Champion of “Computing for All” Honored with a Named Space at UMD

For 33 years, Jandelyn Plane worked to expand access to computing education at the University of Maryland. Earlier this year, a $2.85 million donation from alum Brendan Iribe established the Dr. Jan Plane Endowed Program Support Fund in Computer Science and named a student lounge in her honor. 

On Friday, the University of Maryland Computing Catalyst held a ribbon-cutting ceremony to commemorate the lounge’s opening and recognize Plane, a principal lecturer emerita in UMD’s Department of Computer Science. 

Located on the first floor of the Brendan Iribe Center for Computer Science and Engineering, the Dr. Jan Plane Student Lounge “will serve as a gathering place for students to study, socialize, read and reflect,” said Amitabh Varshney, dean of the College of Computer, Mathematical, and Natural Sciences and a professor of computer science. 

Plane pioneered UMD’s K-12 computing outreach programs by launching CompSciConnect in 2012 and initiated several current student support programs, including tutoring and mentoring. 

“Jan is the type of person we all need—someone who sees an opportunity and takes charge,” UMD President Darryll J. Pines said during the ribbon-cutting ceremony.

Iribe’s latest gift is included in Forward: The University of Maryland Campaign for the Fearless, a campuswide effort to raise $2.5 billion that officially kicked off this month. Currently the co-founder of the artificial intelligence digital voice startup Sesame, Iribe has given a total of $4.35 million to initiatives led by Plane and the Computing Catalyst team. His giving began after he attended a showcase for the CompSciConnect middle school program in 2014. 

“Right when we met, I knew I wanted to be a part of what you were building,” Iribe said to Plane during the ceremony. “It’s been an honor to support you and see you do what you do best and support all of these incredible students.”

Click HERE to read the full article