Alumni Association News - Winter 2019

Letter From the Executive Director

Terps have a lot in common. Memories of late nights on Baltimore Avenue. Spring afternoons on McKeldin Mall. Crazy offerings to Testudo before finals.

Yet each generation of Terps is different in its own way. That means we, as your Alumni Association, have a duty to offer distinct programming for the varied life stages of more than 369,000 alumni.

In the last issue of Terp, we highlighted professional networks and development opportunities aimed at mid- and late-career Terps. We’ve also continued our tried-and-true programming for more seasoned alumni, like our annual Golden Terps 50th Reunion.

Now, I’m happy to introduce our GOLD (Graduates Of the Last Decade) program to reach another important segment of our alumni base. We hope to turn recent grads’ love for Maryland into a lifelong connection.

Read more about the GOLD program in the story below. Recent grads, we can’t wait to connect with you!

For all Terps, we are in the midst of Fearless Ideas: The Campaign for Maryland. This means we are going on the road to bring Fearless Ideas to you! So far, university leadership has visited Boston, Alexandria, Va., and Montgomery County, Md., to showcase all that the University of Maryland has to offer, from state-of-the-art research to the impact of Doing Good on the community.

I’ve had the privilege of being part of these events and experiencing firsthand the Terp pride around the country. Next, we’re heading to Atlanta; Howard County, Md.; and Broward County, Fla.

I hope to see you there. It’s an exciting time to be a Terp!

Amy Eichhorst
Executive Director
University of Maryland Alumni Association

New Program Invites Recent Grads to Go for the GOLD

After graduating from Maryland, Tessa Trach ’17 had to start over, with a new job in a new city. No longer were friends just a few steps down the hall, and she was anxious about the lack of community. Then she found the University of Maryland Alumni Association.

Recent graduates like Trach can strengthen their ties to their alma mater through the new Graduates Of the Last Decade (GOLD) program, launching in January and featuring exclusive events and communications.

“As alumni, we already have that Terp connection, so it’s an easy way to make friends and build community,” Trach said after attending recent Alumni Association events in Baltimore, including a tour of Union Craft Brewing at the new Union Collective and a NetWorkout event (networking with a workout component) at the Bar Method. Experiential events like these are targeted directly at recent graduates.

“When students graduate, they are typically the most engaged they will ever be with the campus and our community,” says Lauren Norris ’11, M.A. ’16, director of student and recent graduate programming at the Alumni Association. “We don’t want to lose this momentum, but rather build upon it.”

The impetus to develop GOLD programming comes from a historic lack of attention given to recent grads of universities nationwide. According to a recent Voluntary Alumni Engagement in Support of Education study, 85 percent of alumni organizations report they “do a poor job” or “need to do more” to attract and engage young alumni.

Trach hopes that the launch of GOLD will inspire more recent graduates to attend events and get involved with the university.

“College is made up of some of the best years of our lives,” she says. “We now have the opportunity to build connections with people that shared that experience with us.”

—Daryl Lee Hale, Alumni Association staff

Stay Connected

Homecoming 2018

Hundreds of Terps from across the nation gathered at the Samuel Riggs IV Alumni Center to mingle with alumni, friends and fans for the annual Alumni Association Homecoming Tailgate on Oct. 13 before heading to the game. Attendees enjoyed a beer and wine garden featuring Terp-produced beverages, family-friendly activities and camaraderie.