Directory

Kristy Maddux is Professor of Communication and Executive Director of the Honors College. Her research and teaching center on practices of democratic citizenship, especially as they intersect with gender, religion, race, and disability. She is enthusiastic about helping students find ways to participate in local democracy, and her classes typically send students out into College Park and other nearby communities to engage with civic affairs and local governance. Maddux is currently writing a book about a rare genetic disorder called Rett syndrome, and she is the author of Practicing Citizenship: Women’s Rhetoric at the 1893 Chicago World’s Fair and The Faithful Citizen: Popular Christian Media and Gendered Civic Identities, along with numerous articles in scholarly journals.

Dr. Traci L.M. Dula is the associate director of the Honors College for administration and operations. Dr. Dula is also a two-time Terp (B.A. and Ph.D.) and a Terp mom.

Dr. Blatti is the Director of University Honors and the Associate Director for Strategic Initiatives of the Honors College. He is an Affiliate Associate Professor in the Department of Philosophy.

Dr. Lang has been the Associate Director for Admissions for the Honors College since 2019. Prior to joining the Honors College, she was the Assistant Director of Admissions for the School of Music at the University of Maryland.

Rebecca Forbes is currently the Business Manager for the Honors College in the Office of Undergraduate Studies. In this role, she oversees key functions including budgeting, financial reporting, payroll/HR processing, financial accounting, and other business operations related to the Honors College. She interprets and advises on university policies and procedures to ensure compliance with the department's business management perspectives.

Ms. Smith joined the Honors College at UMD in Fall 2019, where she plays a pivotal role in supporting Honors admission processes and the Banneker-Key scholarship processes, alongside organizing recruiting activities and leading initiatives that foster inclusive communities and empower underserved students to thrive within the Honors College and at UMD. She manages programs such as the Honors Ambassadors, assisting with admission and recruitment events, and the PrePAIR Connections Mentoring Program, aiding first-year underrepresented minority and first-generation students transition academically and socially to the university. Additionally, she serves as the staff advisor for the First Generation Student Association and co-staff advisor to the Black Honors Caucus, further showcasing her dedication to diversity, inclusion, and student success.

Kate Spanos serves as the Assistant Director of Communications for the Honors College. She is also a faculty fellow with the Honors Humanities program. Dr. Spanos directs and implements the public representation of the Honors College in print and digital media. In addition, she is responsible for storytelling and the Honors College website.

Vanessa A. Aderibigbe currently holds the role of Administrative Project Coordinator within the Honors College. In this capacity, she provides essential support to the Honors College Central office, managing tasks related to project management, administrative processes, and the planning of Honors College events.

Vanessa also fulfills the role of Coordinator for the Science Bowl competition, which is designed for middle and high school students and hosted by the Department of Energy.

Nabeela Alam joined the Honors College in June 2023 as the Business Coordinator. She assists with HR/payroll and functions related to foundations and scholarships. Prior to joining the Honors College, she worked at the VPR-Applied Research Lab for Intelligence and Security (2017-2023), processing purchasing, travel and other accounting-related tasks. She holds a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Economics from the University of Toronto (Canada).