Class Is Back in Session: 5 Reasons to Experience Maryland Like Never Before

What if you could step back onto campus—not as a student, but as a curious explorer?

This summer, the University of Maryland Alumni Association is launching Terp Academy, a one-day experience designed to reconnect alums with the energy, ideas and discovery that define Maryland. But this isn’t your typical day of lectures—it’s a choose-your-own-adventure through some of the most fascinating corners of campus, with time to reconnect over lunch at the beloved South Campus Dining Hall before heading back out for more discovery.

Here’s a preview of what’s in store:

For fans of courtroom podcasts, this is your chance to dive deeper. In Show Me the Money: Music in the Courtroom, you’ll unpack the legal battles behind some of the biggest songs in history—from Marvin Gaye to Taylor Swift—and explore what it really means to own creativity in today’s world.

Learn how the trials still resonate today with Panic in Salem, where accusations spread, institutions faltered and fear overtook reason. Inspired by one of UMD’s most popular history courses, this session explores why they still captivate us—and what they reveal about mass hysteria, misinformation and justice today.

Ever wondered how scientists define “life”? In Is Anyone Out There?, you’ll explore aliens through both science fiction and real astronomy—challenging what we think we know about the universe.

Get hands-on access to where bold ideas become breakthroughs at Maryland’s innovation spaces like the IDEA Factory and Fermentation Lab. Meet robots in action, explore the future of flight or visit active research labs shaping tomorrow’s technology.

Terp Academy is built for curiosity. Whether you’re diving into science, revisiting history or trying something completely new, every session offers a chance to learn, explore and connect in a way that’s distinctly Maryland.

Spots are limited—and with sessions this unique, they won’t last long.