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The Maryland Awards

The Maryland Awards

Each year, we celebrate and honor the achievements of seven outstanding Terps at A Celebration of Terps: Featuring The Maryland Awards. These awards recognize fearless alumni who have risen to the highest levels of public service, launched successful companies and made groundbreaking discoveries.

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the winners with trophies

Award Categories


Alumni Association Hall of Fame Inductee
Honors an alumnus/a who has received state, national or global fame for their significant, positive impact on society. This award is presented to our most notable alumni who instill Maryland pride and reflect the core values of the university.

President’s Award
Honors an alumnus/a or community member who has achieved national recognition for excellence in his/her profession or field. This award is presented to our most noteworthy alumni who excel in their field.

Outstanding Young Alumnus Award
Honors an alumnus/a under 35 years old who has completed their undergraduate degree within the last 10 years and has distinguished themselves personally and professionally. This award is presented to an accomplished alumnus/a who is on the rise.

Spirit of Maryland Award
Honors an alumnus/a or community member who reflects the best of the university spirit. This award celebrates those who embody and inspire Maryland pride.

Tyser Gottwals Award
Honors an alumnus/a who has demonstrated outstanding service to the university, gifting their time and/or talents. This award is named for Ralph J. Tyser ’40 and Abram Z. Gottwals.

Elaine Johnson Coates Award
Honors an alumnus/a who has made a significant and sustained contribution that fosters diversity and inclusion nationally and/or globally. This award is named for Elaine Johnson Coates ’59, who is also the inaugural recipient.

Do Good Award
Honors an alumnus/a who has provided extraordinary service to the world and who represents the ideals of Doing Good.

Nomination Process


Nominations are collected annually from July 3 - January 5 . Nominations for 2024 awards are now open.

  • All members of the Terp community are welcome to submit a deserving alumnus/a for one of the highlighted above (self-nominations are also accepted).
  • Alumni may be nominated for more than one award.
  • Nominations must be submitted electronically through the online nomination form which consists of:
    • Nominator's contact information
    • Nominee’s contact information
    • The nominator's personal case for why this candidate should receive the award
    • Any supporting documentation

Selection and Recognition

  • All nominations must be received by January 5th.
  • All nominations will be reviewed by the University of Maryland Alumni Association Board of Governors (BOG) awards & recognition committee. The committee will make selections and recommendations to the BOG executive committee and university leadership who will confirm the selections.
  • There is one recipient per award.
  • Acceptance of the award is contingent upon attending the Celebration of Terps event.

The Maryland Awards Archive

  • 2022
    Dr. Sherita Hill Golden MD, MHS ‘90
    Hugh P. McCormick Family Professor of Endocrinology and Metabolism
    Vice President, Chief Diversity Officer, John Hopkins Medicine
  • 2021
    Jody K. Olsen Ph.D. ‘79
    Former Peace Corps Director
  • 2019
    V. Raymond Ferrara, CFP® ‘70
    Chair/CEO, ProVise Management Group, LLC
  • 2016
    Kevin Plank '96
    Founder & CEO, Under Armour
  • 2013
    Harvey L. Sanders `72
    Former President and CEO, Nautica Enterprises Inc. 
  • 2012
    Edward Snider '55
  • 2011
    William E. Mayer '66, M.B.A. '67
  • 2009
    Robert Fischell M.S. '53, D.Sc. (Hon.) '96
  • 2008
    Lt. Gen. Julius Becton, Jr. (Ret.) M.A. '67
    former commissioner, American Battle Monuments Commission
  • 2007
    Michael D. Griffin Ph.D. '77
    administrator, NASA
  • 2006
    Robert M. Parker, Jr. '70
    publisher, The Wine Advocate
  • 2005
    Jeong H. Kim Ph.D. '91
    president, Bell Laboratories, Lucent Technologies, Inc.
  • 2004
    Charles Fefferman '66, Ph.D. (Hon.) '79
  • 2003
    Herbert Hauptman Ph.D. '55, D.Sc. (Hon.) '85
    president, Hauptman-Woodward Institute
  • 2002
    Gordon England '61
    deputy secretary, Homeland Security
  • 2001
    John Apel '57, M.S. '61
    president, Global Ocean Associates
  • 2000
    Carleton Fiorina M.B.A. '80
    CEO, Hewlett Packard
  • 1999
    Norman "Boomer" Esiason '84
    Maryland quarterback; NFL MVP; founder, Boomer Esiason Foundation
  • 1998
    Odonna Mathews '72, M.B.A. '82
    vice president for consumer affairs, Giant Foods
  • 1997
    Robert H. Smith '50
    president, Charles E. Smith Construction, Inc.
  • 1996
    Joseph Gildenhorn '51
    ambassador to Switzerland
  • 1995
    James D. McGroddy '65
    vice president of research, IBM
  • 1994
    Joseph R. Hardiman '59
    president, NASDAQ
  • 1993
    Ruth M. Davis M.A. '52, Ph.D. '55
    scientist
  • 1992
    Joseph D. Tydings '51
    attorney, former U.S. Senator
  • 1991
    Michael D. Dingman D.B.M. (Hon.) '89
    chairman, Henley Group
  • 1990
    Jane N. Henson '55
    vice president, Jim Henson Associates
  • 1989
    Jay Nussbaum '66
    vice president, Xerox
  • 1988
    Gen. John W. Vessey, Jr.
    retired chairman, Joint Chiefs
  • 1987
    George V. McGowan '51
    president, BG&E
  • 1986
    Allen J. Krowe '54, B.D.M. (Hon.) '94, Sr.
    vice president, IBM
  • 1985
    James W. Rouse
    founder, Rouse Company
  • 1984
    John M. Dennis '43
    dean, University of Maryland Medical School
  • 1983
    Waldo H. Burnside '49
    president, Carter Hawley Hale
  • 1982
    Louis L. Goldstein D.P.S. (Hon.) '89
    comptroller, State of Maryland
  • 1981
    A. James Clark '50
    president, Clark Enterprises
  • 1980
    The Hon. Harry R. Hughes '49
    former governor, Maryland
  • 1979
    James M. Henson '60
    creator of "The Muppets"
  • 1978
    James H. Kehoe, Jr. '40
    athletic director, University of Maryland
  • 1977
    The Hon. Charles M. Mathias
    U.S. Senator
  • 1976
    Steny H. Hoyer '63, D.P.S. (Hon.) '88
    president, Maryland Senate
  • 1975
    Jane Cahill Pfeiffer '54, Litt.D. (Hon.) '79
    vice president of communications, IBM

    H. Russell Knust '40
    vice president, Bethlehem Steel
  • 1974
    Robert C. Murphy '48
    chief judge, Court of Appeals of Maryland
  • 1973
    David K.E. Bruce '22
    ambassador to Great Britain, West Germany and France

    Mary Stallings Coleman '35
    judge, Michigan Supreme Court
  • 1972
    Marvin Mandel '39
    former governor, Maryland
  • 1971
    Arthur B. Hersberger '32, M.S.'33, Ph.D. '36
    executive vice president, Atlantic Refining Co.
  • 1970
    Samuel J. LeFrak '40, D.P.S. (Hon.) '90
    chairman, LeFrak Organization
  • 1969
    Carlisle Humelsine '37
    president, Historic Williamsburg Foundation
  • 1968
    Galo Plaza
    former president, Ecuador and secretary general of OAS
  • 1967
    John W. Smith '21
    chairman, Seaboard Coast Line Railroad
  • 1966
    Russell W. McFall '49
    chairman, Western Union
  • 1965
    Jerome S. Hardy '39
    publisher, "Life" magazine
  • 2022
    Cedric Nwafor '18
    Executive Director, ROOTS Africa
  • 2021
    Jazz Lewis '11, MPP '14
    Democratic Caucus Chair, Maryland State Delegate
  • 2019
    Jonathan Fix '16
    Founder and Chairman, Terps Against Hunger
  • 2016
    Ali von Paris '12
    CEO & Founder, Route One Apparel
  • 2013
    Kevin M. Schoonover `06
    Director of Strategy and Business Development, Alliant Techsystems
  • 2012
    Eddie Frederick '03
  • 2011
    Joshua K. Goldstein '05
  • 2009
    D. Haroon Mokhtarzada '01
    Zekeria Mokhtarzada '01
  • 2008
    Christina M. Lagdameo '98
    Social Welfare Advocate
  • 2007
    Michael R. Kerr '99
    founding principal, Achievement First Crown Heights Charter School
  • 2006
    E. J. Henderson '02
    linebacker, Minnesota Vikings
  • 2005
    Sujal M. Patel '96
    founder and chairman, Isilon Systems, Inc.
  • 2004
    Kevin Plank '97
  • 2003
    Sergey Brin '93
  • 2002
    Aaron McGruder '98
  • 2001
    Craig A. Thompson '92
  • 2000
    Ranjit S. Dhindsa '91, '92
  • 1998
    Patti Kim, '92
    author
  • 1997
    Brian LeGette '89
    entrepeneur
  • 1996
    Martin B. Goldberg '84
    attorney, Lash & Goldberg

  • 2022
    Kirk Bell '88
    Director, Enterprise Data, Fannie Mae
  • 2021
    Johnny Holliday
    Voice of Maryland Basketball and Football (UMD Athletics)
  • 2019
    Anne S.K. Turkos
    University Archivist Emerita
  • 2016
    Michael '81 and Mary M. Dana
    CEO & President, Onex Real Estate Partners, and Four-Time Terp Parents
  • 2013
    Waldo H. `49 and Jean C. Burnside `50
    Emeritus Trustee and Alumni Hostess
  • 2012
    Cliff '54 & Camille Kendall
  • 2011
    Charles '65 & Judith E. '66 Iager
  • 2006
    John "Jack" '47 and Jacqueline '49 Heise
    long-time supporters of Maryland

Please note this award was established in 2004. It combines the Abram Z. Gottwals Award presented first in 1965, and the Ralph J. Tyser Medallion presented first in 1992. Both awards were presented for service to the university, and now one award bears both names.

  • 2022
    Jeremy D. Rachlin, ESQ. '02
    Principal, Bulman, Dunie, Burke & Feld
  • 2021
    Wanda Alexis Alexander '81
    President and CEO, WAA-LLC
  • 2019
    Steve Leonard '78
    President and CEO American Bus & Sprinter Vans
  • 2016
    Robert Bedingfield '70
    Retired Senior Partner, EY
  • 2013
    Erik B. Young, M.D. `74
    Benefactor
  • 2012
    Leo Van Munching, Jr. '50
  • 2011
    John M. Brophy '71
  • 2009
    Alma Gildenhorn '53
  • 2008
    Pedro E. Wasmer '62
    retired president, Somerset Capital Group, Ltd.
  • 2007
    Marilyn Berman Pollans M.A. '73, Ph.D. '79
    retired associate dean, A. James Clark School of Engineering
  • 2005
    Marvin J. Perry '53
  • 2022
    Reginald Dwayne Betts ’09
    Founder and Director, Freedom Reads
  • 2021
    Joseph Kunkel M.Arch. ’09
    Principal, MASS Design Group; Director, Sustainable Native Communities Design Lab
  • 2019
    Elaine Johnson Coates ’59
    LCSW-C
  • 2022
    Lumnwi Audrey Awasom ’18
    Founder and Chief Executive Officer, Noble Uprising
  • 2021
    Seth Statler MBA ’87
    Director of Government Affairs, National Fire Protection Association
  • 2019
    Linda Powers ’15
    2019 DDS candidate, University of Maryland School of Dentistry