- December 02, 2021
- By Laura Cech
Some of the University of Maryland’s outstanding seniors worked to address climate change, education gaps, and diversity, equity and inclusion. One senior wrote a textbook. Another has already been admitted to Harvard Law School, but first will serve in the Teach for America Corps in D.C.
However, the Philip Merrill Presidential Scholars program does more than recognize these seniors for their accomplishments, prestigious internships and impressive GPAs. It honors faculty and K-12 teachers who helped mentor them.
Each of the 19 Philip Merrill Presidential Scholars being honored tomorrow credits grade school and high school teachers and UMD faculty who helped guide, inspire, coach, tutor and challenge them in big and small ways.
“Programs like these are critical to our students’ success,” said UMD President Darryll J. Pines. “They celebrate invaluable mentorship that will have a long-lasting impact on the lives of our students, while on campus and beyond. We are incredibly grateful for the individuals who have been instrumental to our students’ progress during their academic journeys.”
The late Philip Merrill, a university supporter and longtime Washington-area publisher, created the Philip Merrill Presidential Scholars Program in 2004 to recognize the importance of mentorship. Scholars are selected by the colleges and schools with undergraduate major programs. The program provides $1,000 scholarships, which are awarded in the K-12 teacher’s name to another student from that school district who will attend UMD in Fall 2022.
“The Merrill Presidential Scholars Program is creating an important legacy,” said William A. Cohen, associate provost and dean for undergraduate studies. “In recognizing that mentorship is at the heart of academic and personal achievement, these scholarships honor the K-12 teachers and UMD undergraduate faculty who support student success through academic guidance, encouragement and support.”
A reception will be held at University House, after the teachers attend a workshop with Maryland faculty designed to strengthen collaboration between the university and K-12 schools.
The Philip Merrill Presidential Scholars for 2021-22 are:
School of Architecture, Planning and Preservation
- Duong Le
Architecture
Teacher Mentor: Jonathan Jeanes, Longwood High School, Middle Island, N.Y.
Faculty Mentor: Michael Abrams, School of Architecture, Planning and Preservation
College of Arts and Humanities
- Marjorie Antonio
American Studies, History
Teacher Mentor: Jenny Pagliarini, Eastern Technical High School, Essex, Md.
Faculty Mentor: Katarina Keane, Department of History - Eunice Braimoh
English
Teacher Mentor: Paula Roberts, Howard High School, Ellicott City, Md.
Faculty Mentor: Justin Lohr, Department of English - Daisy Yu
Communication, Chemistry
Teacher Mentor: Matthew Yates, DuFief Elementary School, Gaithersburg, Md.
Faculty Mentor: Brooke Fisher Liu, Department of Communication
College of Behavioral and Social Sciences
- Kayleigh Hasson
Criminology and Criminal Justice, Economics
Teacher Mentor: Kristin Shoresman, formerly of Centennial High School, Ellicott City, Md
Faculty Mentor: Danielle Pafe, Teaching and Learning Transformation Center - Crystina Martinez
Psychology
Teacher Mentor: Elise Heil, Sacred Heart School, Washington, D.C.
Faculty Mentor: Nazish Salahuddin, Department of Psychology - Imani Nokuri
Government and Politics
Teacher Mentor: Bill McCauley, retired from Folly Quarter Middle School, Ellicott City, Md.
Faculty Mentor: Marshal Washington, Department of African American Studies
Robert H. Smith School of Business
- Steven Ioannidis
Supply Chain Management
Teacher Mentor: Sean Moran, South Carroll High School, Sykesville, Md.
Faculty Mentor: David Kirsch, Department of Management and Organization - Genna Knoll
Supply Chain Management, Information Systems
Teacher Mentor: Catherine Tortoso, Plainview-Old Bethpage John F. Kennedy High School, Plainview, N.Y.
Faculty Mentor: Leland Gardner, Department of Logistics, Business and Public Policy - Ally Merwitz
Operations Management and Business Analytics, Mathematics
Teacher Mentor: Lynette Burns, Atholton High School, Columbia, Md.
Faculty Mentor: Joseph Bailey, Department of Decision, Operations and Information Technology
College of Computer, Mathematical, and Natural Sciences
- Simone Evans
Biological Sciences
Teacher Mentor: Carlo Echiverri, South River High School, Edgewater, Md.
Faculty Mentor: Karen Carleton, Department of Biology - Naveen Raman
Computer Science, Mathematics
Teacher Mentor: Heather Hennis, Richard Montgomery High School, Rockville, Md.
Faculty Mentor: John Dickerson, Department of Computer Science - Sam Varga
Atmospheric and Oceanic Science
Teacher Mentor: Jessica Bosse, George Washington Carver Elementary School, Lexington Park, Md.
Faculty Mentor: Tim Canty, Department of Atmospheric and Oceanic Science
A. James Clark School of Engineering
- Zachary Breit
Computer Engineering
Teacher Mentor: Jackie Gerstein, Middlesex High School, Middlesex, N.J.
Faculty Mentor: Fawzi Emad, Department of Computer Science - William Gerst
Mechanical Engineering
Teacher Mentor: Samuel Polack, Rockburn Elementary School, Elkridge, Md.
Faculty Mentor: Michael Galczynski, Keystone Program - Benjamin Wu
Bioengineering
Teacher Mentor: Matthew Davis, The Episcopal Academy, Newtown Square, Pa.
Faculty Mentor: Yang Tao, Fischell Department of Bioengineering
Philip Merrill College of Journalism
- Rina Torchinsky
Journalism, Information Science
Teacher Mentor: Thomas Worden, Charles E. Smith Jewish Day School, Rockville, Md.
Faculty Mentor: Marissa Lang, Philip Merrill College of Journalism
School of Public Health
- Selena Cen
Public Health Science, Spanish
Teacher Mentor: Jennifer Street, Atholton High School, Columbia, Md.
Faculty Mentor: Saúl Sosnowski, Department of Spanish and Portuguese - Cali Platt
Community Health, Public Policy
Teacher Mentor: Laurel Barrett, Franklin High School, Reisterstown, Md.
Faculty Mentor: Donna Howard, Department of Behavioral and Community Health
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