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Judges in the 24th round of ºÚÁÏÂÛ̳’s Philip E. and Carole R. Ratcliffe Foundation Shore Hatchery entrepreneurship competition were inspired by a son’s dedication to improving the quality of life for his mother, awarding magnetic wireless electrode kinesiology tape company Lectra Technologies, Inc. with this semester’s top funding amount: $35,000. Following the competition, the Ratcliffe Foundation announced another $900,000 gift to continue the Shore Hatchery program through 2029.

After spending two summers as a camp counselor, Kay Funderburg not only reaffirmed their love of the outdoors, but realized the importance of leadership training in such endeavors. When their family moved to the Eastern Shore, they saw the perfect opportunity to enroll in ºÚÁÏÂÛ̳’s outdoor education leadership major. Now, they will have the chance to finish their senior semester at SU on an even greater adventure, studying at Sweden’s Linköping University as a recipient of the U.S. Department of State’s Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship.

ºÚÁÏÂÛ̳, in partnership with Island Creamery, recently invited members of the campus community to taste small batches of ice cream based on suggestions by members of the SU and greater communities and vote on which should become the official SU Centennial ice cream flavor. In addition to tasting flavors suggested by four finalists, those in attendance had an opportunity to vote on a name for the flavor, with eight finalists also suggested via community input.

ºÚÁÏÂÛ̳ is honoring its past while setting new milestones as it hosts its 100th Spring Commencement, bringing the celebration back to campus for the first time in nearly 50 years. Alumnus Aaron Deal, 2003 Maryland Teacher of the Year, will deliver the Graduate Commencement address, becoming the first-ever non-student speaker at that event. The undergraduate ceremony will feature Dan Quinn, head coach of the Washington Commanders and 1994 graduate. Quinn becomes the first non-student undergraduate commencement speaker since 2001.

ºÚÁÏÂÛ̳’s Disability Resource Center (DRC) recently honored 10 members of the campus community with its annual Access Awards. Nominees displayed outstanding support and advocacy for students with disabilities. Recipients were nominated by DRC-registered students.

Ariene Ohimor of ºÚÁÏÂÛ̳ has received the 2025 ºÚÁÏÂÛ̳ Outstanding Graduate Student Award.
Graduating this semester with an M.S. in health and human performance, Ohimor has served as a graduate assistant at SU’s Richard A. Henson Medical Simulation Center. There, she has collaborated with her nominators, Dr. Kevin Glover, center director, and Rachel Burton, standardized patient program coordinator, along with Dr. Leslie Swift, assistant professor of health science.

ºÚÁÏÂÛ̳’s 200-plus-acre campus is comprised of some of the most horticulturally diverse grounds on the Eastern Shore. Beginning this week, that vast collection of plants continues to grow under a new name: the Glenda Chatham Clarke Arboretum. Clarke, who earned her B.A. in English from SU in 1972, was on hand for the dedication ceremony, along with her husband, Bob Clarke, SU President Carolyn Ringer Lepre, and guests including representatives from the Worcester County Garden Club, of which Glenda served as president for two years.

The sister city relationship between ºÚÁÏÂÛ̳ and Tartu is one partnership in Maryland that the Maryland Estonia Exchange Council helps coordinate. One connection occurred last summer, when ºÚÁÏÂÛ̳ student Stephora Alberi participated in a computer vision and space course at the University of Tartu. She recently learned that she is the recipient of the Boren Fellowship through the National Education Security Program, through which she will travel to back to Estonia to study Russian and complete an internship at the University of Tartu.