Letter from the President
Dear Friends and Colleagues,
USM Foundation Board meets at CSU

On February 19, a beautiful sunny day, the USM Foundation Board met at Coppin State University's Talon Center. Coppin State University President Maria Thompson, welcomed the group and told the inspiring story of Fanny Jackson Coppin, for whom Coppin State is named. Thompson reminded the Board that Coppin is a multigenerational campus: only 13 percent of its students come to the university straight out of high school and the average age of the student body is 29-years-old. Eighty percent of CSU's students are women and seventy percent have dependents. As Thompson noted, "it's not difficult to see that when you invest in Coppin, you invest in families.

Chancellor Bob Caret delivered a positive report and noted that the USM is about halfway through the year's legislative session. The Board also heard from Associate Professor  Dr. Elgin Klugh, who is working with his students and students from the University of Baltimore on the Laurel Cemetery Project, which aims to increase public knowledge and bring recognition to a burial ground off of Bel Air Road in Baltimore that was unincorporated in the 1950s. Currently, hundreds of burials still remain beneath the site of a shopping center. 
Professor Elgin Klugh

Advocacy Committee Chair Eric McLauchlin told the Board about the new direction of his committee. This year, the committee will move away from Annapolis Day, where Board members historically traveled to Annapolis to meet with legislators and inform them of the value of investing in higher education in Maryland. Instead, Board members will meet with key legislators one-on-one throughout the year to advocate for and inform them of key USM initiatives and successes. The Board will also work to reach out after the legislative session has ended and thank the legislators for their support. 

The Board heard a positive Investment Committee report from Chair Larry Boggs, who noted that the investment portfolio is performing well in a bad market, and from Spending Policy Chair Bill Couper, who announced the spending policy for the upcoming year. The meeting ended with the Board approving the USM Foundation's Strategic Plan for 2019-2024. We are very pleased with the outcome of the Strategic Plan and we could not have completed it without the dedication and hard work of our Board members and staff. 

The Foundation Board will meet next at Salisbury University on June 13 and 14. Board members, please click here for more information

Lastly, we were saddened by the news of former USM Chancellor Don Langenberg's passing. He was an extremely influential person within the University System of Maryland and throughout academia. We will miss him greatly. To read more about Don's legacy, please click here.

Have a wonderful start of the spring season and as always, please contact me at raley@usmd.edu or 301-445-1941 with any questions or comments. 

Sincerely,

Leonard R. Raley
In This Issue:

Foundation Board Mefoundationboardmber News

Alicia Wilson was featured in an article in Forbes titled, "Meet the Black Millennial Lawyer Making Michelle Obama more Accessible to Baltimore's Youth." Wilson was born in Baltimore and currently serves as senior vice president of impact investments and senior legal counsel for Port Covington Impact Investments LLC. In addition to serving on the USM Foundation Board, Wilson serves as Chairman of the Board for the CollegeBound Foundation, which encourages students in Baltimore City public schools to pursue post-secondary education. Recently, Wilson had the opportunity to introduce former First Lady Michelle Obama to students. Wilson hopes that experiences such as these will ignite change in the law industry by inspiring today's diverse youth.  

Thanks to a $31 million gift from USM Foundation Board member Robert Fischell and his family, UMCP and UMB celebrated the launch of the Robert E. Fischell Institute for Biomedical Devices on January 3 at the A. James Clark Hall in College Park. At the launch, Maryland Deputy Secretary of Commerce Benjamin Wu noted that the Fischell Institute "will take cutting-edge research and create new products with the expectation that new businesses will be created potentially from this research and development." The Institute will be housed in the Graduate Research Innovation District within the University of Maryland BioPark in Baltimore.

Eric McLauchlin was featured in an article in The Baltimore Sun. He serves as Vice Chair of the Harford Community College (HCC) Foundation Board of Directors and spoke to the HCC Board of Trustees about philanthropy at the college. McLauchlin noted that "philanthropy has become more necessary to the mission of higher education" and spoke to the Board about the school's Presidents Circle of Giving, which helps students achieve their dreams of higher education. 
Foundation Staff MemFoundationStaffber News

The Foundation is pleased to welcome three new staff members and to announce two promotions.

New Staff Members:
Ralph Partlow

Ralph Partlow serves the Foundation as Associate General Counsel to the Foundation. Ralph comes to the Foundation from M&T Bank where he was Administrative Vice President and Deputy General Counsel, focusing on its institutional investment management business. As a career financial services attorney, Ralph brings a wealth of knowledge and experience. He will be working closely with Pam Purcell and the senior leadership team. Ralph holds a BA in Geology and Earth Science from Hamilton College and a Doctor of Law from the University of Baltimore.

Stephanie Senserini
Stephanie Senserini joins the USM Office of Advancement as Director of ProfessionalDevelopment Programs. She is charged with growing professional development offerings to advancement staff across the USM. She will also work to develop programs for USM leadership, including presidents, board chairs, and deans. Stephanie worked at the University of Maryland, College Park, for 16 years, becoming a critical part of their alumni relations team. She also worked at UMB, developing their alumni outreach. Stephanie holds an MA in Art History from the University of Maryland and a BA in Fine Arts from Vanderbilt University.

Charlie Sexton joins the Investment Office as an Investment
Charlie Sexton
 Analyst, providinggeneralistcoverage supporting the team across allasset classes. Charlie began his career as a Senior Investment Associate at Cambridge Associates where he helped oversee ~$4.0 billion in discretionary client assets in the firm's outsourced investment office practice. At Cambridge Associates, Charlie wasresponsible for portfolio monitoring, investment fund research and data analysis, reporting to two chief investment officers across eight non-profit client relationships. Charlie earned a B.S. in Finance from The Pennsylvania State University in State College, PA. 

Promotions: 

Roy Hossler has been promoted from Senior Executive Accountant to Director of Business  Operations. He will be the Foundation's primary liaison with campuses and affiliated foundations to ensure a high level of service; oversee the day-to-day interactions between the Foundation's Business Office and its service providers, including internal and external audit firms, custodian, tax consultants and other departments such as the Investment Office; develop Board materials for Budget/Finance, Audit and Spending Policy Committee meetings; and oversee the Foundation's payroll and expense management processes. 

Sharcus Steen joined the Investment Office in December 2017 as Director of Public Market Investments, quickly becoming an essential member of the team. We have expanded Sharcus' role, naming him Director of Investments. In this role he oversees and monitors all investments for the USMF portfolio. Prior to joining the USMF, Sharcus worked at Cambridge Associates, Ericsson, Booz Allen Hamilton, and Citigroup. 
USM NewUSMNewsBriefss Briefs

Three USM institutions were named to VIQTORY's list of 2019-2020 "Military Friendly Schools," a designation that acknowledges universities that go above and beyond for service members and veterans and their families. More than 750 schools were designated Military Friendly by VIQTORY. This year, USM's  Bowie State University, Frostburg State University, and Salisbury University received designations. 

Three USM institutions' M.B.A. programs were ranked among the nation's best for 2019 in U.S. News & World Report. Among 285 programs, Salisbury University, UMCP, and UB were recognized. The list was curated based on student engagement and excellence, faculty credentials and training, and technology and peer assessment. Read more here.

The University of Maryland, Baltimore County was recognized by Times Higher Education as a model in supporting student achievement and for graduating low-income and minority students in the sciences. According to the article, "UMBC is the nation's top public producer of black graduates who later earn a doctorate in a science field." Times Higher Education explores UMBC's success and asks whether or not their model could be replicated at other universities across the country. The article credits President Hrabowski, UMBC's Meyerhoff Scholars Program, which supports diversity in STEM fields, and UMBC's faculty and staff for their efforts in advancing UMBC's students. Read more here. 

UMBC's first cohort of Meyerhoff Scholars - 1989

Students in the University of Maryland, Baltimore's School of Medicine are partnering with the Baltimore public school system to educate elementary school students through the Talent Mentoring Program, which reaches 20 schools, many of which are in high-poverty populations. Every week, medical students meet with groups of third-graders who have been identified as advanced learners to explore topics such as genetics and to participate in scientific experiments with their mentors. UMB has approximately 50 medical students participating in the program. Read more here.

Towson University launched a new visual identity in January. According to Towson, the new logo is contemporary, bold, and brave, and represents both the school's history and where the university is today. The colors are inspired by the gold and black sections of the state flag and the new identity aligns to what most refer to the university as: "TU." Read more here.

Towson University's new visual identity 

In Memoriam: DDonon Langenberg

On January 25, Chancellor Emeritus Don Langenberg passed away. Langenberg led the University System of Maryland from 1990 to 2002 and was an educator and groundbreaking physicist. He was an expert in the areas of superconductivity, condensed matter, and low temperature physics. He served as chancellor of the University of Illinois at Chicago and the USM and while at the USM, he instilled an ethos that featured authority delegated to the individual campuses, a high degree of accountability, and a commitment to the best principles of shared governance, which today stands as the very foundation of USM's success. Read his full obituary here.

William Longbrake PledLongbrakeges $1 Million to UMCP's Robert H. Smith School of Business

William Longbrake has pledged $1 million to support UMCP's Robert H. Smith School of Business. Longbrake is an alum of the university, having received his doctorate in 1976. During his time at the university, he taught finance and introductory business courses to undergraduates and later returned to the Smith School of Business as a student advisor and Executive-in-Residence at the Center for Financial Policy. According to the university, the unrestricted gift will provide flexibility to the school. Longbrake is a generous donor to the school, having previously funded offices for Smith PhD students in Van Munching Hall and an endowed professorship. 
University of MarylaUMUCnd University College to Rebrand

UMUC is rebranding and changing its name to "University of Maryland Global Campus." The name change will accompany a national marketing campaign that aims to expand the school's global outreach. According to Senator Paul Pinsky, the university felt as though the name "University of Maryland University College" is repetitive and does not explain the school's mission. The marketing plan will help UMUC grow their student base in the local, regional, and national markets and ultimately aid UMUC's efforts in becoming one of the top online universities in the world. 
BSU President AminBSUta Breaux named One of the Ten Most Dominant HBCU Leaders of 2019

Bowie State University President Aminta Breaux was named one of the ten "Most Dominant HBCU Leaders" of 2019 by the HBCU Campaign Fund. The list includes chancellors and presidents of HBCUs who are dominant influential leaders that are in the process of moving their institutions forward. Dr. Breaux joined the USM in July 2017 and came to BSU from Millersville University where she worked in various capacities such as fundraising, alumni engagement, and student affairs. She is joined on the list by Dr. Michael J. Sorrell, President of Paul Quinn College in Dallas and Dr. Colette P. Burnette, President of Huston-Tillotson University in Austin, among others. 
USM Welcomes USM SoutUSMSMhern Maryland

The University System of Maryland at Southern Maryland ( USMSM)-previously known as the Southern Maryland Higher Education Center-formally joined the Universities at Shady Grove and USM at Hagerstown as the third regional higher education center operated by the state's public university system, the University System of Maryland (USM) on March 1. Currently, the center, located in St. Mary's County, hosts educational programs sponsored by nine universities, five of which are USM institutions. The USM institutions include:  Bowie State University, Salisbury University, Towson University, the University of Maryland, College Park, and the University of Maryland University College. Additionally, four educational partners sponsor degree and certificate programs - the Florida Institute of Technology, Johns Hopkins University, Notre Dame of Maryland University and Webster University. In addition, the USMSM also holds a partnership with the University of Maryland Unmanned Aircraft Systems Test Site. 
Three USM Presidents FUSMPreseatured in CASE Currents Magazine

The latest issue of the Council for Advancement and Support of Education (CASE)  Currents magazine features three USM presidents: UMES President Heidi Anderson, CSU President Maria Thompson, and BSU President Aminta Breaux. The article, titled "Changing Herstory" reports on "a wave of female presidents... turning a new chapter at America's historically black colleges and universities." At the moment, 25 women are presidents of the nation's 100 HBCUs, according to the Thurgood Marshall College Fund and the United Negro College Fund. Three of those women are USM presidents. CASE highlights the challenges and successes women in leadership roles at the nation's HBCUs have encountered. In the article, Dr. Breaux notes that being a woman in a leadership position is often challenging and that her mentors have been invaluable throughout her career. The article concludes with Dr. Breaux's advice: "You just have to be yourself. You can be a strong leader, you can be compassionate, and you can be successful just being who you are." Read the full article here. 

L-R: President Anderson, President Thompson, President Breaux

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Editor: Micaela Cameron | mcameron@usmd.edu