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July 21: William Kapell Competition–Final Concerto Round with the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra Aug. 3: 4th Annual Wrenn Scholarship Scramble Sept. 1: Maryland Football vs. Villanova
Sept. 13: Maryland Football vs. West Virginia
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Don't miss this closing Kapell performance featuring three finalists performing with the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra, under the baton of conductor David Lockington. Competition winners will be announced. |
 Building
a First-Class Campus Environment
 Riggs Center Built on a Lifetime of Commitment
Last month, a portrait of Riggs rendered by renowned artist Simmie Knox, was unveiled at the alumni center. Chandler Keys ‘83, great nephew of Samuel Riggs IV, remarked on the deep commitment of his great uncle to the university. He spoke with the editor of The Campaign for Maryland Brief about Riggs' legacy.
Editor: Tell me about Samuel Riggs' vision for the alumni center? Keys: Sam really liked people. The big joy of his life was to meet people, interact with them, and ask them questions about their families and their lives. The alumni center really fit him. Some of his dearest friends and family members went to Maryland, including my dad, Gordon Keys Jr. ‘60 (Sam's grand nephew). The two were so close; they were almost like brothers. The alumni center also represents the family's connectivity to Maryland, which goes back to 1648. Our family was among the first to colonize the state of Maryland. Knowing that history, Uncle Sam really loved this state. He grew up in Montgomery County, and throughout his life, he lived not more than five miles from where he was born. Editor: So Samuel Riggs felt a deep connection to the state? Keys: Yes. When the university approached Uncle Sam about the idea of an alumni center, he leaped at the opportunity. He truly loved his experience at the University of Maryland, and he was really pleased that one of his classmates, Hugh Newell Jacobsen ‘51, designed the center. He saw the plans and worked with him on that vision. Even though the university and alumni are fortunate to have this center, he was the guy who was most pleased about it. Editor: The alumni center appears to be one of the most meaningful aspects of his legacy. Keys: Yes, I think it brought something into his life because he was a more peaceful man at the end of his life. He really felt good about it. I know that he had some traumatic times as a young man, but years later, he became a successful businessman, bank chairman and gentleman farmer. In my remarks at the unveiling, I said, to say Sam was frugal would be an understatement. He never married and never had any children, so he was graced with a lot of money at the end of his life. I think for him to know that his name and his family's name will be in a prominent place because of his stewardship, really brought a lot of joy to him. Editor: Can you sum up your great uncle's philosophy at the end of his life? Keys: Don't let life pass you by without giving back to the institutions, the neighborhoods and the families that you hold close and sustain you. Sam lived that belief.  | |||||
