s National Leadership Conference in Atlanta, Georgia last November! Our Sigma Circle attendees were able to participate in specialized leadership workshops and connect with collegiate and lifetime ODK members from across the country!
I am so impressed by the hard work that our advisors and executive team have shown and cannot wait for another semester of excellence! We look forward to developing new internal connection and growth opportunities for our members and selecting our Top Ten Freshmen and Sophomore Leader of the Year Award winners.
I am so proud to be an ODK Terp, and I look forward to carrying this responsibility with me long after my days as an undergraduate. There are few aspects of my collegiate career that I have enjoyed as much as serving as President of this wonderful organization, and I can’t thank you all enough for your generosity and continued support of ODK!
All the best,
Zoe Nicholson ‘24
ODK Sigma Circle President
Greetings from College Park!
We hope this letter finds you well as we dive into another vibrant semester here on campus. Our campus continues to see a rich engagement in advocacy, service, and leadership for others as we’ve started the spring semester. It was a busy fall and spring so far for ODK. This past fall, we hosted three separate service events benefiting UMD, the College Park community, and the state of Maryland. Embodying our values through service on all levels of community continues to be some of our most memorable events. Additionally, we had a captivating selection meeting as we discussed nearly 200 applicants to ODK, in which we are honored to have selected another group of amazing leaders in the UMD community.
In other exciting events, our Sigma Circle was able to send four student members and an advisor to the ODK National Leadership Conference in November, hosted in Atlanta, Georgia. As we presented to other circles about who we are, what we do, and where we see our circle in the future, we were reminded just how special the Sigma Circle is, but that we also have so much more room to grow and develop. The Sigma Circle is beyond spectacular, and we are constantly reminded of the alumni who had come before us to help us reach this point.
We continue to have immense gratitude for those who continue to support ODK through their time, talent, and treasure. We had a successful Giving Day at UMD on Wednesday, March 6th and ODK alumni were some of the leading gift participants! This year, we placed a special focus on our variety of scholarships for ODK members, including the ODK Induction Scholarship. Gifts to this fund have ensured that every selected member has the opportunity to engage in the benefits and development opportunities of being an ODK member. We consistently hear about the importance and impact of these contributions to the circle, and we are so very grateful to each of you who have contributed.
As always, please save the date for the 26th Maryland Day on Saturday, April 27th from 10:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.! Join us at the ODK Fountain to watch all collect our coveted turtles on what we hope will be a beautiful spring day!
James McShay & Sarah Williamson ODK Circle Co-Coordinators
ODK Executive Board 2023-2024
Zoe Nicholson President
Alexa Stimpson Vice President
William Ahn
Alumni & Member Engagement Chair
Meghana Kotraiah Philanthropy & Community Service Chair
Bella Grant Events & Lecture Chair
Jahnavi Kirkire Membership & Induction Chair
Fatima Yazdi Recruitment & Community Outreach Chair
Caroline Howser
Public Relations Chair
Marlia Nash
Digital Communications Chair
Jessica Ye Historian Co-Chair
Hannah Zozobrado Historian Co-Chair
Dr. James McShay Circle Co-Coordinator
Sarah Williamson Circle Co-Coordinator
Interested in picking up a new skill?
Look no further than crochet! I grew up knitting and crocheting and have worked on projects from holiday gifts to sweaters! Below is a crochet (US) pattern that will help you make a Maryland Terrapin of your own! I recommend looking online to learn more about the abbreviations listed in the “Stitches You’ll Need” section if they are new to you. Let us know if you give this pattern a try by emailing us at odk@umd.edu. Happy crocheting!
MR: magic ring
SC: single crochet
Inc: increase
Dec: decrease
BLO: back loop only
Materials
Medium weight yarn in desired colors
● Color 1 (C1): Head & Legs
● C2: Shell
● C3: Shell Rim
● C4: Eyes
3.25mm crochet hook
Stuffing (fiber fill, cotton balls)
Yarn needle
Scissors
Round 1 (R1): Insert 4 SC in MR. Pull the ring tight (4 sts)
R2: Inc around (8 sts)
R3: (SC, inc) x 6 (12 sts)
R4 - R5: SC around (12sts)
R6: (SC, dec) x 6 (8sts)
R7: (SC, dec) x 4 (4 sts)
FO with a tail for sewing to the body later
Round 1 (R1): Insert 4 SC in MR. Pull the ring tight (4 sts)
R2: Inc around (8 sts)
R3: (SC, inc) x 6 (12 sts)
R4: (SC 2, inc) x 6 (18 sts)
R5: (SC 3, inc) x 6 (24 sts)
R6 - R7: SC around (24 sts)
Change to C3
R8: SC around (24 sts)
Change to C1
R9: In BLO, SC around (Begin stuffing the shell as you decrease in stitches)
R10: (SC 3, dec) x 6 (18 sts)
R11: (SC 2, dec) x 6 (12 sts)
R12: (SC, dec) x 6 (6 sts)
Cut your yarn and fasten with the tail of your yarn
R1: 5 SC in MR
R2: 5 SC
Cut your yarn and fasten with the tail of your yarn
Use a yarn needle to sew the head and legs to the body
Use C4 to sew small eyes on your Terrapin!
One thing that they always tell you during college tours“you can make a big school feel small, but you can’t make a small school feel big?” But how exactly do you make a big school feel small? What does it mean to find that community?
Here’s how - you get involved.
UMD is as big of a school as they come, with over 30,000 undergraduate students. How then, does it feel like I run into the same five people every week on my walk to class, share multiple student organizations with the same person, match my schedules up to someone? It’s engaging with those around me and centering myself in community. If there was one piece of advice that I would give to an incoming freshman or transfer student, it would be to choose a few things that you are genuinely passionate about, and to stick with it, share that passion, and have fun. The only way to meet people is by going to things, so go to that event on campus, take advantage of everything that is offered to us, and make the most of it.
Our school has so much to offer, so many opportunities for research, for advocacy, for activism, for cultural celebration, leadership, professional development, and more. The way to get the most out of the experience is by throwing yourself into this, and creating your combination of involvements that will define your college experience. There is far more to the UMD experience than simply going to classes and doing assignments. While academics are important, so is developing your pride in what you do, anything from rowing crew to serving as president of a cultural student union; from working on campus as a research assistant to serving as a peer mentor. Through these experiences, you will find the people that make the campus feel smaller, more tightly knit, seeing the same faces in hallways and building bonds with those around you.
That is how you make a big school feel small.
When you google, “How to be a leader while disabled”, you may expect to find resources offering support and tips on how to manage disability while being involved or pursuing leadership in your community. But what actually appears are articles focusing on how to lead disabled people. Very few articles are from the perspective of someone with disabilities navigating the challenges of leadership. As a student leader with disabilities, I was disappointed by these search results, but unfortunately not surprised. I am painfully aware of the lack of disability representation in leadership and media — whether it be because disabled leaders feel uncomfortable speaking out, or because of the various barriers disabled individuals face in trying to reach leadership positions.
Now, if you are reading this magazine, you are likely more than familiar with innumerable challenges of leadership. From managing your time to organizing, from communication to resolving conflict — leadership is not easy. And for those with disabilities, regardless of if they are physical, health-related, mental, or all of the above, these struggles are often compounding. This is why I wanted to connect with other disabled student leaders on campus, and see what their leadership journey has been like.
I spoke with Laura DeMarco, a graduate student in her last year of UMD’s Master of Library and Information Science program, who is heavily involved in the disability community. For Laura, her biggest challenges don’t stem from her disability itself, but rather other people’s perceptions of and reaction to disability. She’s found that it can take a lot to communicate to non-disabled people what she needs, and even more effort to communicate how someone can be a good ally and showcase their support through action. Her advice is to be vocal about asking for support, help, or boundaries, because, “selfadvocacy at the end of the day, is not about trusting the institution or trusting the other person to support you — especially since so many of us have been taught that they won’t. It’s about trusting yourself to be strong enough to demand that they do.”
I also connected with Katherine (Kate) Brown, a sophomore Computer Science major with a minor in Disability studies. Kate is a University Honors student who facilitates Queers With Disabilities, and has a wide variety of involvements across campus. They discuss the difficulties of maintaining a school/work/leadership balance while dealing with disability. Kate highlights the struggle of being heavily involved and experiencing burn out, in addition to having chronic health issues that limit their energy levels. Disability is often a draining and isolating experience, so Kate stresses the importance of building an empathetic support system. “My advice to aspiring student leaders with disabilities is to take breaks,” says Kate. “There is a reason that airplane emergency protocol is to put an oxygen mask on yourself and then assist others with putting theirs on after. You can’t keep others warm by setting yourself on fire, it just isn’t sustainable.”
Finally, I talked to Jessie Ricci, a senior in Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies and the President of Disability: Identity, Culture, Education (DICE). Jessie spoke about her frustrations regarding the challenges of trying to create substantial change in improving accessibility. She has learned that patience is key. She sees the underrepresentation of disabled students in leadership positions as a symptom of how difficult it is to manage class work, being in leadership roles, and navigating the complexities of disability in academia. “My greatest advice is to care for yourself first. If you can’t attend the meetings, if you take too long to reply back, and if you decide to take a step back, that is always okay. Never feel pressured to endanger your body or mind. The disability community will be here for you no matter what,” Jessie said.
Based on my own experiences I could not agree more with the advice of Laura, Jessie, and Kate. Throughout my leadership journey at UMD, I have learned the importance of taking care of myself, of communicating with others, and self-advocacy. For me, one of the greatest supports has been the disability community here, where I feel seen and lifted up by my peers. I know that we face unique challenges as leaders with disabilities, but that does not stop us from working towards better representation and achieving success.
Last November, I had the opportunity to attend the National Leadership Conference in Atlanta, Georgia with other Sigma Circle members. This conference gave us the opportunity to connect with leaders from across the country and learn from each other. This year’s conference was themed “Caring On My Mind”. This was in reflection of the national theme of the year surrounding mental health. The theme permeated throughout the conference, from the sessions to the keynote speeches. Throughout the event, there was a strong emphasis on caring for oneself, one’s circle, and one’s community.
After our opening session, Celebrate ODK, we played business card bingo which was a great opportunity to engage with ODKers from other universities while breaking the ice and building our networks. The second day was filled with keynotes and sessions that were both entertaining and impactful. It was really inspiring to hear from such passionate speakers as they shared their experiences and stories. The sessions were facilitated by leaders from other circles and fostered a culture of collaborative learning, where participants were encouraged to engage actively, contribute ideas, and leverage the diverse expertise within the ODK community. As a result, the conference allowed for mutual growth and development, empowering us all to take the knowledge learned here and apply it back to our own circles. We participated in the Circle Showcase, where circles would set up a poster board detailing events and traditions that were unique to them, one event we highlighted was our “Fun at the Fountain” on Maryland Day. I was excited to learn from the other circles and their events to celebrate faculty, encourage donation, and celebrate their members.
Overall, the National Leadership Conference was a fantastic experience. All of us left feeling motivated and excited to bring back our new ideas back to College Park. I can’t wait for the next one!
The creative and performing arts stand as an Omicron Delta Kappa pillar – undeniably vital. This facet of leadership resonates particularly close to my heart. The realm of music, in particular, has been a cornerstone of
Melba Liston
Melba Liston was a pioneering Black trombonist, composer, and arranger, known for her exceptional contributions to jazz music. Liston’s greatness as a leader is evident in several key aspects – innovation, advocacy, and collaboration.
As a female trombonist and arranger in the mid20th century, Liston faced significant gender and racial barriers in the male-dominated world of jazz. Despite these challenges, she not only excelled in her craft, but also paved the way for future generations of female musicians. Liston’s resilience and talent challenged stereotypes and opened doors for women in jazz.
inspiration, demonstrating that creative endeavors wield influence and contribute significantly to our culture.
It is crucial to recognize the invaluable contributions of those who have paved the way. In this realm, musicians, with their ability to transcend boundaries and evoke powerful emotions, emerge as exemplary leaders. Their legacies are not only etched in the melodies they create, but also in the incredible mark they leave on the world as trailblazing figures.
I invite you to draw inspiration from these three remarkable individuals. Their stories are not only musical journeys, but narratives of resilience, innovation, and the transformative power of the arts. Each note they played, every composition they crafted, and every barrier they shattered speaks to the potential within every aspiring leader to carve a unique and impactful legacy.
ensembles and musicians in mind.
Collaboration is essential to the development of music performance. Liston worked with some of the most iconic figures in jazz, including Duke Ellington, Count Basie, and Dizzy Gillespie. Her work with Dizzy Gillespie, for example, showcased her versatility and adaptability in different jazz styles. These collaborations not only enriched the jazz canon but also demonstrated Liston’s ability to contribute meaningfully to diverse musical projects.
Melba Liston was a highly skilled trombonist and a groundbreaking arranger in a field traditionally dominated by men. Her arrangements were known for their sophistication and creativity. Jazz arranging alone requires a brain that has the ability to reimagine an idea with an entirely new perspective. And most of the time, these arrangements are written with each individual musicians’ abilities and strengths in mind – meaning that Liston was incredibly invested in making arrangements for exact
Later in her career, Liston became involved in music education. She worked to inspire and mentor young musicians, sharing her knowledge and passion for jazz. Liston’s dedication to education and mentorship contributed to the preservation and continuation of jazz traditions, ensuring that her influence extended beyond her own performances and arrangements.
Melba Liston’s leadership in jazz was multifaceted. Her legacy continues to inspire musicians – whether they know it or not – and underscores her vital role in the evolution of jazz as a uniquely American art form.
Earlier in February, the music world lost Seiji Ozawa, a Japanese conductor renowned for his exceptional leadership in the world of classical music. Ozawa won the prestigious Koussevitzky Prize in 1960 for outstanding conducting at the Tanglewood Music Festival. This recognition propelled him onto the international stage, and he soon became associated with some of the world’s leading orchestras.
Marin Alsop is a distinguished American conductor and one of the foremost musical leaders of her generation. Alsop’s career reached a significant milestone in 1989 when she became the first woman to win the Koussevitzky Conducting Prize at Tanglewood Music Center. This achievement marked the beginning of a groundbreaking journey, breaking gender barriers in the male-dominated world of classical conducting.
Known for her dynamic and expressive conducting style, Alsop has held prominent positions with major orchestras worldwide. In 2007, she made history as the first woman to be appointed music director of a major American orchestra, the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra. Under her leadership, the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra experienced artistic growth and innovative programming, solidifying Alsop’s reputation as a transformative force in classical music.
In 1973, Ozawa became the music director of the Boston Symphony Orchestra (BSO), a position he held for an impressive 29 years until 2002. Under his leadership, the BSO experienced a period of artistic growth and innovation. Ozawa’s meticulous attention to detail and dynamic conducting style were instrumental in shaping the orchestra’s sound and reputation.
Ozawa’s contributions to the classical music world extend beyond his tenure in Boston. He has been a guest conductor with renowned orchestras around the globe, including the Vienna Philharmonic, Berlin Philharmonic, and the New York Philharmonic, among others.
In addition to his orchestral leadership, Ozawa has been involved in opera, serving as the music director of the Vienna State Opera and the Boston Symphony’s Tanglewood Festival. His collaborations with leading soloists and dedication to nurturing young talent further demonstrate his commitment to the broader musical community.
Seiji Ozawa’s legacy is marked by his unparalleled contributions to classical music, his long and impactful directorship with the Boston Symphony Orchestra, and his influence on the global orchestral landscape. His leadership has left an indelible mark on the world of classical music, inspiring musicians and audiences alike.
Alsop’s commitment to music education and community engagement is a defining aspect of her leadership. She has been involved in various educational initiatives through the Baltimore Symphony, including the establishment of OrchKids, a program providing music education and instruments to children in Baltimore. Her efforts in this realm highlight her belief in the power of music to transform lives and communities.
In addition to her role in Baltimore, Alsop has been a sought-after guest conductor with leading orchestras globally. She has received numerous awards and honors for her contributions to classical music and her advocacy for diversity and inclusion in the arts.
Marin Alsop’s legacy as a musical leader is characterized by her pioneering spirit, exceptional artistry, and dedication to breaking down barriers in the classical music world. Through her talent, leadership, and advocacy, Alsop continues to inspire the next generation of musicians and conductors while leaving a lasting mark on the world of classical music.
My name is Will Ahn, and I am the current Alumni and Member Engagement Chair for the ODK Sigma Circle! This is an exclusive interview with a fantastic student leader on campus, Adelina Seck, who is a junior Operations Management and Business Analytics major at the Robert H. Smith School. This interview is an overview of Adelina’s leadership style and how her identity may have shaped and formed the way that she leads.
Can you describe the key components of your identity that you believe significantly influence your leadership style?
Growing up in a multi-ethnic household, I was raised with two different cultures. This meant that I always heard multiple perspectives on everything that was discussed. Growing up in this environment where diverse perspectives was the norm, I have always valued being open minded and hearing other people’s points of views. As I began to take on leadership roles, this way of thinking translated itself into my leadership as I prioritize fostering a collaborative environment where the team feels comfortable sharing any thoughts or ideas they have.
How do you think your background and experiences have shaped your approach to leadership?
I was raised in an environment where differing perspectives was the norm, so growing up, I had to get used to hearing these perspectives and thinking for myself in order to develop my own opinions. Growing up, I was encouraged to share my opinions, even if they were different from the ones that I was hearing. This environment fostered a sense of ownership in my leadership style as I knew that I could not just sit and wait for someone to share what I was thinking, I have to do it myself. Gaining this sense of ownership allowed me to view leadership more as taking initiative to make a change. Having a voice has always been so important, and through leadership, I am able to use my voice to make a positive impact.
Can you describe a specific situation where your identity provided a unique perspective or strategy that benefited your team or organization?
This past summer, I worked with a small group of other interns on developing a strategic plan for a program that the company wanted to optimize. Halfway through the project, I noticed that new data we just received did not match up with our hypothesis that we had been developing and would actually lead us to believe that the program would have to be shut down completely. Since we were already so far along in this project, my team had a hard time accepting this and morale was extremely low because we had already worked so hard in developing our initial plan. However, I knew that we were only experiencing one side of this story and so I reached out to the associate responsible for this data to set up a meeting. In the meeting, he was able to explain why the data was the way it was and what it meant for our project. He explained how even though this data would completely invalidate all the deliverable we had developed up to that point, us finding this discrepancy would actually be extremely beneficial for the company.
Due to gaining this new perspective on the situation, we were able to alter our path and we ended up recommending that they discontinue the program which would allow them to reallocate their efforts towards another program that was a lot more effective. My value of getting multiple perspectives allowed my team to not be close minded and look at the bigger picture, which allowed us to be successful in the end.
How has your identity influenced your approach to mentorship or developing future leaders?
Coming into college, I was very nervous as I had lived in the same neighborhood my whole life which meant I had only ever been in school with the same people. I tended to be hesitant to share my opinions even if I thought they were beneficial due to the fear of being judged. However, once I realized that this fear should not be holding me back and my ideas are just as valuable as anyone else’s, I began to start gaining ownership of my voice and getting more involved in the organizations I was in. Since I know what this feels like, in any leadership role or mentorship opportunity that I am in, I try to emphasize the value of everyone’s perspectives and encourage everyone to share their ideas. I think that while humility is very important, future leaders should trust in their abilities and aspirations.
Looking back, how has your leadership style evolved as you have become more aware of your own identity and its impact?
My leadership style has definitely evolved a lot. Initially, I would only prioritize getting through the meeting agenda. However, I realized that leadership is a lot more than that. In order for a leader to be successful, the team has to be successful. Therefore, I started to focus more on the team dynamic, team opinions, and each member of the team
When I returned to campus this past January, after the end of winter break, I found myself lacking the usual joy I feel coming back to campus. I instead felt fear and immense sadness because I knew I was returning for the last time. With graduation just around the corner, I’ve been reflecting immensely on my time here. I have made life long friends, I found my voice as a strong and confident leader, discovered my true passions within my academic field, and created a life where I am surrounded by warmth and love. This is what makes this last semester so hard, knowing that I will have to leave this wonderful life that I have created. But I have found solace in knowing that I will create a life just as beautiful and full wherever I end up after graduation. I’ve also decided that I don’t want to spend my last semester stuck looking back on the past, I want to be present. So, I’m here to share with you all how I have worked to shake the “senior scaries”.
My biggest piece of advice is to make sure that you’re spending time with your friends. It’s easy to get wrapped up in exams, job searches, or graduate school applications, but you don’t want to look back on this time and regret not having said “yes” more. Go out and enjoy College Park and DC nightlife, find a spot on campus where you can study with friends, reach out to someone you haven’t spoken to in a while and ask to get coffee, or plan a cozy
as their own person. This approach has allowed me to have a more positive impact not only on the task at hand, but also with the people in the team.
What advice would you give to emerging leaders about understanding and leveraging their identities to enhance their leadership effectiveness?
I would say to stay true to who you are and remember that no one is a harsher critic of you than yourself. It is so important to take ownership of your identity and use this background to your advantage in order to be the best leader you can be. Your background and identity make you unique and this is so important to keep in mind in order to optimize your leadership potential.
This is the end of the interview with Adelina, but I want to thank her for her time and how she was willing to share a little bit more about her identity and how it informed her leadership style! Adelina did not know at the time of this interview that she would be getting tapped into the Sigma Circle!
movie night with your roommates. Live in the moment when you’re with your people. Also, take pictures! I have found so much joy in going back and looking through pictures I have from my previous years at UMD. My friends and I have planned to have a scrapbooking night where we print out our favorite pictures from our years here and create a scrapbook for our future selves to look back on. Lean into this time you have and make memories that will stick with you for the rest of your life.
I also recommend walking around campus and exploring places you may have never been before. Since our classes are typically concentrated in a handful of buildings, it’s likely that there are buildings on campus that you’ve never actually explored. I recently took the time to walk around Knight Hall, the E.A. Fernandez Idea Factory, and the Atlantic Building, all of which I had never actually explored throughout my time here. I recommend doing this with a friend as well, that way you can ‘ooh’ and ‘ahh’ together. Take walks on campus. Especially with the weather being warm, there are so many wonderful places to sit and rest. We have gardens and amphitheaters and even a farm! Take advantage of these spaces while you are still here and soak up every moment.
Lastly, I encourage you all to take care of yourselves. Change and transition are incredibly hard things to navigate, but they are not impossible if you set yourself up for success. Practice the hobbies you love or even take up a new one, nourish your body, get outside to soak up the sun, and lean on the people in your life. All of us graduating seniors are going through this together, but I know that we can make the most of this last semester.
The Col. J. Logan Schutz ODK Leader of the Year is an esteemed annual award granted to a student who leads with vigor and embodies the five pillars of Omicron Delta Kappa. This year, the Sigma Circle has selected Lei Danielle Escobal to be recognized as Circle Leader of the Year for her exemplary and compassionate leadership.
As a senior from Glen Arm, Maryland, she will be graduating with a degree in Sociology and American Studies, and a minor in Asian American Studies. In her four years at the university, she has held two positions in the Asian American Student Union
as Co-Internal Vice President and Co-President, as well as held leadership roles in the Filipino Cultural Association as Co-Director of Public Relations and Head Writer. She currently interns at the Smithsonian’s Asian Pacific American Center, creating education programs in hopes to continue her work of fostering intentional education efforts and media for marginalized communities. In recognition for her numerous involvements and examples of excellent leadership, the Sigma Circle has chosen her as this year’s Col. J. Logan Schutz ODK Leader of the Year. Congratulations, Lei Danielle!
What does being recognized as Circle Leader of the Year mean to you?
I’m so grateful to be recognized as CLOY! It’s so meaningful to me because the ODK cohort is full of such talented, driven, and inspiring leaders who care so deeply about the things they care about. To be among the cohort is such an honor so to be recognized as CLOY is something that I am beyond grateful for. Growing up as a Filipina young woman, I feel like I was told pretty frequently to not
speak up or take up space. So in a way, this award is for my younger self to show her that there is good in trusting and listening to the leader in myself.
When in your college experience have you felt the most fulfilled?
I felt the most fulfilled when I was the Internal Vice President of the Asian American Student Union and collaborated with many Asian American student groups across campus on educational programs that their community needed at the time. These programs ranged from sexual assault and violence awareness in the APIDA community, mental health awareness for APIDA youth, queerness in APIDA culture, and more! It was really moving to engage with a wide variety of our campus community and provide education programs and resources to such a meaningful wide audience.
Who or what has inspired you to become a leader among leaders?
My brothers inspire me most to be a leader among leaders. My older brother, Dominic Escobal, an ODK member, was President of the Filipino Cultural Association when I was a freshman at UMD. To enter the campus space and see him take up a leadership role and lead the organization as gracefully as he did during the online year was inspiring. A lot of the decisions he made were unprecedented and it was moving to see how much he poured into his work. My younger brother, Daryl Escobal, is a freshman at UMD currently. I think a lot about how a lot of the work I’ve done in the past four years has been to build a safer and more inclusive community for him and the next generation of students to thrive.
How has ODK shaped your campus leadership? ODK has shaped my campus leadership by providing me a network of support. I have always been told that the people you surround yourself impact your experience and values. Being surrounded by a group of leaders who care about making change so intentionally inspires me to improve my leadership and support the next generation of leaders.
What’s a message you would like to deliver to future generations of leaders?
To my future generation of leaders – please rest! This is something I had to learn over my experience as a leader. I am my best leader when I have rested and cared for myself first. It is difficult to care for a community as passionately as we do when we do not care for ourselves first. Whatever rest and care looks like for you – practice it and find joy in leadership! Being a leader means a lot of work can be serious and difficult, but there is so much joy and community power that comes from leadership that I keep in mind as my foundation throughout my work.
As I come to the end of my third year of college, I’m beginning to realize just how much of an impact my thirteen years in the Montgomery County Public School system have had on me. When we start elementary school, we feel like the world is large. Everything around us is new, a lot of the time the people are brand new, and that school, with all the tall fourth and fifth graders? It feels scary. New teachers meant a lot of learning, and new hallways meant lots of places to get lost. Following the line leader came naturally to a lot of us because we never wanted to get lost. Starting at a new school never came easily to me, because I almost always needed some friends to do it with, and college was no different. Even as I joined various clubs and jumped around campus trying to see where my future could be, I always felt more comfortable with friends – or at least people I knew – beside me. That hasn’t changed much since the day I set foot in Greenwood Elementary School in 2008.
A lot of students on our campus have gone through a similar thirteen years of school. We started elementary school, worked up through middle and high school, got hit by a pandemic, and then suddenly, we were in college. It almost feels a little surreal that after my graduation took place on a high school football field filled with cicadas, I am nearing my last year of college this fall. Our K-12 education has shaped us. That COVID-cicada-drenched year, as much as I am loathe to remember it, shaped how I approached college and how I have since approached the world around me. Our teachers were, at one point, the center of our little worlds. In their hands, teachers hold all of our little hopes and dreams, our fears, our darkest secrets. When we were younger, they were the ultimate authority, but also the best storytellers. They seemed
to never be anywhere but school, and they always had something new to teach us every day.
Looking back, our K-12 education gave us the drive and motivation to keep learning and exploring as much as possible. When we used to go outside for recess, there was no limit on the games we would come up with or how many times we might run around the blacktop in circles playing a new iteration of “Tag.” Annual activities like the Fitnessgram Pacer Test tested our patience, but helped us exercise our understanding of exceeding your limits each time you push yourself a bit more. The sky was never the limit. There was no limit. Even now, we must remember that our K-12 education taught us that there is no limit unless we put one on ourselves.
When asked, our teachers never told us an answer directly unless we needed it. They would first encourage us to try again - and if that failed, to keep trying until we ran out of options. But to us, we never really ran out of options, because we had our teachers there beside us. That attitude, I feel, is what has inspired most of us to become the leaders we are today. From our earliest teachers and experiences in kindergarten up through 12th grade, we have now molded ourselves into lifelong learners and ever-growing leaders in our own right. They gave us the stepping stones and the tools to build for ourselves the type of person we wanted to be, and we, as that person, have changed the University of Maryland for the better – and will keep doing so. Our leadership here, individually and collectively, has impacted thousands of lives. Using the lessons we learned in our precollege education, we have built legacies that will outlast our stays here, and as I head into my final year of college, I will remember – and so should you – that somewhere in me, there is a little girl who is excited about the future. That little girl was protected by her teachers throughout her school career, and her excitement makes me ready to see what’s next. That little kid inside of you is cheering you on. You are making them very proud.
Working at the Michelle Smith Performing Arts Library (MSPAL) taught me to fully appreciate our libraries on campus – the structure that keeps Terps going throughout the semesters. Our growing collections provided a glimpse into the vastness of our evolving MSPAL, including new research on Django and Jazz Manouche in France, new award-winning plays and concepts on contemporary dramaturgy, as well as the newest and most recent music publications by composers Tania León, Kaija Saariaho, and Chen Yi. But a more elusive collection in MSPAL exists in the library’s Special Collections, totalling to over 10,000 items all about the flute, once possessed by UMD’s flute professor of more than 50 years, Dr. William “Bill” L. Montgomery.
Bill retired from the university in 2016 and his collection is an access point for new discoveries as his collection continues to be processed. As a flutist myself, this collection is my Fountain of Youth discovery while at UMD. Donated to the university by Bill and help from his daughter, Claudia, in 2019, library staff otherwise knew little of his whereabouts. This discovery left me with a desire to connect with Bill and thank him for his lasting legacy on campus and nationally.
While digging online archives for information, I learned that Bill wore many impressive hats. Whilst tenured as Professor of Flute, Chamber Music, and Wind Pedagogy, Bill served as the Director of Graduate Studies in Music, the Chairman of the Summer Senior Scholars Program, the Chairman of the Wind, Brass & Percussion Division, Chair of the University of Maryland Senate, and as a vital member representing the University of Maryland faculty on the University System of Maryland Council. He was Principal Flutist of the “President’s Own” United States Marine Band, Kennedy Center Opera House Orchestra, and the Washington Opera. Bill served as Chair and President of the National Flute Association, President of the Flute Society of Washington, Music Chairman, Producer, and endowment trustee for the historic Arts Club
of Washington, and made contributions to Instrumentalist magazine and The New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians of Oxford Music Online. Additionally, his stature as an artist and scholar led him to be a member of the Arts Panel for the District of Columbia Commission on the Art, and as a member of the United States Fulbright Selection Committee in Music.
Learning of Bill’s breadth of leadership within the Arts, his legacy aligned with the values of ODK, and I made it my mission to find Bill and tap him into the Sigma Circle. To me, it was the least I could do to recognize him for his work on campus, even as a stranger in admiration. Finding Bill was no easy task – an inactive Facebook account and no other leads left me hopeless, until I remembered his daughter, Claudia. Upon finding her Facebook profile, I sent a message – a total shot in the dark. Eventually, I received the long awaited reply – the glimmer of hope for Bill’s induction.
He lived only six minutes away from my family home in Silver Spring, MD, in a care facility I’ve driven past countless times since getting my learner’s permit. Bill had been living with dementia for a few years now, but his home and family were ecstatic to visitors. Joined by friends and fellow ODK musicians, Alexandra Gilbert (flute), Marlia Nash (trombone), and Sarah Williamson (flute), we surprised Bill on the afternoon of December 2nd, 2023 with a tapping and induction ceremony. Sunlight filled the room with open windows, Bill listened, eyes fixated on ours and attentive to our words. Bill knew about ODK
while at UMD; he knew why we had visited him. We were met with a smile on his face when we inducted him as an Honorary Member to the Sigma Circle, and we exchanged words of thanks to Bill for his contributions to UMD, the flute community, and to the world. It was an emotional visit. I asked Alexandra to reflect on her memories of Bill:
Although I never had the opportunity to study with Dr. Montgomery, he has had a truly profound impact on my life. I had very little confidence in myself as a young flutist, but everything changed during my UMD audition day when Dr. Montgomery asked if I would consider adding a performance degree to my music education plans. This was a moment that truly changed my life and helped me to begin believing in myself and my musicianship. I deeply respected (and even slightly feared) Dr. Montgomery, so his opinion meant the absolute world to me. The joy of my UMD audition day and my short time with Dr. Montgomery as a college freshman are things that I have treasured for the last nine years. Today, I hold both a Bachelor of Music Education AND a Bachelor of Music from UMD, as well as a Master of Music in Music Education from Ithaca College, and I am the Director of Bands at Annapolis High School, all of which I have done with the memory of Dr. Montgomery’s contribution to my musical journey.
2012-2013 ODK Executive Officers
2014-2015 ODK Executive Officers
2015-2017 ODK Executive Officers
2018-2019 ODK Executive Officers
Phil Aronson
Dru Bagwell
Brian Bayly & Susan Bayly
Katherine Pedro Beardsley
Kyle Beardsley
James E. Bond
D. Stuart Bowers
Sue Briggs
Sara Brooks
Kenneth Brown
Caroline Carrick Pisano
Adam Chepenik
Zimri Diaz
Devin Ellis
The Honorable Gordon England
Terry Flannery
William Fourney
On January 2nd, 2024, I received a call from Bill’s son, Scott, and was heartbroken to hear the news that Bill had peacefully graduated from life in his dreams on New Year’s Eve. At 89, Bill left his mark on so many, and having gotten to finally meet and induct him in his final month in Silver Spring, is a special memory that I and those who accompanied will cherish closely. And although in brief, his membership with the Sigma Circle will remain a testament to the work that he contributed to the world. As you remember Bill, his family wishes you to thoughtfully listen to J.S. Bach, Air on a G String.
Eric S. Francis
Michael Freiman
Susan Wachs Goldberg & Bob Goldberg
Barry Gossett
Lance Governale
Marc Greenberg
Alden Gross
Jeff Hathaway
Rick Jaklitsch
The Kenny Family
Kelly Kish
Nick Kovalakides
Kevin Kruger & Lisa Hanson
Phil Livingston
Paul Mandell & Lisa Mandell
Deven McGraw
Joan Meixner
Hillary Cherry Mintz & Doug Mintz
Dawn Nichols
James Osteen
Khalil Pettus
Philip Rever
James Rychner
Phil Schneider & Joyce Schneider
Mark Sobel
Marc Solomon
Richard Stimpson
Bob Stumpff
Brooke Lecky Supple & Matt Supple
Ann Tatsios Mowrey
Lee Thornton
Carl Tretter
Joseph Tydings
Jason Ward & Joana Ward
Norman M. Wereley
Joel Willcher
Wayne Willoughby & Gail
Smelkinson Willoughby
Bruce J. Winter
Gabriela Winter
Eric Young & Julia Young
Terry Zacker & John Zacker
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.
Mrs. Susan W. Goldberg and Mr. Robert Goldberg
Mr. Devin H. Ellis
Mr. Khalil M. Pettus
Mr. Jason A. Ward and Mrs. Joana C. Ward
Dr. Sara E. Brooks and Dr. Efi Kessous
Dr. Brian S. Bayly and Susan L. Bayly, Esq.
Dr. Faye D. Soderberg and Mr. W. Donald Soderberg
Dr. Katharine A. Pawelko
Dr. Richard Stimpson and Mrs. Lyn Stimpson
Mr. Carl E. Tretter
Mr. Thomas J. Ryan, Jr.
Mrs. Linda A. Koffenberger
Mrs. Karen K. DeMatteo and Mr. Kenneth G. A. DeMatteo
Dr. Brooke L. Supple and Dr. Matthew L. Supple
Mr. Philip S. Aronson
Mr. Kevin Li
Dr. Kelly A. Kish
Mr. Zimri A. Diaz
Mrs. Sarah C. Williamson
Mr. Donald W. Robertson
Mrs. Brooke S. Kenny and Mr. Edmund J. Kenny
Mr. Jeffrey J. O’Neal
Mr. Timothy P. Lynch
Mr. Brad J. Kenemuth and Mrs. Rebecca L. Kenemuth
Dr. Marsha A. Guenzler-Stevens
Mr. Jason H. Williams
Mr. Myron A. Dutterer and Mrs. Barbara A. Dutterer
Mrs. Jo Ann D. Chin and Mr. Wesley M. Chin
Paul T. Barrett, Ph.D. and Mrs. Diane T. Barrett
Nicole R. Pollard, Esq.
Mr. Doron J. Tadmor
Ms. Elizabeth A. Arentz
Ms. Maria C. Viera Cuellar
Dr. Jan V. Sengers and Dr. Johanna M. Sengers
Dr. Kyle C. Beardsley
Dr. Maurice W. Dorsey
Dr. Philip L. Schneider
Jared B. Goldberg, M.D. and Ms. Justine Young
Mr. Fred B. Wachter
Mr. John C. Ford
Mr. Joseph F. Mullineaux
Mr. Justin Chong
Mr. Pranav Saha
Mr. Robert B. Schaftel
Mr. Stephen D. Dubnoff
Mr. Stephen R. Kallmyer
Mrs. Lisa M. McLand
Mrs. Marianne J. Lee
Mrs. Renee Edelen Cruciani
Mrs. Susan W. Goldberg
Ms. Colleen Wright-Riva
Ms. Kelly Lincoln-Falcone
Ms. Sanghee Han
Naseema B. Shafi, J.D.
Members Circle (Gifts of $50 or more)
Ms. Alexandra L. Gilbert
Dr. Maurice Sherman Ward
Mrs. Valerie Kipnis Eisenstein
Alan I. Kirschbaum, P.E.
Mr. David M. Niezelski
Mr. Gregory D. Hollen
Mr. John A. Drager
Mr. Ralph D. Bennett, Jr., FAIA
Mrs. Alison N. Cantor
Mrs. Margaret Alexander
Mrs. Robyn J. Brayton
Sigma Circle Contributors
Mr. Ernesto Cuesta
Mr. James J. Rychner
Dr. Marc S. Bresler
Henri D. Bartholomot
Dr. Jairo N. Fuertes
Ms. Lauren K. Silverman
Dr. Elliot C. Chabot
Miss Raakhee Sharma
Mr. James E. Bond
Mrs. Laura C. Hood
This past fall, the Sigma Circle inducted 62 new members into its ranks. The Fall 2023 class was a talented group with outstanding achievements in all five areas of campus. Congratulations are in order for these new accomplished Omicron Delta Kappa members:
Eila Abamonga
Annushka Aliev
Thilini Amarasinghe
Karenna Aparece
Lourdes Arteaga Baeza
Maguire Ballard
Baili Park
Eric Blackman
Jenna Bloom
Gavin Bramble
Aliah Brown
Serena Bujtor
Raquel Chaupiz
John Combista
Emily Condon
Logan Delavan-Hoover
Abigail Elson
Nicholas Enoch
Matthew Ensign
Ayeesha Fadlaoui
Scott Fleischmann
Rebeca Fuquen
Lauren Gabranski
Adrianna Giuliani
Ian Gould
Valerie Graham
Grace Hayden
Erika Holdren
Cecilia Hu
Marco Juarez Cruz
Alina Kahn
Rhea Kalluri
Monica Kearney
Veronica Kim
Claire Knorr
Caleigh Larkin
Keira Martone
Tarun Mattikalli
Madison Medley
Louis Messercola III
Jaden Mikoulinskii
Rowan Mohan
William Montgomery
Rajit Mukhopadhyay
Alec Musheno
Kalia Patricio
Hayden Renaghan
Alexis Reyes
Bryant Rivera Cortez
Ilanit Sedek
Miranda Song
Nathan Steighner
Andrew Strawderman
Archana Swaminathan
Phillip Thompkins
Lani Tran
Grayson Vintz
Mary Walsh
Aiden Wechsler
Selam Wehabe
Jack Yang
Jerry Zremski
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. J. Logan Schutz Leader of the Year award.
Please visit our online website at https://studentaffairs.umd.edu/supportodk to learn more about our funds and how to donate or send a check, made payable to the University of Maryland, College Park Foundation, to:
Sarah Williamson Circle Coordinator
Omicron Delta Kappa Sigma Circle 7999 Regents Drive 2108 Clarence Mitchell Building College Park, MD 20742
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 at odk@umd.edu.
On February 25th, the current members of the Sigma Circle met to select the Spring 2024 induction class. From among the many highly qualified applicants, 59 new members were selected. Congratulations, Sigma Circle Spring 2024 Inductees!
Matthew Adjodha
Tolulope Ajayi
Seren Avenilla
Yara Ayache
Riley Blaugrund
Derreck Boateng-Agyemang
Kelsey Brown
Matthew Chaisson
Damiana Colley
Shoshana Distenfeld
Micah Ferguson
Stephanie Fishkin
Raven Herron
Aaron Hood
Ela Jalil
Alexandra Kadis
Julia Kallaur
Roman Kassaraba
Aiden Keenan
Hejia Li
Jennifer Li
Rafael Lorente
Michael Lurie
Abigail Manga
Reima Mannan
Sean McCurry
Angela McGonigle
Syona Mehta
Rebecca Navarro
Alyssa Orlando
Jou-Tsen Ou
Rosemary Parker
Divon Pender
Jacqueline Penna
Amrina Rangar
Trisha Reddy
Brandon Rodriguez Torrento
Adelina Seck
Jaelen Seriki
Shivani Sidh
Ethan Simon
Anamika Smith
Isabella Socha Soares
Camila Soler
Amelia Talbot
Sarah Taylor
Andrew Ung
Jacob Uwimana
Divya Vydhianathan
Helen Wang
Aaron Wilson
Katharine Wilson
Sophia Winner
Simon Younes
Vincent Yu
Meilin Yuan
Kaitlyn Zhou
Christine Zhu
Oreet Zimand
Thank you to all the Terps who supported the University of Maryland’s Giving Day! On March 6th, 2024, ODK alumni, students, parents, friends, faculty, and staff came together to raise $3,300 for our scholarships, awards, lectures, and programs.
2108 Clarence Mitchell Building
7999 Regents Drive
University of Maryland College Park, Maryland 20742
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