An Alumni Association Affair to Remember. TERP Magazine Spring 2009

An Alumni Association Affair to Remember

By Rebecca Ruark

This year's award recipients are academics, entrepreneurs, scientists, philanthropists, engineers and athletes. View more photos from the 10th annual Alumni Association Awards Gala.

(top) President Dan Mote presents this year's honorary membership award to Nancy Kopp, treasurer for the state of Maryland.

(bottom) Presenter, nutrition authority and author Joy Bauer ’86 presents this year's distinguished alumnus award for the College of Education to Hope Kramer ’83, CEO and president of Beta Center, a Florida non-profit organization.

10 YEARS AND COUNTING

Awardees and guests of the 10th annual University of Maryland Alumni Association Awards Gala cast off their blues—economic or otherwise-and raised the Terrapin spirit at a "Rhapsody in Red"—themed event. Gershwin music helped set the mood for the evening, when the alumni association honored seven recipients and individual colleges and school gave commendations to another 14 for demonstrating unparalleled excellence in their fields and devotion to their alma mater. Awardees, families and friends arrived dressed to the nines for the annual awards gala on April 18. The 21 award recipients, including academics and entrepreneurs, scientists and philanthropists, engineers and athletes, are a proud reflection of the leadership nurtured at Maryland.

Until 10 years ago, the university recognized its exceptional alumni in separate ceremonies, resulting in a series of small gatherings rather than one high-spirited and grand commemoration. In 2000, the alumni association began recognizing alumni at a signature event each spring. This April, both current and past award recipients-including former NASA administrator Michael Griffin Ph.D. '77, Google founder Sergey Brin '93, broadcast journalist Connie Chung '69, and engineering trailblazer Marilyn Berman Pollans M.A. '73, Ph.D. '79-were celebrated in style.

"It was a glamorous evening, like the Oscars for the Maryland family," said Danita Nias, assistant vice president of alumni relations and development and co-master of ceremony. "Between the dinner and the awards, the gala feels like an exclusive event-but all can aspire to join the ranks of our honorees." TERP

From left, past awardees include Jody Breckenridge M.P.P. '91, Outstanding Alumna for the School of Public Policy, accepting her award from Miss Maryland 2007, Michaé Holloman '03; Jeong H. Kim Ph.D. '91, recipient of the President's Distinguished Alumnus Award; and John (Jack) '47 and Jacqueline '49 Heise, recipients of the Sprit of Maryland Award, with Danita Nias '81 of the Alumni Association (center).

1) Mote and this year's international alumni award winner and technology adviser to the president of South Korea Chan-Mo Park M.S. '64, Ph.D. '69 give the black-tie affair a "thumb's up."
2) A festive stage is set for the 10th annual awards gala in the Samuel Riggs IV Alumni Center's Dorothy D. and Nicholas Orem Alumni Hall.
3)From left, past awardees include Humanitarian Award recipient Avis Robinson '74; Clarice and Robert H. Smith '50, recipients of the Tyser Gottwalls Award and the President's Distinguished Alumnus Award, respectively; and Connie Chung '69, recipient of the Distinguished Alumnus award for the Philip Merrill College of Journalism.
4) Guests are greeted with live piano music as they enter the Samuel Riggs IV Alumni Center for the 10th annual Alumni Association Awards Gala.
5) Former Terrapin football players Madieu Williams '03, distinguished alumnus for the School of Public Health and Minnesota Viking, and Jaime Flores '94, recipient of the Humanitarian Award and surgeon, share Maryland memories at this year's ceremony.

1) Past awardees include Inaugural Gala Award recipient Philip R. Rever '64 (left) with presenter Renaldo Nehemiah '81; Tyser Gottwals Award recipient Marilyn Berman Pollans M.A. '73, Ph.D. '79; and Outstanding Young Alumnus Kevin Plank '97 (far right) with Dan Mote.

2) Robert Fischell M.S. '53, D.Sc. (Hon.) '96, inventor, engineer and this year's President's Distinguished Alumnus Award winner, makes his acceptance speech.

3) Brothers D. Haroon Mokhtarzada '01 and Zekeria Mokhtarzada '01, founders of webs.com, share this year's Outstanding Young Alumnus Award.
4) The University of Maryland Chamber Singers cap off the night by inviting the more than 400 guests to join them in singing the alma mater.
5) Mote presents this year's Tyser Gottwals Award for Service to the University to Alma Gildenhorn ‘53 philanthropist and co-founder of the Joseph and Alma Gildenhorn Institute for Israel Studies at Maryland.
6) This year's A. James Clark School of Engineering Distinguished Alumna, Anh Duong '82, Director of the Borders and Maritime Security Division in the Science and Technology Directorate of the Department Of Homeland Security, takes the stage.

BEHIND THE SCENES:

View a short video commemorating the 10th annual Alumni Association Awards Gala and learn more about this year's awardees at http://alumni.umd.edu/annual_awards/video.cfm. For more information, contact Cornelia Kennedy at ckennedy@umd.edu, 301.405.7118 or 2100 D Samuel Riggs IV Alumni Center, College Park, MD 20742-1421.

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