By Jennifer Baxter
Emotions vary on campus as students celebrate funds raised for the National Children’s Hospital while others worry about the future of U.S. foreign relations. Read about it in this week’s newsletter!
Terp Thon raises over $280,000 for Children’s National Hospital
By Paige Trendell
The University of Maryland’s Terp Thon accomplished a year of fundraising and advocacy for Children’s National Hospital and revealed a year long total of $280,706.35 on Feb. 28, according to Terp Thon’s website. They celebrated that day with their 17th annual dance marathon in the Adele H. Stamp Colony Ballroom.
All proceeds help families to afford health costs not covered by insurance.
“This is the culminating event of all of our fundraising efforts throughout the year,” said Nick Bentley, a senior early childhood education and special education major and the executive director Terp Thon.
Terp Thon is one of many organizations all over the U.S. and Canada as a part of the Miracle Network Dance Marathon which supports Children’s Miracle Network hospitals, according to Bentley. Planning for the event starts over the summer and is mostly completed during the fall semester.
The dance marathon included a collection of activities, such as silent disco, for those in attendance and lasted from 2 p.m. to 10 p.m. A Disney trivia game also took place which was played by attendees along with “Miracle Kids,” who are current or former patients of Children’s National Hospital.
During the event there was also a crowning ceremony to celebrate the transition from the 2025 to 2026 Miracle Network Champion, who serves as an ambassador and advocates for their local hospital.
The 2025 champion said the experience “is a blast,” and involves many interviews, photos, and meeting new people.
Throughout the year the organization hosts events and individuals and groups fundraise to continue to uplift and support Children’s Miracle Network, according to their website.
“You can see the passion. You can see the inspiration through everyone who’s come in this room today, and that’s why I keep coming back,” said Bentley.
Terp Thon participants dance together in a conga line at the dance marathon on Feb. 28. Photo by Paige Trendell. 
Participants dance together at the Terp Thon on Feb. 28. Photo by Paige Trendell. 
The UMD comfort dog, Teddy the Terp, made an appearance at Terp Thon on Feb. 28. Photo by Paige Trendell. 
Attendees cut off their hospital bands at the end of the event. This represents the feeling Children’s National Hospital patients have when they leave the hospital. Photo by Paige Trendell.
UMD students, professors feel concern following Iran attacks
By Sophia Herndon
Confusion and concern has arisen upon University of Maryland students and staff after the U.S. decision to launch a joint military attack with Israel against Iran. Students speak on the point of conflict.
In an operation designated by the U.S. titled “Operation Epic Fury,” the U.S. and Israel began attacking Iran’s missile infrastructure and military sites on Feb. 28. Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, was killed on the day of the initial attack.
“I was very saddened by what’s going to be a very escalatory and very dangerous situation that’s going to linger for a period of time,” said Joshua Shifrinson, a UMD associate professor in the School of Public Policy, despite him knowing that the Trump administration did build up military forces in the region.
The reason for the attacks is unclear, according to Shifrinson. He expressed that his colleagues and students in the School of Public Policy have shared similar confusion.
“I think this conflict has really detrimental consequences for American foreign policy because it’s going to distract the United States and antagonize other countries,” Shifrinson said.
Sophomore public policy and French literature and language major Sophia Conish said she believes the outcome of this operation to be unpredictable and that although she expected conflict, she wasn’t expecting the supreme leader to be attacked out of the blue.
Sophomore marketing major Alyssa Luizzi, who is part of the UMD Iranian Student Foundation, said she has seen UMD students sympathize with Iran and is concerned for the Iranian nation.
“I was very distraught to hear this because I still have family that lives there,” Luizzi said.
As the operation moves forward, UMD staff and students are continuing to try and make sense of what this could lead to for U.S. foreign relations and the impact on Iran.
Featured Image: Dr. Bear dances with someone on Terp Thon’s Morale Team at the dance marathon on Feb. 28, 2026, at the Stamp Colony Ballroom. Photo by Paige Trendell