The end of this week will mark 10 months at the University of Maryland for me. I can’t think of a better way to spend it than at my first Maryland Day, learning more about our programs and UMD's other colleges, seeing our faculty and students all across the campus, and connecting with some of our AGNR friends.
I arrived early to walk the campus before the crowds. Many were setting up as I passed by and with so much to visit I didn’t get back to all of our displays. I enjoyed seeing the partnerships we had with alumni, companies, professional sororities and fraternities, FFA state leaders, and the Maryland Agricultural Education Foundation, in addition to the incredible effort put forth by the departments, Extension, and the Academic Programs team.
The Alumni Dairy Show and the 4-H Speaking Contest awards were highlights. A few things that surprised me were 1) how busy the ANSC/ENST Courtyard was compared to other parts of campus (it must have been our musicians, Andy Baldwin and Andrew Muir), 2) strollers outnumbering scooters, 3) all buildings were unlocked for the day, 4) how clean the campus was on my walking path late Saturday afternoon and then on a different path through campus early Sunday morning, and 5) I recognize some of the 4-Hers from a February awards celebration. It’s my goal to have met all of AGNR by the time I hit the end of my first year. I don’t know that I will make it, but I can see that I have made some strides!
Congratulations to Mollye Bendell, Assistant Professor of Immersive Media Design at the UMD Department of Art, Lindsay Barranco, Experiential Learning Coordinator with the UMD Institute of Applied Agriculture and Madeline Potter, a Faculty Specialist with the Home and Garden Information Center, who were awarded a 2026-2027 UMD Arts for All Grant to fund a multidisciplinary project, bringing together science communication and visual arts. Their proposal, Another Look, Another World: Visual Art as a Pathway to Insect Conservation in Maryland, assesses how an insect-themed art exhibition impacts visitors’ perceptions of insects. Be sure to check out their student-centered art show in the Herman Maril Gallery on campus planned for the entire month of October 2026. Given the popularity of the Insect Zoo during Maryland Day, I anticipate good crowds for the exhibit and some interesting findings from the research.
On the heels of Earth Day, I learned that Frederick County Extension Office has been named a first-time Maryland Green Center! This achievement is a powerful reflection of the team’s commitment to environmental leadership and literacy. The office will receive a Maryland Green Center Flag, official citations, and a commemorative plaque—symbols of this great accomplishment for display. Let’s cheer on the team on May 28 when they will be presented with their award at the Youth Summit!
Let’s also give a big shout out to Amanda Clougherty and her family, who were recognized on Thursday at the Governor's House as a Maryland Century Farm. Congratulations to the entire family! We recognize the challenges of farming and the importance of farming to each of our own households. We appreciate all that the Cloughertys and the farming community do!
This week, I am in College Park every day. The AGNR Leadership Team will meet on Wednesday and President Pines is holding a retreat on Thursday that ends in time for me to attend the AGNR Student Council Banquet that evening. We have a second candidate in to interview for the Nutrition and Food Science Chair position, and I will meet with the US-Israel Binational Agricultural Research and Development Technical Advisory Committee during their time in College Park. There is no shortage of opportunities to support our people and share our good work!