Richard W. Silvester (b. 1857) served as president from 1892 to 1912. Silvester studied agriculture at the Virginia Military Institute and was principal of the Charlotte Hall Academy in St. Mary's County, Md., transforming it into a practical farmer's school.
He followed a program similar to Henry Alvord's, emphasizing vocational education. He lowered costs and reinstituted pre-collegiate courses. He also established short certificate courses for farmers and others who were unable to commit to a full four-year educational program. The curriculum focused on agriculture and engineering, de-emphasizing liberal arts. His tenure also saw the addition of seven new buildings.
In 1912, a devastating fire destroyed the original college building known as the Barracks and the new administration building, and Silvester, discouraged by this loss and in ill health, resigned.
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.