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

Page 3Innovation Fellow

NamedStudent Speaker

Inspires

Page 4Faculty and Staff

SpotlightLamkin’s Career

Celebrated

Page 5Henson Lunch Prayer BreakfastJazz Café Faculty LunchAdmin. Professionals Recognized

Page 8Calendar of EventsSummer Language

Program Senior Art Show

Page 7Hawk Walk5K Strides for EpilepsyDiscover UMES Tours

TV Station

Page 6Track StandoutsUMES Slugger

Breaks RecordBowling Poll

THE

A newslet ter for s tudents , facul ty, s taf f , a lumni and fr iends May 9, 2014

INSIDE

Page 2Aviation/Engineering

Building ConstructionSpelling Bee Champ Heads

for DC

UMESUMES

MEDICATION / continued on page 6

Two UMES researchers are among “Invention of the Year Award”winners honored this spring the University of Maryland College Park’sDivision of Research.

Dr. Patrice Jackson-Ayotunde, an assistant professor of pharmaceuticalsciences, and Dr. Tawes Harper, a pharmacy program graduate, wererecognized for their pioneering work in 2013 on developing medication totreat epilepsy.

Epilepsy is a chronic neurological disorder characterized by recurringseizures, which can be debilitating. Some patients experience multipleepisodes daily.

Research by Jackson-Ayotunde and Harper focused on designing andproducing novel anticonvulsant analogs as potential agents for treatment oftherapy-resistant, partial epilepsy. They identified at least a dozencompounds that show anti-epileptic properties in multiple animal modelswith limited-to-no-observed neurotoxicity.

“This (peer) recognition means a lot,” Jackson-Ayotunde said. “I’mpassionate about the research I do as a medicinal chemist and workingwith students.”

Her research already has qualified for a provisional patent, but shenoted that safely moving a preliminary medicinal finding from the lab to thepatient can take 15 to 20 years.

“With the many hours spent in the lab – working on potential agents –it’s all about the patients suffering epilepsy. The goal is to discover new,effective and safe therapeutics that will give epileptic patients a better

quality of life,” she said.The College Park campus’ Office of Technology Commercialization

(OTC) sponsors the annual Invention of the Year Awards program, now inits 27th year. In 2013, it received 154 nominations and from that group, 11were chosen as finalists based on their impact on science, society andmarket potential.

An independent panel of judges singled out epilepsy research at UMESfor special recognition along with scientists whose projects includeddeveloping a better material for the 3D printing of vascular implants, atechnology that makes cloud (computing) storage more secure andefficient, and a low-cost, high-energy solid state lithium-ion battery.

Bobbi Donley, the OTC’s assistant director of administration, said,“Patrice’s research was just so impressive … we all agreed we had to dosomething to recognize her work.”

Jackson-Ayotunde has been doing epilepsy research for nearly 14 yearsdating back to her days as a college student. She was inspired, in part, by anephew who had a related neurological disorder but has since grown outof it.

Earlier this year, the American Association of Colleges of Pharmacynamed her a “New Investigator Award” winner, which included a $10,000grant to help underwrite her ongoing epilepsy research work.

“With the grant funding,” she said in January, “I hope to further myresearch in the area of drug design and discovery – and continue to

Pictured from left at the awards ceremony are: Gayatri Varma, executive director of the Office of Technology Commercialization at theUniversity of Maryland; William Kirwan, chancellor of the University System of Maryland; Patrice Jackson-Ayotunde, assistant professor inUMES’ School of Pharmacy; James L. Hughes, chief enterprise and economic development officer and vice president at the University ofBaltimore; Tawes Harper, resident pharmacist at Lebanon Veterans Affairs Medical Center and a 2013 UMES alumnus; and Wallace Loh,president of the University of Maryland.

UMES researchers lauded for their work on new epilepsy medication

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

The Key / May 9, 2014

Shore bee in 2013 but did not win.The competition gets under way May 27 with a computer-

based vocabulary test that gauges competitors’ knowledge of thethousands of words they have been studying this spring inpreparation.

Each of the 281 regional winners also will be given twowords to spell during preliminary rounds May 28. A misspelledword leads to immediate elimination. Competitors who spellboth their words correctly will then be ranked according totheir computer test scores.

The top 40 to 50 spellers qualify for the semi-finals May29, which will be aired during the afternoon on ESPN2. Thefinals will be broadcast on ESPN the night of May 29.

In her profile, she submitted to the national beeorganizers, Gia said she prepares for spelling competitions byeating a breakfast of pancakes, an omelet, a banana and a glassof milk.

She plays the flute in her school’s band as well as the pianoat home and in recitals. Traveling to cultural sites is also afavorite activity and she hopes someday to visit the Louvre inParis to see the Mona Lisa.

Gia Bautista, the 2014 winner of the Maryland EasternShore Regional Spelling Bee, heads to the nation’s capital at theend of this month to compete in the Scripps National SpellingBee.

UMES is one of 17 colleges and universities and the lonehistorically black institution sponsoring a regional winner at the86th national bee.

The 12-year-old says she would like to visit the WhiteHouse while in Washington and hopes to “catch a glimpse of thepresident.”

The seventh-grader from Wicomico Middle School will bejoined by 280 other competitors representing the 50 states,American Samoa, Guam, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands,and Department of Defense Schools in Europe as well as theBahamas, Canada, China, Ghana, Jamaica, Japan and SouthKorea.

Gia is among 90 first-time competitors and 142 girls in theevent that tends to attract repeat winners in their respectiveregions. Five spellers will be appearing in the national bee forthe fourth time. Gia competed in the inaugural Maryland Eastern

UMES-sponsored spelling bee champ headed for D.C.

The superstructure for UMES’ new aviationscience/engineering classroom building is far enough alongto give passersby a sense of dimension. Despite “abnormalconstruction conditions” – a cold, snowy and windy winter –according to project manager Melissa Drew of HolderConstruction Co., the building will soon start taking shapewith installation of exterior walls in the next several weeks.When finished in mid-2015, the new building will be theuniversity’s largest at 155,000 square feet.

Construction taking shape onaviation/engineeringbuilding

UNIVERSITY of MARYLAND EASTERN SHORE

3The Key / May 9, 2014U M E S P E O P L E

JadeOverton, a seniormajoring inhospitality andtourismmanagement,recently joined 66students from 45institutions ofhigher education ina training session atStanford Universityin California as aUniversity

Innovation Fellow.The program, funded by the National Science

Foundation, and run by the National Center forEngineering Pathways to Innovation, or Epicenter, aimsto “expose more engineering students and their peers(including other fields) to innovation andentrepreneurship learning opportunities, towards atipping point where STEM graduates have a leading rolein the prosperity of our nation.”

“I was thrilled to have been selected as acandidate for the University Innovation Fellowsprogram,” Overton said. “Not only was I excited to goto California—an item on my bucket list—I was proudto represent (UMES) in this fashion.”

The fellows are charged with examining thecurrent entrepreneurial environment at theirinstitutions and work with its students, faculty,administrators and external advisory boards to increase“student creativity, design thinking and venturecreation.”

“Jade has distinguished herself in the departmentas a self-starter and an effective communicator; oftenserving as the leader in her class projects,” said KarlBinns, an assistant professor in the Hospitality andTourism Management department who teaches acapstone course each semester in entrepreneurship.“She also coordinated projects involving numerouspeople and her ability to work collaboratively whileguiding HTM food production events speaks to herentrepreneurial potential.”

Overton served on a winning team of students in anational culinary arts competition two years in a row;as captain in the 2014 competition. She is also activein an entrepreneurial group and catering club, ThePineapple Express.

“I want to inspire other students who have greatideas and don’t know where to start,” Overton said.She dreams of opening “the world’s largest restaurant.”

Studentspeakerconfident shecan inspire class of 2014

Kiera J. Pettus, a rehabilitation psychology major from Piscataway, N.J., will deliverthe student commentary at the May 16 graduation exercises.

Pettus was among 11 seniors who accepted invitations to audition for the honor ofspeaking on behalf of the class of 2014.

A panel of judges chose her to join dignitaries on stage, including Congressman John R.Lewis, who will be the featured commencement speaker.

Pettus attended the 2013 December commencement to see a friend graduate and cameaway believing she had what it takes to deliver the student commentary.

“I can do that,” she recalled thinking that day. “I can inspire people.”Pettus, 22, said she crafted her remarks around the theme of encouraging her classmates

to use their time at UMES as a stepping stone for greater success.The largest group she had spoken to previously numbered fewer than 100, but says she

is not nervous about stepping to the podium on May 16 in front of a packed house at Hytchethat will number in the thousands.

Pettus, who will graduate cum laude, said she has only shared the news about herselection with a sibling and is hoping to keep it a secret from the rest of family, whom shehopes to surprise when they arrive to attend graduation.

UMES student namedUniversity Innovation Fellow

Phi Kappa Phi Inductees of Chapter 312of the Phi Kappa Phi HonorSociety with Dr. MichaelLane, a new inductee anddirector of the Richard A.Henson Honors Programand Aundra Roberts, anofficer of the society andassistant director of theHenson Honors Program.

Dr. Henry M. Brooks, an associate professor and the University of MarylandEastern Shore administrator for Cooperative Extension, retires June 30 after 47years of service in Extension, with 33 of those spent at UMES.

Brooks lists 2014 as a “pinnacle year” not only for himself, but forCooperative Extension. May 8 marked the 100th anniversary of the signing of theSmith-Lever Act of 1914, which officially created the national Cooperative ExtensionSystem.

Brooks spent the first 14 years of his Extension career in Alabama and Kentucky in the field withlimited resource farmers, rural communities and youth doing what he describes as “some of the mostrewarding work a person can do.” The following 33 years he spent “providing administrativeleadership for a dedicated and hardworking team at UMES who serve the people of Maryland enhancingthe resilience of families, individuals and communities for upward social and economic mobility.”

UMES’ extension network, he said, works each year to fulfill the mission of the Smith-Lever Actoffering instruction and service in 4-H and youth programming, agriculture, environmental stewardshipand natural resources, food and nutrition, health and wellness, home gardening, finances, small farmsand seafood technology among others.

“I have been extremely fortunate to have served for 47 years in a career that has been sorewarding,” he said. “It gave me the opportunity to work with and befriend so many wonderfulcolleagues and clients who are like extended family to me.”

Dr. David Johnson Jr., assistant professor of English and speech, attendedthe fifth annual Quest conference at the Baltimore City Community College lastmonth. Participants heard presentations addressing the theme, “Closing theAchievement Gap for Males of Color: Constructing the Pipeline from K-12 to HigherEducation.”

Johnson, an educator at both levels for more than five decades, found paneldiscussions during both days of the event to be a highlight.

One that “drew much attention,” he said, was “Saving Males of Color at the K-12 Level by BuildingRelationships for Fostering Academic Success.” The consensus was that (educators) “must empowerthemselves with a desire to build trust with all students,” especially male students of color todemonstrate how education provides a path to overcome “overwhelming negative experiences in theirsocial and community environments.”

The conference’s keynote speaker was Damion J. Cooper, director, Office of NeighborhoodRelations for the Baltimore City Council, who said he worries educators are not receiving the right kindof preparation “to teach diverse students the knowledge and skills needed for success in higher levelskills,” Johnson said.

Drs. Patricia Goslee and Gretchen Foust, both inUMES’ Department of Education, recently published an article,“Expanding the Professional Development School Model:Developing Collaborative Partnerships with School Counselors,” inthe journal School-University Partnerships.

The Professional Development School Model is a successfulcollaborative partnership model between university teachereducation programs and PreK-12 schools, which focuses onpreparation of future educators, professional development and

joint investigation of educational issues. The article described innovative ways the authors expandedthis model at UMES to include masters-level school counselor candidates, counseling faculty andpracticing school counselors in partnership schools. They also presented their findings at theProfessional Development Schools National Conference in Las Vegas in March.

Foust is an assistant professor and coordinator of School Counseling, while Goslee is thecoordinator of Professional Development Schools and School Based Programs.

UNIVERSITY of MARYLAND EASTERN SHORE

4 The Key / May 9, 2014 S C H O O L N E W S

Standing ovationBy Jasmin Dixon, senior marketing majorFaculty Spotlight

Dr. John R. Lamkin II’s career wascelebrated at UMES’ Alumni Jazz concert inApril.

Several generations of alumni, from 1984to 2013, returned to campus to play alongsidesuch a talented teacher, and above all, dedicatedman.

Colleagues in UMES’ Department of FineArts presented Lamkin with an honorary plaqueas a token of appreciation. It saluted Lamkin’simpact on colleagues in addition to each of hisstudents.

He announced that after 30 years he wasready to step down as the director of bands, thecoordinator of music education and a fine artsinstructor.

The April 13 alumni concert was already inthe works when, like a metronome, the event’stiming synchronized perfectly with Lamkin’sretirement plans.

“All transitions tend to be bittersweet, evenin music,” he said. “You transition from one keyto the next…”

In retirement, the trumpeter is consideringtaking lessons on the piano, an instrument hesaid he has always wished he could play.

The music of trumpeters dominatesLamkin’s personal recording collection. Overthe years, he’s found inspiration and relaxationfrom Freddie Hubbard, Miles Davis, DizzyGillespie—“all those cats.”

Lamkin said he also has an ear for currenttrumpeters Christian Scott, Russell Gunn andUMES alumnus Duane Eubanks.

When asked about the significance of musiceducation, Lamkin said, “Music is a discipline... it’s what keeps us human and makes usunderstand what’s important in life. It isimportant to teach and pass on what you know.”

AdministrativeprofessionalsrecognizedUMES’ leadership served breakfast toadministrative professionals April 23,upholding a long-time tradition onAdministrativeProfessionalsDay.

Michelle Roberts,an administrative

professional in the Office of Campus Life, sports afancy “topper” as requested by organizers for the“Breakfast at Tiffany’s” themed event.

5The Key / May 9, 2014S C H O O L N E W SUNIVERSITY of MARYLAND EASTERN SHORE

Students show appreciation for Richard A. Henson Honors Program

UMES President Juliette B. Bell (center) welcomes Richard A. HensonFoundation representatives Donna Altvater and Victor Laws III (to herimmediate right) and Stephen Farrow and Gordon Gladden (to herimmediate left) to a luncheon in honor of the late philanthropist andaviation pioneer’s legacy. Gifts by Henson and the foundation totaling$4.5 million funded an academic building opened in 1993 in his nameand included funding for three endowed scholarship funds; the HensonScholars, Leaders, and in 2008 the Entrepreneurs and Scholars. “Thelunch is held every year as an opportunity for the Henson Foundationtrustees to meet the scholarship recipients and the Honors Programacademic leadership,” said Veronique Diriker, UMES’ director ofdevelopment.

Interfaith PrayerBreakfastcelebrates UMES’blessingsPresident Juliette B. Bell ispictured with the keynote speakerfor the Interfaith Prayer Breakfast,Rev. Dr. Bowyer Freeman, pastor ofNew Saint Mark Baptist Church in

Baltimore, Md. Freeman has served in leadership roles in the NAACPRegion 7, the United Baptist Missionary Convention and Auxiliaries ofMaryland Inc., and the Associated Black Charities of Maryland. In herwelcome, Bell described UMES as “one of the crown jewels of thiscommunity.” “We are positioned and poised to educate the nextgeneration of leaders,” she said. The event is in celebration of “ourmany blessings,” and credited the support of individuals, businessesand organizations present. “Rollup your sleeves and work along withus to make this community the best that it can be,” was her challenge.

President’s Faculty Appreciation Luncheon

President Juliette B. Bell recognized UMESfaculty and their accomplishments duringthe 11th annual Faculty AppreciationLuncheon May 1.

Jazz Caféconnectsoutside theclassroomThe Office of ResidenceLife sponsored its firstJazz Café April 10 to provide an informal environment where studentscould communicate and get to know faculty and staff. The event, heldin celebration of April as Jazz Appreciation Month, featured UMES finearts student Reginald Williams on saxophone.

UMES junior Dillon Simon wasnamed the Outstanding Field Athlete atthe 2014 Mid Eastern Athletic Conferenceoutdoor track championships this pastweekend. Simon’s wins in the discusthrow (55.85 meters) and shot put(18.64 meters) set MEAC meet records inboth events.

Simon’s performance and wins byUMES’ 4x400 relay team and senior Rico

Taylor in the high jump helped theHawks finish fourth in the 12-school meet. Bethune-Cookmanwon the overall men’s team title.

Seniors Javon Spencer,Ramone Waite, Aaron Chatmonand freshman Orwell Maylorcombined to post a winning time of3:08.18, while Taylor topped thehigh-jump field by clearing 2.11meters (6.92 feet).

Third-team meet honors went

National Tenpins Coaches Assoc.Final poll 2013-14

UMES’ women’s bowling team ranked fourth in the final poll for the 2013-14 season from the National Tenpins Coaches’Association.

1. Sam Houston State

2. Nebraska

3. Arkansas State

4. UMES

5. Vanderbilt

6. Wisconsin-Whitewater

7. Central Missouri

8. Farleigh Dickinson

9. Stephen F. Austin

10. St. Francis (Pa.)

Other MEAC schools, Delaware State and Norfolk State,were ranked 17th and 19th respectively.

to freshman Khalil Rmidi Kinini in the 5000-meter (3.1-mile) race andto the Hawks 4X100 relay team of Taylor, Spencer, Chatmon and Waite(40.83 seconds).

The UMES women’s track team finished ninth in a field of 13institutions competing at the MEAC championship meet, which Hamptonwon. Senior Gayon Evans won the 200 meter race (23.08 seconds) andfinished third in the 100 meter dash. Shawnata Young placed third in thediscus throw.

A week earlier, both squads participated in the IntercollegiateAssociation of Amateur Athletes of America division of the 120th PennRelays in Philadelphia.

Taylor, Spencer, Chatmon and Waite finished second in the 4x100(IC4A) race (40.77 seconds) behind Cornell. Freshman Jared Kerr,Spencer, Waite and Chatmon finished second in the 4x200 race (1:24.90)behind East Carolina University. Freshman Michael Johnson, Waite,Spencer, and Chatmon finished third in the 4x400 race (3:09.43).

Simon finished 10th in the renowned national meet with a discus tossof 53.83 meters, or 176.6 feet.

Sophomores Jheniel Kelly and Shantol Hemley, freshman RachelHalmon and junior Annis Mars finished fifth in 4x800 (college category)race with a combined time of 8:58.27. The quartet also qualified for thefinals of the 4x400 (college category) race, finishing eighth (3:46.93).

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

The Key / May 9, 2014

Track standout sets MEAC records

MEDICATION / continued from cover

UMES sluggerearns nationalplayer of theweek honors andbreaks schoolrecordSenior Stephen Bull’s torridhitting during April, including aschool record 25-game hittingstreak, earned the centerfielderthe Louisville Slugger NationalPlayer of the Week andNCAA.com Player of the Weekhonors—a first for a Hawks’baseball player.

Aaron Chatmon andRamone Waite

Dillon Simon

That leaves a significant portion of the population without adequatetreatment and a great need for the development of new treatments to helpthese patients. That’s what motivates Jackson-Ayotunde to be an educator-researcher.

The University of Maryland created OTC in 1986 to provide expertguidance, support and assistance in safeguarding intellectual property,encouraging research, facilitating technological transfer, and promotingcollaborative research and development agreements with industrialsponsors.

provide research opportunities for undergraduate science majors andpharmacy students.”

Harper, who graduated in 2013, currently is a resident pharmacist atLebanon (Pa.) Veterans Affairs Medical Center. He is among 10 pharmacystudents and two undergraduates who have assisted Jackson-Ayotunde withher research since she joined UMES’ faculty in 2010.

A wide range of treatments for epilepsy exist, but 25-to-30 percent ofthe nation’s two million epilepsy patients do not have complete control oftheir seizures, or they may suffer side effects from anti-epileptic drugs.

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

The Key / May 9, 2014

Hawks strut for health awarenessSome 130 participants broke in their sneakers April 26 during the fourthannual President’s Challenge Hawk Walk. UMES athletes,representatives of student organizations and members of thecommunity, including those from Relay for Life and the SomersetCounty Health Department, joined UMES President Juliette B. Bell inpromoting healthy habits. Cutting the ribbon, from left, are: PrincessAnne Town Commissioner Garland Hayward, Exercise Science ClubVice President Patricia Durham and President Jeffery Locklear, Bell andHarry the Hawk.

Right: Walkingto supportloved ones.

Far right: TheSchool ofPharmacyshowed up infull force April19 in theSalisbury CityPark.

Some 150 runners and walkers at the start of the5K Strides for Epilepsy, which raised a profit of$2,800 for United Needs and Abilities in Salisburyand Citizens United in Research for Epilepsy.

School of Pharmacysponsors event forepilepsy

Students participating in the video and broadcasting experientiallearning experience, Discover UMES, were members of the studioaudience for the April 29 taping of WBOC TV-16’s DelmarvaLife show.From left, are: (seated) Tahja Cropper, Janai Valentine, Shabria Johnson,hosts Jimmy Hoppa and Lisa Bryant, (standing) Jay Bright, Da’VoneFreeman, Aaron Gaston and advisor Jim Glovier. Paul Butler, WBOCanchorman and UMES adjunct faculty member, also led the group on atour of the news studio at WBOC.

Discover UMES tours TV station

8 The Key / May 9, 2014

EditorsGail Stephens, Assistant Director of Public Relationsand Publications Manager

Bill Robinson, Director of Public Relations

Ashley Collier, Public Relations Assistant

C A L E N D A RThe Key / May 9, 2014

The KEY is published by the Office of Public Relations in the Division ofInstitutional Advancement. 410-651-7580 FAX 410-651-7914 www.umes.eduSubmissions to The KEY are preferred via email. All copy is subject to editing.

ARTS&ENTERTAINMENT

Design by Debi Rus, Rus Design Inc.

Printed by The Hawk Copy Center

The KEY is delivered through campus mail. Call 410-651-7580 to requestadditional copies. The Key is written according to the Associated Press stylebook.

UNIVERSITY of MARYLAND EASTERN SHORE

UMES’ ForEign LangUagE inStrUctionaL cEntEr

A two-week, intensive, non-residentialprogram for high school-age students.$200 per course or $375 for bothcourses; includes materialsCall 410-651-6543 or visitwww.umes.edu/FLIC

Sessions are:

June 16-27; Beginning Chinese

July 7-18; Intermediate Chinese

The Summer Language Experience

RHYTHM & HUES9 and

1011Art Shell

UMES Celebrity Golf Classic*8 a.m. tee offGreat Hope Golf Course,Westover, Md.Advanced registration required.

Registration includes a pre-game

mixer, 18 holes of golf with a celebrity, food and drink on the

course, an awards banquet and commemorative gifts.$200 per player/$750 foursome410-651-UMES

Art Shell UMESJunior Tournament*Great Hope Golf Course,Westover, Md.We welcome golfers ages 8-18 for an

18-hole round of play, golf seminars

and educational opportunites.$50 local students$150 students with campus stay.410-651-7556 orjjohnson@umes.edu

*Unless stipulated, all events listed are FREE AND OPEN TO THE PUBLIC.Events are subject to change. For the most updated information, call thenumbers listed or visit www.umes.edu/events.

10 Art Shell Pre-gameMixer*Richard A. Henson Center,UMESIf you’re not a golfer you can still

attend the mixer.

$50 per person

$500 for a table of 10.410-651-UMES

Have a safeand happy

summer

May 1-15 UMES Graduating Senior Art ShowMay 14, 5-7 p.m. Closing reception