The Key, October 2023 Edition

UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND EASTERN SHORE

OCTOBER 2023

A newsletter for students, faculty, staff, alumni, and friends

Members of the Maryland Legislative Black Caucus Visit UMES Campus successes, progress and more shared with state lawmakers

The University of Maryland Eastern Shore played host to 20 members of the Legislative Black Caucus of Maryland as part of an informational session to share some of the recent progress and successes on campus.

In welcoming the legislators, UMES president Heidi M. Anderson praised the members for their support for many of the University’s initiatives over the years, including the completion and opening of the new School of Pharmacy & Health Professions Building, where the meeting took place.

“We wanted to show you this building for a reason,” Anderson said. “This is the new building that you helped us build through the pandemic. For that, I say thank you from the bottom of my heart and from all of the campus.”

During the meeting, members of the caucus received information on projects including the veterinary sciences doctoral program, future research initiatives, and some of the challenges UMES faces ranging from campus infrastructure needs to concerns over program duplication around the state.

Dr. Moses Kairo, Dean of the School of Agriculture and Natural Sciences, shared with lawmakers the plan for creating the doctoral program, the second of its type at an HBCU nationally. The program is expected to accept its first students in the fall of 2026.

“Black veterinarians make up only two percent of the working population in this country, so there’s been a tremendous need to diversify the profession,” Kairo said. “I think that when it comes to this new program, the time could not be more right.”

The new program will be an accelerated three-year program, allowing students to enter into practice earlier by compressing the academic year. It’s the same volume of work in 25 percent less time and compares favorably with schools with four-year programs. Kairo said the “innovative approach” will allow students to learn the critical components found in those same curriculums.

“We’re not compromising anything,” he said. “Our goal is to use student time more effectively and be able to graduate students one year earlier.”

Dr. Rondall Allen, Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs discussed the recent initiatives in the School of Pharmacy & Health Professions, which features the most health professions among HBCUs in the country.

He also stressed how the programs not only impact the local community on the Eastern Shore but also communities throughout the state. He highlighted the importance of centralizing all of the health majors in one location on campus as well as offering housing to the veterinary medicine program. All of those would be accomplished through the construction of the second phase of the pharmacy building complex.

“You’re sitting in our newest and shiniest building on campus,” he said. “This building was a key step in realizing the full potential of all of our programs, but there’s a key step needed in staying viable and relevant in this everchanging world of health care.”

Dr. Michael Rabel, professor and chair of the Department of Physical Therapy, and Dr. Tiffany Maxwell, program director cont. on page 3

IN THIS ISSUE

PAGE 2

Capital Campaign

PAGE 3

New IT Infrastructure

PAGES 4-5 An Evening with Joyce Abbott

PAGE 6

New Online Programs Launch

PAGE 7 Miss UMES

PAGES 8-9 Coronation Photos

PAGE 10

NEXTGEN Grant from USDA

PAGE 11 Athletics

PAGE 12

Homecoming & MD Agritourism Conference

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C A P I TA L C A M PA I G N A N N O U N C E M E N T

UMES Announces $60M Capital Campaign — Largest in School History “Soaring Above & Beyond” capital campaign moves into public phase

The University of Maryland Eastern Shore, a Top-10 public Historically Black College & University (HBCU) launched the public phase of its “Soaring Above & Beyond: The Campaign for UMES,” as it seeks to raise $60 million, the largest fundraiser in the institution’s nearly 140year history.

“State support provides a solid foundation for UMES, but private philanthropy delivers resources that help differentiate us,” said Dr. Heidi M. Anderson, the institution’s 16th President. “Private donations allow students without sufficient resources to attend UMES, obtain a degree, and pursue a worthwhile career.

They help our faculty pursue teaching and research opportunities otherwise unattainable. And they provide crucial support to improving our infrastructure by renovating historic buildings and constructing new facilities that allow us to compete in a global economy.”

Through the silent phase of the campaign, beginning in 2019, UMES raised more than $41 million. The University will need to raise an additional $19M to achieve its goal by the conclusion of the campaign in June of 2026, coinciding with the University’s 140th anniversary.

“This Capital Campaign provides an opportunity for UMES alumni to give back to an institution that help make us who we are,” said Willie Baker, co-chair of the Campaign and an alumnus. “UMES provided me with the education I needed to become a successful professional who has traveled the world, to meet with dignitaries like Nelson Mandela, and make a difference in the lives of working men

and women. I wouldn’t have been able to do that without my UMES degree. That’s why I give back to this place, a place very special to me.”

The kickoff to the public phase of the campaign occurred during a September 14th Donor Recognition Gala.

“We’re deeply grateful for the investments we’ve already received,” said David Balcom, vice president for University Relations. “Now we need support from our alumni, our friends, and our corporate and foundation partners to finish this campaign on a high note.

Raising $60M will ensure that UMES has the resources we need to impact our students, our faculty and our region.”

Known for its STEM focus, UMES offers eight health professions programs, more than any HBCU nationally, and offers bachelor’s degrees in more than 40 areas including such fields of study as engineering, golf management, hospitality studies, kinesiology, marine science education, agriculture, mathematics, information technology, and humanities.

“Private contributions can be the difference between being a good university and a great university,” said Campaign co-chair Tina Wilson, also a UMES graduate. “Private gifts foster the social mobility the world needs. They open doors that were previously closed and they ensure that UMES has the resources it needs to invest in its students and remain a vital resource in the Delmarva region.”

In its previous capital campaign, which concluded in 2011, UMES surpassed its announced goal of $14 million

CAMPAIGN OBJECTIVES: • Providing scholarships for undergrad and graduate students to help build their future.

• Nurturing new entrepreneurs to build businesses and create new products to meet the needs of a rapidly changing world.

• Supporting faculty development through new start-up packages, endowed chairs and professorships, and professional development.

• Enhancing learning opportunities for students, faculty, and staff alike through career services, professional development, study abroad, and more.

by more than $1 million despite having to navigate a historic downturn in the nation’s economy midway through the campaign. The success of the initiative garnered national recognition from the Council for Advancement and Support of Education, which awarded UMES with its Circle of Excellence Educational Fundraising Award in 2012.

“This country and this state have invested in UMES since our founding in 1886,” Anderson said. “Our roots are deep here and now we’re asking for our alumni and friends to help us strengthen those roots so that we can continue to have a positive impact on our students and the world around us. Please help us soar above and beyond.”

For more information or to make a charitable gift, call 410-651-6199 or visit www.umes.edu

NEW IT INFRASTRUCTURE

UMES upgrades IT in massive undertaking

Completed six-month infrastructure project to boost on-campus internet efficiency For much of the Spring 2023 semester, the sight of large spools of cable and the massive trucks geared to install them was a constant presence on the UMES campus.

It was during that six-month period that the campus received a major boost and upgrade in its information technology infrastructure. The improvements were an essential project that Anastasia Rodriguez, the Vice President of Administration and Finance at UMES, wanted to complete when she assumed the role more than a year ago.

“I gave them a challenge when I got here that we needed to perform five years’ worth of upgrades in six months so we could take advantage of our Higher Education Emergency Relief Funds (HEERF) that were ending June 30,” she said. “That team rose to the challenge and they got it done. Our overall campus infrastructure is now up to current standards and can handle the wants and needs of the campus.”

According to the U.S. Department of Education, the HEERF grants allow institutions of higher education to use up to 50 percent of the funds they receive to cover any costs associated with significant changes to the delivery of instruction as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“A lot of universities used their HEERF funds to upgrade their IT infrastructure since being able communicate and teach remotely requires a pretty heavy lift from an IT perspective,” Rodriguez said. “They also realized that they did not have the equipment in place to manage the bandwidth necessary to have all these Zoom classes, or Google Meets, or Microsoft Teams platforms to support online learning.”

Rodriguez said that upgrades to what was an aging IT infrastructure included the creation of a “redundant loop,” which creates two different points of access of IT coming into campus and allowing information to still flow into campus in the situation where one line of internet is unresponsive or damaged.

Anastasia Rodriguez, the Vice President of Administration and Finance at UMES, discusses recent infrastructure improvements during the Fall 2023 opening ceremony.

In addition to the loop all buildings on campus were rewired; internet switches, which help connect areas of their respective buildings with internet, were replaced; internet access points on campus were replaced and added to new locations to help increase bandwidth capabilities; and server rooms were improved to ensure effectiveness in cases of power outages. There were also upgrades to the campus firewall.

Rodriguez said being able to get at least one IT improvement project completed in the six-month window would be a major undertaking, let alone completing multiple projects in that timeframe.

“If it wasn’t for the leadership of interim CIOs Dr. Urban Wiggins and Chris Kielt and the wonderful teams they led this project would not have been successful.”

“Most of these projects would be something you would do one of in a year, maybe,” she said. “With the concern that the Department of Education might not give us a no-cost extension on our HEERF Funds on June 30, we had to do as much as possible as we could to at least have the equipment on campus.”

As a result of the improvements, the campus is not only primed for handling the increased influx of new students, but for UMES’s new curriculum of online classes rolled out this fall.

Rodriguez added that other IT projects on the horizon focus on concerns of business continuity and disaster recovery.

THE KEY | OCTOBER 2023 3

Maryland Legislative Black Caucus cont. from page 1

and department chair of the Physician Assistant program, presented their recent successes in their respective programs, as well as concerns about the establishment of several duplicate programs around the state.

Maxwell, who oversaw the graduation of the first cohort of the program’s PA students last fall, hopes that the legislators can continue to offer the needed support to ensure that duplicative programs don’t emerge elsewhere in the State.

“We are at full enrollment and max capacity in our program,” she said. “We have students who are knocking down the door to get into our program. I just want to make sure that we have places and seats for them.”

Dr. LaKeisha Harris, the dean of the School of Graduate Studies, addressed the university’s progress to increase its Carnegie Research classification, from its current status as an R2 — high research activity doctoral university to an R1 Doctoral University with very high research activity. Currently, there are no HBCUs with an R1 designation.

“We want to be able to look for new opportunities for students and we want to recruit and retain the best faculty,” Harris said. “There are 146 institutions that are classified R1, so not only do we want to achieve this classification, but we want to keep it and the retention of faculty and staff is the biggest part of that.”

President Anderson stressed that through the support of the Legislative Black Caucus of Maryland, UMES will not only help the many students who call the state home but will lead to wide-reaching benefits.

“We educate the best and the brightest, and it is our mission to enable them to soar in the communities that they serve,” she said. “Not only will their success provide a major economic impact to the communities in Maryland, but also to the country, and to the world. And with your help, that’s what we will continue to do.”

After a round of pictures and fellowship with Pharmacy students in the atrium, the Caucus and UMES leadership were off to Crisfield for the Tawes Crab and Clam Bake—a memorable day for UMES and its supporters.

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JOYCE ABBOTT

‘I’m a firm believer of HBCUs’

UMES alumna Joyce Abbott receives recognition for her teaching career When looking back at her time as a student at the University of Maryland Eastern Shore, Joyce Abbott had nothing but great things to say about her experience.

As a member of the Soul Explosion March Marching Band under the guidance of Rev. Kenneth Martin Sr., the Philadelphia native and 1983 graduate recalled the excitement and campus unity the band provided on the days of football games.

“I was majorette, and we used to slow down the parades we were in, and everyone would just would follow us,” said Abbott, who graduated with a degree in business administration. “I met several wonderful people, and I built really good friendships.”

It also was during her time in Princess Anne where Abbott — who is the namesake of the hit ABC show Abbott Elementary — took lifelong lessons from her instructors, which shaped her into the teacher she would become for three decades.

“The professors I had were really great,” she said. “They really went above and beyond to make sure that I was successful.”

Abbott shared her experiences on campus and her career in education during the event “An Evening with Joyce Abbott”, hosted by the Baltimore Banner at The Garage at R. House in West Baltimore. UMES was the lead sponsor of the event.

UMES president Heidi M. Anderson, who gave opening remarks for the event, praised Abbott on the impact she had

on her students including Abbott Elementary creator Quinta Brunson, who was taught by Abbott as a sixth grader.

“Teaching is a challenging task, but it is also meaningful, valuable, and can be life changHazel Professor of Education Dr. ing, not only for our Richard H. Warren Jr., speaks during students but also the “An Evening with Joyce Abbott” for each and every event held at The Garage at R. House one of us,” Anderin West Baltimore. son said. “What you achieved from your time at UMES and in your subsequent teaching career is a reflection of the support, commitment, and effort to help change the trajectory of people’s lives.”

Abbott was part of a panel of educational experts that included former Maryland Superintendent of Public Schools, Nancy Grasmick, Brianna Ross, the 2021-2022 Maryland Top Photo - From Left: Children’s author D. Wright; 1983 UMES graduate Joyce Abbott, Abbott’s sister, Marilyn Stephens, and UMES President Heidi M. Anderson.

JOYCE ABBOTT

Teacher of the Year, and Derek Chavis, a Baltimore City school teacher. The discussion was moderated by Baltimore Banner education and DEI reporters Kristen Griffith and John-John Williams IV. During the panel segment, Abbott emphasized that passion and pride she had in education during the topic of whether teachers should be paid more or given incentive pay. Abbott said while teachers should be paid more, there needs to be more accountability for the educators who perform poorly.

“There are teachers who had students whose performance was below the basic learning level for years, but kept their jobs,” she said. “If they’re not learning then you as a teacher have to make sacrifices. I made sacrifices by working weekends, getting to school at 7 a.m., tutoring until 6:30 p.m., staying after school until 4:30, 5:00 p.m., and going out to see students during COVID, because I wasn’t going be a teacher that did below basic work.”

UMES professor, Dr. Richard Warren, who was the 201819 Maryland Teacher of the Year, closed the event by echoing Abbott’s statement as he recalled the lessons he learned throughout his teaching career.

“My mother told me, ‘Never do anything and leave it the same way that you found it.’ We have to leave it better,” Warren said. “When you hear the stories, our stories, that capture the essence of why we choose to show up in these educational spaces and why an education professional should be valued as such. We know we cannot approach this haphazardly. We have to leave it better.”

Abbott added that while she hadn’t been back to campus in a while, she looks forward to attending a homecoming in the near future.

“My time at UMES was an amazing experience,” she said.

“This is why I’m a firm believer in HBCUs.” Photos by Steve Ruark / The Baltimore Banner

THE KEY | OCTOBER 2023 5

UMES President Heidi M. Anderson addresses the audience during the “Evening with Joyce Abbott” event at The Garage at R. House in West Baltimore.

From Left: Baltimore Banner reporter John-John Williams IV, 20212022 Maryland Teacher of the Year Brianna Ross, 1983 UMES graduate Joyce Abbott, and former Maryland Superintendent of Public Schools, Nancy Grasmick, participate a panel discussion.

Fall Career Fair & Expo Connects Students with Opportunities Devon Beck, (right) a University of Maryland Eastern Shore graduate, and the Facilitator of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion for Talbot County Maryland Schools, talks with students during the Fall Career Fair & Expo held on Oct. 12.

The event, sponsored by the Career & Professional Development Center, featured more than 80 personnel directors, human resources directors, and graduate and professional school recruiters who met with UMES students searching for post-graduate career and educational opportunities.

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ONLINE PROGRAMS

‘You’re not bound by geography’ New Vice Provost Gopalan aims to boost online offerings at UMES When Dr. Sandeep Gopalan arrived at the University of Maryland Eastern Shore as Vice Provost of Academic Affairs, he saw an institution that was not only a welcoming place but one with a lot of potential.

“It’s an R2 institution on its way to becoming an R1, and there’s obviously a tremendous amount of highly talented teachers who work to inspire the next generation of leaders,” Gopalan said. “So, being a part of that journey and that process is what motivated me.”

One of the ways that Gopalan, who started in January, is focusing on increasing that potential is through expanding the accessibility of the programs offered at UMES with the rolling out of online courses this fall and next spring where students can earn their undergraduate and graduate degrees.

Among the nine online modalities are master’s and bachelor’s programs in human ecology, bachelor’s programs for construction management technology, engineering technology, sports management, hospitality tourism management, criminology and criminal justice, and master’s programs in data science and analytics, and cyber security.

Gopalan said that as a result of the pandemic there has been “a slow push” towards online courses, but in the process of creating the online curriculums, they have been studying other programs in order to learn from the growing pains of other universities in similar situations.

“Starting with these nine online degree programs we’re going to use this as an opportunity to do innovative things like compress existing 16-week courses into an eight-week format as it’s attractive to online learners and also more likely to be tailored to their success,” he said. “It can be very difficult to stay engaged in a 16-week fully online course and expect the same kind of success rates as you would with on-campus courses.”

Gopalan said creating opportunities for online learning is something many HBCUs haven’t fully implemented yet, which could allow UMES to be a trendsetter.

“We know that, for instance, African American students, in particular, are amongst the working professional population and are high adopters of online education,” he said.

“They often are not served adequately by HBCUs, which is why they have to go to other institutions to do these programs. That is why having these programs make sense.”

In addition to increasing the online array of programs for students, Gopalan also has aspirations of broadening the reach of the university globally.

“We have tremendous researchers and we have tremendous teachers, and there is no reason why that could not attract a huge number of talented students from across the world,” he said. “That’s the goal of online. You’re not bound by your geography and you’re not bound by who can come to Princess Anne. The world is your market and that’s what we want to do, have them come here and gain skills then go back to their home countries or contribute to our economy through their skills.”

ONLINE DEGREE PROGRAMS AT UMES: a

*All programs launched in Fall of 2023 unless otherwise noted

Bachelor’s Programs: • Engineering Technology • Hospitality and Tourism Management • Human Ecology - Childhood Development • Construction Management Technology • Sports Management (Spring 2024 launch) Master’s Programs: • Cybersecurity • Criminology and Criminal Justice • Data Science and Analytics Engineering • Human Ecology (Spring 2024 launch)

MISS UMES

THE KEY | OCTOBER 2023 7

‘It did something to my character’ Journey to becoming 55th Miss UMES is a transformational one for Mya Woods

When Mya Woods took the stage of the Ella Fitzgerald Center to be officially crowned Miss University of Maryland Eastern Shore, it was a culmination of a path that wasn’t a traditional one.

Woods, whose parents and grandfather previously attended UMES, arrived on campus as an early 20s transfer in the spring of 2021, and in the midst of the pandemic. Adjusting to a new normal in that environment was not easy.

“It was hard meeting people or feeling like I belonged here,” she said. “I felt like I was old, because of all the people that were younger, and I was just so used to going to class and going home after that.”

It was through that experience where she found her calling as someone who needed to advocate for others, something that wasn’t uncommon for her.

“I started meeting more people on campus that had a similar story like me, and I realized that they needed representation,” she said. “They needed to see someone like them doing things that they never thought would be possible.”

When it came to competing for the title of Miss UMES, that experience was also out of the ordinary. Woods did not have previous history of being involved with the Imperial Court, and she was the only candidate for the role, meaning she would need to garner a vote of confidence from her peers.

“It wasn’t fun running against myself,” she said. “But for me, becoming Miss UMES was me jumping out on my faith.

Once the votes were tallied and she was named Miss UMES, Woods now had to go through her finishing process.

Those lessons started with attending events like the annual HBCU Kings and Queens Conference, held earlier this summer in New Orleans.

It was at the conference where she began to get more insight into how to define her position.

“Being around all those other kings and queens taught me a lot,” she said. “It taught me how to be confident in rooms that I walk into, how to approach people and ensure that I’m doing it the right way. It did something to my character. It was like a switch.

“I went from Mya, who’s never done anything imperial to thinking like a queen, moving like a queen, and being merciful. The biggest thing I learned was being able to show mercy when others aren’t showing mercy to you.”

MYA WOODS As part of her initiatives as Miss UMES, Woods wants to help bridge the gap between traditional and non-traditional students, while also listening to the needs and concerns of all the student body.

“The students want to know that they are being heard or at least know someone hears them and is going to fight for them. I also want to make them feel at home. We have plenty of new freshmen here and some of them are go through so many things. They just need somebody to be motherly, and I want them to know that I see them, care about them, and that I love them.”

Woods, who was escorted to the stage by her young son Mason as part of coronation festivities, said the she hopes that the legacy she leaves as Miss UMES is one that brings long-lasting change and inspires others.

“I know that this phrase has been used often, but I want to redefine the royals,” she said. “I want to inspire the other women who are mommies going to school, and I want to be the queen that, when I leave, people remember me as the one who told them to ‘pick their head up’ when they were walking around sad. I also hope that it leads other women, other students on campus who never thought about imperial court to get into it, so that they can inspire other girls after them to do it.”

8 THE KEY | OCTOBER 2023

C O R O N AT I O N

2023 CORONATION Photos by Aniya Hughes

Mya Woods, the 55th Miss UMES (center) is flanked by former Miss UMES, Sydney Carr (left) and former Mr. UMES, Khamari Valcourt (right) during this year’s coronation at the Ella Fitzgerald Performing Arts Center.

Mya Woods is officially crowned the 55th Miss UMES by last year’s titleholder, Sydney Carr and UMES president Heidi M. Anderson.

(Left to Right) Miss Bridge 2023-24, Syria Price, and Mister Bridge, Charles Leeks.

C O R O N AT I O N

(Left to Right) Miss 1886, Kristian Francis, and Mr. 1886, David Martin.

Membe rs of th e

(Left to Right) Miss National Association of Black Accountants (NABA), Hasanatou Berry, and Mr. NABA, Jalen Gourrier.

UMES Diamon ds Danc e

(Left to Right) Miss Sophomore Logan Forrest, and Mr. Sophomore, Nathan Rolle.

THE KEY | OCTOBER 2023 9

Team p erform .

The 54th Miss UMES, Sydney Carr poses on stage.

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NEXTGEN GRANT

Photo: Todd Dudek/UMES SANS

UMES awarded $10M NEXTGEN grant Grant is intended to help USDA build diversity in future agricultural professionals

The University of Maryland Eastern Shore is the lead institution on a $10 million collaborative NEXTGEN grant project from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture.

The goal of the NEXTGEN program is to build a diverse future federal workforce in Food, Agriculture, Natural Resources and Human Sciences and is part of the USDA’s $262.5 million investment in institutions of higher education.

Dr. Stephan Tubene, the associate director of the 1890 Universities Center for Global Food Security and Defense housed at UMES, is the director for the five-year project which includes partnerships with Florida A&M University, Kentucky State University and Southern University and A&M College.

Activities will center around “generating and sustaining the next generation of FANH professionals through international experiential learning, outreach and engagement,” according to the USDA. “The project builds upon the momentum of the Center of Excellence,” Tubene, who also serves as professor and acting chair of the Department of Agriculture, Food and Resource Sciences at UMES, said. “Partnerships will be fostered for paid impactful domestic and international internships, outreach projects, and career development for students to better understand how their academic plans can lead to a career, particularly with the federal government.”

The “From Learning to Leading: Cultivating the Next Generation of Diverse Food and Agriculture Professionals Program” is supported by funds provided through the American Rescue Plan Act (as amended by Section. 22007 of the Inflation Reduction Act) to enable eligible institutions to “engage, recruit and train” students from underserved communities with the goal of increasing graduation rates among

students to add to the diversity of FANH fields and USDA employees.

The $262.5 million investment will “provide training and support to more than 20,000 future food and agricultural leaders through 33 project partners,” of which UMES is among.

“The vision we have at NIFA is to feed and nourish all Americans and create economic opportunity for more American families. Equity and diversity are the two central elements in this vision,” said Dr. Manjit Misra, director of NIFA. “One goal of the NextGen program is to identify, inspire and prepare our youth, particularly in underrepresented communities, to be the next generation of hunger fighters and agricultural problem solvers. This is the right thing to do and the right time.”

UMES President Heidi M. Anderson added that the benefits of the program will have a long-term impact for all students pursuing careers in the fields of agriculture.

“We are thankful for the USDA-NIFA’s confidence in UMES spearheading this relevant and monumental task of helping it achieve equitable participation and representation not only in its programs and services, but in the broad range of agriculture-related career opportunities that exist today and, in the years to come,” she said.

This work is supported by the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture.

Photo: Dr. Stephan Tubene (third from right), a professor and acting chair of the Department of Agriculture, Food and Resource Sciences at UMES, will head the collaborative NEXTGEN grant project from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture.

AT H L E T I C S

THE KEY | OCTOBER 2023 11

New personnel focused on bringing new direction to Hawk Athletics Hires at the coaching, administrative levels aim to bolster success on and off the field of play

At the start of the 2023-24 school year, there’s a new look to the athletics programs at University of Maryland Eastern Shore, beginning all the way at the top.

Initially hired as director of athletics more than a year ago, Tara A. Owens was recently elevated to the role of Vice President of Athletics & Recreation, where she will have an expanded role that includes the overall oversight of all NCAA Division I-sponsored sports as well as all campus recreational activities.

Since her hire, Owens has undertaken a restructuring of the department of athletics that has included the hiring of five new head coaches, eight assistant coaches, and four additions to the administrative staff over the last year.

“We are thrilled to have dedicated, talented, and knowledgeable individuals join us as we continue to elevate Hawk athletics,” Owens said. “Our staff is comprised of highly regarded coaches, staff members and administrators who come to work every day with an unmatched enthusiasm and passion for working in collegiate athletics. As we continue to move forward, our staff is dedicated to the student-athlete experience, alumni engagement, recruiting and the overall success of Hawk athletics.”

In addition to the new staff, UMES athletics also promoted Lamar Waul-Branson to serve as the program administrative specialist, while Casey Monroe-Gaskins was elevated to the associate head women’s basketball coach.

Placing focus and priority on student-athlete resources and services, Owens has been at the forefront of the University’s project management and planning for upcoming renovations to the UMES softball and baseball fields.

She has also implemented sustainable and financially beneficial protocols in order to position UMES for future success.

For a complete UMES Hawk athletics staff directory, please visit UMESHawkSports. com/staff-directory.

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Alisha Tucker, Deputy Director of Athletics/Senior Woman Administrator Nick Novy, Associate Athletics Director of External Affairs Penny Foland, Head Athletic Trainer Vanessa Faircloth, Head Women’s Volleyball Coach Noelle Eagles, Assistant Volleyball Coach Tiana Jones, Head Golf Coach Sharlene Millwood Lee, Head Track & Field/Cross Country Coach Brendon Perez, Assistant Track & Field/ Cross Country Coach Danny Acosta, Head Baseball Coach

Cole Doherty, Assistant Baseball Coach Kyle Houts, Assistant Baseball 11 Coach Kelsi Collins, Assistant Softball 12 Coach Amber Elliott, Assistant Women’s 13 Basketball Coach Keith Coutreyer, Assistant Men’s 14 Basketball Coach Jathan DeBerry, Compliance 15 Director Khadijah Haaris, Business 16 Manager Aaron Robinson (not pictured), Head 17 Softball Coach

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University Relations 30665 Student Services Center Lane Princess Anne, MD 21853

UMES Extension’s Maryland Agritourism Conference, with the theme of Growing Maryland Agritourism, will address how to enhance agritourism in the state. Agritourism offers educational and recreation opportunities for visitors and generates income for farmers, local communities, and adjacent businesses.

The event runs from Dec. 10-12 at the Hyatt Regency in Cambridge. The Sunday, Dec. 10 session is from 12 p.m. to 8 p.m., Monday, Dec. 11 is from 8:30 a.m. to 8 p.m., and Tuesday, Dec. 12 is from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m.

Registration before Friday, Nov. 10 is $80, plus a discounted hotel rate. Early birds are also invited to an exclusive agritourism bus tour for just $50 more, including lunch. General registration (Nov. 11 - Dec. 1) is $100, and the full rate for a hotel stay.

To register, visit www.umes.edu/extension/ MarylandAgritourismConference.

For more information, email agritourism@umes.edu.

The Key / October 2023

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