Breaking Through

INSIGHT AND INSPIRATION FOR NAVIGATING MODERN MENTAL HEALTH CARE

BY ANNA RUSSELL

hands reaching out towards each other

If you’ve flown enough times, you know to “secure your own mask before helping others.” If you spend regular time in health and wellness circles, you probably also know this phrase is used as a metaphor for prioritizing self-care. But what happens when you wait for a proverbial drop in cabin pressure to make sure there are enough masks to go around?

At the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, Americans found themselves cut off from both supplies and services—and caught off guard by their lack of preparedness to deal with that.

“The pandemic forced people to sit with their thoughts—literally quarantine with them—some for the first time, and some right alongside their families,” explained Dr. Tiffaney Parkman, director of The University of Baltimore’s B.A. in Human Services program. “Maybe before, their normal way of coping was to ignore their issues or problems, but now, they couldn’t access their usual distractions. People began to realize they didn’t have an actual plan for their mental health care.”

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Lifesaver: MELODIE HENGERER, J.D. ’02

BY EMILY HALNON

Melodie Hengerer
CAMERON WHITMAN PHOTOGRAPHY
 

BIO

  • J.D. ’02, The University of Baltimore School of Law
  • Health Law Shareholder at Baker Donelson
  • Advisory Board, Association for Multicultural Affairs in Transplantation
  • Advisory Board, Carlos and Marguerite Mason Center for Organ Donation and Transplant Education and Policy in the Mercer University School of Medicine
  • Member, Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network
  • Advocate, equity in organ transplantation

Organ donation changes lives, and in many instances, saves them. But the process isn’t as simple as checking a box on a driver’s license. Donation and transplant exist at opposite ends of a process that can be rife with legal challenges for donors, recipients, families and doctors—and very few lawyers with the expertise to help them navigate.

When Melodie Hengerer, J.D. ’02, realized this need existed, she pivoted her legal career. Her sole focus is now on organ transplant and donation, and working with health care providers, tissue banks and organ procurement organizations (OPOs) to guide them through legal and regulatory issues so they can get organs to people who need them. In fact, the bulk of her clients are OPOs—federally regulated nonprofits that serve as a conduit between donors and recipients at transplant centers—that help with everything from authorizing donation to assessing the clinical suitability of an organ for donation.

“My clients operate in a world of high stakes—literally, life and death. It’s an honor to be the one helping them face challenges while doing work that I absolutely love,” she said.

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Ahead of the Game: STEVEN DASHIELL, B.A. ’07

BY CHRISTIANNA McCAUSLAND

Steven Dashiell
NICOLE MUNCHEL
 

BIO

  • B.A. ’07, The University of Baltimore
    Yale Gordon College of Arts and Sciences
  • Ph.D. in Language, Literacy and Culture,
    University of Maryland, Baltimore County
  • Researcher in Residence, American University
  • Retired sergeant, Army National Guard
  • Research Assistant Professor, Morgan State University

Dr. Steven Dashiell, B.A. ’07, remembers working in human services just a few blocks from The University of Baltimore campus and watching the students on their way to class. It was a bittersweet sight for Dashiell, who did not put as much effort into his first bachelor’s degree program as he felt he could have. Those students inspired him to sign himself up for another. Graduating from UBalt with a B.A. in Community Studies and Civic Engagement, he went on to the University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC), completing a master’s degree in Applied Sociology, followed by a doctorate in Language, Literacy and Culture.

“None of that would have happened without the University of Baltimore,” says Dashiell of his extensive academic achievements. “The University gave me a chance at redemption, I guess I’d call  it…And now I’m a Ph.D.—I’m a doctor—because of UBalt.”

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Achieving Her Dream: KAREN STOUT, MBA ’88

BY EMILY HALNON

Karen Stout
CHRIS MYERS PHOTOGRAPHY
 

BIO

  • MBA ’88, The University of Baltimore Merrick School of Business
  • President and chief executive officer, Achieving the Dream 
  • President Emerita, Montgomery County Community College
  • Advisory board member, National Council on the Humanities

Community college left an impression on Karen Stout, MBA ’88, at an early age. Even then, she recognized its value. She remembers her mom taking classes at their local community college to build the skills she needed to get a job. And though Stout didn’t go to a community college herself (a field hockey scholarship paid for her undergraduate degree at the University of Delaware), she was very aware of the importance of an affordable education.

“Access to education transformed what is possible for me and my family,” she said.

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Always Asking Questions: DeWAYNE WICKHAM, M.P.A. ’82

BY JOCELYN SLAUGHTER

DeWAYNE WICKHAM
CHRIS MYERS PHOTOGRAPHY
 

BIO

  • M.P.A. ’82, The University of Baltimore
    College of Public Affairs
  • Founding member, National Association of Black Journalists
  • Dean Emeritus, Morgan State University School
    of Global Journalism & Communication
  • Named the first Public Editor of The Baltimore Banner

DeWayne Wickham, M.P.A. ’82, had to work harder than most to suss out his own identity. He lost both parents at the tender age of 8 to a tragic murder-suicide that left him orphaned, vulnerable and always asking the question: “Who am I?” Despite his childhood trauma, this native son of Baltimore learned the value of hard work from his aunt and the value of networking on the golf course. He harnessed those parts of his identity, along with his intrinsic curiosity, and pushed himself toward a successful career in journalism that has spanned over four decades.

Even before his parents passed away, a young Wickham would walk to Baltimore’s Enoch Pratt Free Library after school. There, the reading hour “infused [his] curiosity” and allowed him to travel to distant places. An avid reader from an early age, he “always had a book with [him],” even as a teenager, when he was likely to be found cutting class in favor of picking up caddying assignments at the local golf course.

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Eat, Drink and B Merry

BY ANNA RUSSELL

University of Baltimore graduates are renowned for having entrepreneurial spirits, but did you know many also boast excellent taste? Quite literally, in some cases. UBalt may not have a culinary arts program, but this group of alums is using their degrees to offer up some of the best bites—and brews—Baltimore has to offer. When we say “Knowledge That Works,” we mean anywhere, including a brewery, a taqueria, a delicatessen and a food truck.
(Scroll down for restaurant guide key.)

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B CREATIVE

BOMA JACK, B.S.’16

BY TIM PAGGI, M.F.A. ’15

Boma Jack

To many, the words “video game,” mean leisure, entertainment, even wasted hours sitting on the couch staring at a screen. Those individuals might be surprised at just how far “games” have come in recent years

That was true for Boma Jack, who went into the Simulation and Game Design program inspired by the role-playing games she loved as a youth. She imagined a career in traditional gaming, but her specialization as a 3D artist landed her somewhere unforeseen.

“There are so many things I’ve done that I never knew were possibilities before working in this field,” she remarks. “It’s been fulfilling to use my skill set in all kinds of different industries. My degree opened a lot of doors.” That work includes creating renderings used for historic preservation, real estate and film.

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CLASS NOTES

*Class notes featured were received from May 1, 2022 through April 30, 2023. 

Two Maryland county executives made key appointments to their administrations in the past year.

Harford County executive Robert G. Cassilly, J.D. ’88, brought on:
Jefferson L. Blomquist, J.D. ’83, as director of law/ county attorney
Robert S. McCord, J.D. ’89, as director of administration
Robert F. Sandlass Jr., M.P.A. ’04, as director of finance

Howard County executive Calvin Ball III, M.A. ’99, named:
Robyn Scates, J.D. ’97, to the Howard County Board of Education, district one
Tavon A. Claggett, M.P.A. ’12, as deputy chief, department of fire and rescue services
Brian R. Shepter, J.D. ’08, as deputy chief of staff

Nine outstanding UBalt alumnae are included in The Daily Record’s Top 100 Women in Maryland for 2023. These graduates were honored in May for their leadership, community service and mentoring.

Barbara L. Simmons, B.S. ’89,
M&T Bank
Sue Ann Armitage, J.D. ’90,
Armitage & Armitage P.A.
Lisa Y. Settles, J.D./M.P.A. ’94,
Jackson Lewis P.C. (Circle of Excellence)
Olivia D. Farrow, J.D. ’95,
Ascension Saint Agnes Hospital
Tammi L. Thomas, MBA ’99,
TEDCO
Tracey A. DuBree, B.S. ’02,
UBS Financial Services Inc.
Neveen H. Kurtom, J.D. ’06,
Law Office of Neveen H. Kurtom LLC
Alicia N. Ritchie, J.D. ’06, Nelson Mullins Riley & Scarborough LLP
Suzanne Burnett, J.D. ’09,
Potter Burnett Law

The UBalt School of Law recognized five alumni who are making a difference at the school and in the community at its annual Distinguished Alumni Law Alumni Awards Ceremony on May 25.

The 2023 honorees are:
Taren Butcher, J.D. ’07, Byron L. Warnken Memorial Award
Adam Shareef, J.D. ’17, Judge Robert Bell Award
Annice Brown, J.D. ’16, Rising Star Award
Barbara Waxman, J.D. ’80, Distinguished Judicial Award
Samuel G. Rose, LL.B. ’62, Dean’s Award

1960s

Jay S. White, B.S. ’68, self-published a poetry collection entitled Poems of a Gentle Soul in September 2022.

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In Memoriam

1940s

James P. Decarlo, B.S. ’49

1950s

Wallace Dann, J.D. ’50
V. Charles Rinuado, J.D. ’51
Irene Wilson, LL.B. ’51
Mary J. Kaltenbach, J.D. ’53
B.G. Usher, LL.B. ’53
Charles C. McGuire Jr., B.S. ’55
William O. Jensen Jr., LL.B. ’56
Charles J. Reisig, B.S. ’56
Irvin J. Schmidt, B.S, ’56
Nicholas J. Petite, LL.B. ’57
Edward R. Seward, B.S. ’57
Frederick Gelfand, B.S. ’58
Bess B. Lavine, J.D. ’59
Martin T. Lego, B.S. ’59
Leonard R. Skolnik, A.A. ’59

1960s

Samuel W. Chairs Jr., B.S. ’60
Erhard G. Keller, B.S. ’60
Marvin S. Miller, LL.B. ’60
Joseph V. Dipietro, LL.B. ’61
E. J. German, B.S. ’61
H. Dean Hinson, A.A. ’61
John B. Shehan Jr., LL.B. ’61
John M. Tice, B.S. ’61
Charles H. Campbell, LL.B. ’62
Michael E. Catanzaro Jr., J.D. ’62
Jerry A. Chesser, B.S. ’62
Michael H. Folb, B.S. ’62
Jay E. Ruark, B.S. ’62
Raymond E. Pryor, LL.B. ’63
Arthur W. Fadely Jr., B.S. ’64
Howard B. Gersh, LL.B. ’64
Charles G. McBee, B.S. ’64
Stanley T. Sundergill, CERT ’64
James S. Patanella, J.D. ’64
Dale C. Bower, B.S. ’65
James D. Gary, LL.B. ’65
Preston E. Greene Jr., B.S. ’65
James C. Pecunes, J.D. ’65
J. Walsh Richards Jr., J.D. ’65
George C. Shaffer, J.D. ’65
Randolph N. Bandel, B.S. ’66
Walter H. Brown, B.A. ’66
Robert R. Dudley, B.S. ’67
Charles A. Gelcich, B.S. ’67
Howard M. Horst, B.S. ’67
Edward J. Roach Jr., B.S. ’67
Murray J. Adams Jr., B.S. ’68
Raymond G. Ferguson, B.S. ’68
Richard A. Friedberg, B.S. ’68
Richard E. Frounfelter, B.S. ’68
C.R. Gosser, B.S. ’68
Carolyn L. Horst, B.S. ’68
Donald M. Lowman, J.D. ’68
Lawrence S. Mitchell, B.S. ’68
William R. Nelson, B.A. ’68
Charles F. Rey, B.S. ’68
Arthur M. Rubenstein, J.D. ’68
Steven P. Weiss, B.S. ’68
Ronald D. Bondroff, J.D. ’69
Charles Brodsky, LL.B. ’69
Robert J. Brown, B.S. ’69
John R. Francomano, LL.B. ’69
Roy J. Rebbel, B.S. ’69
Dennis J. Sennett, B.S. ’69
Mark S. Stafford, B.S. ’69
Alfred F. Strobel Jr., B.S. ’69

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B ONLINE

Meet UBalt’s newest changemakers

The University of Baltimore welcomed three new executive leaders at the beginning of the 2023-2024 academic year. Click below to learn more about them.

Ralph O. Mueller

Ralph O. Mueller
senior vice president for academic affairs and provost
Charles Street Chat with Ralph Mueller

Nagraj

Dr. Nagraj “Raju” Balakrishnan
dean, Merrick School of Business
Dean’s Message
Charles Street Chat with Raju Balakrishnan

Joan Worthingon

Joan Worthington, B.S. ’84, MBA ’91
chair, The University of Baltimore Foundation board

Watch UBalt’s newest video series

Charles Street Chats

Every month, a member of UBalt’s faculty or staff join us for Charles Street Chats. We visit various spots around The University of Baltimore’s Charles Street home for casual conversations with these community members about their passions, their work and its impact. Get started with Dr. Tiffaney Parkman (above), who is featured in this issue in “Breaking Through.” 

Join UBALT’s newest alumni social network

Are you ready to take the next step in your career?

Start with our University of Baltimore Alumni LinkedIn page! Whether you’re searching for a new job or looking to grow in your current role, our LinkedIn page is a resource for ambitious professionals. Featuring Alumni in the News, Alumni Business spotlights, UBWorks/ Job postings, professional development webinars and more!

Baltimore Law magazine available online

The all-digital 2023 edition of Baltimore Law magazine shines a light on the accomplishments of our very diverse and impactful law school alumni, who are contributing as leaders and change makers at the local, state and national levels, including alumni Larry Greenberg, J.D. ’94; Kristen Mack, J.D. ’17; Malcolm Ruff, J.D. ’12; and Allen Honick, J.D. ’16 (pictured above), who are tackling police and prison brutality.

Thank You, Baltimore!

Rainbow stairs

UBalt dominated the Arts & Culture winner’s circle in Baltimore Magazine’s 2023 Best of Baltimore Reader’s Poll. D. Watkins, B.A. ’09, M.F.A. ’19; Kondwani Fidel, M.F.A. ’20; and Inclusion Alley (above) were all named favorites by the voting public.

There’s More to the Story…

Get enhanced content in the digital edition of The University of Baltimore Magazine. 

SNAPSHOT: Full commencement speech and video interview with John Waters, D.H.L. ’23. 

AROUND THE WORLD: Global field study photo journals from faculty and students 

BREAKING THROUGH: Online articles and resources from mental health practitioners 

B CONNECTED: Select writings and expert opinions from UBalt alums 

2023 BOOK LIST: Get the latest releases from members of the UBalt community. 

EAT, DRINK…: Connect with UBalt eateries through photos, menus, links and more