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Mar. 27: Clark School of Engineering Alumni Reception April 6: Start Your Engines–Colonnade Society and the A. James Clark School of Engineering Event
April 12: Alumni Association Awards Gala April 23: Celebration of Scholarships
April 26: Maryland Day May 8: 5th Annual Clark School Baltimore Networking Event May 15: Terps Take Los Angeles SAVE THE DATE |
West Coast region engineering alumni will join Interim Dean Herbert Rabin for a networking reception and program featuring a presentation by the McKinsey Global Institute on its groundbreaking study, “Curbing Global Energy Demand Growth: The Energy Productivity Opportunity.”
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 Helping Students Reach for the StarsAlumna is Passionate about Writing and Language Students’ Futures
Courtot’s $100,000 planned gift to the university creates the Courtot Living-Learning Scholarship in the Arts and Humanities. Her gift will provide annual scholarships to students in the Jiménez-Porter Writer’s House and Language House to offset their on-campus housing costs. “Students who would be unable to participate in these programs because of financial misfortune will be able to take full advantage of them because of Ms. Courtot’s gift,” says Johanna Schmidt, director of the Jiménez-Porter Writer’s House. “It’s one more step towards equal opportunity for all.” Living-learning programs at Maryland are residential programs where students with common academic and cultural interests live and learn together. Although Maryland did not have such programs during her undergraduate years, Courtot recalls how her academic work in language and literature served her well early in her career. “What was really important in my work was the ability to write documentation, respond to proposals and communicate with others in my field,” says Courtot. “Probably having a degree in liberal arts was the smartest move I’ve made,” she adds. The creator of two online children’s literature companies, Courtot discovered that some teachers, librarians and other professionals working with children and young adults do not have the reading and writing skills that one would normally expect. “I felt that having a good, solid background in reading and writing was so important that I wanted to create a scholarship.” Her company, the Children’s Literature Comprehensive Database, features thousands of reviews of children’s books to help teachers and librarians identify literature for their students. Last year, the company helped to link authors and illustrators as speakers at schools and museums around the country and the demand for this service is continuing to grow. Courtot has been a lifelong opera fan since her first exposure in elementary school. She warmly remembers a professional ballerina visited her kindergarten class. Courtot also reveled in learning about other cultures through language. Having studied French in high school and college, she says, “it paid off tremendously in my business. I traveled outside the United States constantly because I had these extra skills, and I think these experiences should be available to others.” That is why she feels compelled to also support Language House, where students majoring in foreign languages at Maryland are totally immersed in cultural learning. Oral communication is as important as written communication. “People need to be comfortable speaking,” says Courtot. In Language House, students not only learn to read and write foreign languages fluently, they must be equally adept at speaking in their language of study. Courtot hopes her gift will allow more students to participate in the living-learning programs. “I know people give millions of dollars. I don’t have millions to give. But I’m hoping a couple of students will benefit from this small scholarship and enrich their lives and the whole country.” Learn how you can help make Great Expectations, The Campaign for the College of Arts and Humanities a success. Contact Laura Brown, 301-405-6339.  | ||||||
