Ariel Ron ’00, a University of Maryland and Maryland Honors alumnus whose research upends long-held ideas about the role of Northern agriculture in the runup to the Civil War and beyond, was announced Tuesday as one of 20 winners of the 2026 John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation Fellowship,…

Meet the four first-year Honors students featured in Maryland Today’s “Fall 2026’s First-String First-Years,” spotlighting incoming Terps already bringing exceptional talent, initiative, and service to UMD. From UH Rory Kepner brings a passion for mountain climbing; Katherine Liu brings her talents as a cellist; and Lily Sieck brings her accomplishments…