The TowerCares Foundation, the philanthropic arm of the Laurel, Maryland-based Tower Federal Credit Union, has partnered with UMBC’s Cybersecurity Institute to create a new scholarship fund for UMBC students studying cybersecurity. The scholarships will support students in the university’s Cyber Scholars Program, a program with a track record of more than 10 years nurturing the next generation of cybersecurity professionals. The program provides financial aid, a welcoming community, unique courses, mentoring, and the chance for students to take part in cybersecurity research and internships early in their academic careers.

 “Our mission is to help our community thrive, and partnering with institutions like UMBC—recognized as a leader in information technology and cybersecurity—is a key part of that effort,” says Allen Brisentine, chairman of the TowerCares Foundation. “The entire Maryland region benefits from UMBC’s renowned and highly regarded cybersecurity program.”

As cyber threats, ransomware, and data breaches have become daily realities in our increasingly digital world, the demand for skilled cybersecurity professionals remains strong. The Cyber Scholars Program has launched the careers of over 100 graduates, many of whom have gone on to jobs safeguarding the digital data of government agencies, businesses, and everyday consumers.

“Last year we celebrated the 10th anniversary of the program, and it was such a great feeling to meet program alumni who have become cybersecurity leaders,” says Anupam Joshi, acting dean of the College of Engineering and Information Technology. “We’re deeply grateful to the TowerCares Foundation for supporting this important work that both helps grow the cybersecurity workforce and makes it more inclusive.”

Thomas Seidman, late emeritus professor of mathematics and statistics, gave 45 years of his life to teaching, mentoring, and conducting research at UMBC before retiring in 2017. After his death in August 2024, his estate donated $1.06 million to UMBC to create the Dr. Thomas I. Seidman Endowed Chair in mathematics. The Maryland E-nnovation Initiative, an effort within the Maryland Department of Commerce, matched the bequest, bringing the total endowment to more than $2 million.

“The Seidman family’s generous gift, along with the MEI match, will make it possible for UMBC to hire world-class applied mathematics faculty with expertise in research fields that will drive the economy of the future,” said William R. LaCourse, dean of the College of Natural and Mathematical Sciences. “CNMS is deeply grateful for Dr. Seidman’s service to UMBC throughout his decades as a faculty member. With this gift, his impact will extend even further by helping UMBC students prepare for rewarding careers in booming fields like data science and AI.”

Joining UMBC only a few years after the university’s founding in 1966, Seidman created a home for himself in the mathematics and statistics department. In addition to his prolific and widely-cited scholarship in applied analysis and fierce dedication to teaching, Seidman also contributed to the young department’s development through writing bylaws for department chair election processes, chairing the promotion and tenure committee for many years, and serving as acting department chair in 1992. He never missed a department seminar and was known for asking insightful questions. 

“He was able to build a niche and a role for himself that fit him perfectly,” Seidman’s son, Gregory Seidman, says. “The continuity and stability of the environment, combined with the roots our family had put down in the area, made him feel at home in a way he couldn’t imagine rebuilding elsewhere.”

Leaving a legacy

Seidman “cared deeply about teaching,” his son says, and took pride in instructing students in both foundational math courses like Linear Algebra and courses for non-majors, such as a course on the history of mathematics. Seidman’s one regret was that he did not advise more graduate students, his son shares. 

Gregory believes his father hoped to leave a legacy by supporting further work in his mathematical research fields and creating opportunities for students. “It is my hope that his bequest will support many doctoral students following in his research footsteps,” Gregory says, “who would otherwise have been that legacy.”

The younger Seidman remembers spending much of his childhood in his father’s office and in a UMBC computer lab. Father and son learned to program an original Apple PC together in the early 1980s, which inspired Gregory to pursue computer science. Eventually, he even co-authored a research paper with his father. Gregory also recalls regular meetings of the minds with department members in the Seidman household when he was young.

“While I know my father made a difference at UMBC in various ways, some more significant than others, it feels good to have his name on something that will be seen for years to come,” Gregory says. “I’m also especially pleased that, some day, my kids will be able to show their kids that their great-grandfather, whom they will never meet, made a difference here.”

Seidman notes that his father’s life was a fulfilling one, rich in warm personal relationships and professional success. “His was a life well lived,” he says. And now, the Dr. Thomas I. Seidman Endowed Chair will help create opportunities for more aspiring mathematicians to build their own lives and legacies.