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Accelerating Terrapin Pride through Athletics and the Arts

September 08, 2025

NextNOW Fest Sign on the lawn

Fellow Terrapins,

As your university leaders, we are filled with tremendous pride as we watch our campus join together at the start of a new school year. We are reminded that our academic mission unites us, as we also build meaningful and lasting connections through experiences that inspire us beyond the classroom. One powerful way to achieve this is through celebrating the arts and supporting our Terrapin student-athletes.  

We invite you to immerse yourself in the energy, excitement and impact that our artists, performers and athletes bring to campus as this new year begins.

Experience the Arts
Tomorrow marks the start of NextNOW Fest, a signature event of our Arts for All initiative. The annual arts festival, presented and produced by The Clarice, is a collaborative celebration built in partnership with UMD student groups, academic departments and local and touring artists. Gather your friends and colleagues and enjoy free concerts, comedy acts, visual showcases and theatrical productions, all part of our lively arts scene. The festival runs through Sept. 16 and is just one of the countless ways you can engage with the arts throughout the year through Arts for All. Students also receive free tickets to most events at The Clarice year-round. There are nearly 50 student-led arts events on campus and 40 creative and performing arts student groups, offering rich opportunities to experience and engage in the arts and support fellow Terps.

Cheer on Our Terp Teams
The fall sports season is now underway, and we encourage you to take part in the action. Football fans can experience the excitement of Terpsville this Saturday, Sept. 13, as we take on Towson at SECU Stadium. Tickets are always free for students, and faculty and staff have until the end of today to request two free tickets to this game. In addition, several sports, including cross country, field hockey and tennis, offer free admission to all Terp fans throughout the season. In addition to intercollegiate athletics, we have a remarkable club sports program with 47 teams that compete nationally. Come cheer them on, too!

Wear Your Terrapin Pride
Throughout the year, we invite you to participate in our Maryland Fridays tradition by proudly wearing red, black and gold each Friday. It's a simple but powerful way for everyone to join together and celebrate what makes the University of Maryland a place we are proud to call home. 

These artistic and athletic experiences showcase excellence. We look forward to seeing you out there, cheering, celebrating and discovering.

Thank you for being a part of our family. Go Terps!

Sincerely,

Darryll Pines Signature

Darryll J. Pines
President, University of Maryland

Signature of Jennifer King Rice

Jennifer King Rice
Senior Vice President and Provost

Jim Smith's Signature

Jim Smith
Director of Athletics

Patty Perrillo Signature

Patricia A. Perillo
Vice President for Student Affairs