BSOS Alumni Inducted into Hall of Fame, Presented with Awards

At the 2022 “A Celebration of Terps: Featuring The Maryland Awards” event, eight Terps were presented with a variety of awards respectively highlighting their distinctive achievements. 

Three of the award recipients are alumni of the College of Behavioral and Social Sciences: Jeff Kinney CCJS ’93; Jeremy D. Rachlin, ESQ. PSYC ’02; and Kirk Bell, GVPT & ECON ’88.

Jeff Kinney, inducted into the Alumni Association Hall of Fame

As an Alumni Association Hall of Fame Inductee, Jeff Kinney was recognized for his significant, positive impact on society, as well as his efforts to instill Maryland pride and reflect the core values of the university.

A talented author and cartoonist, Jeff Kinney created a cultural phenomenon with his #1 New York Times bestselling cartoon fiction series Diary of a Wimpy Kid. Kinney is widely credited with converting children into readers, an achievement which has recognized him as one of Time magazine’s most influential people in the world.

As a student at University of Maryland, he ran a comic strip called "Igdoof" in The Diamondback. He knew he wanted to be a cartoonist. In 1998 Kinney started writing down ideas for Diary of a Wimpy Kid, which he hoped to turn into a book. The first Wimpy Kid book was published in 2007 and became an instant bestseller. There are now more than 250 million copies of the series in print worldwide. Kinney is a six-time Nickelodeon Kids’ Choice Award winner for Favorite Book and has won two Children’s Choice Book Awards.

In addition to writing the Wimpy Kid series, Kinney has written and illustrated the New York Times bestselling Awesome Friendly Kid series. He is also the creator of Poptropica, which was named one of Time’s 50 Best Websites.

He has graciously returned to the university as a volunteer, signing books on Maryland Day, participating in a College of Education event on motivating reluctant readers and serving as this spring’s main commencement speaker.

Kinney lives with his wife, Julie, and two sons, Will and Grant, in Massachusetts, where they own the bookstore An Unlikely Story.

Jeremy D. Rachlin, ESQ., recipient of the Tyser Gottwals Award

As the Tyser Gottwals Award recipient, Jeremy D. Rachlin was recognized for his outstanding service to the university; although selfless service and unwavering commitment barely begin to describe Jeremy Rachlin’s devotion to the University of Maryland.

He is a lifetime member of the Alumni Association where he attends countless events on and off campus. Rachlin also serves the university on the alumni boards of the Honors College, the College of Behavioral and Social Sciences and the Gemstone Program; for the latter, he co-founded the Alumni Mentor Pairing Program, where he regularly mentors undergraduates.

Rachlin is a shareholder of the Bethesda, Maryland, law firm Bulman, Dunie, Burke & Feld, where he leads the estate and trust practice. He has served as treasurer of the Montgomery County Bar Association and presently serves on the board of the Montgomery County Bar Foundation.

He and his wife, Emily, a Terp from the Class of 2003, are the proud parents of Alyssa.

Kirk Bell, recipient of the Spirit of Maryland Award

The Spirit of Maryland Award recipient is someone who reflects the best of the university spirit and embodies and inspires Maryland pride—and this year, that person is Kirk Bell. 

Kirk Bell is a selfless advocate, constantly working to help advance and champion the Alumni Association.

For the last 11 years, Bell has served on the Alumni Association Board of Governors, including two years as president during our milestone 30th anniversary. As president, he worked tirelessly to raise awareness of the Alumni Association, overseeing exponential growth in membership and increase in Alumni Association scholarships to support the next generation of Maryland alums. During his tenure, the Alumni Association launched the GradPak program, an initiative offering special membership rates to recent graduates.

Bell is an advocate of community engagement within the Alumni Association, championing the tradition of a summer excursion to Ocean City, Maryland.

Bell is rarely out in public without being decked out in Maryland gear. The same can be said for his wife, Eileen, and their three children, Megan, Connor and Ryan—all Maryland alums.

Bell also serves on the Terrapin Club Board of Directors, where he promotes Maryland Athletics and secures financial support for our student-athletes.

To watch a recording of the ceremony, check back here.

Main photo is by Mike Morgan. 

Published on Tue, May 3, 2022 - 2:07PM