Each Spring, the Office of Undergraduate Studies hosts a year-end celebration and reception to honor the accomplishments of its faculty and staff.One of the highlights of the ceremony is the presentation of the Donna B. Hamilton Teaching Awards. The Donna B. Hamilton General Education Teaching Award recognizes extraordinary teaching in a General Education course across the whole university based on undergraduate student nominations. The Office of Undergraduate Studies recognizes two faculty members for excellence in teaching each year: one faculty member teaching in an Undergraduate Studies Program, and one faculty member teaching in a General Education Program.

The University of Maryland Senior Marshals represent graduating seniors who have demonstrated the highest levels of scholarship, service to the campus community, extracurricular involvement, and personal growth.The 70 senior marshals, who carry the banners for schools, colleges and departments, are Spring, Winter, and Summer graduates who have stood out during their time at the University of Maryland for academic excellence, service to the university community, noteworthy extracurriculars and good character. Fifteen of them have received citations from College Park Scholars programs.

Liam Driver ’27 shouted in excitement as he picked up a shard of rock out of orange clay and ironstone on an exposed gray hillside.As his classmates gathered around him, he held out his hand, revealing a sliver of bone in the center of his palm. “That blueish part is what gave it away” as a fossil, he said.It might have been part of a now-extinct species of lungfish 115 million years ago that, per its name, could also breathe outside of the water. It’s one of many animals and plants that once thrived in a lush early Cretaceous waterway that’s now an unassuming excavation site, tucked away at the end of a long drive of warehouses and office buildings in Laurel, Md.

Sara Tatum '18, a Science, Technology and Society alum, was one of three outstanding teachers in the area who the University of Maryland's College of Education recognized in a daylong blitz during national Teacher Appreciation Week (May 5-9); it did the same last year, and is making this an annual tradition.Waving pom-poms and blasting the Maryland Victory Song, representatives from the University of Maryland College of Education and the life-size Testudo mascot had come to surprise her at Bladensburg High School, where she teaches. math, with balloons, a bag of College of Education-branded swag, and a $1,000 check—along with their gratitude.

The Maryland Medallion Society is a community of students who have shown exceptional leadership and integrity. These students are also the finalists for the University’s top two prestigious awards: the University of Maryland Model Citizenship Prize and the Wilson H. Elkins Award.This year, several College Park Scholars alumni were finalists for the top two awards – Jhennifer Celestino Alva (Global Public Health), Lily Fleischmann (Public Leadership), Sarang Han (Science and Global Change), Erika Holdren (International Studies), Abigail Manga (Public Leadership), and Kaitlyn Zhou (Public Leadership).

Three University of Maryland sophomores, including a College Park Scholar, are recipients of 2025 National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Ernest F. Hollings Scholarships, one of the nation’s highest honors for exceptional students in STEM fields.The scholarships provide up to $19,000 in financial support, professional development opportunities and a paid summer internship at any NOAA facility across the U.S. With this year’s recipients, UMD’s total number of Hollings Scholars since 2008 rises to 49.

Omicron Delta Kappa (ODK) is a nationally recognized leadership honor society.  The Sigma Circle of Omicron Delta Kappa Leadership Society annually recognizes the Top Ten Freshmen of the University of Maryland. 

Civic Engagement Across the Curriculum at UMD (CEAC at UMD), a pilot professional development program, supported 12 instructors, including several College Park Scholars program directors and staff, from seven schools and colleges as they integrated community-focused strategies and experiences into more than 20 courses serving over 1,000 students, in disciplines as varied as art, kinesiology and sociology, during the fall and spring semesters. College Park Scholars in the CEAC at UMD 2024-25 Cohort:

COLLEGE PARK, MD – After a hiatus driven by the COVID-19 pandemic, UNWIND Magazine is back with a pilot issue that showcases the talent of University of Maryland (UMD) Media, Self and Society (Media) Scholars and offers a fresh perspective on life on and around campus. Written and produced by students, the relaunched UNWIND brings a new look and lively content that dives into the heart of the Terp experience.The pilot issue features a diverse range of stories and visuals, including:

Anticipation continues to build as 2025 Do Good Challenge finalists prepare to take to the stage in the annual pitch competition for a share of more than $40,000 in prizes. On Tuesday, April 22, the finalists will share more about their work and impact with an audience of hundreds and a panel of expert judges. The teams were selected from groups and organizations across campus that are tackling issues ranging from providing health education to reducing health disparities around the world to educating low-income youth on how to become entrepreneurs. This is the 13th annual Do Good Challenge hosted by the Do Good Institute, based in the School of Public Policy.