Growing up, first-generation UMD School of Public Health graduate Crisdel Mayen Velasquez witnessed her parents struggle to navigate the U.S. healthcare system. Like many children of immigrant parents, she helped translate their medical documents.

This Spring, UMD School of Public Health (SPH) recognized four outstanding members of the community with its highest honor – the Distinguished Terrapin Award.

Several School of Public Health faculty were singled out for accolades at this year’s Maryland Research Excellence Celebration, which honors the distinct and notable accomplishments of University of Maryland researchers.

The School of Public Health (SPH) Alumni Network awarded the Public Health Emerging and Engaging Leaders (PHEEL) Award to seven outstanding recent graduates in April 2025. Each honoree was selected for their excellence in their career progression, service and leadership. 

Brian Pieninck started his career in a storage room, as an IT contractor without a college degree, learning his job as he went. It’s been years since then, but the CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield president and CEO says the lessons from that time have remained.

SPH staff members Lanna Duarte and Mary Shelley were recognized this winter with UMD’s Fearlessly Forward Awards for their outstanding work and innovative projects, and Dr Sarah Peitzmeier is one of 10 faculty to win Independent Scholarship, Research, and Creativity Awards. 

Winter break was no break for School of Public Health faculty who won prestigious memberships that both honor their work thus far and invite them to contribute to national policy and scholarship in their public health disciplines. 

Our School of Public Health colleagues have been busy this fall writing, researching, teaching, working with communities and partners, advocating, communicating findings and often providing media with expert perspectives. 

Esohe Owie came with her family to Maryland from Lagos, Nigeria in her early teens, the eldest of three siblings. Adjusting to this new world was challenging, especially when – just a few years later – she needed to navigate an unfamiliar college system.

Cole Hershman’s high school calculus teacher introduced “L'Hôpital's rule” by showing it featured in the movie “Mean Girls.” She pushed him and his classmates to take the hardest course they could before college to challenge themselves, and she was reliably in her classroom smiling whenever they needed advice.

Even now, as Hershman prepares to graduate from the University of Maryland as one of its top students, her adaptation of a Jiminy Cricket song title, “Always Let Your Conscience Be Your Guide,” is still floating around in his head.