On March 5, the Tall-Wiedefeld Society (TWS) announced its fourth-annual grant winners. In total, $25,200 in grants was awarded to seven TU programs that benefit primarily, but not exclusively, the advancement of women. This year’s awards marked the largest funding total disbursed since the society launched in spring 2022.

TWS honors TU’s women leaders, builds community and creates a permanent legacy to address the needs of young women at TU. The awards are made annually in March, which coincides with Women’s History Month and International Women’s Day on March 8.

TWS is a growing collective that supports positive change through philanthropy and education, named after two prominent and influential leaders in TU’s history: Lida Lee Tall and Mary Theresa Wiedefeld. Together, they guided TU’s growth for more than a quarter-century (1920–47).

“My wife Elaine and I are both members of the Tall-Wiedefeld Society, a community of people with a true passion for making a difference,” says Mark R. Ginsberg, president at TU. “Funding these important programs is proof of the transformational impact society members have on our TU community.”

2026 Grant Award Winners

Engineering-focused summer camp with highly engaging science projects ($5,000)

Jia-An Yan, Professor, Department of Physics, Astronomy and Geosciences

Grant support will establish an engineering-focused, one-week summer camp at TU. Twelve middle school students will develop highly engaging, hands-on science projects—including building a wirelessly controlled solar car or wind turbine, creating a fruit-powered battery and designing an electric motor—and allow for exploration of various scientific principles like renewable energy, physics, chemistry and engineering. By actively involving TU students and young campers, the proposed camp will enhance TU’s visibility within local communities, allowing TU to play a significant role in fostering the next generation of engineers and scientists.

Sonia Kovalevsky Day – Math Outreach for Middle School Girls ($4,200)

Sandy Spitzer, Chair and Professor, Department of Mathematics

The mathematics department aims to more deeply engage with the community to advance mathematics education across the region. So we will hold the inaugural Sonia Kovalevsky Day (SK Day) in fall 2026. SK Days, named for Sonia Kovalesky, the first woman to earn a doctorate in mathematics, is a national outreach program organized by the Association for Women in Mathematics (AWM). Universities invite young people to campus (particularly aimed at middle school girls) for a day of mathematics enrichment activities, mathematical community and identity-building.

National Girls and Women’s Sports Day Expansion Initiative ($4,000)

Dahne Brown-Boyer, Director of Student-Athlete Experience, TU Athletics

TU athletics will expand its annual National Girls and Women's Sports Day celebration into a comprehensive community and educational engagement event. This program builds upon the successful mini youth clinic and game-day celebration, which has drawn 400–600 participants annually over the past two years.

GIVE Technology Capacity ($3,000)

Carrie Grant, Associate Professor, and Zosha Stuckey, Professor,  Department of English

Grant-Writing In Valued Environments Project (G.I.V.E.), a repeat grant winner, is a BTU initiative in Towson University’s English department. It advances students’ professional writing and community engagement skills by connecting coursework with the real-world needs of small, under-resourced nonprofits in Baltimore City and County.

Unearthing TU’s History ($3,000)

Christian Koot, Chair and Professor, Department of History

The Unearthing Towson’s History Project positions student researchers as agents of change in the development of a more authentic university history by connecting alumni and the wider community with the university. Learn more about the project. 

‘1776: The Musical’ ($3,000)

Louise Miller, Executive Director, Summer at the Center, Center for the Arts

“1776: The Musical” reimagines one of America's defining moments, the signing of the Declaration of Independence, through a bold, contemporary lens. A concert version of the play is presented as part of the Summer at the Center Arts Festival and will feature a multiracial ensemble of female actors portraying the nation's founders, reclaiming a narrative historically told exclusively by men.

Women in Sport ($3,000)

Jordan Carr, Assistant Director, Competitive Sports, Campus Recreation

Towson University Campus Recreation is launching the Women in Sport Initiative to create pathways for women to pursue careers in sports officiating and administration. This project addresses the severe underrepresentation of women in officiating—only 18% nationally and 14% at the high school level in Maryland—despite significantly higher female participation in youth sports.

Learn more about the Tall-Wiedefeld Society’s grant program by clicking here or emailing .

For media inquiries, email Jamie Abell at .

About Towson University

Towson University is Maryland’s university of opportunities. With more than 150 years of experience pushing possibilities, TU is a nationally recognized leader in inclusive excellence, social mobility, research and discovery. As the largest university in greater Baltimore, TU’s momentum is always accelerating, with nearly 20,000 students and nearly 200 bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degree programs in the liberal arts and sciences and applied professional fields. Located amid one of the East Coast’s cultural and economic epicenters, TU is a beacon and powerful catalyst in the Mid-Atlantic, partnering with hundreds of businesses and organizations, impacting communities and fueling change. TU meets the holistic needs of each student to achieve success, a result of a deeply inclusive culture with a focus on equity among all students, faculty and staff.