This October, the UMGC Alumni Association is proud to announce the 2021 UMGC Alumni Award Recipients. This program, which is celebrating its 31st year, recognizes some of our most notable graduates. At this year’s event, we are honoring seven exceptional alumni for their service to UMGC and the entire alumni community.
Alumni Award recipients are recognized for the commitment they make to enriching the UMGC community through their intellectual, social, cultural and service contributions. The four award categories include:
• Achiever Award pays tribute to UMGC alumni and community members who have made a significant contribution to supporting the university's mission.
• Edward A. Parnell Outstanding Alumnus Award recognizes a UMGC alumnus who has shown exemplary volunteer service over the course of the current year.
• Alumni Executive Business Leader Award honors those who have served in a leadership role in their community and promote involvement in the university.
• Distinguished Alumnus Award is the highest alumni award granted at UMGC. It was created in 1976 to recognize an alumnus who has realized outstanding personal and professional achievement while demonstrating exemplary service.
This year’s award recipients will be honored in a special ceremony at the College Park Marriott Hotel and Conference Center on October 21. This year’s celebration will take place in-person and will be streamed online. We invite you to take a moment to learn about these top-tier professionals and how they are making a meaningful impact to their industries and communities through innovation and service.
We’re proud to introduce this year's awardees:
Achiever Award
Karla Langhus ’08 & ’16 is an Organizational Development Manager at DCS Corp in Alexandria, Va., designing and implementing programs for employee engagement, organization structure, career planning, leadership development and employee learning needs. Langhus is receiving a 2021 Achiever Award because of the dedication as an alumni career mentor volunteer providing career coaching to more than 20 UMGC students and fellow alumni in the last year.
Mallory Lawrence ’19 is a 2020 Presidential Management Fellow and is serving a fellowship term with the Cybersecurity Program Office at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Lawrence will soon begin a developmental assignment with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and holds a AZ-900 certification. To date, Lawrence has responded to UMGC student questions concerning the Presidential Management Fellowship program both verbally and in writing and is passionate about helping UMGC students achieve their goals towards federal employment.
Albin Ortiz ’18 is a senior systems engineer at Ratheon providing technical expertise for the design, development, qualification, integration and fielding of program protection and security solutions used in military applications. Ortiz is receiving a 2021 Achiever Award because of the dedication as an alumni career mentor volunteer providing career coaching to more than 52 UMGC students and fellow alumni in the last year.
Roland Seward ’10 & ’19 is the owner and operator of Melange Wellness, an elevated self-care company providing massage therapy, yoga instruction, fitness training and coaching. Following nine years of service with the U.S. Navy, Seward became a personal trainer helping clients to not only achieve the physical results they’re looking for, but also empowering them to make themselves a priority by infusing self-care coaching into their regimen. Seward's support as the moderator for two Spring 2021 Alumni LinkUp sessions provided valuable leadership and insights to his fellow UMGC alumni community.
Edward A. Parnell Outstanding Alumnus Award
Stacy K. Carter ’05 contributes both time and talents to empower families, support churches and serve in various leadership roles. Carter is receiving the Edward A. Parnell Outstanding Alumnus Award because of her work with the International Association of Fire Fighters in Washington, DC serving as the senior human resources manager. Additionally, Carter was instrumental with the Capital Area Food Bank, serving as a food demonstration coordinator and educating low-income families on nutrition and healthy recipes. Additionally, Carter also lends her graphic and technical skills to churches and her mothers’ group, where she serves as technology chair. Carter is also a chartering member of the Junior League of Prince George’s County where she was recently appointed vice president of communications.
Executive Business Leader Award
Dr. Tulinda Larsen ’13 is the CEO and founder of Skylark Services and currently serves as executive director of the Utah Advanced Materials Manufacturing Initiative, a public-private partnership working to elevate the advanced materials and advanced manufacturing industry in Utah. Dr. Larsen is also a principal at NEXA Capital Partners. Starting with a career as an economist at the U.S. Department of Transportation, gained experience in the air transport industry. For more than 40 years, Dr. Larsen was a practicing economist studying various aspects of the aerospace industry.
Because of the advocacy of women around the globe through an advisory board role with Women and Drones and the introduction of nine programs to expose women and girls to the field of manufacturing, Dr. Larsen is receiving the 2021 Executive Business Leader Award . Her work is helping women succeed in technical industries and will inspire UMGC students and alumni by encouraging them to follow their personal goals and dreams.
Distinguished Alumnus Award
Jalen Rose ’05 is an ABC/ESPN analyst and former NBA player. He played for the University of Michigan as a part of the “Fab Five” team that won back-to-back NCAA Championships. Additionally, he played for 13 years in the NBA, starting with the Denver Nuggets and then moving to the Indiana Pacers. He won the Professional Basketball Writers Association Magic Johnson Award in 2003 was inducted into the Michigan Basketball Hall of Fame in 2017.
Mr. Rose began his television career in 2002 as a reporter for BET Mad Sports and with Fox Sports Net. He was named Studio Analyst for NBA Countdown in 2012, then became the co-host of his own show, Jalen & Jacoby, in 2015 on ESPN2 and later on ESPN. Mr. Rose has also hosted Get up! On ESPN since 2018.
Known for his philanthropic endeavors, he was named Michiganian of the Year for his work in uplifting the state through courage and philanthropy. In 2016, he received the 11th Annual National Civil Rights Museum Sports Legacy Award for his contributions to civil and human rights. In that same year, he received the prestigious Mannie Jackson award from the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame for his dedication to making an impact off the court. In 2018, Mr. Rose received the Team ESPN Commentator of the Year award for using his voice, leadership position and volunteer efforts to provide a positive impact in the community.
Mr. Rose is receiving the Distinguished Alumnus Award because of his selfless public service and myriad of philanthropic and volunteer efforts. His voice as an admired public figure and role model positively influences and encourages growth and change in the community. His vision fosters the developing minds of Michigan youth as they transform into future leaders at the Jalen Rose Leadership Academy.
Congratulations to all the 2021 UMGC Alumni Award Recipients! For more information on the Alumni Awards and to view last year’s recipients, click here.
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