Tour Presentation Notes
Below, you will find details for four topics in the Tour Presentation section. You will only give a presentation on one topic, but that topic will be determined on the day of your presentation; so be prepared to speak about ALL of the topics. It is highly recommended that the applicant copies the information found here and have the information saved AND/OR printed for their own use.
McKeldin Mall
• Center hub of campus
• Three ring system around the mall: Ring 1 = academic buildings, Ring 2 = Dining and Residence Halls, Ring 3 = Parking, auxiliary buildings, Comcast Center
• ODK Fountain: the fountain was built in 1991. Omicron Delta Kappa is an honors fraternity recognizing the names of outstanding campus leaders in various fields, not just academics. Each tier of the fountain represents qualities of leadership that ODK looks for in its members.
• Art Attack: A day of games, shows, and vendors concluded with a concert in Byrd Stadium in the spring semester and tickets are only $5. Previous concerts include All American Rejects, Ludacris, Wyclef Jean, Nelly, Ben Folds, and Weezer.
• First Look Fair: Campus organizations come out for two days in the fall semester to encourage people to get involved in some of our 600+ clubs and organizations. Some clubs include IMAGES, Quidditch, Greek life, community service clubs, club sports, massage club, comedy
• Maryland Day: The last Saturday in April when the university invites anyone and everyone (the community, alumni, current students, families, etc.) to come on campus and see all the great things we’re working on. Each department has displays and demonstrations for the public. Food, fun, games!
• When the University first built the Mall, the president at the time didn’t want to pave sidewalks just to have students trample on the grass. So, he decided to wait a semester. At the end of the semester there were beaten down paths where the students.
Maryland Athletics
• Capital One Field at Byrd Stadium
o Home of Maryland Football
o Men’s lacrosse play here for bigger games
o Seats 54,000 people, but with the bleachers and new Tyser towers seats 60,000
o From top tier you can see the Capital and Washington Monument in DC
o Women's lacrosse won NCAA Championship 7 consecutive years (1995-2001)
o Named for former football coach and president who realized important unifying ability of athletics on a college campus
o ESPN broadcast its first college football game from Byrd Stadium on September 9, 1979, one day after the new network came on the air. The Terps, led by head coach Jerry Claiborne, defeated Villanova, 24-20
o Famous athletic alumni: Boomer Esiason, Dominique Dawes, Len Elmore, Curly Byrd, Vernon Davis, Shawn Merriman
o Queen Elizabeth of England attended her first football game at Byrd Stadium in 1957 for an upset of UNC
• Cole Field House
o Built in 1955, one of the most historic buildings on campus
o In 1966, Texas Western (now University of Texas at El Paso) defeated Kentucky in the NCAA Championship game held at Cole, which is historical because:
Only on-campus arena to host 2 NCAA Final Fours
Texas Western was the first college team to start 5 African-American players and they did so in the National Championship at Cole, and which is depicted in the movie “Glory Road”
• The 2011 Princeton Review rankings rank Maryland #7 for Students who pack the stadiums (we’ve always been in the top 10) and #2 (behind Georgia Tech) for sports facilities
Housing at UMD
• Community Assistant desks are in the lobby of most residence halls, and are staffed 24 hours. Mailboxes are also in the lobby of every hall, packages are delivered to CA desks.
• Typical freshmen hall layout: two wings separated by a floor lounge. Each wing has a common bathroom, a resident assistant, and they are separated by gender.
• Lounges will be equipped with chairs, desks, refrigerator and microwave. (Some have ovens and stoves.)
• Common Areas, like the lounge and bathrooms, are cleaned 6 days a week.
• Laundry is in the basement of most residence halls, can be coin-operated, or paid for with Terrapin Express, an optional student account. Dry cleaning is available on Route 1.
• Students will live in a single, double, triple or quad; the sooner housing is confirmed, the better chance of living in a double.
• 70% of students live in doubles
• There are approximately 8,200 beds on campus, with 1200 on North Hill, 1500 on South Hill, 625 in Leonardtown, 1650 in Denton Community, 1740 in Ellicott Community, and 1500 in Cambridge Community.
• South Campus Commons accommodates around 2200 students, and Courtyards houses 800, so those are 3000 more beds for upperclassmen that aren’t considered “on-campus” housing, because they’re public-private.
o “Public-private” means that a private company keeps up facilities and collects rent, but Maryland and Resident Life are partners.
• The Off-Campus Housing Office is located in Stamp, and offers resources like a roommate-finder database, a database of off-campus listings, Off-Campus Housing Fairs, etc.
• Housing is guaranteed for all first time freshmen who confirm their enrollment online, make their $500 deposit, and request housing by May 1st.
o Current expectations are that first-time freshmen that were admitted in the fall will get at least two years of on-campus housing, maybe more depending on availability.
o Third-year students have priority to move into private apartment communities on our campus (South Campus Commons and University Courtyards).
o On-campus housing options are: traditional style rooms, suites and apartments.
• Living and Learning Programs
o Honors
o Scholars
o Civicus
o Language House
• If you are a member of Freshman Connection, feel free to talk about your experience with living off campus and the program itself.
Best Experience At UMD
• Be prepared to talk about your favorite experience as a UMD student!
