Jill Whitall and Jane Clark never do anything halfway. From Whitall’s earliest days as a graduate student and Clark’s start as a rising faculty member, they poured themselves fully into the University of Maryland. Each step built on the last: teaching led to leadership, leadership to advocacy, and advocacy to philanthropy. Fierce in their dedication and rarely pausing to rest, the life partners are trailblazers in motion, propelling the University - and the School of Public Health in particular - forward with conviction and care.
Their Maryland story begins in 1981, when Clark taught undergraduate and graduate courses, rising to become chair of the Department of Kinesiology in 2000 and later serving as the second dean of the School of Public Health from 2012-2016.
For her part, Whitall earned her doctorate from UMD in 1988 in kinesiology, going on to build a distinguished career at the University of Maryland School of Medicine, mentoring and propelling research in rehabilitation science. Now retired, both remain deeply engaged with SPH.
For Clark and Whitall, each role gave them a new perspective, and they developed a soft spot for students eager for new opportunities, graduate researchers ready to take their work further, and junior faculty doggedly building momentum in their careers.
It wasn't long before Clark and Whitall took on another role at UMD and became donors as well. Designed to strengthen the areas they knew could have the greatest impact, Clark and Whitall’s total commitments to the School of Public Health exceed $1 million in support for students, faculty and programs.
Their giving largely supports their mutual passion for kinesiology, establishing funds that support activities today and in perpetuity. Their most recent commitment, a six-figure bequest, continues their trailblazing legacy. The gift is the first commitment to name a space in SPH's new building under development, the Health & Human Sciences Complex.
Clark and Whitall’s commitments to SPH - which date back nearly three decades - include:
- Whitlark Undergraduate Student Scholarships: Supports access for students transferring from Maryland community colleges, widening the pipeline for future leaders.
- Whitlark Graduate Student Fellowships: Advances graduate experiential education by supporting kinesiology students in traveling internationally for extended research collaborations and conference presentations.
- Whitlark Graduate Student Travel Fund: Enables kinesiology students to travel - locally or globally - to present at conferences that can launch careers.
- Whitlark Lectureship: Brings bold new voices in motor development to campus.
- Whitlark Faculty Fellowship: When the bequest is realized, the fellowship will strengthen faculty research and innovation in kinesiology.
“Their generosity gave me the opportunity to pursue something I love without worry–this blessing has opened up even more opportunities for me."
The "Whitlark" name on each of their commitments is a merging of their names and also a fond reference to the name of their house. Each gift is tied directly to Clark and Whitall’s lived experiences.
For the students who benefit, the impact is deeply personal. Whitlark Scholars like Zach Mixer and Sidiki Keita describe their support as life-changing: easing financial burdens, affirming potential, and allowing them to pursue dreams that once felt out of reach.
“Their generosity gave me the opportunity to pursue something I love without worry,” Keita said. “This blessing has opened up even more opportunities for me.”
Clark and Whitall make it clear they’re transforming their principles into action. Pushing for better health and more opportunities for students, and doing it in a way that reflects their deep loyalty to Maryland, a loyalty that will be embedded in the very walls where future SPH community members will learn, collaborate and innovate for generations to come.
