Annual Report: State of the Association

Dear Alums, Colleagues and Friends,

This year marked my first as senior executive director of your Alumni Association—and it was filled with firsts. To connect with our incredible community, I hit the road and met alums in 10 cities from coast to coast with our Terps in Your Town series. We launched new initiatives, elevated existing programs and set exciting records along the way. Thank you for your support as I stepped into this role, and for joining me in celebrating our Terp community. 

We kicked off new traditions like the Terp Book Fair, welcoming more than 250 Terps on Maryland Day to meet alum authors, browse Terp-authored books and connect over shared stories. We relaunched the Terp Business Directory, making it easier than ever to shop Terp-owned, and brought Maryland pride directly to companies like Google, Amazon and Apple through expanded corporate programming. 

I’m especially proud of our work to engage every student. Our Grad Bash celebration welcomed 1,500 graduating students into the alumni family— marking the largest turnout for any Alumni Association event to date. Our Senior Class Gift program continued to grow, and a record number of alums wrote postcards to admitted students—sharing Terp pride before students even moved into their dorms. 

Our affinity groups also reached new milestones, hosting first-ever signature events like the Latinx Alumni Celebration and the Sail and Celebrate APAAN Cruise, vibrant celebrations of culture and connection. We welcomed Terp greats like Connie Chung ’69, Joy Bauer ’86 and Mark Ciardi ’83 for unforgettable events. And we brought back beloved traditions, like the Valentine’s Dance, after more than a decade. 

Looking back on this first year, I’m energized by everything we’ve accomplished together. I’ve loved meeting so many alums, members and friends, and I look forward to connecting with even more of you as we Stay Fearless.

Go Terps!

Jessica K. Roberts ’02
Senior Executive Director, University of Maryland Alumni Association

In FY25, the University of Maryland Alumni Association (UMDAA) advanced its commitment to lifelong learning, career growth and fostering meaningful connections through high-impact programming across the country. 

UMDAA expanded its Terps @ Work initiative to seven companies nationwide, connecting alums and students through industry-focused events. The Terps at Accenture gathering brought together 55 Terp employees and 25 students, all of whom have accepted full-time offers at the company. 

Additional career-focused programming included Career Week, Mission Collaborative boot camps and the launch of a recent alumni mentorship program through Terrapins Connect, the UMD virtual platform with nearly 22,000 registered students and alums. 

The UMDAA also continued its commitment to supporting the university’s thriving enTERPreneur ecosystem. Through an expanded partnership with the Dingman-Lamone Center for Entrepreneurship at the Robert H. Smith School of Business, the UMDAA increased its involvement at the annual “Shark Tank”-style Pitch Dingman competition, featuring an invite-only VIP reception and the Terp Town Venture Showcase.

Pitch Dingman Competition (April 24)
Awarded $61,000 to alum enTERPreneurs
Awarded $109,000 to students
Drew more than 525 attendees

This year, the UMDAA also hosted an enTERPreneur mentorship program, as well as relaunched the Terp Business Directory.

Lifelong learning remained a priority, with standout programs including An Evening with Connie Chung ’69 in partnership with the Philip Merill College of Journalism, which drew 370 attendees. The UMDAA also launched the first-ever Terp Book Fair during Maryland Day, which featured Terp authors and interactive activities. The Summer Reading Challenge once again brought together 1,000+ alums for a season of shared learning. 

The Women’s Development Conference welcomed 233 attendees and featured Trustee Sharon Akers ’78 and a special video greeting from Maryland first lady Dawn Moore ’97. 

The Terps in Your Town series engaged alums in 10 cities, allowing the senior executive director to meet directly with community members. To connect Terps across generations, several events hosted current and newly admitted students.

The UMDAA’s affinity and regional networks continued to thrive, celebrating community, identity and service at events like the Pride Month Happy Hour & Social in June. Two affinity networks also hosted their first signature events: the Latinx Alumni Celebration, with more than 100 attendees, and the Sail & Celebrate APAAN Cruise, which welcomed 91 attendees and was the most-attended APAAN event in the last two years. 

The annual Volunteer Leadership Conference provided skill-building and networking opportunities for 100 leaders from across the UMDAA’s networks and recognized outstanding volunteers.

In FY25, the UMDAA deepened its connection to students and recent graduates from orientation through graduation and beyond. 

Admissions partnerships continued to grow, with an enhanced postcard campaign, engaging over 300 alums who hand-wrote messages to 3,500 admitted students. This effort, as well as the presence of newly admitted students at several Terps in Your Town events, helped future Terps feel welcomed before even setting foot on campus. 

Grad Bash shattered records as the most-attended Alumni Association event in history, bringing together 1,500 graduating students—a 39% increase over FY24 attendance. The event also featured an opportunity for the students to take the traditional “M” class photo, a collaboration with Maryland Athletics and the Division of Student Affairs. Now in its second year, the Senior Class Gift initiative raised $11,490 from 1,071 donors in support of the Student Crisis Fund, reflecting growing senior engagement and philanthropy. 

The Student Alumni Leadership Council (SALC) remained a critical pipeline for future alum leaders. Former SALC members now serve as board presidents for three alumni networks, and more serve on boards across the nation. Current SALC students led the inaugural First Generation Terps Panel, which drew 80 attendees, as well as the annual Terps Under 30, where students and recent grads heard from three dynamic alum speakers. 

The UMDAA continued to boost the student experience through initiatives like the “M Book,” which was distributed to all 5,739 first-year students at New Student Welcome.