Dean Darryll J. Pines appointed as Maryland’s 34th President

Newly-appointed University of Maryland President Darryll J. Pines is shown smiling in his faculty picture (Photo: A. James Clark School of Engineering)

The University System of Maryland (USM) Board of Regents appointed Dean Darryll J. Pines as the University of Maryland’s 34th President on Wednesday. Pines will be the second Black president in the university’s 164-year history. 

“I want to take our university to the very next level in every area: community engagement, academic excellence, high scholarly research and things that do public good for all humans,” said Pines at a press conference on Friday.

In the statement announcing his appointment, Jay A. Perman, M.D., the chancellor of USM distinguishes Pines as “an outstanding teacher, a dedicated mentor, a brilliant researcher, and an extraordinary leader.” 

“It’s fitting—and gratifying—that UMD will be led by a member of its own family, by someone who knows so well its people and programs, its considerable strengths and enormous potential,” Perman stated.

Before his appointment, Pines was the dean of the Clark School of Engineering for 11 years. He first arrived at the university in 1995 as an assistant professor. He also served as the chair for the Department of Aerospace Engineering from 2006 to 2009. 

As dean, Pines led the development of the school of engineering’s 2020 Strategic Plan. This plan is said to feature “exciting new initiatives and big ideas” such as cultivating diversity within the school with a focus for more women and other underrepresented populations, enhancing the use of technologies that will help engineering students be more equipped in the ever-changing workforce, and more. His work has also been credited in the school’s high retention rate, which currently sits at 90 percent. 

“If folks have solutions, we want to hear them. If the community has big ideas, we want to hear them,” Pines said.

Under his leadership, Pines was able to assist in securing the largest donation in the university’s history. The donation was totaled to $219 million and went towards scholarships for engineering students, new collaborative spaces, and the development of new programs such as the Clark Challenge for Maryland Promise. This foundation aims to match scholarship donations given throughout the university. 

Senior aerospace engineering student and chair of the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA), an aerospace engineering professional society, Quinn Kupec believes Pines’ background will provide a more holistic view of what the university needs.

“I think Dean Pines has really done a fantastic job during his time as dean. He's worked to increase enrollment in the Clark School as well as brought in lots of funding like the donation from the Clark Foundation. Additionally, he's worked on programs to get underrepresented populations involved in engineering which is something we really need,” Kupec said.

Pines’ tenure as president will begin on July 1, 2020.