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The sun beat down on thousands as they strolled through white tents, cooking displays and kayaking station, picking up free trinkets and learning about what the university has to offer at the 11th annual Maryland Day Saturday.
While rubber ducks and toddlers escaped the heat by taking a dip in the fountain on McKeldin Mall, more than 75,000 other visitors were not deterred by the over-90-degree heat and humidity. The university uses the day to show off its academic and extracurricular prowess with more than 400 exhibits stretching from McKeldin Mall to Comcast Center, a massive undertaking that required 63 tents and 8,700 volunteers.
University President Dan Mote said Maryland Day, which he created when he came to the university, energizes the surrounding community, inspires kids to go to college and unites the campus with a feeling of pride.
“The last is hard to do – you have to hope that people on campus have this feeling and want to express their excitement to others,” he said. “What is really excellent about Maryland Day is that it has done all those things.”
More than 3,000 prospective students signed up for admissions sessions, a record for the university and one that forced it to cut off registration.
“We feel it’s important to do such an important educational event,” Mote said. “It’s an opportunity for the university to feel good about itself and connect to the community outside. If it inspires just half a dozen kids to go on to university when they weren’t thinking about it before, then it’s worth it.”
While the university’s investment in the Maryland Day event has stayed constant throughout the years, the total budget for the event has nearly quadrupled thanks to sponsors, who contributed about $46,000 this year.
However, unlike two recent Maryland Day celebrations, this year lacked a giant dessert. The university gave out 50,000 cupcakes at last year’s event and baked a 24-foot-long and 16-foot-wide strawberry shortcake in 2006.
One of Maryland Day’s most prominent features was the Global Village on Hornbake Plaza, which was brought back for this year’s celebration. Student volunteers carried more than 200 country flags to open the day’s festivities, and during the day, Hornbake Plaza featured performances by international student groups and global cooking demonstrations. Next door, in the Nyumburu Amphitheater, musical groups entertained relaxing crowds of students and families. Local band Urban Cartel sang an ode to College Park as the audience members waved their arms to the bass beat.
While Hornbake Plaza offered visitors an international perspective, McKeldin Mall packed a university-themed punch. The main tent in the middle of the Mall offered performances by various a cappella and dance groups, while surrounding tents represented the university’s academic colleges and departments. An inflatable rock climbing wall and moon bounce entertained students and children alike, while the members of Gymkana flipped and rolled to the applause of onlookers.
“I love it,” said Elizabeth Washintton of Bloomfield, Conn., whose daughter works at the university. “It’s a beautiful day, and people are friendly. The tents are absolutely fantastic. They are full of information and gifts. There’s lots to do for everybody.”
By the physics and engineering buildings, science demonstrations dazzled families and students as they made toy putty, concocted ice cream with liquid nitrogen or fueled fire tornadoes. The university’s wind tunnel provided a much-needed cool-down to those who dared to face its 40 mph gusts.
“I do want to show pride in the school, and it’s fun to see all the kids interacting with all the students and see all the families come out for a nice day,” junior public health major Amanda Brenneman said. “My Maryland Day goodness has not been affected by the heat. … And it’s nice to know that there are many things to do that don’t involve being hot.”
Emergency vehicles were stationed around the campus while emergency medical technicians made rounds on the Mall to ensure safety and to make sure visitors were drinking enough water. Most emergency calls were heat-related, said EMT Casey McAllister.
Late in the day, an ambulance crew responded to a call from agriculture and natural resources Assistant Dean Ray Stricklin, who phoned emergency services for a woman who was struggling to handle the heat.
But ultimately, organizers lauded the day as a success.
“It’s a great day for the university not just to proclaim it’s stuff, like its programs and department, but it’s place in the community,” Mote said. “Everybody pitches in. It’s hard for visitors not to be energized – you’d have to be a stone. We don’t want anyone to go away unhappy.”
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