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September 8, 2006
Fab Four Memories
I am a 1970 graduate of UMBC and a member of the 1st class to be on campus. The majority of us (if not all) were commuter students from the surrounding neighborhoods. I know personally that I would not have been able to go to college if it were not for the opening of UMBC and its nurturing attitude. Our first couple of weeks on campus we walked on wood planks from building to building because it was very muddy from all the construction. The students were excited and the professors were trying to find supplies but were excited as well. Financial assistance was a must and UMBC stepped up and offered me up to 30 hours a week of on campus work which was a life saver. I worked every available moment in the Biology Department for Dr. Koneska (sp?) and his secretary Sharon. My husband of 36 years, Frank Kormann, also worked on campus at Hillcrest with Mrs. Randolph. I had attended a small Baltimore City high school where there was no gym and therefore no sports of any kind. I was welcomed with open arms by the women's sports director and played Basketball and Field Hockey and had a blast. The most important source of information for students working on campus was Cil (sp?). She was the switchboard operator, extremely friendly and had a couch next to her switchboard, where we stopped for a quick update on who's who at UMBC. Between answering incoming calls, she offered great counseling on who to date. Many of us who visited her in that office eventually married and are still together today. Working 30 hours on campus with all my friends, meeting my husband Frank Kormann, working side by side with all the original professors of UMBC all seems like a dream now. However, the memory which is vivid and fresh is the UMBC "family" of faculty and staff who pioneered through incredible odds, starting a campus from scratch with just the neighborhood kids. They constantly reminded us that we were attending a campus that would be famous someday and here we were the first class on campus. It always made us feel special. I have been a Realtor for 28 years, I have 2 grown children and 4 grandchildren. My successful business where I am a partner with my husband Frank has a strong foundation in business and people skills. Thank you faculty and staff of UMBC 1966-1970.
Fran Kormann '70
Leesburg Virginia
Posted by jogrady on September 8, 2006 7:44 PM