Fearless Terps

By Maryland Today Staff Jan 12, 2016

All over the world, UMD alumni are tackling new obstacles, whether they’re dangling from a cliff, moving to a new country or overcoming a lifelong illness. These Terps shared their stories of how they #StayFearlessUMD:

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Matthew Bavosa ’11 finished the Diamond in the Rough Triathlon, his first one, in July 2014.

Curtis Bennett ’09 works at the National Aquarium in Baltimore, where employees take staff conservation days to protect the world’s aquatic treasures. “I decided to spend the day at Poplar Island, in the Chesapeake Bay, with our partners the US Fish and Wildlife Service Chesapeake Bay Field Office, to assist with conservation projects. One such project was releasing this rehabilitated osprey back into the wild. I’ve been fortunate to have the opportunity to work with birds of prey, such as osprey, since I was 16 years old, so a total of 12 years. They are definitely majestic creatures and I’ve always enjoyed working with them. However, they do have sharp talons and beaks that they use to capture their prey, so while I’m handling them, it’s very important that I give them the proper respect that they deserve as wild animals.”

Sarah Lomke ’13: “Being a theatre performance major taught me to be open and honest with myself and others. Unfortunately, I couldn't do this because I was dealing with depression, anxiety and anorexia and saw no way out. Thankfully, I have been able to find my way through these mental illnesses and come out on top! With the constant support of my family, friends and team, I can truly say that I have become fearless!”

Laura Slivinski ’09 on “The Dangler” in the Shawangunks Preserve, a popular climbing area in New York. “When that picture was taken, I had actually already taken a fall (sadly), so this was my second attempt. At this point I had already done the move where you have to let both your feet dangle freely, and then throw your right foot up onto the ledge, then basically haul yourself up until you're fully standing on that corner there.”

Matt Snider ’09: "Fearless starts will opening yourself up to new experiences. From moving to an area where the language is completely new to letting strange new creatures climb on you, fearless is finding ways to explore new environments and cultures as you expand your horizons. This encounter with a von Hohnel's chameleon (Trioceros hoehnelii) occurred while I was participating on the Roosevelt Resurvey Expedition studying species diversity in Mt. Kenya National Park in central Kenya."

Melissa Weiss ’08: “Once upon a backpacking trip through Southeast Asia, I found myself on a zip-lining course in northern Thailand. And I thought soaring through the treetops would be the scariest thing I did that day! After a morning spent zooming between trees, one of our guides thought it would be funny to interrupt my lunch by sticking a giant bug in my face. I usually tell people to 'fear the turtle,' but that day it was 'fear the roach'!”

Mark Zimmerman ’70, M.A. ’76, the winner of the Dec. 4 men’s basketball tickets, on his fearless journey in September: “I completed a walk along the ruins of (Roman Emperor) Hadrian's Wall in northern England from Bowness-on-Solway in the west to Newcastle in the east. Including diversions to pubs (of course) and excavations of Roman legionary forts, I walked 100 miles in 7 days, then met my wife Carolyn Ebaugh Zimmerman ’70 in Edinburgh. The photo was taken on top of the Whin Sill (a crag about half-way into the walk).”