The 42nd annual Convocation ceremony honored 32 outstanding university employees for their contributions to education, research and service, from making discoveries that tackle the world’s most difficult challenges to inspiring students in the classroom and improving daily life across campus.
Dave Eubanks, Associate Director of College Park Scholars, received the President's Distinguished Service Award.
As associate director of a program that serves more than 20% of every incoming class, Eubanks has combined steady academic leadership, know-how with data and systems, and administrative talent to benefit thousands of Terps.
He joined the nationally acclaimed living-learning program College Park Scholars in 2010, coordinating its academic affairs and curriculum development. He performs the delicate balancing act of enhancing the quality of the overall Scholars experience while still honoring the unique goals of each of its 13 subprograms.
“Dave works tirelessly to assure that the learning side of our living-learning program is academically rich yet attuned to the needs of first- and second-year students,” says Marilee Lindemann, executive director of College Park Scholars.
Eubanks earned his bachelor’s degree at Rhodes College and his master’s and doctoral degrees at UMD. Before beginning his role with Scholars, he worked for four years as assistant director of the university’s Center for Teaching Excellence.
He has overseen two successful comprehensive Scholars reviews: in 2017, when the Office of Undergraduate Studies transitioned to more in-depth analyses of living-learning programs, and in 2022, when UMD launched its Fearlessly Forward strategic plan.
Eubanks also helped launch a new Scholars program, Data Justice, and relaunch the program formerly known as CIVICUS, now called Civic Engagement for Social Good.
“The expansion of Scholars into these new areas of high student interest could never have happened—and happened so smoothly—without Dave’s ingenuity and dexterity,” says William A. Cohen, associate provost and dean for undergraduate studies.
In addition, Eubanks has served on several university committees, including chairing the Campus Assessment Working Group’s Retention and Completion subcommittee for eight years.
“He is essential infrastructure: soft-spoken, compassionate, unobtrusive, a sounding board, always there when you need him,” says David Tomblin, director of the Science, Technology and Society Scholars Program.
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