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UMB Says Goodbye to Foundation of the Foundation |
Dozens of people from throughout the University of Maryland, Baltimore community
gathered at the Southern
Management Corporation Campus Center on June 19 to say farewell
and thanks to longtime administrator Judith
Blackburn, PhD, MA, who is retiring after more than three
decades at the University.
Assistant vice president in the Office of Development, and treasurer
and chief financial officer of the University of Maryland Baltimore
Foundation, Inc. (UMBF), Blackburn is credited with playing a major
role in growing the University's financial structure.
Along with her achievements, Blackburn is remembered
for her friendly and supportive personality.
"Judy, you can see by the turnout that youýve made a
lot of friends," said Michael
"Mickey" Dowdy, MBA, the University's chief development officer
and vice president of development, and the president and chief
executive officer of UMBF.
Roger Pederson,
director of information systems who has worked with Blackburn for 20
years, said "the one thing she always talked about was building the
endowment--that that was going to help students, help the community, and
that she was going to be there until that was done." Pederson said he
thinks Blackburn has "gotten to the point where she feels she can pass
that on" to others."
"We're so appreciative of everything you've done
over the years," said Barbara Klein,
MPA, chief government and community affairs officer. Klein, who
mentioned Blackburn's role in the University's $650 million "Making
an Impact Worldwide" capital campaign that closed in December, said
Blackburn is leaving a "well-oiled machine" behind to carry on the
development work.
Harold Chappelear,
DSC, RPh, LLD (Hon.), a board member of UMBF and principal of
InternaSource, LLC, got a hug from Blackburn, shown in the photograph
above, and joked that she was too young to retire. "Where are you going, Judy?" Chappelear said.
Dowdy, who said people familiar with Blackburn describe her with words
such as "warm," "positive," "uplifting," and "bubbly," says the
University "will miss her cheerful demeanor."
An avid gardener,
Blackburn was told at the event that she would receive a garden statue
of two children reading as a goodbye gift.
Blackburn, who thanked the attendees "for your kind
words" and her staff by name for their hard work through the years,
said that along with seeing the University grow tremendously during her
career, she has watched it transform from a quiet place with "very few
people on the street" into a lively and active campus.
"Thirty-four years has gone very rapidly," she said. "It's sad to leave the people. It's sad to leave the place.
"But," she added, "I am totally looking forward to retirement."
View a photo
gallery of this event.
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| Posting Date: 06/20/2013 |
| Contact Name: Ronald Hube |
| Contact Phone: 410-706-2582 |
| Contact Email: rhube002@umaryland.edu |
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