Every fall, the University of Maryland, Baltimore (UMB) dedicates one week to commemorating our rich history and celebrating the future we’re building together. Among the highlights of Founders Week is recognizing the extraordinary work of our UMB community. Four awards are given to faculty or staff members, each signifying outstanding accomplishment in one facet of UMB’s mission, and in 2021 we have inaugurated a Student of the Year Award.

Below you can view the recipients of our 2021 Founders Week Awards.

David J. Ramsay Entrepreneur of the Year

Vincent Njar, PhD 
School of Medicine
Professor, Department of Pharmacology

Public Servant of the Year

Joshua M. Abzug, MD
School of Medicine
Associate Professor, Department of Orthopaedics

Researcher of the Year

Ronna P. Hertzano, MD, PhD
School of Medicine
Professor, Department of Otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery

Student of the Year

Jazmin Jones 
School of Dentistry
Class of 2022

Student of the Year

Emily M. Smith 
Graduate School
Class of 2022

Educators of the Year

Renaissance Curriculum Team
School of Medicine