From the Nominator

Reading is cool again with the rise of BookTok and Bookstagram. Using these trends as a springboard for alumni engagement, the University of Maryland Alumni Association launched a strategy to grow the author community. More than 500 alumni and faculty authors now have a dedicated digital home to showcase their work—something we've never done before. We've long used regional, affinity, industry, and interest-based programs to drive alumni engagement. After years of collecting books and featuring one-off showcases on our blog, we launched a comprehensive strategy to elevate the voices and work of Terp authors. The Terp Authors initiative engages alumni, students, faculty, and the broader community to highlight authors and strengthen connections across our network of more than 431,000 alumni. The goal was to raise awareness of alumni publications, foster meaningful engagement, and create opportunities for authors to connect with the university. We launched a Terp Authors webpage as a central hub for more than 500 works; hosted a Terp Author Book Fair, offering a physical space for authors to showcase their books to more than 175 attendees; and created the Terp Summer Reading Challenge, spotlighting Terp authors and promoting reading as a shared global experience.  We engaged high-profile authors at events, featuring figures such as Connie Chung ’69, Joy Bauer ’86, and James Clapper ’63, providing opportunities for students and alumni to learn and engage. This multi-pronged approach combined digital visibility and in-person engagement to create a sustainable platform for recognizing and connecting authors while celebrating Terp contributions.

From the Judges

A high engagement opportunity for an existing group of alumni. This initiative provided engagement across affinities, class years, and industries.