GVPT Alum Joel Feller ’90 Named BSOS Alumnus of the Year

Philadelphia attorney Joel Feller (GVPT ’90) has been named the College of Behavioral and Social Sciences Alumnus of the Year and was honored at a gala hosted by the University of Maryland Alumni Association on Friday, September 30th.

Last December, Feller and his wife Kim ’89 generously donated $500,000 to establish a professorship aimed at helping the College recruit or retain faculty in academic areas of need.  This Dean’s-level professorship is the first of its kind in BSOS. Dr. Jack Blanchard, chair of the Department of Psychology and 16-year University of Maryland faculty member, was awarded the first Joel and Kim Feller Professorship.

“Kim and I are so honored to be able to support faculty and students within the College of Behavioral and Social Sciences and it's empowering to see the impact their work has on developing solutions to some of the world's greatest challenges," Feller said.

The Fellers previously donated $100,000 to support a research professor in the Department of Government and Politics. GVPT Professor Dr. Robert Koulish, who also serves as Director of MLAW Programs, currently holds the Joel J. Feller research professorship.

"We are thrilled to provide our support to Dr. Robert Koulish, Director of MLAW Programs, and Dr. Jack Blanchard, Chair of the Department of Psychology,” Feller said.  “Dr. Blanchard's recent $2.2 million NIMH grant provides a unique opportunity to study social affiliation deficits in psychosis."

Feller is a founding partner at Ross Feller Casey, LLP in Philadelphia, where he represented seven sexual assault victims of former Penn State football coach Jerry Sandusky. Joel and Kim Feller have three children—Jordan, Emily and Cory—and live outside of Philadelphia.

From left to right: Dr. Robert Koulish, Joel J. Feller Research Professor; Joel Feller '90, BSOS Alumnus of the Year; Dr. Jack Blanchard, Joel and Kim Feller Professor; Dean Gregory Ball

Published on Tue, Oct 18, 2016 - 1:50PM