The University of Maryland’s Independent Student Newspaper
THE DIAMONDBACK
parent and family guide 2026
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Table of contents
CONTENTS family weekend best off-campus 8 dining options 3 events campus construction 10 updates 4 campus map 10 must-see umd 6 spots FULLY UPDATED AND EDITED BY: Founded 1910, independent since 1971. SAM GAUNTT Editor-in-Chief 3150 S. Campus Dining Hall, College Park, Md., 20742 301-314-8200 https://dbknews.com/contact-us/
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MARYLAND FOOTBALL RUNS onto the field during their home opener 62-0 win against Hampton on Sept. 5, 2026. (Jonathan Peter Belling/The Diamondback)
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family weekend events
top must-see family weekend events By Stella Garner I Tabloids editor
Feeling overwhelmed by the number of Family Weekend events to experience? The Diamondback has you covered. Those registered for Family Weekend should pick up their wristbands and tickets in the atrium of Stamp Student Union from 10:30 a.m. to 8:00
p.m. on Friday and 8:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday. Here’s a list of some of the most unforgettable activities for a fun-filled weekend with your loved ones.
Friday, Sept. 25 Henson Week 2026 Sock Puppet Party 2:30 to 4:00 p.m. Ever wanted to be part of a Guinness World Record? Now’s your chance. As part of Henson Week 2026, a slew of events dedicated to Maryland alum and Muppets creator Jim Henson, Stamp Student Union will host a craft session where participants can create their own sock puppets. The creation phase will be facilitated, so no need to worry if you’re not an artist. Once done, participants will attempt to break the Guinness World Record for highest number of sock puppets worn in a single venue.
Not Your Grandma’s Bingo! 7:30 to 10:30 p.m. One of the most anticipated annual Family Weekend events, this bingo night brings drag queens Patti O’Furniture, Destiny B. Childs and Shelita Ramen to campus for a night of charitable gaming. The $30 general admission will get you 6 bingo sheets and a dauber, while $50 VIP tickets include front-section seating and table visits from the queens. All of the proceeds will go to Fostering Terp Success, an on-campus program providing support to students experiencing homelessness or who have a history in foster care. To attend, you must be 18 years of age or older and have an advance ticket.
saturday, Sept. 26 8th Annual 0.5K for Terp Essential Needs 9:00 to 10:00 a.m. Though not exactly a race, participants in the 0.5K will complete stretches from McKeldin Library to Symons Hall with a midway hydration station to grab coffee and donuts. The first 100 to cross the finish line will win a pair of socks, although all participants will receive a commemorative bumper sticker. Proceeds from registration will go to the Thrive Center for Essential Needs, which provides resources to combat student homelessness and food insecurity. To attend, you must register in advance and buy a ticket at $20 a person.
Terp Family Festival & Tailgate 12:30 to 3:00 p.m. Get ready for the Terps to take on the Rutgers Scarlet Knights with a tailgate full of activities and great food. Pack a picnic or pre-purchase tickets to the barbecue buffet, and enjoy a live DJ, face painting, henna art, balloon animals and a visit from Testudo on McKeldin Mall. A cashless bar will also be available for parents. Insect Petting Zoo 12:30 to 3:00 p.m. Not a football person? Check out the insect petting zoo instead. Students and their families can visit with more than 100 insect species while learning biodiversity. Featured insects will include mantises, isopods, millipedes and tarantulas at the event on McKeldin Mall.
sunday, Sept. 27 21st Annual Gospel Brunch 10:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. One of the most highly anticipated annual events of Family Weekend is back this year, in partnership with the Washington Performing Arts Men & Women of the Gospel Choir. A brunch buffet is available with about $49 tickets for adults and university students, or about $17 for those 9 years old or younger. The buffet will be available before and during the performance, which promises a combination of traditional and contemporary Gospel music. Seating and brunch starts at 10:30 a.m., while the performance will begin at 11 a.m.
game-goers attend the tailgate on the Engineering fields at the University of Maryland on Sept. 15, 2023. (KAYA BOGOT/The Diamondback)
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campus map
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dorms Bel Air Hall 2 Cambridge Hall 3 Centreville Hall 4 Chestertown Hall 5 Cumberland Hall 6 Denton Hall 7 Easton Hall 8 Elkton Hall 9 Ellicott Hall 10 Hagerstown Hall 11 La Plata Hall 12 Johnson-Whittle Hall 13 Pyon-Chen Hall 1
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15 Anne Arundel Hall 16 Caroline Hall 17 Carroll Hall
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Queen Anne’s Hall 21 St. Mary’s Hall 22 Somerset Hall 23 Wicomico Hall 24 Worcester Hall 25 Allegany Hall 26 Baltimore Hall 20
Calvert Hall 28 Cecil Hall 29 Charles Hall 30 Frederick Hall 31 Garrett Hall 32 Harford Hall 33 Howard Hall 34 Kent Hall 35 Montgomery Hall 36 Prince George’s Hall 37 Talbot Hall 38 Washington Hall 27
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campus map
campus map Key Campus Buildings
campus cafes
McKeldin Library 2 Stamp Student Union 3 University Health Center 4 SECU Stadium 5 Xfinity Center 6 Eppley Recreation Center 7 Ritchie Coliseum
Applause 2 Breakpoint 3 The Coffee Bar 4 E+M Cafe 5 Food for Thought 6 Footnotes 7 IDEA Central 8 Quantum 9 Rudy's 10 Samovar 11 Sneaker's
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dining halls 251 North 2 South Campus Dining Hall 3 Yahentamitsi Dining Hall 1
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10 must-see umd spots
People walk across McKeldin Mall on April 22, 2024. (Sam Cohen/The Diamondback)
10 UMD spots to show your family when they visit campus By Sofia Viruez-Munoz I Diversions reporter
Your family is coming to visit the University of Maryland. Now comes the hard part: figuring out what to show them. Whether they’re visiting for the first time, helping you move in or simply curious about where you spend your time, a campus tour can get repetitive fast. So skip the full admissions tour routine and show them the places that actually make campus feel like home.
McKeldin Mall
No campus visit is complete without a walk across McKeldin Mall. The mall is the quintessential landmark here, giving visitors an immediate sense of the scale of campus. On a nice day, students can be found studying on the grass, lounging in the sun or rushing between classes.
Testudo
Bring your family to the Testudo statue outside McKeldin Library, one of seven on campus, and explain the traditions of rubbing
A testudo statue outside McKeldin Library. (Sam Cohen/The Diamondback)
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10 must-see umd spots
ors Jim Henson, the legendary puppeteer and university alum. Take a seat beside him for a photo and tell your family about his connection to the university.
Jones-Hill House
For some Terps history, head toward JonesHill House. The facility opened as Maryland football’s new home in 2021 after a project converting the Cole Field House, home to Terps basketball from 1955 to 2002 and a major part of the school’s athletic history. For longtime fans, it offers a glimpse into an earlier era of Maryland sports and campus culture.
Arboretum and Botanical Garden The Jim Henson Statue in front of Stamp Student Union on March 31, 2025. (Alexa Yang/The Diamondback)
her nose for good luck and making offerings to her before finals. Even if they don’t fully understand, it’s one of those distinctly Terp experiences your family will remember.
Memorial Chapel
The Memorial Chapel is one of the prettiest buildings on campus and an easy way to show visitors a quieter side of the university. Take a walk around the chapel and its surrounding areas for a nice break from the crowds. Plus, it makes a pretty good photo stop.
Maryland Dairy
If your family is going to learn one thing about the university, it might as well be that it has its own ice cream. The Dairy, located inside Stamp Student Union, is one of campus’s most unique attractions, and a particularly fun spot for visitors who have never heard of the ice cream shop. Grab a scoop, try one of the rotating flavors and give your family a taste of a University of Maryland tradition.
even be able to catch a performance. If not, the building is still worth adding to the itinerary for anyone interested in the arts. Stamp Student Union If you really want to show your family what daily life at the University of Maryland looks like, take them to Stamp. The student union is where much of campus life actually happens. Walk through, grab a snack or coffee, browse the bookstore and head downstairs for a round of bowling at TerpZone.
Jim Henson statue
If your family grew up watching the Muppets, this spot is mandatory. Located in front of Stamp, the bench hon-
To give visitors a glimpse beyond academic and athletic life on campus, take them to the university’s arboretum. The gardens and green spaces provide a quieter view of campus and make for an easy escape from the crowds. Take a walk, explore the different areas and let your family see that the university has more to offer than lecture halls, libraries and crowded sidewalks.
Your favorite spot
This one is the most important. After showing your family the landmarks, take them somewhere that means something to you. Maybe it’s your go-to study spot, the place where you always get coffee, the bench where you eat lunch between classes or the building where you spend most of your days. But sharing your favorite spot on campus brings something no other guide can offer — a personal glimpse into what campus life is really like for you.
The Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center
Give your family a glimpse of the university’s art scene at The Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center. Depending on when they visit, you might
The exterior of Stamp Student Union on Aug. 21, 2023. (Neelay Sachdeva/The Diamondback)
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best off-campus dining
Top 5 Best Off-Campus Dining Options By Stella Henretta I Diversions reporter
Students at the University of Maryland can rest assured that there is no shortage of delicious dining options in College Park and the surrounding area. With a wide variety of cuisines available, you can delve into the world of food and be as adventurous as you want to be. Whether you are sick of the dining hall or simply want to treat yourself, here are five off-campus dining options that are sure to leave you satisfied. The Spot Mini The Spot Mini is comprised of five separate storefronts, with each place serving different Asian fusion cuisines, such as sushi, bento boxes, udon, dumplings and poke. For students wanting a drink with their meal, Gong Cha, one of the storefronts, specializes in bubble tea and other flavorful drinks. The Spot Mini is a very convenient spot. Located on Knox Road directly across from the Hub College Park, the eatery’s location is undeniably accessible, especially for students living on South Campus. Customers can indulge in quick, carry-out lunches between classes, or enjoy leisurely meals with friends in the establishment’s seating area. To streamline the wait for food, The Spot Mini also offers an app where customers can order online and access promotions and rewards. Hook & Reel For students searching for an engaging dining experience, Hook & Reel will have you rolling up your sleeves and digging into a traditional southern seafood boil. Their menu guides you through a four-step process where customers choose their seafood, sauce, spice level and add-ins. For the extra fixings, you can choose a mix of potatoes, sausage and corn on the cob, among other items. This affordable option not only exposes customers to delicious seafood smothered in butter, garlic and Cajun seasoning, but also fosters bonding between friends as you immerse yourself in the messy experience. Hook & Reel, situated about a 10-minute drive from campus, offers both non-alcoholic and alcoholic beverages with what the restaurant describes as a “southern twist.”
The Board and Brew Want to play with your food? At The Board and Brew, you can get pretty close. Located on Route 1 under The Varsity College Park, the restaurant offers a variety of board and card games and encourages customers to play while they eat. With a menu full of items including salads, hamburgers, sandwiches and desserts, as well as craft beers and cocktails, the restaurant puts a fresh touch on typical American cuisine. This comes in the form of items such as coconut-fried French toast and cheddar and parmesan hushpuppies. The Board and Brew is a great place to unwind, have fun with your friends and put your gaming skills to the test, all while eating some delicious food. Honey Pig BBQ Located in College Park Shopping Center on the corner of Knox Road and Route 1, Honey Pig BBQ is an excellent dining choice for students who enjoy Korean cuisine. Established in 2007, the restaurant prides itself on being a female-led, minority-owned business. Students can gorge themselves with a wide variety of tasty Korean dishes, such as beef bulgogi or sliced pork belly with a side of tteokbokki and seafood pancake. Honey Pig BBQ also has grills installed at each table so customers can cook their own food to their individual tastes, making the experience interactive.
Class 520 College Park Tucked away on the southwest corner of campus under the Domain apartment complex, Class 520 College Park is a hidden gem. According to their website, Class 520 was the first Thai-inspired ice cream establishment to open in the state of Maryland. The establishment specializes in fresh rolled ice cream topped with candies, sauces, sprinkles and fruit. If you are not in the mood for a cold treat, Class 520 has additional desserts, like macarons and cheesecake. They also serve yogurt drinks, milk tea, fruit tea, smoothies, slushies, coffee and hot drinks. The shop, like The Spot Mini, offers an app that allows customers to order ahead of time and earn rewards on their purchases.
the exterior of the Board and Brew. (JULIA LERNER/The Diamondback)
MENTAL HEALTH
AWARENESS WEEK 2026
FAMILY MENTAL HEALTH GUIDE:
Talking with your Terp about Mental Health Conversation Starters
Check in with your Terp. Asking open-ended questions and practicing active listening skills will help lead to more meaningful conversations. “How have you been managing your stress this semester?” “Do you feel connected to other Terps on campus?” “Are you setting aside time for exercise? Self-care? Sleep?” “How have you been feeling lately?“ “Our family has a history of mental health/substance use issues, I think we should talk about what that could mean for you.”
Signs of a Possible Mental Health Concern
Feeling very sad or unmotivated for more than 2 weeks Expressing suicidal thoughts or behavior Extreme risk-taking behavior Overwhelming or unexplained fear Significant sudden changes in eating, appetite, or weight Severe mood swings or difficulty managing emotions Substance use concerns Dramatic changes in behavior or personality Difficulty forming or maintaining social relationships
Tips for Continuing the Conversation
Offer support in a non-judgemental way Listening, asking question, and validating experiences often go further in conversation than offering opinions Problem-solve issues together, rather than offering advice Normalize the experience of challenges and discomfort Take your Terp's struggles seriously and encourage them to seek out professional help, as needed
For more information about mental health resources available to your student, please scan the QR code or visit mentalhealth.umd.edu. If you believe your Terp is experiencing a mental health emergency, dial 911. Presented by
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campus construction updates
Here’s an update on current construction projects on campus By Johana Gonzalez-Cruz I Staff writer
Students returning to the University of Maryland after summer break were met with a familiar sight this semester: construction. But after work continued over the summer, anticipated projects like the opening of Stanley R. Zupnik Hall, the completion of the Purple Line and updates to Ellicott Hall are nearing completion. Work on others is ongoing and will continue throughout the year. Here’s what to know about current on-campus construction projects, and what to expect in the coming months. Dorms Renovations to Ellicott Hall are currently underway after its closure at the end of the
spring semester. The updates include newly installed air conditioning, new windows and renovated bathrooms. “We want to make sure that we have a comfortable environment and that we have good ventilation in that building,” Henry Dickson, associate director of planning, design and construction for this university’s Residential Facilities, said. Renovations are still ongoing and set to be finished by the end of the fall semester. Once they’re complete, this university will begin similar renovations in Hagerstown Hall in January, Dickson said. He added that Hagerstown Hall residents will be relocated to Ellicott Hall before winter break begins. A small Residential Facilities
A pedestrian walks past construction near SECU Stadium on Sept. 10, 2026. (Ella Buchanan/The Diamondback)
committee will assist students with the move. “Students won’t have to move their own stuff,” Dickson said. “We will be moving it for them. So we actually are thinking about how to make that transition easier for students.” Construction on Hagerstown Hall is set to be completed by fall 2027, Dickson told The Diamondback. Stanley R. Zupnik Hall The university’s newest engineering building, Stanley R. Zupnik Hall, is now mostly completed, with landscape constituting the bulk of remaining work, according to a Tuesday statement from this university. That
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campus construction updates
landscaping, according to the statement, is planned to occur this month. The building will house the university’s civil and environmental engineering department. The university’s new quantum technology center will also occupy the space, along with several identity-based student organizations, including the Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers, the Society of Women Engineers and the Black Engineers Society. The Purple Line The Purple Line light rail project is more than 90 percent complete, The Diamondback reported Monday. Light rail vehicle testing will continue from the College Park Metro Station to the University of Maryland Global Campus on select nights from 10 p.m. and 6 a.m., according to Purple Line communications director Kathryn Lamb. In a Sept. 8 statement to The Diamondback, Lamb wrote emergency vehicles will still be able to access affected roads during testing, and pedestrian crossings will also be available. Brief delays may occur as the vehicles pass, she wrote, and daytime work may continue when necessary. “The project asks the public to please follow posted signage and remember that work may occur between the hours of 7 a.m. to 7
p.m., weekdays and weekends, as needed,” Lamb’s statement read. The project is still set for operation in late December 2027, according to a Monday campuswide email from this university. Health and Human Sciences Complex Construction for the future home of this university’s public health school and Academy for Innovation and Entrepreneurship is underway. This semester’s work is focused on the interior of the Health and Human Sciences Complex, which will be located in the former Cole Field House and connected to JonesHill House, according to this university. That construction includes installing mechanical and electrical systems, as well as walls for labs, classrooms and offices. Construction is slated for completion by spring 2028. Central Energy Plant This university’s Central Energy Plant, located near Baltimore Avenue and Rossborough Lane, is scheduled to begin operations later this fall after renovations, according to the university. The renovations are part of this university’s NextGen Energy Program, an ongoing effort to improve energy and utility sustainability
at this university. The program’s goals include eventually reducing the Central Energy Plant’s greenhouse gas emissions by 23 percent and saving 50 percent of the plant’s annual water usage. The upgraded plant will use a renewable-fuel-ready turbine to generate steam and electricity for campus facilities, according to this university. After the plant begins operations, the university will remove a temporary boiler currently in use. Utility and road renovations Located on Stadium Drive across from the E.A. Fernandez IDEA Factory, Satellite Central Utilities Building 4 provides hot water, steam and cold water for air conditioning to surrounding buildings. Some of the facility’s existing mechanical equipment is currently being replaced, according to this university. The renovations will go through May 2027. Road adjustments — including a new bike lane and realigned parking spaces and sidewalks — from Ritchie Coliseum to Discovery House will also begin after this fall. Work is expected to finish by summer 2027. To reduce inconvenience from limited parking, the work will occur in phases, according to this university.
Construction workers work on a site outside of Turner Hall on Sept. 3, 2024. (Giuseppe LoPiccolo/The Diamondback)
A view of a newly constructed station for the Purple Line on Nov. 13, 2025. (Faith Bissen/The Diamondback)