William H. Parker (1826-96) was president from 1875 to 1882. Parker was a New Yorker who had been first in his class at the Naval Academy, served as captain in the Confederate navy and founded the Confederate Naval Academy in Richmond.
He came to the college as professor of mathematics at the same time that Samuel Jones arrived as president, and the two worked closely together until Jones' departure. Parker then continued a program virtually identical to that of Jones, which was equally unpopular.
The state legislature successfully pressured him to resign by threatening to deny state aid. Four years later, he served briefly in Korea as minister resident/consul general for the United States. Parker also authored several books, including "Recollections of a Naval Officer, 1841-1865," which he wrote while president of the college.
The University of Maryland is one of the world’s premier research institutions. With our strategic location and scores of partnerships with government and businesses, UMD conducts groundbreaking research on some of the biggest challenges facing our global community, including cybersecurity and terrorism, bioengineering, public health equity, food safety and climate change. We strive to discover new knowledge and put it to work through innovation and entrepreneurship, advancing economic development and transforming lives.
The newly launched Innovation Gateway will guide you to the resources, programs, partners, and spaces you need to activate and scale your fearless ideas into innovations that launch new ventures, catalyze growth, and advance economic development.
Home of the Terrapins, the University of Maryland has one of the nation’s most recognizable and successful athletics programs. More than 550 student-athletes compete each year in 20 intercollegiate sports—12 for women and eight for men. Since 2005 alone, Maryland has won 19 national championships, including NCAA titles in women’s basketball, men’s soccer, men's lacrosse, women’s lacrosse, and field hockey. Since joining the Big Ten Conference in 2014, UMD has won a combined 32 regular season and tournament championships. Fear the Turtle!
The Terp experience extends beyond classrooms, labs and studios. It encompasses residence halls and dining halls, clubs and sports, fraternities and sororities, campus events and performances, and countless off-campus destinations. Maryland touts 800-plus student organizations, dozens of prestigious living and learning communities, and countless other ways to get involved. Students here can create a unique identity and grow as individuals, even as they’re part of a close-knit and diverse community.