#ScholarsAt30
College Park Scholars was born out of a revolutionary concept: Enhance the education of University of Maryland students by creating a learning community where students both take classes and live together in the same residence halls. The program would help students make meaningful connections between disciplines, as well as with one another and their faculty.
In fall 1994, the first class of Scholars students arrived in College Park that gave life to that idea. Click below to hear from William E. “Brit” Kirwan, chancellor emeritus of the University System of Maryland and University of Maryland president when College Park Scholars was conceived and launched. At a fall reception, he spoke warmly of founding executive director, Nancy Shapiro, who retired in 2024 as associate vice chancellor from the University System of Maryland leadership.
We’ve learned together for 30 years. Now, watch how we celebrated together!
#ScholarsAt30 Events
We kick off every fall with a flurry of activities designed to introduce our newest cohort to each other, their respective programs, and the University of Maryland community.
We allow our first-year students to move into their residence halls within the Cambridge Community a few days early to prepare for our annual tradition, Fall Launch. Hours after move-in, students participate in Scholars Under The Lights (SUTL), a huge icebreaker event for our incoming class where they receive their t-shirts to wear on Service Day. The 2024 version featured the 30th anniversary logo on a Maryland red t-shirt. Each of our 13 programs selects a different community partner to engage with for this day of action in the surrounding communities.
With the first day of classes under their collective belts a few days later, our newest Scholars nearly filled the Dekelboum Theater in The Clarice Performing Arts Center to capacity for our annual Convocation. This year, the students heard from Hart Rossman, a member of the very first Scholars cohort in 1994, and were officially welcomed to campus by Dr. Darryl Pines, UMD president, and Marilee Lindemann, executive director of Scholars.
After our annual Citation and Awards Ceremony, we were honored to welcome members of the Founders Circle to join our faculty, staff, and guests for a private 30th anniversary reception. We enjoyed stories from William E. “Brit” Kirwan, chancellor emeritus of the University System of Maryland and University of Maryland president when College Park Scholars was established, and Nancy Shapiro, founding executive director of College Park Scholars.
Click here for highlights from this wonderful evening!
We expanded the #ScholarsAt30 celebration to coincide with the century-long Maryland Day tradition with a party in the Cambridge Community.
We invited current students, future Terps, alumni, friends, families and supporters to join us for family-friendly games, free cake and ice cream, and more. Visitors could even design their own Terrapin to take home (or add to our art wall)! We also brought the unofficial official ice cream flavor Chocolloquium out of retirement for the day.
Congratulations, Class of 2025!
The final celebration event for #ScholarsAt30 occurred in May. Affectionately dubbed KERMencement in honor of Kermit the Frog, who was the 2025 commencement speaker, the ceremony saw more than 650 former Scholars join the ranks of University of Maryland alumni. Of the 70 Senior Marshals selected to carry the banners for schools, colleges, and departments who stood out during their time at UMD for academic excellence, service to the university community, noteworthy extracurriculars, and good character, fifteen received citations from College Park Scholars programs.
Congratulations to all of the Scholars alums! (Special thanks to all who shared their photos with us!)
Impact of Scholars, by the Numbers
