Teachers — for all they do — so often fly under the radar, inspiring students to succeed while taking little credit for themselves. The late UMBC biology faculty member, Carl Weber, was one of those teachers. His legacy, however, will ensure that excellence in teaching at UMBC will be recognized and nurtured—in part through a yearly award in his name that is given to outstanding faculty at UMBC. This year’s winner of the 2010 Carl Weber Excellence in Science and Mathematics Teaching Award was Dr. Jeff Leips, Associate Professor and Graduate Program Director in the Department of Biological Sciences. “It is an honor to be compared to someone who was so well respected as a teacher,” said Dr. Leips. The award was established in 2006 by his family in memory of Dr. Weber, Assistant Professor Emeritus and founding faculty member in the UMBC Department of Biological Sciences, as a tribute to his passion for classroom teaching. It honors a faculty member from the College of Natural Sciences and Mathematics for exceptional dedication to teaching as demonstrated by his or her enthusiasm, up-to-date teaching materials, effective mentoring, community service in the teaching area, approachability, rigorous learning requirements, coherent teaching philosophy and inspirational teaching style. At a recent lunch with members of the Weber family and a few colleagues of Dr Weber, Leips, inaugural award winner Bonny Tighe (senior lecturer in the Department of Mathematics and Statistics), Dr. Weber’s wife, Catherine, explained that the professor was not one to call attention to himself. In fact, the very thought of creating an award in his honor might have made him embarrassed. “He was the kind of person who shared who he was quite willingly,” said Mrs. Weber. “And if he saw everyone here at the table today, he’d probably be hugging them and laughing…and wanting to move on to something else.” Together, the group shared memories of Dr. Weber, from his love of classical and folk music, to his evolving passion for ecology, and to his many trips to streams in the Baltimore area doing insect larvae assays. “He had that kind of mind, in which something went in, and then everything just…stayed,” said Mrs. Weber. “If he was interested in something, he would just jump in.” “He was a pretty cool guy,” said Liesa Ann Weber-Frutchey, Dr. Weber’s daughter, a dance instructor, who spent many hours in the biology department as a child, often learning from her father and other professors as she played. “I used to catch butterflies and insects and then I learned how to preserve them…it was bonding time with my dad.” Dr. Leips seems to have followed in Dr. Weber’s footsteps, in a way, teaching the ecology section of UMBC’s Ecology and Evolution course. He has also worked with his colleagues to design a new advanced course in evolution (Evolution: From Genes to Genomes) and has developed a new course for graduate students, Mentoring in the Sciences. “It’s a beautiful thing to honor someone’s legacy through teaching,” said Dr. Leips, who has several of Dr. Weber’s old textbooks on his own shelves. “Plus, he was a wonderful guy, so this is really special.” Originally published in 2010.

If Jo Anne Sabas ’77 could give you a piece of advice, she’d pass along something her father, Captain Samuel Joseph Sabas, once said to her: “You can lose your job, you can lose your home, you can even lose your health, but when you earn a college degree it can never be taken away from you.”

Jo Anne knows just how true those words are. From an early age, her father encouraged her pursuit of knowledge, and later on inspired her to make a lasting mark with a planned gift to UMBC.

Sam Sabas grew up in grinding poverty in south Chicago doing back-breaking work to support his mother, younger brother, and sister. His hard work also paid for his sister’s catholic high school tuition. He continued to support his family until he married. He then supported successfully a wife and two daughters. It wasn’t until much later in life that he had his chance at higher education. At 63 he retired as a sea captain to become a full-time college student. He graduated with honors from a two-year college.

So when Sam told Jo Anne she needed an education, she believed him. In fact, it was at his urging that she decided to return to school. At UMBC she was a non-traditional student—a decision that would leave its mark on her for the rest of her life. Thanks in part to her education, Jo Anne was able to strike out on her own as a writer.

“I got a sterling education from UMBC. I just think that UMBC is such a fine university,” Jo Anne says. “I am proud to be a graduate.” Several years ago, she decided to establish the Jo Anne Sabas Scholarship Endowment, an endowment that will benefit non-traditional students who are majoring in English or who include English with another (double) major. The endowment was inspired by her father.

“My father gave me that chance to return to school,” she says. “The credit really belongs to him.” So she decided to give someone else that opportunity.

Jo Anne knows what it’s like to try to squeeze getting an education into an already hectic life. While at UMBC, Jo Anne worked full-time for the then Dean of Social Sciences. “Because I was non-traditional, I couldn’t get involved in activities. I took courses during lunch time. I took courses at other colleges and transferred the credits to UMBC,” she says. “When I got down to the last 18 credits, I was bone tired. I took a four-month leave of absence from my job with the Dean’s permission and finished,” she adds. She would like to give another non-traditional student the support needed to make it through the tough moments.

Chad Cradock knows a little something about commitment.
Each weekday morning he arrives at the UMBC Natatorium at 6:30 a.m. ready to lead the first of two team practices of the day. Each evening the 1997 psychology grad goes home to his wife and three small children.
In between, he devotes himself to UMBC, not only as the university’s championship swimming and diving coach, but as an alumnus and donor — and someone who understands how it takes the efforts of the entire team to make things happen.
“As we continue to win more and more, it’s important that we not take it for granted,” said Chad, who each year works with his student-athletes on letter-writing campaigns to raise money for everything from the team’s new record board to new uniforms. “My old coach said, ‘don’t rest on your laurels.’ We always have to look to the future.”
Originally from Barrie, Ontario, Chad came to UMBC on a swimming and diving scholarship. He enjoyed a stellar career from 1993 to 1997, after which he immediately was named assistant coach of his former team. In 2001 he became the second head coach of the program, winning nine consecutive conference championships, including seven straight America East titles, while the women have won four conference crowns.
He was named to UMBC Athletics’ Hall of Fame in 2004 and Chad and his staff have been named Coach and Coaching Staff of the Year six times, as well, including being named 2010 America East Coaching Staff of the Year. He is also the 2010 Outstanding Alumnus of the Year for the Social and Behavioral Sciences, as named by the UMBC Alumni Association.
Besides the hard work with his student-athletes — whose grades are outstanding, he says with pride — Chad is an outspoken advocate for giving back. As he sees it, supporting UMBC is a way of showing his pride in a place that made a major impact in his life — both as an athlete and as a student — and a way of investing in students who will benefit for years to come.
“I’m still close with my teammates, and most of them are donors, too, because I think we all had such a good experience here,” he said.
“I have every reason to give. My athletes deserve my support, my program deserves my support and the University deserves it. I don’t know what my life would be like without UMBC.”

Chad Cradock knows a little something about commitment.

Each weekday morning he arrives at the UMBC Natatorium at 6:30 a.m. ready to lead the first of two team practices of the day. Each evening the 1997 psychology grad goes home to his wife and three small children.

In between, he devotes himself to UMBC, not only as the university’s championship swimming and diving coach, but as an alumnus and donor — and someone who understands how it takes the efforts of the entire team to make things happen.

“As we continue to win more and more, it’s important that we not take it for granted,” said Chad, who each year works with his student-athletes on letter-writing campaigns to raise money for everything from the team’s new record board to new uniforms. “My old coach said, ‘don’t rest on your laurels.’ We always have to look to the future.”

Originally from Barrie, Ontario, Chad came to UMBC on a swimming and diving scholarship. He enjoyed a stellar career from 1993 to 1997, after which he immediately was named assistant coach of his former team. In 2001 he became the second head coach of the program, winning nine consecutive conference championships, including seven straight America East titles, while the women have won four conference crowns.

He was named to UMBC Athletics’ Hall of Fame in 2004 and Chad and his staff have been named Coach and Coaching Staff of the Year six times, as well, including being named 2010 America East Coaching Staff of the Year. He is also the 2010 Outstanding Alumnus of the Year for the Social and Behavioral Sciences, as named by the UMBC Alumni Association.

Besides the hard work with his student-athletes — whose grades are outstanding, he says with pride — Chad is an outspoken advocate for giving back. As he sees it, supporting UMBC is a way of showing his pride in a place that made a major impact in his life — both as an athlete and as a student — and a way of investing in students who will benefit for years to come.

“I’m still close with my teammates, and most of them are donors, too, because I think we all had such a good experience here,” he said.

“I have every reason to give. My athletes deserve my support, my program deserves my support and the University deserves it. I don’t know what my life would be like without UMBC.”