The Key, May 2023 Edition

UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND EASTERN SHORE

MAY 2023

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

‘ I really learned to grow here’

2023 spring graduates venture from UMES with memories, accomplishments When April Powell began ber that fairness, decency, and at the University of Maryland equity will take you places.”

Eastern Shore, it was as a high Among that group of stuschool graduate in the fall of dents was history major Daisuke 2003.

Mayama of Upper Marlboro, The Snow Hill resident enwho said his time at UMES gave rolled at UMES then as a biology him the tools he needed to sucmajor, but a family health crisis ceed in his future. eventually led to her putting her Mayama, a stalwart on cameducation on hold. pus in numerous organizations Powell briefly returned in including membership in the 2009 before returning to UMES Richard A. Henson Honors Profor good in 2019. gram, plans to attend Howard “When I started (in 2003) I Law School to become a civil was a 4.0 student. When I left, I was a 2.8 rights attorney.

GPA student,’” Powell, who received her “One thing about being a UMES stua bachelor of science in special education dent is that you have to adapt to new and a minor in Spanish, said. “My goal environments and make friends and get was to be successful and get my grades new perspectives,” he said. “All the opback up. When I started taking classes portunities I have taken here at UMES as a full-time student, I was working two and all the friends I’ve made here, they’re jobs, I knew it was a lot but I could do it all very valuable.”

April Powell Kay Easter as I saw I was getting A’s again and that I Kay Easter of Severn, chose UMES was learning and succeeding towards my based on the criminal justice program. goal.”

That helped convince their twin brother Jay Easter to Powell was one of the 289 bachelor, master’s, and come here for mechanical engineering. doctorate degrees conferred by president Heidi M. “He wasn’t planning to come to an HBCU and Anderson during UMES’s 136th spring commencewe were going to be separated,” said Kay Easter, who ment at the William P. Hytche Athletic Center on is planning to apply to the United States Secret SerMay 19. In the group of nearly 300 graduates, 87 stuvice during their gap year. “But him coming to the dents received honors. same HBCU as I made me glad that we were staying The event featured Maryland State Delegate and together.”

Daisuke Mayama Speaker of the Maryland House of Delegates, Powell, who begins teaching special educaAdrienne Jones, who delivered the comtion in the Worcester County this fall, said her mencement address. time at UMES has taught her responsibility, Jones, who holds the distinction of being grit and determination. the first African-American and the first wom“I don’t know what my masters will be in, an to lead the Maryland Legislature, shared but I know I want to continue doing that while the importance for the new graduates to folI still have it on my mind and not wait any lonlow their moral compass and how it will posiger,” Powell said. “The gap that I took in my untively impact them in the future. dergrad affected me both good and bad, but I “Lead with your values, help others around want to finish my masters while it’s still fresh.” you, be open to new possibilities, and rememIN THIS ISSUE

PAGE 2

Springfest Senior Art Exhibit

PAGE 3

Miss UMES

PAGE 4

National Library Week

PAGE 5

Battle of the Brains

PAGES 6-7

Commencement

PAGES 8-10

Student & Campus News

PAGE 11

Athletics

PAGE 12

Athletic Field Groundbreaking

2 THE KEY | MAY 2023

SPRINGFEST & SENIOR ART EXHIBIT

Springfest 2023 and Engagement Day

The University of Maryland Eastern Shore welcomed over 800 future Hawks to campus May 5 where the admitted students and their families received information and assistance for the Fall 2023 semester. The Engagement Day featured a panel of student leaders and a fair with various departments available to provide information on academics, financial aid, and campus life.

The UMES cheerleaders also known as “Fly Girls” gave a high-energy welcome to attendees of Springfest 2023 and Engagement Day. (L-R) Student leaders Daisuke Mayama, Christ-Love Talabert, Mister UMES Kamahri Valcourt, Miss UMES Sydney Carr, Natalie Grant, Mekhi (MJ) Watkins, and Darryl Jenkins answered questions on academics and campus life in the Hytche Athletic Center.

Welcome Chelsea Burrell! The Baltimore, Md. native joins the Hawk family as a new transfer student.

Senior Art Exhibit Enrollment Management and Student Experience Vice President Latoya Jenkins (center) welcomed students from Liberation Diploma Plus High School in Brooklyn, N.Y.

Seniors in the Department of Fine Arts debuted their artwork May 4 during the opening reception of the Senior Exhibition in UMES’ Mosely Gallery. Their artwork included digital photography and digital illustrations.

Academic Fair attendees talk with a student from the School of Agriculture and Natural Sciences, holding a baby goat named “Pudding.”

(L-R) Breshay Hardy, Rajan Bethea, Dr. Marshall Stevenson Jr. (Dean, School of Education, Social Sciences, and The Arts), Gabriell Mebane-McLeod, Robert Lynch, Keaira Hilliard, and Dr. Christopher Harrington (Chairperson, UMES Dept. of Fine Arts).

MIS S U MES

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A Crowning achievement Miss UMES Sydney Carr takes the stage at Miss Maryland pageant

It’s been a whirlwind senior year for Sydney Carr.

“So now, to be serving as one after all the years that I have put The construction management major officially began her in, it’s rewarding. It’s been a journey.” reign as Miss UMES in October, which followed an appearOne accomplishment she is proud of is the Imperial Court’s ance at the 37th Competition of Black Queens a month prior. growth and presence on social media. Carr said that making By partaking in the pomp of the ceremonies, the two exthe members relatable to the student body was important. periences prepared her for something unexpected. Unbe“Being able to build that audience up over the summer, and knownst to her, she was being primed for a spot in the Miss increasing interaction and getting students to know the court, Maryland Pageant. what they like, what they do on campus be“It was a crazy story,” she said. “I got sides having the position is a really big aca notification that my application was apcomplishment in itself,” she said. “Those proved in September, but I didn’t know are things that are all worth it.” anything about the pageant and I didn’t do Carr said the crowning achievement the application myself. I was very confused was when she and fellow senior Kamahri about where the application came from and Valcourt were officially coroneted Miss I didn’t find out until months later that a UMES and Mr. UMES, respectively. It was friend of mine filled out the application.” that moment, she said, that encapsulated For Carr, who represented Clinton, Md. their time on campus. in the competition, preparation for the “Being able to look into the crowd and March 31 – April 2 event held in Bethesda see so many people that had an influence on was “a growth experience.” us throughout the years like our Miss UMES “It was completely stressful but defiduring our freshman year, having Mr. Junior nitely rewarding,” she said. “Coming from and Mr. Senior there and very proud of us the Hall of Fame pageant, I used what I was so amazing,” she said. “Just that moFormer Miss UMES Princess Sarah Bentil crowns Sydney Carr as Miss did there, to learn and build myself back ment of having so many people around who UMES during the fall 2022 coronation. up from there to compete at such a higher supported us was indescribable.” level. It allowed me to find out that I enjoy As her tenures both as Miss UMES and pageants now.” as a student come to an end, Carr is already looking toward From her first day there, Carr, who finished in the Top 22 the future. in the competition that included more than 100 hopefuls, She plans to pursue a career in the construction field as was busy with interviews and rehearsals before moving on to project manager with the goal to create and develop senior livpreliminary rounds including the swimsuit and evening gown ing and apartment complexes in order to have greater insight categories on day two. into community impact.

Carr said she was enthusiastic about the experience as it She also has an interest in marketing and starting her own gave her confidence. foundation.

“I wanted to feel like I belonged there and this was someCarr is also planning to participate in another pageant this thing I was capable of,” she said.

October, representing Miss Black Northeast Ambassador in The pageant was another step in Carr’s progression beginthe Miss Black Ambassador Pageant in Atlanta. ning from when she arrived at UMES four years ago and in“I’m excited about where it can possibly take me,” she said. cluded involvement in the Imperial Court as a freshman.

“I’m trying to feel out the entire pageant system to see if this “Coming into college I didn’t even know what a royal court is for me.” was … I didn’t even know what an HBCU queen was,” she said.

4 THE KEY | MAY 2023

N AT I O N A L L I B R A R Y W E E K

National Library Week (April 23-April 29) at the University of Maryland Eastern Shore celebrated the Frederick Douglass Library and it’s staff by bringing the campus community together to inform them about the library’s services and resources and to have some fun. The week’s featured events were a raffle read-in, creative writing workshops, an escape room and the Library Live! writing contest. Students read a book of their choice anywhere in the library and entered a raffle for prizes. The escape room created by Librarian Joseph Bree required solving clues written in call numbers, the use of a black light to read text in invisible ink, a cryptex and more. The Library Live! Event, which included DJ Rob and food, was an open mic forum on the academic oval where students shared their creative writing pieces on the Library Live! Selfie Wall – (L-R) Dr. Kelsie Endicott, importance of books and libraries.

Bonita Jones, Dr. Kathryn Barrett-Gaines, First Place Winner Leandra Allen-Miller and Librarian Joseph Bree.

Forty-one students submitted writing pieces that were evaluated by a panel of three judges. Top prize winners were Leandra Allen-Miller Matthew Barwick (First Place), Keith Ceruti (Second Place- not pictured), Matthew Barwick (Third Place) and Adina Robinson (Crowd Favorite).

Adina Robinson

Those involved in arranging and executing these events include the Faculty Senate Library Standing Committee members Cynthia Cravens (Chair), Kathryn BarrettGaines, Brian Bergen-Aurand, Marie-Therese Oyalowo, Lily Tsai and Wendy Wang, Kelsie Endicott, Charlene Harris, Bonita Jones, Joseph Bree and Janet Eke.

(L-R) Students Priscilla Kini, Naomi Rufai, Londyn Davis, Aalayia Otis, and Brooklyn Davis successfully answered all the clues and were able to free themselves from the Escape Room.

B AT T L E O F T H E B R A I N S

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‘It’s for everyone’

UMES students participate in competition centered on business strategies A team of students from the University of Maryland Eastern Shore recently used their business acumen and problem-solving skills to compete against fellow students of Historically Black Colleges and Universities.

This spring, six students took part in the sixth annual “HBCU Battle of the Brains” competition in Austin, Texas.

It was the second consecutive year that UMES attended the event, which is sponsored by the National Football League.

The Battle of the Brains is a cross-discipline competition where HBCU teams develop a solution to a complex issue, then pitch that solution in front of judges, as well as a live audience. Nearly 40 HBCUs from across the country were involved.

“It’s a huge way to sell yourself to high-tech businesses and get a lot of scholarships,” said Dr. Victoria Volkis, UMES chemistry professor and team coach. “They all had a chance to share their resumes with companies that could potentially see them as qualified candidates.”

Teams are given 24 hours to develop their plan based on the criteria of analysis, business/technology solutions, presentation, and the question-and-answer portion when addressing judge inquiries.

The top three teams would win institutional scholarships of $50,000, $20,000, and $10,000 for first, second, and third place respectively. Alabama State University took home the grand prize, with Fisk and Norfolk State Universities being awarded second- and third place.

Each team is comprised of five to eight students ranging from various majors including, but not limited to, computer science, marketing, finance, engineering, accounting, and mathematics.

Junior agriculture/pre-vet student MaKaylah Wolfe said she and her teammates prepared for the competition through once-weekly meetings and by simulating the 24hour timeline by staying up and creating a business plan over that period.

As a result of the trial run, the UMES team consisting of Wolfe, Amir Gawish, T’Naisha Addison, Michael Zeray, Anas Bashier, and Ray’Sean Smith, were able to finish their objective of increasing NFL fan engagement before, during, and after games by creating both the business plan and a youth-focused app, with more than five hours to spare.

“During the competition, we had coffee available to us and we kept taking breaks to do that,” Wolfe said regarding how she and her teammates battled exhaustion. “We all had our different roles and that’s something we were able to work out during the demo and that allowed us to get through it pretty fast.”

Wolfe said one of the big takeaways of the event was being able to network with other students in the competition.

“It was a great experience,” she said. “I think more people should apply next year and I think a lot of people would benefit from going there. It’s not just for computer science, it’s not just for technology people. It’s for everyone. I think everyone should try to apply and go next year because I am definitely going next year.”

Photo Caption: (L-R) UMES students Anas Bashier, Ray’Sean Smith, T’Naisha Addison, MaKaylah Wolfe, Michael Zeray, and Amir Gawish, competed in the HBCU Battle of the Brains event in Austin, Texas. The team is coached by UMES chemistry professor Dr. Victoria Volkis.

6 THE KEY | MAY 2023

COMMENCEMENT

SPRING 2023 CO

Parker Watts of Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc. earned his bachelor’s degree in computer science.

Celara Kindred of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. earned her bachelor’s degree in biology.

Keaira Hilliard earned her bachelor’s degree in applied design and she will be working on wedding photography in Berlin, Md.

A student-worker in the Office of Alumni Relations, Darryl Jenkins is among the newest UMES alumni after earning his bachelor’s degree in business administration.

Ayotomiwa Fashola and Xavier Cox gave student commentary remarks during the ceremony.

COMMENCEMENT

THE KEY | MAY 2023 7

OMMENCEMENT

Thelma Douglas, wife of the late Bradley Douglas (former UMES audio technician), earned her master’s degree in education (special education concentration).

Kohen Thompson, of Memphis, Tenn., received assistance from his father in preparing for the commencement ceremony. Thompson, a member of the men’s basketball team, earned his bachelor’s degree in criminal justice.

James Perkins, a track and field athlete, earned his bachelor’s degree in engineering technology.

Jaweria Sheikh earned her bachelor’s degree in biochemistry.

(L-R) Ryan Howe (agribusiness management), Jazmin Jupiter (biology), and Ethan Childs (environmental science) posed for a photo to celebrate their new alumni status.

8 THE KEY | MAY 2023

STUDENT PROFILE

All the right moves

Second-generation student makes his own way towards a similar path As Brandon Wagner made his decision on where he would attend college it came down to a few factors.

While many of his classmates had already made their choices, Wagner looked at all of his options before concluding that there was no place like home, the University of Maryland Eastern Shore.

“I was born and raised in Princess Anne and I’ve lived here my whole life,” Wagner, a Washington High School graduate, said. “I wanted to stay close to home and be proud of where I came from, so that was a big part of my decision to come here.”

Wagner’s pick of UMES mirror that of his father, Stephen, also a Princess Anne-area native, who graduated from the school just 19 years earlier, when Brandon was a toddler.

But that wasn’t the only similarity that the Wagners shared, they both chose biology/pre-dentistry majors. Brandon is planning to continue his graduate studies at the University of Maryland Dental School which—wait for it—his father also attended.

“I don’t like always following in someone’s footsteps,” Brandon said. “I like doing things my own way and say that I did it myself, but it’s setting up how my dad did it. He came here, he went to University of Maryland Dental School, and that’s where I’m going. It just lined up perfectly.”

While the coincidence isn’t lost on Brandon, also a member of the Richard A. Henson Honors Program like his father, it wasn’t something he planned to do.

He said that choosing dentistry was initially his “last choice” as he shadowed a number of medical professionals, ultimately not finding interest in those specific disciplines.

Once he relented and shadowed his dad, he knew that it was meant for him.

“After one day, it was the most interesting thing I’ve done,” Brandon Wagner said. “So, I kind of fell in love with it and that’s where I am now.”

For Stephen Wagner, having his son follow in the very same footsteps is something he hoped for, but it wasn’t something that he forced on Brandon.

“I didn’t plan it that way, but I don’t think you could

script something like this any better than that,” he said.

“I was happy when he decided to go to UMES. I told him at the end of the day, your degree is your degree, and I went to UMES and I was very happy with it.

“I met some of the greatest friends I ever had. People and professors who had a major impact on my life. I think he would agree that he made the right move.”

For the elder Wagner, the chance to return back where he received senior Brandon Wagner poses with his degree is an ex- UMES his father and UMES 2004 graduate, citing moment.

Stephen Wagner, at the elder Wagner’s “To know that dental practice in Pocomoke City, Md. I’m going to be there at graduation on May 19 and to just step foot back on campus and to watch him step on the same stage that I graduated on, that’s a pretty cool feeling,” he said.

As he begins his next step in his journey, Brandon Wagner said his experience at UMES was one where he was able to make the most of it.

“I think the school gets a negative reputation sometimes for being a smaller school, but I think you can get just as good of an education (here) as you can compared to anywhere else if you put in the work and apply yourself,” he said.

CAMPUS NEWS

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President Anderson Named to 2023 Higher Education Power List One of 30 Awardees by the Daily Record If you are defined by the company you keep, then University of Maryland Eastern Shore President Dr. Heidi M. Anderson is in esteemed company. She is one of 30 people voted to the Higher Education Power List by the Daily Record. Among the other members of this exclusive list are: • 16 university presidents • Jay Perman, Chancellor of the University System of Maryland • Linda Gooden, Chair of the University System of Maryland Board of Regents • Senator Guy Guzzone, Chair of the Maryland Senate Budget & Taxation Committee • And an impressive assortment of provosts, USM staff, and executive directors “I see this as a reflection not of myself, but of the University of Maryland Eastern Shore,” said President Anderson.

“An important element of my job is to establish meaningful relationships with people important to higher education in this state. To be included on the Higher Education Power List is very humbling and a testament to the importance of these valuable relationships. Recently, at the dedication of our Pharmacy and Health Professions building, we were honored to have Chancellor Perman and Chair Gordon join us. I value their friendship and am privileged to share in this honor with them and with all of my friends and colleagues on this list.” In addition to serving as UMES President, Dr. Anderson is also the chair of the American Association of State Colleges and Universities (AASCU) board of directors, and serves on the boards of the national Association of Public Land Grant Universities (APLGU), the Salisbury Chamber of Commerce and the Rural Maryland Council.

In making these selections, the Daily Record wrote, “Maryland has justly earned a reputation as home to some of the finest institutions of higher education in the nation. The men and women who make up our 2023 Higher Education Power List are among the reasons why.”

UMES is nationally recognized as a Tree Campus

By Gail Stephens

The University of Maryland Eastern Shore received national certification by the Arbor Day Foundation as an official Tree Campus during a tree planting ceremony April 26. For this designation, the university had to meet Tree Campus’ five standards, which include maintaining a tree advisory committee, a campus treecare plan, dedicated annual expenditures for its campus tree program, an Arbor Day observance and student service-learning projects.

Students in Dr. Stephanie Stotts’ urban forestry class worked with the university’s grounds supervisor to pick a location (between the Pond and Court Plaza) to plant two red maples donated by the Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR). UMES’ Urban Forestry Program supports the university’s groundskeepers by conducting periodic tree inventories and through grants projects.

“The Tree Campus Higher Education Program recognizes that college campuses are ecosystems, providing a healthier environment for the students and community,” said Dr. Stephanie Stotts, an associate professor in UMES’ departments of Natural Sciences and Agriculture, Food and Resource Sciences, and organizer for the event. “Trees add beauty, reduce heat island effect by creating shade, can clean the air and reduce asthma rates, and help mitigate climate change.”

“We hope UMES’ involvement in the program seals our commitment to additional plantings on campus and the community and brings awareness to the field of urban forestry, which is growing at an impressive rate,” Stott said about the university which is known for its arboretum-style grounds.

Photo: Todd Dudek

(L-R) Logan Doggett (junior), Dr. Moses Kairo (dean of the School of agriculture and Natural Sciences), Charles Smith (sophomore), Dr. Stephanie Stotts (Associate Professor), Matthew Hurd (Regional Forester-Eastern Shore for Maryland Forest Service), Dr. Stephan Tubene (Acting chairperson) of UMES’ Dept. of agriculture, Food and Resource Sciences, and Dr. Jonathan Cumming, Chairperson of UMES’ Dept. of Natural Sciences.

10 THE KEY | MAY 2023

STUDENT PROFILE

Answering when opportunity knocks Senior Jamie Ferguson finds herself at UMES

For Jamie Ferguson, two things were certain – she always wanted to pursue a career in criminal justice, and she always wanted to attend a Historically Black College or University.

The decision to marry both certainties at the University of Maryland Eastern Shore was a simple one for the senior from Aberdeen, Md., who is on her way to graduating with a degree in criminal justice.

“UMES was the school that I wanted to go to,” she said.

“I knew that I wanted to do something involving law, something involving social work, anything like that. I always had a big interest in it before coming to college.”

Ferguson said she made her choice to come to Princess Anne after attending a college fair as a high school senior knowing, “it was something to be a part of.”

“It’s a small school,” she said. “It’s somewhere where you can get an opportunity.”

Ferguson made the most of those opportunities, by becoming a member of the student government association in her sophomore year, continuing into her current role as senior class vice president.

“I’ve always wanted to be a part of SGA,” she said. “I wanted to make a change on campus for students that aren’t able to make that change for themselves.”

She said the decision to get involved was also spurred by the COVID pandemic and seeing its impact on the campus community.

The campus landscape was “a big change” during the pandemic.

“Having to go home, having to do everything online, expecting to pass classes and then coming back … it definitely felt that I was losing my college experience,” she said. “(When we came back on campus) it was still fine, but UMES had changed from my freshman year, so it was hard to adapt with change so big. It was hard for me.”

Another opportunity Ferguson was to get involved in was

through a senior-year internship with Mid Shore Pro Bono, a nonprofit organization that supports and assists individuals and families who are unable to afford representation in civil legal matters and provides connections to community services.

Ferguson, who attends Mid Shore Pro Bono thrice-weekly, does intake where she vets submitted information and documents the financials of potential clients in order to determine their eligibility for the organization’s services.

She was also able to see the work done by being able to attend rent court session and seeing the lawyers handle cases for clients facing situations such as breach of leases and those who are struggling to pay their rent.

“It’s so rewarding to see attorneys being able to turn people’s lives around,” she said. “I love Mid Shore Pro Bono, and I want more people to know about pro bono work, especially for low-income families who are going through things like divorce, failure to pay rent, and domestic violence situations.”

With graduation approaching, Ferguson is looking at either attending graduate school or entering the job force.

While she is still interested in criminal justice, she has ruled out one particular line of work.

“At first (I was interested in) law, but after attending school for four years, I don’t think I want to be a lawyer,” she said. “I want to be something that helps people like I’m doing now, so hopefully, I find something that matches my internship.”

In looking back at her UMES experience, Ferguson said it will be “bittersweet” with her time coming to an end.

“I was walking around campus, and I was like, ‘wow, I’m actually about to graduate college and leave UMES,’ and it’s really hard because I love this school and it’s going to be a new journey when I graduate,” she said. “Had I attended another school, I don’t think I would’ve found myself. I feel like I found myself at UMES.”

AT H L E T I C S

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Hawks Recognize Student-Athletes at The Harry’s Tenth annual award ceremony took place on May 15

By Nick Lewis

The University of Maryland Eastern Shore hosted the 10th annual showcase of The Harry’s on Monday, May 15.

The end-of-year event highlights student-athletes’ successes, both on the field and in the classroom, throughout the 2022-23 year.

The event, held in the Theater in the Student Services Center, saw the distribution of over 60 awards to student-athletes and athletics and university staff.

Kicking off the department awards, men’s basketball was named the winner of the Quantum Leap award. The Hawks finished 18-13, the program’s best win percentage (.581) in 50 years. The team broke last season’s school records in steals (345) and steals-per-game (11.1). Their per-game clip ranked #1 in the nation this season, while the team also ranked #1 nationally in turnovers forced per contest (19.0).

Men’s golf and softball were recognized as the university’s Teams of Scholars for having the highest team GPAs in the athletics department. Ah-Nayia Oglesby (Tampa, Fla.) and James Perkins (Chincoteague, Va.) each received the Iron Hawk award, given to student-athletes who work tirelessly in the weight room.

Charles Bernard (Quebec City, Quebec, Canada) was named the Men’s Scholar Athlete of the Year, boasting a 4.0 GPA as a sophomore. A tie resulted in McKenzie Abiley (Sherwood, Ore.) and Lesley Thomas (Browns Summit, NC) being named Co-Scholar Athletes of the Year on the women’s side.

Brooke Roberts (Port Orange, Fla.) was named the Women’s Athlete of the Year. Roberts was named National Tenpin Coaches Association Honorable Mention All-American (her

second straight All-American honor). She was also NTCA All-Northeast Region Selection and a First-Team All-MEAC selection.

Nathaniel Pollard Jr. (Richmond, Va.) was selected as the Men’s Athlete of the Year. Pollard averaged a near double-double with 9.9 points and 8.6 rebounds per game, finishing the 2022-23 campaign as the MEAC’s leading rebounder. He was named to the All-MEAC Second Team following the season and was selected to compete in the 2023 HBCU All Star Game in Houston, Texas, earning MVP honors after scoring 10 points and collecting 13 rebounds.

The inaugural S.O.A.R. award (Strength to Overcome and Rise) was added to recognize a coach each year who has demonstrated the utmost professionalism while leading their team to success in competition, in the classroom and in the community while positively representing Hawk athletics. Head men’s basketball coach Jason Crafton collected the first-ever award.

Assistant Athletic Director for Academics Collene Dean was honored with the Passion award, recognizing her commitment to seeing student-athletes succeed in the classroom.

The final award for the Hawks of the Year was presented to President Dr. Heidi M. Anderson and Mr. Leon Roberts for their unwavering support of UMES athletics.

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

On April 24, the University of Maryland Eastern Shore celebrated the groundbreaking for new turf fields for the baseball and softball programs. Both new playing surfaces are expected to be ready for the 2024 season.

“We are excited to play games and hold practices on campus,” UMES Director of Athletics Tara Owens said. “Our goal is to make this a remarkable athletic complex for our students and fans.” Currently, both the baseball and softball squads call the Henry S. Parker Athletic Complex in Salisbury home.

“We thank President Anderson, our university leadership team and the financial support from our donors in order to move forward with this project,” Owens said. “I’m excited for our student-athletes as we continue to focus on providing them with a quality collegiate experience while representing UMES.” The Key / May 2023

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