LeaderNotes Summer 2025

The latest edition of LeaderNotes is available. This edition includes a Letter from the President, a Board Meeting Recap, and more.

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As I prepare to retire at the end of June after nearly twenty years at the USM Foundation, I am filled with gratitude for the colleagues I’ve had the privilege of working with across the System. It’s been an honor to collaborate with such thoughtful, talented, and committed people. Together, we’ve reshaped how we approach philanthropy and alumni engagement, strengthened our investment and governance work, and supported one another through change, embracing our mission: expanding the reach and impact of public higher education in Maryland.

I’m especially grateful to our Foundation staff, colleagues across the USM, and the Foundation Board of Directors. Your dedication and integrity have shaped every milestone we’ve reached. I’ve learned something from each of you and will carry those lessons with me. I am forever appreciative of your trust, your guidance, and your deep belief in the values that have guided our work.

More than anything, I’ll remember the relationships I’ve formed. The conversations, the moments of collaboration, and your acts of kindness, support, and generosity will stay with me. I’ll miss those moments most of all, and I’ll carry them with me as a reminder of what’s possible when people care deeply and work together toward a common purpose. The future of the USM Foundation has never been brighter.

Thank you all for your partnership and your friendship for the past two decades—I couldn’t have done it without you. I’m proud of all that we’ve accomplished and will watch from afar as the USM Foundation soars to even greater heights. Finally, as I enter the next chapter of my life, and as I reflect on a career of 47 years in higher education, I cannot express my appreciation enough for the love and support I have felt from my wife Sue, and our daughters, Elyse and Allison.

Sincerely,

Leonard R. Raley