UMUC Achiever Magazine, Summer 2009

SUMMER 2009

the magazine of university of maryland university college

14 CCONTENTS ONTENTS

V i e w from t h e to p

Dear Friend: President

As president of UMUC, nothing bolsters my confidence more than the hard work and accomplishments of our students and alumni, and I’m proud to introduce this issue of Achiever, where we spotlight their stories.

Here, you’ll meet Robb Wilmot and Rod Urand, two new U.S. citizens who are doing their part to remind their classmates and colleagues that the right to vote in a democratic election is a very precious thing. You’ll read the heartwarming story of Willimina Lawrence, who looks back on a lifetime of adventures that began when she left home to serve her country in the fledgling U.S. Air Force. And finally, you’ll meet Matt Kissane, a comic actor who has turned his talent into a successful career—thanks to hard work, creativity, and a thorough understanding that show business is business, first and foremost.

In the news section, you’ll read about a number of developments at UMUC that also encourage confidence—a new Department of Defense contract that continues our long history of teaching U.S. troops in Asia; an anonymous $6 million gift that promises to help hundreds of UMUC students weather the economic downturn; five new awards from the Maryland Distance Learning Association and the University Continuing Education Association that confirm UMUC’s leadership role in the field of distance learning; and an exciting new online Master of Arts in Teaching degree program that responds to projected shortages of high school teachers in important fields like earth/ space science, computer science, and mathematics.

That’s in addition to the usual Class Notes and Faculty Kudos that highlight the accomplishments of other graduates and faculty of this remarkable university. It’s all in this issue of Achiever, and I trust you’ll read and enjoy it—and be inspired, as I have been, by the men and women whose lives reassure us that the future is always bright for those who work hard, persevere, and hold firmly to their dreams.

Sincerely,

Susan C. Aldridge, PhD President University of Maryland University College

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Cover Story

Susan C. Aldridge, PhD SPECIAL ASSISTANT TO THE PRESIDENT FOR

6 The New Guys

by Allan Zackowitz

Marketing and Communications

James Hambright Associate vice President of Marketing and Communications

Tracy Mucci

How new American citizens Robb Wilmot and Rod Urand have been reminding their countrymen and countrywomen that the right to vote is a very precious thing.

director of public relations

Chip Cassano Art Director and Photo Editor

Cynthia Friedman Contributing Writer

Allan Zackowitz Production Manager

Bill Voltaggio The Achiever is published three times a year by Marketing and Communications at University of Maryland University College, Adelphi, Maryland. Call 240-582-2509 with your comments and suggestions, or send e-mail to ccassano@umuc.edu. University of Maryland University College subscribes to a policy of equal education and ­employment opportunities.

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Wastewater: 5,719 Gallons Solid waste: 946 lbs The summer 2009 Achiever text pages are printed on forest-friendly Centura Dull Text and Centura Dull Cover FSC paper.

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COVER PHOTOGRAPH AND CENTER, THIS PAGE, CADE MARTIN; TOP RIGHT: KATHERINE LAMBERT; BOTTOM RIGHT: ROBERT RISKO

As the global community comes to terms with an economic crisis of historic proportions, attention has turned to the importance of restoring confidence— confidence in our leaders, in our financial system, in our very way of life.

News and Updates

Features

2

10 Funny Business

by Chip Cassano

Department of Defense Picks UMUC to Teach Troops in Asia

2 Anonymous $6 Million Gift Helps UMUC Students Weather Economic Woes 3 MDLA and UCEA Awards Cement

UMUC’s Reputation as the Leader in Distance Education 4

UMUC Launches Online MAT

4

UMUC Signs Collaborative Agreement with Bulgarian University

Matt Kissane makes it as a comic actor thanks to talent, hard work, and good business sense.

14 A Spectacular Life

by Allan Zackowitz From Texas to Europe, Alaska, and beyond . . .

18 UMUC Honors Wounded Warriors

10

19 Faculty Kudos and Class Notes

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News & Updates Anonymous gift boosts the campaign for umuc Anonymous $6 Million Gift Helps UMUC Students Weather Economic Woes B y U M U C Publ i c Relations

U.S. Department of Defense Picks UMUC to Teach Troops in Asia B y U M UC Publ ic Relat i on s

The U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) chose University of Maryland University College (UMUC) to deliver undergraduate programs onsite to U.S. troops stationed in countries in the U.S. Pacific Command (PACOM).

UMUC has been on the ground providing higher education to military servicemembers in Asia since 1956 and to the military as a whole since 1949. The new contract runs for 12 months, renewable each year up to a total of six years, and is valued at an estimated $180 million.

“University of Maryland University College has a long tradition of providing a quality education to our men and women in uniform, in Maryland and abroad,” said Maryland Governor Martin O’Malley. “We are proud that this fine school—part of the University System of Maryland—has been called upon to continue that tradition and extend its offerings to servicemembers across Asia, allowing them to continue

their studies and prepare for a brighter future while protecting our country.”

Under the contract, UMUC’s programs will be available to the more than 200,000 U.S. servicemembers based in Japan, Korea, Okinawa, Guam, Australia, Singapore and Thailand. Courses will be offered in Asian and foreign language studies and liberal arts; a bachelor’s degree in education will be offered in partnership with UMUC’s sister institution, Bowie State University.

“Today’s announcement reinforces UMUC as an invaluable asset statewide, nationwide, and worldwide,” said University System of Maryland Chancellor William E. Kirwan. “This DoD contract positions UMUC to continue as the leading education provider for U.S. military personnel and their dependents. With more than 50 flag officers among UMUC graduates and more than 1 million servicemembers having taken courses from UMUC over the

Achiever | 2 | University of Maryland University College

UMUC’s presence in Asia dates back to 1956. (Above left) Students visit a temple during a field trip in Japan.

(Left) Chancellor Ray Ehrensberger visits Danang Air Base in Vietnam in 1966.

(Above) Augustus J. Prahl, first director of what is now UMUC Asia, visits the Chosun Pagoda in Korea, 1956.

past 60 years, it is clear the institution is the worldwide education leader.”

UMUC currently teaches in more than 20 countries, including some in Europe and the Middle East. Last year, the university attracted media attention when it announced a DoD contract to teach troops stationed in countries in the U.S. Central Command, positioning it as the first American university to open classrooms on the ground in Iraq.

“UMUC is now serving its third generation of servicemembers in Asia and around the world, and we are pleased and proud to continue our legacy of providing quality higher education programs to our nation’s troops, no matter where they are called to serve,” said UMUC President Susan C. Aldridge.

UMUC received an anonymous $6 million donation in March 2009, with $1 million allotted to unrestricted funds and $5 million earmarked for scholarships.

Half of the scholarship monies are being held in reserve to fund future scholarships.

The remaining $2.5 million are being disbursed immediately and in the coming academic year, funding approximately 400 partial and full scholarships ranging from $1,000 to $20,000.

“It would be hard to exaggerate the immediate, measurable, and lasting impact that this remarkable act of generosity will have on the lives of hundreds of UMUC students, particularly in these challenging economic times,” said UMUC President Susan C. Aldridge.

“We can only hope that this donor—whom we do not know and cannot thank in person— will hear our heartfelt thanks amplified a thousandfold in the gratitude of the students whose lives he or she has touched and whose futures have been made

The anonymous $6 million gift that UMUC received in March 2009 made a huge impact on The Campaign for UMUC, a comprehensive fundraising effort which kicked off in 2004 with a goal of $26 million. The Campaign for UMUC ends in 2011; to date, the university has reached the 75 percent mark.

Earlier, UMUC celebrated reaching the halfway point of the campaign when its annual Faculty/Staff Campaign collected donations from 47 percent of all UMUC employees, netting more than $200,000 for scholarships and special projects.

Ultimately, the Campaign for UMUC will provide $14 million for scholarships and endowed chairs, $8 million for the Arts Program, $2 million for academic programs, and $2 million in unrestricted funds.

Stay tuned for more stories that highlight the objectives and impact of UMUC’s ongoing fundraising campaign.

To make a gift, visit umuc.edu/legacy.

Building a Legacy of Educational opportunities

University of maryland university college The campaign for umuc

brighter by the promise of higher education.”

The university has already begun identifying scholarship recipients using need- and merit-based criteria. The majority of funds will go to graduates of Maryland community colleges, the spouses of active-duty or retired military servicemembers and applicants to UMUC’s new Master of Arts in Teaching program, which promises to address critical shortages of high school teachers in fields like computer science, earth/space science and mathematics.

MDLA and UCEA Awards Cement UMUC’s Reputation in Distance Ed

By UM UC Publ ic Relations

In March 2009, UMUC won three awards from the Mary-

land Distance Learning Association (MDLA) for distance administrator, program, and course of the year. The following month, the university added the Outstanding Continuing Education Student Award and the Excellence in Teaching Award from the University Continuing Education Association (UCEA).

Loyce Pailen, associate provost, Office of Instructional Services and Support, was recognized by MDLA as Distance Administrator of the Year. UMUC’s online Master of Business Administration (MBA) program was recognized as Distance Program of the Year, and its Elementary Chinese course received the honor of Course of the Year.

The awards ceremony, honoring UMUC’s achievements were held March 5, 2009, at the Sheppard Pratt Conference Center in Baltimore.

“As a higher education institution that is commit-

ted to setting the standard for quality distance learning, UMUC is proud to be honored for our acclaimed MBA program, experienced leadership, and innovative coursework,” said UMUC President Susan C. Aldridge.

“It’s an honor to be recognized by the Maryland Distance Learning Association, and we look forward to continuing our commitment to providing students in Maryland and globally with exceptional online educational opportunities.”

Pailen received the award for Distance Administrator of the Year for her leadership in the Office of Instructional Services and Support, where she oversees distance course support and the support of instruction. In that role, Pailen helped bring together subject matter experts, peer reviewers, editors, and faculty to lead the way in offering superior online course materials to students.

UMUC’s MBA program, which received the Distance Program of the Year award, is offered online or through a hybrid format of online and on-site instruction.

The program was recognized for its flexibility, meeting the needs of working professionals, and providing excellence in instruction through program design and delivery.

Similarly, the university’s elementary Chinese course was honored as Course of the Year. UMUC’s overarching design philosophy in developing online language courses combines the best instructional design with the latest distance learning theories and practices available anywhere.

MDLA is a nonprofit association of learning professionals who advocate and promote the coordination and use of distance learning in education, training, research, and business in and around Maryland.

UCEA is the principal U.S. organization for continuing higher education. The association assists institutions of higher learning and affiliated nonprofit organizations to increase access through a wide array of educational programs and services.

In April, UCEA named Luis E. Ascanio an Outstanding Continuing Education Student for 2009. Ascanio is a multilingual pharmaceutical marketing executive with

Loyce Pailen, winner of the Distance Administrator of the Year award from the Maryland Distance Learning Association.

a background in cellular and molecular biology. He moved to the United States from Venezuela in 2005 and came to UMUC shortly thereafter, immediately distinguishing himself in the MS in biotechnology program.

In supporting Ascanio’s nomination, Rana Khan, PhD, head of the graduate

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News & Updates

biotechnology program, wrote, “In [our] first meeting, he came across as a very thorough and determined person who would, no matter the challenges, persist until he achieved his goal.... Luis’s postings not only added value to classroom discussions, but were clear, concise, and well written . . . I was also impressed by his excellent critical thinking skills and analysis of complex scientific research articles.”

UCEA also granted Jim Q. Chen—UMUC’s program director of information assurance—a 2009 Excellence in Teaching Award.

Muriel K. Oaks, chair of the UCEA Awards and Honors Committee, wrote, “My congratulations! As is always the case, the pool of nominees for both awards was extremely strong, and it’s a testimony to the quality of your candidates that they rose to the top of the group.”

UMUC Responds to Teacher Shortages, Launches Online MAT B y U MUC Publ ic Relat i on s

Virginia Pilato, chair of the education department and director of teacher education at UMUC

of certification and accreditation in the Maryland State Department of Education—to chair of education department, where she will oversee the new program.

“With more than 40 years of experience in education, Dr. Pilato is an extremely talented addition to the UMUC team, and her expertise will be a significant advantage for the university,” said UMUC President Susan C. Aldridge, adding, “UMUC has a long history of serving the needs of adult students while also responding to the demands of the workforce. We are particularly pleased, then, to offer the new Master of Arts in Teaching online, which promises to open doors to a field with ongoing demand for skilled personnel while at the same time responding to current and projected shortages of qualified teachers in Maryland and nationwide.”

Given the troubled state of the economy, the MAT program is expected to be particularly appealing to individuals who wish to enter a more stable industry. The program is designed for students who hold a degree outside the field of education and wish to teach computer

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science, earth/space science, mathematics, or English at the secondary level. Coursework for the MAT program will include field experience that combines a 9-credit internship with a professional seminar and an on-site residency. Graduates of the program will be eligible to apply for the Standard Professional Certificate I and receive their Maryland state teacher certification.

To help students prepare for the MAT program, UMUC also offers a Praxis/MAT online preparation course. The eight-week noncredit course is designed to prepare

UMUC Signs Collaborative Agreement with Bulgarian University B y U M U C Publ i c Relations

UMUC signed an innovative, collaborative agreement with the Higher School of Insurance and Finance (VUZF), Bulgaria’s first private institution of higher education.

President Susan C. Aldridge and VUZF President Grigorii Vazov signed the agreement at a special ceremony on

UMUC President Susan C. Aldridge with VUZF President Grigorii Vazov.

PHOTOGRAPH TOP: Chip cassano

UMUC will launch a new Master of Arts in Teaching (MAT) degree program for secondary education in the fall, with concentrations in computer science, earth/space science, mathematics, and English.

Aside from a required inclassroom internship, the program will be offered online, allowing students to accommodate their own busy personal and professional schedules.

The university hired Virginia Pilato, PhD—who served most recently as state director

students to take the PRAXIS test, which is required for admission to any teaching program.

Students who wish to enter the program must have earned at least 36 credits in one of the areas of concentration; earned a grade point average of 3.0 or higher in the area of concentration; earned a cumulative grade point average of 3.0 for their highest degree earned; and passed either the Praxis I or another MSDE-approved certification exam.

January 16, 2009. United States Ambassador to Bulgaria Nancy McEldowney attended, along with Martin Klepetko, ambassador of the Czech Republic to Bulgaria.

Also present were more than 300 guests and distinguished representatives from government, the local and international business community, and higher education.

The signing attracted widespread media coverage overseas. President Aldridge was interviewed on Bulgarian national television and radio and also by the Standard, Dnevnik Business, the Monitor, the online news site MediaPool, and others.

The four-year, residential program will allow students to earn a Bachelor of Science in finance from UMUC while simultaneously completing a Bachelor of Finance degree from VUZF. The program, which starts in fall 2009, will combine VUZF coursework with upper-division UMUC courses in finance, accounting, business writing, and other disciplines. The UMUC courses will be taught at VUZF’s Sofia campus by select UMUC faculty. Students of the program will enjoy full access to UMUC’s extensive online library and student resources.

“We are honored to sign this agreement with the Higher School of Insurance and Finance,” said UMUC President Susan C. Aldridge. “Financial crises have impacted countries worldwide in recent months, highlighting the need—in all sectors of public and private enterprise—for leaders who hold solid financial credentials. We at UMUC are proud to be able to play a role in helping position students of VUZF to fill that need

in Bulgaria and across the European Union.”

The program is projected to enroll at least 100 students in its first term and to grow over time. Students who complete the program successfully will enter the workforce with a truly global perspective on finance and related fields, as well as with a much-coveted

high level of proficiency in business English.

“Our partnership with UMUC is unique in Bulgaria and I am confident that it will prove very valuable,” said Dr. Vazov, president of VUZF. “Up until now, we have exported our students.

It is time to let our students live and study in Bulgaria

while obtaining a higher education similar to that which is available in the U.S., U.K., and Western Europe. I want to thank Dr. Aldridge for her patience and trust from the beginning of this collaboration, as well as our competent American and Bulgarian teams who have joined to work on this program.” v

Creative.

Caring.

Committed.

Join a faculty committed to helping students succeed.

As a University of Maryland University College (UMUC) faculty member, you’ll help prepare mature, motivated students to become tomorrow’s leaders. Teaching at UMUC has a variety of benefits, including • Part-time positions in accounting, finance, information systems management, project management, and many other disciplines • A teaching career that fits into your professional life • State-of-the-art instructional technologies • Comprehensive training and support EOE/F/MC/V. Women and minority applicants are strongly encouraged to apply.

To learn more and apply, visit umuc.edu/facultyrecruit

Copyright © 2009 University of Maryland University College

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the

New

guys B y A l l an Z a c k o w i t z

How new American citizens Robb Wilmot and Rod Urand have been helping remind their countrymen and countrywomen that the right to vote is a very precious thing.

Copyright Š 2009 by CADE MARTIN

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Rod Urand, from Australia, and Robb Wilmot, from Jamaica, have been best friends from the time they first met 15 years ago.

S

So there you are, kicked back in your living room, doing a bit of channel surfing before dinner, and you notice these two guys on Fox News in bright red, white, and blue American flag shirts, and they’re talking about how excited they are to have voted for the first time in a U.S. presidential election, and how University of Maryland University College . . .

Wait a minute. What was that? How did UMUC become part of this story?

Meet Robb Wilmot and Rod Urand. They’re best friends, have been for years. Wilmot is from Jamaica, Urand from Australia.

About 15 years ago, both were fairly new to the United States.

Wilmot was directing a YMCA international summer program, and he hired Urand to work as one of his camp counselors.

“We hit it off right away,” Wilmot said. “And we both decided independently to become U.S. citizens, but at about the same time.” Wilmot was sworn in July 2006, and Urand followed his lead a few months later. Both immediately registered to vote.

They had witnessed previous U.S. presidential elections, and they were looking forward to voting in 2008. While both had emigrated from nominal democracies, their homeland experiences with elections were quite a bit different from what they had witnessed in the United States.

“I come from Jamaica. The first two-party election I was old enough to know about in the early 1980s,” Wilmot said, “a thousand people were killed in the streets.

The fact that those things don’t happen here was amazing to me.”

“We didn’t have people dying during elections,” Urand said.

“But in Australia voting is mandatory. It’s not even a right; it’s more of a responsibility. Over here it’s a right, but I think some people have lost sight of that and take the process for granted. The 2000 election made me realize that every vote counts,” he added.

As the election drew closer and the campaign heated up, the pair grew more excited. It didn’t hurt that Wilmot supported John McCain while Urand favored Barack Obama. By spring 2008, both were enrolled as students at UMUC, and even though they were studying computer science, they decided to register for an introductory political science course, taught by Robert Bromber, PhD. As Wilmot explained, “We’re in this class because we’re taking this process seriously.”

The class turned out to be an opportunity to teach as well as learn, as Wilmot and Urand discovered that a number of their classmates were approaching the upcoming election on a superficial level, basing their support for a candidate on little more than party affiliation, race, or a variety of preconceptions. Few showed a real interest in discussing the important issues facing the nation or the positions that separated the candidates. In fact, the two “new Americans” seemed to be more excited than anyone else about the upcoming election.

“In a politics class, how is [the election] not the biggest issue?”

Urand asked. “How is this not the main thing we should be talking about? If you’re enrolled in a political science class, even at a 100 level, you would like to think that you’re making informed decisions.”

Together, Wilmot and Urand challenged their classmates, pushing them to focus on the hard issues and debate the candidates’

“ So many adults just aren’t involved and really don’t have anything to say,” Wilmot said. “They will complain, but they won’t vote. We saw some real

progress from the beginning to the end of the class.”

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merits on a deeper level. Drawing on their professional backgrounds as trainers and motivational speakers (each owns his own company while partnering in a third), the two pushed a dialogue that got others thinking and talking about the election process, too. In the end, they both felt that they had made a difference and they were able to see a change in the attitudes of many of the other students.

“So many adults just aren’t involved and really don’t have anything to say,” Wilmot said. “They will complain, but they won’t vote. We saw some real progress from the beginning to the end of the class.”

At the same time, they got a chance to carry their message to a broader audience. Both Wilmot and Urand had been e-mailing friends and acquaintances about their involvement in the political process. One person who received those e-mails was a man Wilmot had hired as a young counselor-in-training back when Wilmot was directing the international summer program. The young man had grown up to be a director of Fox News in Washington, D.C., and he thought that Wilmot’s and Urand’s story would make a good feature. He even arranged for a limousine to pick the two up and transport them to the Fox studios for their interview.

“I think even more people saw [the election] differently after they saw us on Fox News,” Wilmot said.

The two men don’t always

Despite their brief brush agree on politics—Urand supported Obama, Wilmot with fame, neither Wilmot supported McCain—but they nor Urand has lost sight of his agree completely that the goal to earn a UMUC degree. right to vote is precious.

Wilmot, who took advantage of the Co-op and Excel programs to earn additional credits, will graduate with his bachelor’s degree in computer studies in 2009. Urand, who enrolled later, will finish the same degree in 2010 or 2011. Both plan to move on to graduate study at UMUC. “For me, this whole school thing is a habit now,” Urand said, “and I know this might sound a little strange, but I can’t imagine a time when I won’t be taking classes.”

Wilmot agreed. “I fully expect that some day down the road, you will see the two of us teaching at UMUC as part-time faculty.

That’s the goal.”

And just in case you’re wondering—both men aced the political science class. v _______________________________________________ For more about Robb Wilmot and Rod Urand, visit www.mapatazi. com and www.yacken.com, respectively. To see them on Fox News, visit http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I5Pm1lU5X-w.

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fu n ny

Business

By Chip Cassano

An actor, comedian, and businessman walks out on stage . . .

It might sound like the setup to an old joke, but it’s just another day at the “office” for UMUC graduate and comic actor Matt Kissane.

10 | University of Maryland University College Achiever | 12

Copyright © 2009 by ROBERT RISKO

I

n the mid-1980s, Matt Kissane probably wasn’t that different from many of his college-age peers at University of Maryland, College Park. He joined a fraternity, made the rugby team, worked at the campus radio station, wrote a few stories for the student paper, and even dreamed about being a standup comic.

“I did pretty well in my studies at first,” said Kissane, “and I made the B honor roll. But then I guess I forgot why I was there, and I started majoring in beer and girls.” Soon enough, Kissane got a letter informing him that he’d been expelled.

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It turned out to be the wakeup call Kissane needed. Instead of moving back home, he applied to University of Maryland University College (UMUC), transferred the credits he had already earned, and set out to complete his undergraduate degree in communications.

“Once I enrolled at UMUC, I really buckled down,” said Kissane. “I actually enjoyed it more—the teachers were more down to earth, and the students were so much more focused on learning and finishing their degrees. . . . When it finally came time to graduate, it was such a wonderful experience to march into the basketball stadium, with 10,000 people in the stands and my mom and dad looking on. I’ll never forget it.”

“It’s funny, now, looking back, but when you go from delivering pizzas and making $75 a night to delivering a singing telegram and making between $75 and $150 for 20 minutes of work, maybe you do that five or 10 times a week, and pretty soon you can buy a car, you can move out of Mom and Dad’s basement, and you’re on your way.”

An Industry in Decline That’s not to say that life was easy. Standup comedy is a grueling way to make a living, as Kissane learned firsthand. Though he had his share of successes—opening for bigname stars like “Weird Al” Yankovic and Kevin Nealon—those highlights were offset by months of modest paychecks from unknown clubs.

“In comedy, the payMatt Kissane in character as the late Chris Farley of Saturday Night off comes when you get Live fame, also a graduate of The Second City in Chicago. to play the big room or maybe land a corporate Acting Like a Nerd gig, and you get $1,200 Kissane still dreamed about being a standup comic, but now for 45 minutes of work,” said Kissane. “Oh, you hear he had a foundation of hard work and discipline on which to about guys like Jerry Seinfeld or Ray Romano, and yes, build. He headed back home to Chicago, where he enrolled they’re going out and making $50,000 for an appearance. in acting classes at The Second City—the famed alma I’m sure they’re loving life. But for every Jerry and every mater of comic talents like Jim Belushi, Chris Farley, Tim Ray, there are a million Matt Kissanes driving eight hours Meadows, and later, Stephen Colbert and Tina Fey. one-way from Chicago to Michigan’s Upper Peninsula to More importantly, Kissane found his first job as a stay in a terrible, flea-bag motel and earn $200.” comic actor—and with it, the confidence that came from To make matters worse, the industry was going knowing that he could make a living as an entertainer. through a downturn. In the 1980s and early 1990s, com “I met a guy who had an entertainment company, and edy clubs were wildly popular, and it seemed like a bar on he would send people out to birthday parties and corpoevery street corner sponsored a comedy night. By the late rate events dressed up as nerds. Technically, was I acting?

1990s, though, the economy was slowing, and the boom Well, yes, I was. I was acting like a nerd, but I was actended for comedy, as well. Fortunately, Kissane was preing,” said Kissane. pared for the shift.

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“I’d always known that comedy wasn’t the safest industry to work in,” he said.

“Even in the good days, events would get cancelled at the last minute, leaving you without work. So I started a little entertainment agency, working out of my home, doing whatever it took to keep the business running while I did standup and auditioned for commercials.”

Kissane served as his own agent, booking other comedians and deejays as well.

He’d studied video production as an undergraduate, so he also took work as a videographer—shooting weddings, corporate events, and the occasional music video. The business grew slowly but steadily, and finally Kissane realized that he had to make a decision about which way his life would go.

“I really wanted to succeed as a standup comic, but it got to the point where I had to look in the mirror and say, ‘You know, you’re 35 years old, you’re not married, and you don’t own a house. On the other hand, you’re doing local standup, and you’ve got this little business that’s successful.’ And I realized that I wanted a normal life, but if I kept going on the road, I was never going to have it. It would be hard to explain to a possible soulmate, ‘Look, I’m going to be gone probably six or seven months out of a year.’”

The Punch Line Today, Matt Kissane still does local standup, but he’s also in a Johnson & Johnson commercial—his first national television spot. He starred for months in a commercial for Vehix.com, which aired widely. He recently interviewed on WIND, one of the largest radio stations in the Midwest, and he made a guest appearance on the Real Food Summer School with celebrity chef Bobby Flay, which led to a write-up in USA Today and a mention in the Wall Street Journal. In many ways, his dreams have come true.

“A lot of guys just don’t understand that this is show business,” said Kissane. “It’s a business. You market yourself, you listen to your agent and your publicist, and you do what you have to do. I see some guys, and they’re comfortable making $300 or $400 a week. And if that’s what they want, that’s fine; but it wasn’t for me.

“I’m a homeowner, I’m a business owner, I’m a husband, and I’m a pet owner,” Kissane said, taking stock.

“A lot of guys just don’t understand that this is show business,” said Kissane. “It’s a business.

You market yourself, you listen to your agent and your publicist, and you do what you have to do.”

“I’m not a dad yet, but we’re working on that,” he added, laughing.

And to top it all off, his comedy has improved.

“When you first start out, a lot of comics are really bad, and I’m not going to lie to you: I was one of them. I did a lot of old jokes and bad impressions. But then you get a little more life experience. You buy your first car. You turn 30. You get married. You buy your first home. And you talk about your life, about your marriage and your in-laws, about politics. There’s just a lot more observational stuff than the 23-year-old Matt Kissane had to work with.”

Kissane paused and deadpanned the punch line: “What can I say? It’s a funny way to make a living.” v __________________________________________________ For more about Matt Kissane or to see him in action, visit www.mattkissane.com, or go to MySpace, Facebook, or YouTube and search for “Matt Kissane.”

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A Spectacular Life From Texas to Europe and Alaska and beyond, Willimina Grace Lawrence has served her country and written her way through a life that has been anything but ordinary.

B y A l l an Z a c k o w i t z

“I

didn’t do anything spectacular,” Willimina

Grace Lawrence said modestly. She went on to explain that, as a UMUC graduate, she receives the Achiever and often marvels at other graduate’s accomplishments.

But sitting in her small, sunny room in a retirement center in Rockville, Maryland, Lawrence was surrounded by memories and mementos of a 77-year life that has been anything but ordinary. On one wall, a bulletin board was covered with photos of her children and late husband, ules. A 2009 “Women in the Military” calendar hinted at her past life, and a few homey pieces of personal furniture displayed more recent pictures of family and friends, along with greeting cards and favorite knickknacks. She placed more mementos on her colorful bedspread to use as reminders as she talked about her adventures.

Achiever | 14 16 | University of Maryland University College

Copyright © 2009 by katherine lambert

letters, postcards, bits of poetry, and daily activity sched-

www.umuc.edu | 15 | Achiever www.umuc.edu | 17 | Achiever

“I wanted to do something with my life and see different things,” she explained.

The “Most Photographed Girl in Wiesbaden”

Lawrence grew up in Clifton, New Jersey, just across the Hudson River from New York City. As a middle child among 14 children—she has six older sisters and seven younger brothers—it came as no surprise that Lawrence struck out on her own soon after finishing high school.

“I wanted to do something with my life and see different things,” she explained.

She enlisted in the Women’s Air Force soon after graduation.

It wasn’t a very traditional career choice for a young woman in 1950, but it certainly promised excitement. The U.S. Air Force was in its infancy, having been created as an independent service from the old Army Air Corps.

“I was one of the very first WAFs to join after the Korean War started,” Lawrence said. “When I first got in, we were 16 | University of Maryland University College Achiever | 18

issued Army uniforms because the Air Force uniforms weren’t ready yet.”

Following basic training at Lackland Air Force Base in Texas, Lawrence was sent to clerk-typist school at F. E. Warren Air Force Base in Cheyenne, Wyoming. Her first assignment after finishing clerk-typist school was at Brooks Air Force Base back in Texas, where part of her duties included writing her squadron’s column for the Brooks Banner under the byline “Willie the WAF.” Writing was something Lawrence was always good at in school, and eventually it led her to UMUC. First, though, she headed for Europe, where she was assigned to the U.S. Air Force, Europe, headquarters in Wiesbaden, Germany. Later, she would be attached to the NATO forces in Naples, Italy. As part of the Allied Occupying Forces in Germany, Lawrence was trained in evacuation procedures, in case the Cold War heated up in Berlin and the U.S. military had to evacuate troops and civilians across the Rhine River. She never got to use those skills in Germany, but they would come in handy later in her career.

As her Air Force career progressed, Lawrence continued to write. In Germany she wrote a gossip column for the Wiesbaden Post under the byline “Willo’ the Whisper.” She submitted material to several military newspapers and to a publication for American women of the military in Southern Europe, and she contributed frequently to the Pup Tent Poets of The Stars and Stripes, Europe.

She found other outlets for her creativity, as well, performing on stage with a military acting group—the Wiesbaden Command Players—and modeling for the command photo lab, an assignment that brought her the unofficial title of “most photographed girl in Wiesbaden.”

It was in Germany that Lawrence first learned about UMUC and decided that a college degree would help her writing career, especially if she wanted to work for civilian publications when she returned to the States. Soon she was working toward her bachelor’s degree, taking classes in a wide range of subjects, including public relations, publication design, poetry, and even art and music history.

“I thought I might like to be a critic some day,” she said.

While her transfer to Italy slowed her progress, it did offer her the opportunity to study Italian.

Italy was also where she met her husband-to-be, Bobby Lawrence, a Navy man who was also assigned to NATO in Naples.

After surviving a flood that nearly destroyed her barracks, Lawrence completed her military service in 1954, came back to the United States, got married, and immediately returned to Italy, this time as a Navy wife. For the next three years, Lawrence worked as a staff aid and librarian for the Red Cross in Naples, while she continued to write articles and columns for a variety of military newspapers.

“In Germany, I trained for evacuations but never got to do that,” Lawrence said. “During the Suez Crisis, though, I got my chance.” That was in 1956, and the U.S. 6th Fleet began evacuating American military and civilian personnel from Egypt and elsewhere in the Middle East as tensions grew over control of the Suez Canal. Many of the evacuees were routed through Naples, where Lawrence worked on the team that provided them with care and temporary housing, and arranged safe transportation to their new posts.

That same year, Lawrence also played a small but important part in the aftermath of what became known as one of history’s most famous maritime disasters—the sinking of the Italian ocean liner Andrea Doria off the coast of Massachusetts following a collision with the Swedish ship Stockholm. The Red Cross director and her assistant were away, so Lawrence was left to handle all the calls that came in about the Andrea Doria, as people across Italy clamored for news and information about survivors and casualties.

In 1957, Lawrence moved back to the States with her husband, who had been assigned to Washington, D.C., as a recruiter.

There, the couple started a family—a daughter born in 1957 and a son born in 1959, both at Bethesda Naval Hospital—and Lawrence worked a series of administrative jobs with the federal government, including a position with NASA during the early years of the U.S. space program. She visited the White House several times as part of NASA’s efforts to increase its visibility.

“They wanted people to ‘wave the flag,’” Lawrence said, “so I got to go to the Rose Garden and see the dignitaries.”

After Lawrence’s husband was promoted to chief petty officer, the family spent two tours of duty in Kodiak, Alaska, where Lawrence wrote for the Kodiak Mirror. She was the only woman on the staff, and she reported all the base news for the community. As luck would have it, she once again got to use her Air Force evacuation training when she and her family were caught in the 1964 Good Friday earthquake, which measured 8.5 on the Richter scale, qualifying it as the most powerful earthquake ever recorded on U.S. soil. The earthquake caused an even more deadly and devastating tidal wave, and Lawrence worked to help evacuate local villagers from affected areas.

In 1969, Lawrence’s husband retired from the Navy as a senior chief petty officer, and the family moved back to the Washington, D.C., area again. Lawrence accepted a position as a substitute teacher in the Prince George’s County school system—and got back to work on her UMUC degree. She took courses at the university’s headquarters in Adelphi, Maryland, and at the Pentagon, back in the days before tightened security restricted public access to the complex. Finally, in 1984, Lawrence graduated with a Bachelor of Arts from UMUC, with specializations in journalism and English. It had been more than 30 years from the time she first took UMUC classes in Germany.

Willimina Lawrence (left) with her daughter, who also graduated from UMUC.

Since then, Lawrence has returned occasionally to take graduate courses, but not with the intention of completing a degree. She studies, she said, “[because] I think it improves my writing skills.”

That’s been important, because Lawrence continued writing for local newspapers until she retired from the Prince George’s County school system, and even now she continues to write, although mostly for pleasure and to record family histories.

“I still write poetry for different people here [at the retirement center],” said Lawrence. “For birthdays and such, I give them a poem.”

After retiring, she also got involved in efforts to establish a women’s military memorial and museum in Arlington, Virginia.

“I worked with [Air Force Brig. Gen. Wilma L. Vaught], who started the foundation,” Lawrence said. Today, the Women in Military Service for America Memorial is located at the ceremonial entrance to Arlington National Cemetery. It stands as the only major national memorial honoring all women who have defended America throughout history. It opened in 1997 and attracts more than 200,000 visitors each year. The affiliated museum includes a computerized database of information about all the women who are registered there—including one Willimina Grace Lawrence.

“You just press a button and there I am,” Lawrence said.

“When the memorial first opened, women from all the services, in groups, marched across Memorial Bridge by candlelight with bands playing music for each service, and [our group] shouted ‘Air Force, Aim High!’”

Lawrence smiled. Even in the retelling, it sounded . . . well, spectacular. v www.umuc.edu | |19 17| | Achiever Achiever www.umuc.edu

faculty kudos

UMUC Helps Honor O

Wounded Warriors

Nicholas AllEn, UMUC’s provost emeritus and a collegiate professor in the Graduate School of Management and Technology, chaired a panel discussion on analytics and learning outcomes at the IMS Global Learning Consortium Learning Impact Conference, May 12–15, 2008, in Austin, Texas. He also served as the plenary speaker at the 82nd annual conference of the Distance Education and Training Council, April 13–15, 2008, in Boston, Massachusetts, where he gave a presentation entitled, “The Changing World of Distance Education.”

n March 18, 2009, UMUC joined a St. Patrick’s Day celebration honoring America’s wounded warriors. The event was sponsored by the Yellow Ribbon Fund, a not-for-profit organization that assists injured servicemembers and their families as they recuperate at Walter Reed Army Medical Center and the National Naval Medical Center.

Agnes Bouldin, a program director and collegiate professor in UMUC’s Graduate School of Management and Technology, presented “Standardizing How We Share Information in Healthcare—An Introduction to HITSP (Healthcare Information Technology Standards Panel)” at the 17th Annual Workgroup for Electronic Data Exchange (WEDI) National Conference in Baltimore, Maryland, May 20–22, 2008.

UMUC has offices at both Walter Reed and the National Naval Medical Center, and UMUC President Susan C. Aldridge was joined at the event by Drew Wilson, UMUC’s director of support for Maryland Operations, and Cherie Lucas-Aker, coordinator for UMUC’s office at Walter Reed. Six of UMUC’s own wounded warriors—students who were injured while on active duty who are continuing their education while they recuperate—also attended.

“I was honored and touched to be able to meet and talk with these brave soldiers, who have sacrificed so much for their country,” said Aldridge. “At the same time, I am most proud that UMUC is able to help them continue their education while they recover, preparing them to reenter the workforce and better positioning them to succeed when they do.” v

(Right) Maryland Governor Martin O’Malley; (far right) UMUC student Javier Torres-Roman with UMUC President Susan C. Aldridge.

Achiever Achiever || 18 20 || University University of of Maryland Maryland University University College College

far left: Photo courtesy of Daniel Henry, Walter Reed Army Medical Center, © 2009.

The band O’Malley’s March—which is fronted by none other than Maryland State Governor Martin O’Malley—entertained the guests with more than an hour of Celtic music. The event was held at the Mologne House, a hotel on the grounds of Walter Reed that now houses hundreds of convalescing wounded warriors and members of their families.

Lynda Bourne, an adjunct assistant professor in UMUC’s Graduate School of Management and Technology, published “Practice Note: Advancing Theory and Practice for Successful Implementation of Stakeholder Management in Organizations” in the International Journal of Management Projects in Business, Vol. 1, No. 4. She also wrote the chapter, “Stakeholder Mapping,” in Construction Stakeholder Management (Wiley-Blackwell, 2009), edited by E. Chinyhio and P. Olomolaiye.

Alan Carswell, program director of management information systems in UMUC”s Graduate School of Management and Technology, presented, “Instructor Practice, Course Content, and Student Outcomes in a Distance Education Environment,” at the European Distance and E-Learning Network (EDEN) Fifth Research Conference in Paris, France.

Melanie P. Cohen, a collegiate assistant professor in UMUC’s Graduate School of Management and Technology, published (with Louise Fry) “Spiritual Leadership as a Paradigm for Organizational Transformation and Recovery from Extended Work Hours Culture” in the Journal of Business Ethics, Vol. 84, No. 2.

Dianne Conrad, a collegiate professor in UMUC’s Graduate School of Management and Technology, published a number of journal articles in 2008, including “Reflecting on Strategies for a New Learning Culture: Can We Do It?” in the Journal of Distance Education, Vol. 22, No. 3, and “From Community to Community of Practice: Exploring the Connection of Online Learners to Informational Learning in the Workplace,” in the American Journal of Distance Education, Vol. 22, No. 1. She won the Best Research Paper Award from the European Distance and E-Learning Network (EDEN) for 2008.

Donald D. Denton, an adjunct faculty member in UMUC’s Graduate School of Management and Technology, published Naming the Pain and Guiding the Care: The Central Tasks of Diagnosis (University Press of America, 2008).

Leslie Dinauer, a collegiate professor and program director of marketing in UMUC’s Graduate School of Management and Technology, presented “I Ran In for Toothpase but I Spent $200: Using the Galileo Model to Understand Consumer Spending Attitudes and Produce Effective Debt Counseling Messages” at the International Communication Association’s annual conference in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, May 2008.

Rafik Elias, an adjunct associate professor in UMUC’s Graduate School of Management and Technology, published “The Relationship Between Accounting Students’ Locus of Control and Their Whistleblowing Perception” in the Central Business Review, Vol. 28, No. 1.

Tim Green, an adjunct associate professor in the teacher education program in UMUC’s Graduate School of Management and Technology, published (with A. Brown) “Issues and Trends in Instructional Technology: Making the Most of Mobility and Ubiquity,” in M. Orey, V. J. McClendon, and R. M. Branch’s Educational Media and Technology Yearbook, Vol. 33 (2008), and “Video Podcasting in Perspective: The History, Technology, Aesthetics, and Instructional Uses of a New Medium” in the Journal of Educational Technology Systems, Vol. 36, No. 1. continued on page 20

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class notes faculty kudos continued from page 19

Thomas Hulsmann, a program director in UMUC’s Graduate School of Management and Technology, published “From Baobab to Bonsai: Revisiting Methodological Issues in the Costs and Economics of Distance Education and Distributed E-Learning,” a chapter in W. J. Bramble and S. Panda’s Economics of Distance and Online Learning (Kogan Page, 2008).

Rhonda Jones, a collegiate associate professor and program director of human resource management in UMUC’s Graduate School of Management and Technology, published “Social Capital: Bridging the Link Between Talent Management and Knowledge Management,” a chapter in V. Vaiman and C. Vance’s Smart Talent Management: Building Knowledge Capital for Competitive Advantage (Edward Elgar, 2008).

Bruce McClain, an adjunct professor in UMUC’s Graduate School of Management and Technology, published (with Scott Yetmar) “Retaining Client-Related Records and Documents to Enforce Fee Collection: How Far Can You Go?” in Catalyst: The Journal of the Ohio Society of CPAs, September/October 2008.

Ronald W. Morrison, an adjunct assistant professor in UMUC’s Graduate School of Management and Technology, published “Advancements in Evolutionary Algorithms for Dynamic Environments” in the International Journal of Pure and Applied Mathematics, Vol. 46, No. 2.

Charles Newman, a program director and collegiate professor in UMUC’s MBA program in the Graduate School of Management and Technology, presented “Information Technology Outsourcing Industries in the BRICS Countries–A Comparative Assessment” and “Experiential Learning: A US/China Graduate School Strategic Consulting Practicum, Utilizing Advanced Web Based Technology,” both at the May 2008 Oxford University Conference on Confronting the Challenge of Technology for Development: Experiences from the BRICS. Nainika Seth Patnayakuni, an adjunct associate professor in UMUC Graduate School of Management

and Technology, published (with R. Patnayakuni), “Online Matrimonial Sites and the Transformation of Arranged Marriage in India,” a chapter in Social Networking Communities and E-Dating Services: Concepts and Implications (Information Science Reference, 2008).

Laurence Peters, an adjunct professor in the teacher education program in UMUC’s Graduate School of Management and Technology, published “Meeting the Needs of the Vulnerable Learner: The Role of the Teacher in Bridging the Gap Between Informal and Formal Learning Using Digital Technologies” in Teena Willoughby and Eileen Wood’s Children’s Learning In a Digital World (Wiley-Blackwell, 2008).

Patricia Rife, adjunct associate professor in UMUC’s Graduate School of Management and Technology, published (with Al Henderson and Perry Charley) “Leetsoi Means ‘Yellow Dirt’ in the Navajo Language: Troubling Uranium Mining on Navajo Lands” in Indigenous Policy, Vol. XVIV, No. 1, and “Lise Meitner and the Dawn of the Nuclear Age: Her Discovery of Nuclear Fission 1938” in the Online Magazine of Science and Technology, October 2008.

James Stewart, a program director and collegiate professor in UMUC’s MBA program in the Graduate School of Management and Technology, presented “More Effectively Teaching Quantitative and Computer Software Topics Online” to the Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education.

Robert Tipple, academic director of marketing in UMUC’s School of Undergraduate Studies, presented a paper on student learning effectiveness at the 4th Annual United States–China Forum on Distance Education, held June 29–July 2, 2008, at UMUC’s Inn and Conference Center in Adelphi, Maryland.

Lisa Zimmerelli, director of the Effective Writing Center in UMUC’s School of Undergraduate Studies, was invited to present “Developing and Operating an Online Writing Center,” August 2008 at University Without Walls, University of Massachusetts, in Amherst. She continued on page 23

Achiever | 20 22 | University of Maryland University College

Richard T. Hopkins ’86

Hagerstown, Maryland, has worked for more than 35 years in the fire service, first as a relief driver and later as an apparatus operator at Western Enterprise Fire Co., in the 1970s.

In 1980, he accepted the post of battalion chief, a position he held for more than two decades, until he accepted an opening with the International Association of Firefighters in April 2008 as the hazardous materials/weapons of mass destruction training coordinator. In that capacity, he sets up training for IAFF union members across the United States and Canada. That is not an unfamiliar role, given that he has served for years as a part-time instructor at the Maryland Fire and Rescue Institute in Emmitsburg, Maryland, where he had earlier completed an executive officers training program. He is married, and he and his wife, JoAnn, have three grown children.

1980s

Glenn Wait ’93

Schweinfurt, Germany, started his UMUC education while serving in the U.S. Army and stationed in Germany in the 1980s. He reports that he has come full circle and, as of October 2008, is now deputy to the garrison commander for U.S. Army Garrison, Schweinfurt, Germany. He wrote, “I am proud to hang my UMUC flag in my office. Thanks for all you do, and if you ever need a cheerleader, I am your man!”

1990s

Jose Enrique Garcia ’95

Las Vegas, Nevada, after receiving his associate’s degree from UMUC, went on to complete a bachelor’s in health care administration and MEd in special education from Grand Canyon University in Phoenix, Arizona.

Building a Legacy of Educational opportunities

University of maryland university college The campaign for umuc

You can make a difference for our students.

The campaign for UMUC is a seven-year drive to achieve UMUC’s strategic vision as the leading global university, distinguished by the quality of education it provides, its commitment to students’ success, and the accessibility of its programs. Your generous gift can have a direct and immediate impact by allowing UMUC to • Make more academic scholarships available to a greater number of students in need • Enhance the cutting edge online technology that serves students around the world • Maintain the high quality of current academic programs and develop new programs in emerging career fields • Strengthen the economy by helping skilled professionals reenter the workforce

Three easy ways to make a gift 1. Visit umuc.edu/legacy 2. Call 240-684-5100 3. Mail a gift in the enclosed reply envelope

Helga Luest ’95

Frederick, Maryland, is CEO of the not-for-profit national victims’ rights and services organization Witness Justice.

Recently she reconnected with Nick Kline,

Copyright © 2009 University of Maryland University College

21 | Achiever www.umuc.edu | 23

class notes faculty kudos continued from page 20

umuc

national leadership institute Send us potential.

We’ll send you a leader.

a former high school classmate and now a photographer and arts professor at Rutgers University. The two collaborated on a project that explored a topic that concerns Witness Justice—that of self-injury and self-inflicted violence. Kline’s students were tasked with researching self-inflicted violence and developing books made entirely out of glass to represent what they had learned about the topic. The books then became part of an exhibit that traveled to a conference of the Center for Mental Health Services’ National Center for Trauma-Informed Care, a technical assistance center of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services in Washington, D.C., where Kline and Luest hope that they will help to broaden state and federal leaders’ understanding of self-injury and trauma.

2000s

Turn your organization’s rising stars into full-fledged leaders with the National Leadership Institute (NLI). NLI programs and one-day workshops give your most promising employees the skills to develop leadership competencies through assessments, experiential exercises and one-on-one coaching. NLI is a network associate of the Center for Creative Leadership (CCL) and a GSA/MOBIS contractor (GS#10F-0357N).

Choose from these programs: • Foundations of Leadership • Leadership Development Program (LDP)® • Negotiating Conflict Program • Online Leadership Assessment Program (OLAP)® • Executive Coaching

Enroll now.

Call 877.999.7195 or visit umuc.edu/nli

Copyright © 2009 University of Maryland University College

Achiever | 22 24 | University of Maryland University College

Pamela Stokes Eggleston ’01 & ’03

Bowie, Maryland, is the current president of the UMUC Alumni Association. Her career has spanned more than 15 years in criminal justice and substance abuse. A Purple Heart wife of an Operation Iraqi Freedom veteran, she works with a variety of veteran service organizations. She wrote, “I am enjoying myself and feel that I am able to help those who have dealt with similar issues.”

Theresa Poussaint ’01 & ‘05

Washington, DC, was appointed to the position of associate vice president of Alumni Affairs at UMUC. Earlier, she served on the Alumni Association Board and as president in 2006–2007. Also in 2007, she received the Edward A. Parnell Outstanding Alumna Service Award as well as the UMUC Women in Business Award.

In her new role, she will provide strategic direction and leadership to Alumni Affairs and work closely with the UMUC Alumni Association in fostering support and forging a strong partnership for and with the university from our alumni. Her love and

was invited to present “The Online Writing Center as a New Paradigm for Interconnectivity” at the European Writing Centers Association Conference at Freiburg, Germany, in June 2008, and earlier, in March 2008, she presented “Beyond Time and Place: Multimedia Tools for Online Writing Centers,” at the Conference on College Composition and Communication in New Orleans, Louisiana. v

belief in her alma mater is a true asset. She wrote, “I am honored and thrilled to serve my alma mater in this capacity.”

Wilma Brockington ’02

Bowie, Maryland, was elected to the board of directors of New Pathways, Inc., in November 2008. New Pathways provides counseling, independent living, and developmental opportunities for Maryland youth emerging from foster care systems. She also recently published her second novel, Office Politics (Simply Creative, 2009), which is available for purchase on her Web site, www.wilmabrockington.com. She is a certified senior professional in human resources and works for Verizon Communications as a human resources manager.

Gretchen Dickson ’04

Friendship, Maryland, completed her MLS online from Clarion University in Pennsylvania in December 2008. She wrote, “My degree in communication studies from UMUC, with a focus in technical writing, was quite helpful, both in terms of writing skills and computer skills. Now I have started a certificate in paralegal studies. I am planning to be a law librarian for my second career. I expect my UMUC bachelor’s degree to be very useful in both endeavors.”

Graham King ’04

Washington, D.C., is the owner of Balance Gym in the District of Columbia. He wrote, “I just returned from an around-theworld trip to Colorado, San Francisco, the Philippines, Thailand, and England.”

CORRECTION: In the spring 2009 issue of Achiever, Cynthia Davis, associate dean, Academic Affairs, in UMUC’s School of Undergraduate Studies, was incorrectly credited with editing Western Echoes of the Harlem Renaissance: The Life and Writings of Anita Scott Coleman. The actual editor of the book was Cynthia Davis, academic director of English literary arts in the department of Communication, Arts, and Humanities, also in the university’s School of Undergraduate Studies. We sincerely regret the error.

Jeanne Wohlford ‘04

Alcoa, Tennessee, joined the staff of the University of Tennessee Medical Center in Knoxville, Tennessee, as director of cardiovascular and pulmonary services.

In that role, Wohlford will oversee diagnostic and interventional cardiovascular and pulmonary services while working closely with medical staff leadership and medical center executives. Prior to joining the medical center, she served for three years as health service line leader for cardiovascular services at St. Mary’s Health System in Knoxville, as director of cardiovascular services at LewisGale Medical Center in Salem, and as manager of the Cardiac Treatment Center at Lynchburg General Hospital in Lynchburg. A member of the American College of Healthcare Executives, she—with her husband, Steve—has two grown children. When not at work, she enjoys golf, travel, reading, and working in the yard.

Gregory Marino ‘06

Fort Lauderdale, Florida, was promoted to chief operating officer of Kaplan University, where he will be responsible for more than 2,500 employees working in online student operations at the university’s South Florida, Orlando, Chicago, and Phoenix support centers.

Marino, 34, will manage the strategic marketing, admissions, financial aid, academic advising, and other student-facing areas of the online university. He will

continue to work out of the university’s largest online student support center, in Fort Lauderdale, and will report to Jeffrey J. Conlon, the university president.

Ruth Fisher ’07

Annapolis, Maryland, recently launched Complete Definition Image Consulting, LLC (www.Complete DefinitionImage.com), with business partner Stella Williams. The full-service image consulting company offers personal, professional, and social image consulting services to women, men, and businesses in individual and group settings.

Services includestyle analysis, coaching, color analysis, wardrobe building and refinement, personal shopping, training sessions, makeup artistry, and more.

Colette Releford ’08

Gaithersburg, Maryland, recently started her own company—Strive Business Solutions (www.strivebusinesssolutions.com)— specializing in sales, marketing, business process management, and consulting.

Elizabeth Mulenga ’08

Laurel, Maryland, wrote, “Transferring to UMUC was one of the best decisions I’ve made in my life. UMUC has given me so much more than I can ever give back. I praise UMUC wherever I go, and I am proud to have graduated from a university that cares about its students and goes above and beyond to ensure that it helps them achieve their dreams of completing a college education.” v

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