---
title: How Terps Spent the Summer Doing Good in 2026
date: 2026-09-08T05:30:00-04:00
author: University of Maryland
canonical_url: "https://today.umd.edu/how-terps-spent-the-summer-doing-good-in-2026"
section: Articles
---
# How Terps Spent the Summer Doing Good in 2026
*September 8, 2026* — by [Karen Shih ’09](/author/karen-shih)
> Improving literacy, teaching oral hygiene, hosting a free football camp and more.
*Do Good Summer Hero 1920x1080 — From volunteering locally with service dogs to traveling globally to teach public health, Terp took UMD's Do Good mission around the world this summer. (Photos courtesy of Terp submissions)*
Discovering nighttime pollinators and promoting biodiversity in nearby Hyattsville. Supporting veterans with post-traumatic stress and brain injuries as they train service dogs. Teaching girls in Madagascar about women’s health.
Terps may have scattered over the summer, but they brought their determination to do good everywhere they went. They left their mark on communities locally and globally, through internships, volunteer opportunities or UMD programs, and returned to campus energized to continue that mission at UMD and beyond.
Check out how these Terps spent the break doing good:
**Kristina Chroneos '27, English and philosophy, politics and economics double major**
**Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) of Prince George's County**
*Kristina Chroneos*
**Connor’s Kindness Project**
*Kindness Wall example*
*Josephine Escario ’29 — Josephine Escario ’29*
As part of the [Impact Consulting Fellowship](https://www.rhsmith.umd.edu/centers-initiatives/social-value-creation/programs/impact-consulting-fellowship) through the Robert H. Smith School of Business’ Center for Social Value Creation, a team of students provided pro bono services for the Connor’s Kindness Project, which distributes “Kindness Kits” to children in crisis. Josephine Escario ’29, Nicole Chan ’28, Tina Chen ’29, Catherine Gabay ’28 and Nathan Pham ’28 evaluated the nonprofit’s volunteer experience, then built before-session communications and a staff prep checklist. The team also designed the full in-session experience that included welcome activities, a "Sponsor a Kindness Kit" and social media content. In addition, the team provided recommendations to turn the organization’s volunteer network into donors.
“I've always cared deeply about kids' health and well-being, so when I saw Connor's Kindness Project as an option, it felt like a natural fit,” said team co-lead Escario. “We used the skills we're building in the classroom to create real impact for organizations doing meaningful work in our communities.”
**Emmanuel Dean ’28, secondary education and English double major**
**Barbershop Books**
*Emmanuel Dean*
**Akeyla Gregory ’29, dietetics major**
**International Student-Led Arctic Monitoring and Research**
*Akeyla Gregory works with another student to put a scientific instrument in the ground*
*Polar bears behind a fence*
“At the Park School of Baltimore, I co-led the International Student-Led Arctic Monitoring and Research DNA team, focusing on climate change in the Arctic. Our work includes soil DNA extractions and data analysis on permafrost depth and Arctic ecosystems. This summer, alongside 15 other students, I spent 18 days in Wapusk National Park, Canada, an area accessible only by helicopter, collecting soil samples and quantitative data with Junior Canadian Rangers. Being the only Black girl on the trip, the experience strengthened my confidence in my place within scientific spaces and inspired me to encourage other girls of color to pursue STEM and to participate in field research. I steered a helicopter, saw the Northern Lights for the first time and saw so many polar bears!”
**Marley Hamel ’27, communication major**
**Warrior Canine Connection**
*Marley Hamel with a puppy*
**Anderson Harlor ’29, philosophy, politics and economics & government and politics double major**
**TerpsVote**
*Anderson Harlor with Testudo*
**Jennifer Holland M.S. ’98, College of Computer, Mathematical, and Natural Sciences and Institute for Health Computing writer**
**Montgomery County Animal Services & Adoption Center**
*Jennifer Holland with a dog*
**Luke Humke ’24, M.S. ’28, entomology**
**Mothing in the Meadow**
*Students look for insects in the dark*
**Korea University Climate Corps Summer School**
*Nisha Bhullar poses with a Korean sign and makes claw hands*
**Joshua Martinez ’28, kinesiology major**
**UMD Global Brigades**
*Joshua Martinez with a young girl in Honduras, both covered in stickers*
**Public Health Beyond Borders: Sierra Leone**
*Eunice Khor ’27 with a child washing his hands in Sierra Leone. — Eunice Khor ’27 with a child washing his hands in Sierra Leone.*
Five undergraduate public health students, accompanied by family science doctoral student Chidinma “Chichi” Nwankwo and Research Professor Dina Borzekowski, traveled to Sierra Leone this summer to partner with local communities on health interventions. For global health and biological sciences double-major Keira Dempsey ’29, who hopes to become a surgeon, the trip was an opportunity “to help build up sustainable, accessible and affordable health care systems.” Eunice Khor ’27 said, “I was especially drawn to the opportunity to learn about how different political and medical systems, as well as cultural, religious and educational institutions, contributed to maternal and child health by interviewing and observing people within these settings firsthand.” Helena Solefack Momo ’29 appreciated the chance to apply her textbook knowledge in the real world. “This experience strengthened my commitment to global health and serves as an example of how I can use my UMD education to contribute toward meaningful action.”
*Two female students interview a man in Sierra Leone — At left, family science doctoral student Chidinma “Chichi” Nwankwo takes notes as Public Health Beyond Borders members interview a man in Sierra Leone.*
*Helena Solefack Momo ’29 with schoolkids — Helena Solefack Momo ’29 teaches schoolchildren in Sierra Leone.*
**Alison Razafimandimby ’28, global health major**
**Association Mitsimbana ho Soa**
*Alison Razafimandimby with female students in Madagascar*
**Harleigh Walker ’29, public policy major**
**Human Rights Campaign**
*Harleigh Walker with the Human Rights Campaign sign*
**Malik Washington ’29, letters and sciences**
**Friday Night Lights**
*Malik Washington with students at his summer camp*
**Jason Ramirez Yohe ’28, economics major**
**Office of Pre-College Programs**
*Jason Ramirez Yohe with classmates — Jason Ramirez Yohe, right, during a class trip.*
**Sidebar note:**
**Terps Do Good**
The University of Maryland is the nation's first Do Good campus, committed to inspiring Terps to make a positive impact now through research, public service and education. See more stories about Terps doing good at [today.umd.edu/topic/do-good](http://today.umd.edu/topic/do-good). You can support UMD's Do Good initiatives by making a gift to [*Forward: The University of Maryland Campaign for the Fearless*](https://forward.umd.edu/).
**Topics:** [Campus & Community](https://today.umd.edu/tags/campus-community)
**Tags:** [Student Experience](https://today.umd.edu/topic/student-experience)