representing a 25percent increase.

• UMES offered fouraccredited academicprograms in 2002-03;today it boasts 25. Itsmost recent program tobecome accredited isthe Hotel/ RestaurantManagement Program.

• Thompson expandedthe school's globalreach from 11international affiliationsto 25 total.

Thelma Thompson, whohas served as president of theUniversity of Maryland EasternShore for the past nine years,has announced she is retiring,effective Aug. 15. Thompson,who is 70 years old, rackedup an impressive legacy atUMES while she was theHistorically Black College andUniversity's 13th president:

• Enrollment at the start ofthe 2002-03 school yearwas 3,644 students; thefall 2010 enrollmentwas more than 4,500,

UMES is now usingelectric energy produced by a2.2 megawatt solar-energyfacility on the land-grantinstitution’s campus.

An impressive grid of7,800 collection panels occupy17 acres on a former cornfield, making it the largestconcentration of photovoltaicmodules on one site inMaryland, according toSunEdison, the company thatbuilt and will operate thefacility.

“This is historic for theUniversity of Maryland EasternShore,” President Thelma B.Thompson said. “We are part of a world-wide effort to seek clean energyand renewable energy. For UMES to be on the cutting edge of this isextremely exciting for me, our students and our faculty here.”

Located on land adjacent to Tom Nichols Road off state Rt. 388 east ofPrincess Anne, the solar farm will enable UMES to reduce its energy billsover the next 20 years.

Dr. Ron Forsythe, vice president for UMES’ Division of Technology andCommercialization, estimates the solar farm currently is capable of

C I R C L I N G T H E W O R L D

Page 2Concert Choir PerformsHonors Convocation

Page 3UMES Women Make Top 100 List100% Pass-Rate for PT Graduates

Page 6Athletics

Page 7Technology Center Opens

Page 8Calendar of EventsFire Safety

THEA newslet ter for UNIVERSITY of MARYLAND EASTERN SHOREstudents , facul ty, s taf f, a lumni and fr iends

COMMUNICATION IS

April 1, 2011

Page 4 - 5UMES Gala

UMES president

leaves a legacy

generating 15 percent of theelectricity the campus uses.

The solar panels shouldproduce more than 3.3million kilowatt hours (kWh)of energy in its first year –enough to provide all theelectricity that 315 averageAmerican homes would use ina year.

During a February test,the solar farm generated about400,000 kWh of energy,Forsythe said. When thecampus is closed for breaksand electricity demand is low,Forsythe said UMES may beable to transfer electricity

from the solar farm back to the energy grid and receive a credit towardfuture bills.

The university and SunEdison celebrated a formal activation event onMarch 28, which attracted local and state dignitaries, educators,environmentalists and Dr. William E. Kirwan, the University System ofMaryland’s chancellor.

Kirwan described the UMES/SunEdison partnership as mutuallycontinued on page 7

continued on page 3

UMES becomes a leader in use of solar power

Dignitaries “flip the switch” to signal the formal start of electricity production by theUMES/SunEdison 2.2 megawatt solar farm. Pictured, from left, are Dr. RonaldForsythe, vice president for technology and commercialization, UMES; ChancellorWilliam Kirwan, University System of Maryland; President Thelma B. Thompson,UMES; Franny Yuhas, Eastern Region sales manager, SunEdison; and Sen. JamesMathias, D-38-Worcester. Photo by Jim Glovier

INSIDE

Photo by Jim Glovier

2 C I R C L I N G T H E O V A LUNIVERSITY of MARYLAND EASTERN SHORE

The Key / April 1, 2011

Members of theUniversity of MarylandEastern Shore ConcertChoir take the stage fortheir spring performanceon Sun., April 3, at 4p.m. in the Ella FitzgeraldCenter for the PerformingArts. New to theprogram—an alumnichoir and a guestappearance by the AidaString Ensemble fromBaltimore.

“We are expecting about 40 alumni to join us for theconcert,” Dr. Sheila McDonald Harleston, director of choralactivities at UMES, said. They hail from Baltimore, Washington,Philadelphia, New York, New Jersey, the Carolinas, Virginia,Pennsylvania, Delaware, Tennessee and as far away asCalifornia.

Harleston said the music department has attempted to reunite formerchoir members before, but that this time “more students were available tocome, especially when I announced my retirement at the end of this year.”Harleston will retire after 21 years at the university. She has directed thechoir through innumerable performances on campus, in the communityand abroad. Her last performances with the choir will be at the springconcert and during the annual Concert Choir tour—this year to Nassau,Bahamas.

“Dr. Harleston literally gave us the world,” former choir memberThaddeus J. Randall of Upper Marlboro, Md., said. “She made a way for us totravel and experience it (the world) the way we all knew best—through music.Her anchor has kept us (alumni of the choir) together long after we left.”

Kevin Allen, now a music instructor and department chair at a junior

high school inWoodbridge, Va., agreed.“She taught us so much,pushing us farther thanwe thought we could goand expecting nothing butour best,” he said. “Iwouldn’t have guessedthat I would havecompeted anywhere andtraveled to so manycountries. She opened my

eyes to a world bigger than my self.”Harleston has received many accolades throughout her

career. She was the recipient of the 2008 University System ofMaryland Board of Regents Faculty Award for mentoring. Shealso was selected as a national conductor for the 2009

performance of the “105” Voices of History” at the Kennedy Center inWashington, D.C. Most recently, she was given the 2010 DistinguishedContribution Award for Outstanding Promotion of Black Music and BlackMusicians from the National Association of Negro Musicians.

Harleston will direct the UMES Concert Choir, Chorale and the AlumniChoir at the spring concert themed, “Les’ Have a Union.” Pieces by Haydn,Tschesnokoff, Mendelssohn, Rutter, Luther, Beck, Thompson and otherswill be performed by the choirs.

The Aida String Ensemble, founded by violinist and vocalist TonaBrown of Chesapeake, Va., showcases the talents of African-American stringplayers at the concert. The group has played in concert halls, churches,colleges and universities in the District of Columbia, Maryland and Virginia.

UMES’ Concert Choir spring event is free and open to the public. Call410-651-6574. CD’s of the choir from their 2009-10 repertoire areavailable for $12.99 or two for $25.

UMES honors top students

Concert Choir welcomesspring at UMES

Concert Choir welcomesspring at UMES

Nearly 700 undergraduate studentswill be recognized for academicexcellence during the University ofMaryland Eastern Shore’s 58th annualHonors Convocation. The open eventtakes place on Thursday, April 7, at 11a.m. in the Ella Fitzgerald Center for thePerforming Arts.

“Each year at this time, the universitypauses to honor those students who haveexcelled academically,” Dr. CharlesWilliams, vice president for academic

affairs at UMES, said. “The university is proud of the energy and effort putforth by students to be role models in the academic community. Their hardwork and talents are commendable.”

Students named to the dean’s list during 2010 for earning a GPA of 3.5or more will be recognized along with an exemplary student from each ofthe university’s schools and individual departments. The Bernstein andPinkett awards, which are monetary, will also be announced.

The keynote speaker for this year’s event is Dr. Kelly Mack. Mack is a

UMES alumna and biology professor in the Department of Natural Sciences—the first African-American woman to earn professorship in the department.She is currently on loan from UMES serving as the senior program officer forthe ADVANCE Program at the National Science Foundation. She oversees a $20million budget and over 100 awards in an effort to lead academic institutionstoward gender equity in the areas of science and engineering.

Throughout her career, Mack has been professionally and personallycommitted to cancer research. After graduating from UMES with a bachelor’sin biology, she earned a doctorate in physiology from Howard University at age24—the youngest graduate and one of only a handful to have completed theprogram in four years.

With a passion for educating students from underrepresented minoritygroups, Mack is completing a six-year term as a member of the Board ofGovernors for the National Council on Undergraduate Research. She has alsofacilitated the entry of over 40 UMES students into graduate degree programsin the biomedical sciences, many of whom have earned doctorates and havebecome professors, industry or governmental scientists or fellows at majorresearch institutions such as Harvard and Johns Hopkins.

For more information, contact the UMES Office of Public Relations at410-651-7580.

Dr. Kelly Mack

Photo by Jim Glovier

3U M E S P E O P L EUNIVERSITY of MARYLAND EASTERN SHORE

The Key / April 1, 2011

The University of MarylandEastern Shore’s long-time presidentand one of the school’s seniorfundraisers are on a Baltimorenewspaper’s list of the Top 100Women of Maryland for 2011.

For the past 16 years, The DailyRecord has sponsored the programto recognize “outstandingachievement by women asdemonstrated through professionalaccomplishment, communityleadership and mentoring."

This marks the second timeUMES President Thelma B.Thompson has been honored. Dr.Veronique Diriker, UMES’ directorof development, also made the list.

Under Thompson’s leadership,UMES has experienced a 25 percentgrowth in enrollment and a diversification of its curriculum, including theaddition of a bachelor’s degree in professional golf management, a master’sdegree in quantitative fisheries and resource economics, and the opening ofa new school of pharmacy.

Only a handful of degreeprograms were accredited byacademic peers when Thompsoncame to UMES from Norfolk StateUniversity in 2002; now 25 haveachieved that important credential.

Diriker, who joined UMES in2005, plans and coordinates theuniversity’s annual Gala, which hasbecome the signature fundraiser forsupporting scholarships.

Diriker also is involved in avariety of volunteer activities on theLower Shore, including the SalisburyWicomico Arts Council. She startedthe “ARTS and ABILITIES Initiative ofWicomico” with a personal donationto assist disabled artists in promotingand marketing their art to corporateand institutional sponsors, and other

patrons of the art.UMES has a connection to another 2011 honoree on the Top 100 list;

Dr. Peggy Naleppa, president and CEO of Peninsula Regional Medical Center,is a member of the university’s Board of Visitors.

PT gradsboastperfectpass-rateon exam

Thompson, Diriker named toTop 100 Women in Maryland

The streak continues for 23 graduates who earned their doctorates in physical therapy at UMES last fall.“All 2010 graduates have passed the licensure examination,” said Raymond L. Blakely, chairman of the Department of

Physical Therapy.Since the inaugural class of doctoral students graduated in 2005, UMES degree-holders have boasted a 100-percent

passing rate on the National Physical Therapy Exam – a credential that most employers require when hiring physicaltherapists.

UMES is one of two doctorate of physical therapy programs offered in the state. The university offers a three-year course of study that combines clinical and classroom experiences. Graduates are prepared to carry out the responsibilities of health care providers, practicing prevention, examination,

and intervention in acute care, outpatient and other rehabilitation settings, Blakely said. The doctoral program alsoprepares students to contribute to the field of physical therapy through research and other scholarly activities.

• UMES has been ranked among the top tier of the nation's historicallyblack campuses by U.S. News & World Report for the past four years.

• The latest addition to the school's academic offerings is a Doctor ofPharmacy Program that garnered more than 900 applications for 63seats in its inaugural class.

• Thompson's fundraising skills were put to good use at UMES; she set agoal seven years ago to raise $14 million, the school's most ambitiouscapital campaign ever. The "Campaign for Academic Excellence" hasexceeded that goal.

• Other programs added during Thompson's tenure include engineering,history and a professional golf management course of study.

These are highlights from Thompson's time at UMES. She involved the institution in many areas of research, new academic

areas and entrepreneurship, from involvement with designing the “chickenhouse of the future” to signing a five-year deal to create a hydroponicsgreenhouse on campus.

She reorganized areas of the campus administrative structure, alwayswith an eye toward improving the revenue flowing into the campus, both toimprove the programs offered and to build scholarship funds to help studentsachieve their dreams.

UMES must now find a new president, who will arrive to find aninstitution solidly grounded in academics with well-established fundingstreams to maintain its offerings and provide support for talented, ambitiousstudents to pursue their dreams.

Thompson will leave UMES a better place than she found it nine yearsearlier, and that is a legacy of which she can be proud.

This editorial was originally published March 17, 2011 in The (Salisbury)Daily Times.

PRESIDENT RETIRES continued from cover

Photo by Jim Glovier Photo by Jim Glovier

5UNIVERSITY of MARYLAND EASTERN SHORE

U M E S G A L A4 The Key / April 1, 2011 The Key / April 1, 2011

UMES Drama Society students under the direction of Dr. DellaDameron-Johnson perform for gala guests prior to dinner. Photo by Patty Hancock

UMES National Alumni Associationmember Delphine Lee and herhusband, Earl, pose during the gala.Photo by Patty Hancock

From left, actor David Alan Grier is seated with Dr.Fran Franklin and Charles Dennis. Photo by Patty Hancock

Hawk RadiorepresentativesEric Hammondand KylaBibbonsinterviewcelebritiesalong with othermedia crewsduring the VIPand PaparazziParty. Photo byPatty Hancock

Right: Comedian David Alan Grier gets achuckle out of Dr. Charles Williams, vicepresident for academic affairs at UMES, in thegreen room prior to a ceremony where thecelebrity guests were presented with honorarydegrees from the university. Photo by Patty Hancock

Right: UMESfacultymembersTselate and Dr.William Talleyget a photoopportunity withactress TyneDaly. Photo by Jim Glovier

Top: Pictured, from left, at the VIP reception at theCourtyard Marriott in Ocean City, Md., the night beforethe UMES Gala, are guest Nina McCann, actress SharonStone (seated), Gala committee member Tina Perrotta,UMES Board of Visitors member John Allen and UMESPresident Thelma B. Thompson. Photo by Jim Glovier

Top insert: “MaryBeth Lacey”creamy prosciuttotarragon chickensalad with aUMES orchid wasserved in honor ofactress Tyne Daly. Photo by Patty Hancock

Carolyn Elmore and Dr. Herman Franklin greeteach other. Photo by Patty Hancock

Left: A coupledances to thesounds of theUMES JazzEnsemble. Photoby Patty Hancock

Tyne Daly and UMES President Thelma B.Thompson get acquainted. Photo by Patty Hancock

The UMES Jazz Ensemble provides lively entertainment for party-goersto dance. Photo by Megan Raymond

Discover UMES student Omare Dennis interviews actress Pam Grier. Photo by Megan Raymond

Chef RalstonWhittingham, far right,and students from theHRM Program preparedand presented a specialbirthday cake to actressand humanitarianSharon Stone as asurprise. Stonecelebrated her 53rdbirthday at UMES. Photo by Megan Raymond

From left, celebrities Tyne Daly, Sharon Stone, David Alan Grier and Pam Grier donated their time to help raisefunds for student scholarships at the 2011 UMES Gala “Hollywood on the Shore.” Photo by Megan Raymond

Left: Theuniversity rolledout the redcarpet for fourHollywoodcelebrities, 150VIP ticketholders and 320Oscar ticketholders. Photo byPatty Hancock

Top: Student servers fromthe university’s Hotel andRestaurant ManagementProgram deliver trays offood as part of the fivecourse gourmet meal.Over 200 students lenttheir hands to make thegala a success. Photo by Patty Hancock

Below: “Hollywood on the Shore,” the theme for the 2011 Gala at UMES, isexpected to raise some $280,000 toward the $14 million Campaign for AcademicExcellence, the university’s capital fund drive. Photo by Megan Raymond

6 A T H L E T I C SUNIVERSITY of MARYLAND EASTERN SHORE

The Key / April 1, 2011

Three seniorUniversity ofMaryland EasternShore bowlers areending their careersthe same theystarted – with aMid-Eastern AthleticConferenceChampionship. The Lady Hawkscaptured the 2011title in late March,their fifth overalland the second forKristina Frahm(Oswego, Ill.),Martha Perez(Bogota, Colombia)and MariaRodriguez (IbagueTolima, Colombia).

The Hawks rolled through the winner's bracket and made short work ofsixth-seed Morgan State, 4-0 (206-162, 161-157, 170-138, 187-134) tocapture the match in straight games.

"What took us over was the fact that we were able to make our spares. Iconstantly drive into the young ladies that we have to make spares and itproved to be worth it today," said head coach Sharon Brummell.

While the three All-Americans seniors provided solid play, it was juniorPaula Vilas (Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic) who came up big, being

UMES claims MEAC Bowling Championshipnamed thetournament’s MostOutstandingPerformer.

"It feelsamazing, I did notexpect this award,"Vilas said. "Whenthey called my nameI was in shock, but Iappreciate thehonor."

Vilas’ highgame was 193against Norfolk Stateduring the qualifyingrounds.

Brummell wasnamed OutstandingCoach – the fifthtime she receivedthe honor.

"This fifth championship was very special for me because of our threeseniors. This was their last MEAC Bowling Championship. They were a part ofthe 2008 National Championship team and they really wanted to go out with awin. They were able to achieve that," Brummell said.

Rodriguez joined Vilas on the All-Tournament Team.The Lady Hawks are hoping their performance earns them an at-large

bid to the NCAA Championships April 14-16 in Taylor, Mich.

Charlise Castro (Saugerties, N.Y.) hit five homeruns during a spring break road trip, includinga pair in UMES’ win over N.C. A&T. She alsohad seven RBI.

Thomas Keane-Dawes (Camden, N.C.)won the 400-meter dash at the TowsonUniversity Track & Field Invitationalwith a time of 49.61. The Hawks wonsix events at the March 28 meet.

Pitcher Matt Witte (Westminster, Md.) earnedhis first win of the season with a completegame victory over Coppin State University.

7S C H O O L N E W SUNIVERSITY of MARYLAND EASTERN SHORE

The Key / April 1, 2011

Representatives of the Department of Technology presented plaques tothose who supported the opening of the center. Pictured, from left, are JerryJohnson, CMT senior, UMES; Dr. Ayodele Alade, dean of the School ofBusiness and Technology, UMES; Melissa Davis, Title III, accepting award forDr. Frances McKinney; John DiCarlo Jr., president of DiCarlo Digital CopyCenter; Dr. Leon Copeland, chair of the Department of Technology, UMES;and Dr. Joseph Arumala, professor, Department of Technology, UMES.

Right: Dr. Frances McKinney, director, Title IIIProgram at UMES, received an award forsecuring funding for the project.

Dr. Leon Copeland, chair of the Department of Technology at UMES,looks at Building Information Modeling (BIM) Data along withConstruction Management Technology (CMT) student Peter Andoh-Kesson on equipment recently purchased with funding from Title IIIfor a new ATC Technology Student Resource Center. The centerofficially opened on Feb.

TechnologyResourceCenter opens

beneficial,especiallysince thestate had noupfrontinvestment.

“Perhapsmostimportantly,the people ofMaryland willreap theenormousbenefit ofhavingliterallymillions ofpounds of

pollutants not released into the atmosphere as this power is generated,”Kirwan said.

SunEdison projects the long-term environmental impact of UMES’ solarfarm would be equivalent to a reduction of more than 121 million poundsof carbon dioxide emissions over the 20 years of its production life – orwhat an estimated 11,800 cars currently produce in one year.

The rising price of energy UMES uses led it in 2007 to look for ways tocut those expenses in lieu of passing them on to students.

Forsythe, representing UMES, struck a service agreement withSunEdison to design, construct and operate the solar farm. The Beltsville,Md.-based company financed it at no cost to UMES or the state of Maryland.

In return, UMES will purchase power from the solar farm at long-termpredictable rates to offset the university’s demand from the energy grid.

UMES’ solar farm is another example of Thompson’s vision of what an1890 land-grant institution should strive to be in the 21st century.

Thompson, who recently announced her retirement this August, seesresearch and entrepreneurship coming together at UMES to provide alearning environment capable of producing well-trained professionals.

“Everybody is looking at fuels and new sources of energy,” she said. “Iwant to see our engineering and construction management studentsexposed to the technology behind solar power so they can go out in theworld and make a difference.”

Kirwan called developing and using clean, renewable “a huge priority”for all USM institutions.

“The crown jewel is this 17-acre solar farm,” he told a crowd of nearly150 people.

UMES is looking for other ways to cut its energy costs. Forsythe has hadpreliminary talks with a company interested in building wind-poweredgenerators – possibly capable of produce 10 megawatts of electricity for thecampus.

Forsythe said he’s also hopeful the solar farm project will stimulatebusiness growth and entrepreneurs to step forward with economicdevelopment ideas that will benefit the community UMES serves.

The UMES/SunEdison solar farm is comprised of 7,800solar panels on 17 acres and is the biggest facility of itskind in Maryland and is among the largest in one loca-tion on a college campus in the country.

SOLAR FARM continued from cover

Photo by Joey Gardner

8 E V E N T SUNIVERSITY of MARYLAND EASTERN SHORE

The Key / April 1, 2011

Submissions to The KEY are preferred via email: umesnews@umes.edu. All copy is subject to editing.

The KEY is delivered through campus mail. Call 410-651-7580 to request additional copies.

The Key is written according to the Associated Press stylebook.

KEEP UMES BEAUTIFUL. PLEASE DON’T LITTER!

For the latest news about UMES Athletics, check out Hawk Talk: www.umeshawks.com

G. Stan Bradley Assistant Director of Athletics for External Affairs/SID

University of Maryland Eastern Shore, Department of AthleticsW. P. Hytche Athletic Center, Princess Anne, MD 21853

Ph. 410-651-6499 Fax: 410-651-7514

The KEY is published by the Office of Public Relations in the Division of Institutional Advancement.

EditorsGains B. Hawkins, Vice President for Institutional AdvancementWilliam Robinson, Director of Public RelationsGail Stephens, Assistant Director of Public RelationsCandice Latshaw, Public Relations Assistant

Design by Debi Rus, Rus Design, Inc.

Printed by The Hawk Copy Center

Office of Public Relations Division of Institutional AdvancementUniversity of Maryland Eastern Shore410-651-7580 / 410-651-7914 fax / www.umes.eduLaura Moore, a senior and a student director of the Herman Franklin

Paraprofessional Program in the Office of Residence Life, recently coordinateda fire safety training seminar for over 40 faculty, staff and students at UMES.Attendees practiced putting out an actual fire with the assistance of theuniversity’s Fire School. Worchester County Fire Marshall’s Office members,from left, Robert Korb Jr, Matt Kemp, and an intern are pictured with UMESResidence Life members Moore and Clifton Harcum, at center.

APRIL3 UMES CONCERT CHOIR SPRING CONCERT

4 p.m. Ella Fitzgerald Center for the Performing Arts410-651-6571

13 UMES PHARMACY SERVICE DAY10 a.m.- 4:30 p.m. William P. Hytche GymnasiumThe School of Pharmacy is hosting a drive for the Blood Bank of Delmarva.410-651-8354

15-16* DINNER THEATREDinner begins at 6 p.m. Show starts at 8 p.m. “The Color Purple” Student Services Center Ballroom$45 for Fri., April 15, and $50 for Sat., April 16Advanced tickets required. 410-651-6230

17 UMES HONORS BAND AND CHOIR CONCERT4 p.m. Student Services Center Ballroom 410-651-6571

18 HEALTH AND WELLNESS FESTIVAL10 a.m.-2 p.m. Student Services Center Ballroom 410-651-6356

20* HAWK CHILDREN’S FUND LUNCHEONNoon Richard Henson Center Ballroom Topic/ Reading for Africa’s Children: Libraries, Books and LiteracyPrograms in Uganda$15 ($7.50 per ticket goes to Hawk Children’s Fund)41-651-6562

21 OPENING RECEPTION - ART EXHIBIT 4-6 p.m. Arts & Technology CenterHigh School Art ContestShow on display through April 29. 410-651-7770

Arts & EntertainmentSPRING 2011 CALENDAR

UMES Fine Art

Student Show

Now through

April 29

Mosely Gallery