Finding Fulfillment in Volunteerism on the Hill

Home / Community Connections

WHY ALUM OF THE YEAR NUPUR PAREKH FLYNN ’94 THINKS THE SKY IS THE LIMIT FOR McDANIEL STUDENTS

Entrepreneur, philanthropist, and 2025 Alum of the Year Nupur Parekh Flynn ’94 says that generosity is simply a part of her DNA. Whether that’s through her service on the McDaniel College Board of Trustees from 2007 until 2011, her work with United Way of Central Maryland, her tenure as a trustee of the Baltimore Museum of Art, her stints coming back to the Hill as a guest lecturer, or serving as a mentor for the Innovation and Entrepreneurship Challenge, Flynn says that giving back in whatever ways she can “is just the most fulfilling part of life.”

Flynn is the founding owner and CEO of Nupur LLC and the inventor of BAGCEIT®, a portable seat for purses and bags of all types designed to keep them off the floor and unsanitary surfaces. The recipient of the 2020 Alumni Community Service Award, Flynn remains committed to giving back — both to her community and to McDaniel students. She was named the college’s 2025 Alum of the Year for her commitment to supporting McDaniel’s life-changing educational mission and programming.

The most recent opportunity Flynn had to see this firsthand was at the 2025 Innovation and Entrepreneurship Challenge, where she served as the alumni mentor for senior Sana Askari. Askari is a Political Science, Business Administration, and Arabic and Middle Eastern Studies major from Ghazni, Afghanistan. Her pitch was for Esheel, a social enterprise that supports women refugees by providing employment opportunities through their skill in creating hand-embroidered scarves and earrings, using embroidery techniques indigenous to and deeply rooted in Hazara culture.

Flynn recalls being “blown away” by Askari’s story, poise, and passion for her work, and was thrilled to see her take home the first-place prize and tie for the People’s Choice prize at the competition, “not because of my advice, that’s for sure,” she says.

Askari would disagree with that sentiment.

“My alumni mentor, Nupur, who brings an international perspective, was especially helpful in guiding me through the different aspects and importance of registering Esheel,” Askari says. “Her insights not only strengthened my presentation but also provided valuable direction for my work moving forward. She transferred a lot of her business knowledge to me that I will cherish forever.”

I’m so excited for those of us who are going to be the recipients of this generation’s innovation, ingenuity, and fearlessness that is being fostered at McDaniel. ”

NUPUR PAREKH FLYNN ’94
FORMER TRUSTEE & 2025 ALUM OF THE YEAR

Flynn and Askari’s mentoring meetings were conducted virtually, and while Flynn could not attend the competition in person, she watched the event via livestream. She recalls being impressed by all the students competing for the top prize, marveling that they were “light-years ahead of where I was at that age. I didn’t start my own company or invent anything until I was already retired from my career in finance and in my mid-40s. These students are doing it now as young adults.”

Flynn credits McDaniel with putting the effort into connecting current students with alumni mentors who can help them find their path, but she emphasizes that in many ways, the alumni stand to gain more than the students from these relationships.

“When I volunteer at McDaniel, I hope I’m engaging to the students, but I know that I am super engaged by them,” Flynn says. “I’m the true winner in these interactions, and I’m so excited for those of us who are going to be the recipients of this generation’s innovation, ingenuity, and fearlessness that is being fostered at McDaniel.”

She looks forward to more opportunities to connect with students on the Hill, and encourages her fellow alumni to think about the ways they can give back, whether that is with time, talent, or treasure.

“To help the Reaching New Heights campaign succeed — to help McDaniel succeed — you don’t have to know what the operating budget is or what capital projects cost,” Flynn says. “You just have to understand how you can connect with your alma mater and how you can touch another person’s life by supporting McDaniel.”

For Nine Women Known As The Round Robins, College Ties Can Ne’er Be Broken

Home / Community Connections

Since meeting in McDaniel Hall in 1966, the Round Robins have remained connected through the decades with monthly book club gatherings, weekly Zoom cocktail hours during the COVID-19 pandemic, and annual getaways. In April this year, they gathered once again to honor one of their own after the passing of Patricia Johnson “PJ” Krantz ’70.

The legacy of the Robins will continue here on the Hill through a generous bequest, including an endowed scholarship and Round Robins memorabilia to be placed in McDaniel Hall.

In addition, Krantz left an Itzchak Tarkey watercolor painting titled “Café Society” to the college. She was drawn to it because of the number of women in the painting: nine, the number of Round Robins in her friend group, which included Susan Robertson Cline ’70, Carol Harris Dietrich ’70, Sherry Swope Peck ’70, Jane Butterbaugh Shapiro ’70, Barbara Payne Shelton ’70, Karen Wagner Tegges ’70, Barbara Thomas ’70, and Sue Morales Yingling ’70, M.S. ’00.

“Every time I look at the painting, I think of eight wonderful women and cherish our friendship — this picture honors them,” Krantz wrote in her bequest intention in 2015.

“I think a lot of people take for granted the value of what they got at a small college like McDaniel,” says Trustee and Round Robin Barbara Payne Shelton ’70. “The lifelong friendships we formed at McDaniel are such a huge part of our lives.”

I think a lot of people take for granted the value of what they got at a small college like McDaniel. The lifelong friendships we formed at McDaniel are such a huge part of our lives. ”

BARBARA PAYNE SHELTON ’70
McDANIEL COLLEGE TRUSTEE

How Philanthropy Has Guided One Senior’s McDaniel Experience

Home / Community Connections

Nicki James ’26 at the 2025 Scholarship Luncheon
(l-r) Trustee Bruce Preston ’75, Nicki James ’26, Danielle Carter ’25, Dimitri Raush-Gernet ’27, President Julia Jasken. 

At just 21 years old, Nicki James ’26 has a resume that would rival many mid-career professionals when it comes to community involvement, both here on the Hill and in Westminster and Carroll County as a whole.

“Community engagement is important to me because I believe people are stronger together,” James says. “When we actively participate in our communities, from the Hill to Carroll County, we create meaningful connections that foster belonging and improve everyone’s quality of life.”

The senior who will complete her degree in Social Work in May says that there’s something special about knowing you belong somewhere and that others are invested in your success. Read more about her journey in her own words.

WHAT ORGANIZATIONS ARE YOU INVOLVED IN HERE AT McDANIEL?

Dorsey Scholar, President’s Advisory Council of Students, Honors Program, Student Government Association, Maryland Student Legislature, Honor and Conduct Board, the Center for Experience and Opportunity’s International Programs/Study Abroad, Trumpeters, Admissions Student Ambassador, McDaniel Women’s Leadership Network, Barbell Club, and Readers’ Roundtable.

WHAT ORGANIZATIONS ARE YOU INVOLVED WITH OUTSIDE OF THE COLLEGE?

Rudolph Girls independent bookstore, Carroll County Democrats, The Arc of Carroll County, Carroll County Women’s Leadership Conference, Carroll County Arts Council, and Equal Justice Initiative.

HOW HAVE YOU FOUND A SENSE OF COMMUNITY BELONGING HERE ON THE HILL?

It sounds funny to answer a question about community by saying that I found community in showing up alone, but I did. I made it a point to get involved in as many things as I possibly could — even if it meant showing up by myself. And that’s where the best part happened. By showing up alone, I met people, tried new things, and found myself in a community based on genuine interest, curiosity, and connection. McDaniel’s size makes it the perfect environment to build multiple communities. In a lot of larger schools, community is formed within academic departments and majors. On the Hill, you definitely form a community within your major, but most professors and staff know students by name, even if they’re not in their department or major. Whether it’s in the new Learning Commons or at an event like Out of Darkness, McDaniel provides the perfectly sized space for small interactions that can turn into strong relationships.

WHAT IS THE BENEFIT OF THE McDANIEL WOMEN’S LEADERSHIP NETWORK TO CURRENT McDANIEL STUDENTS?

The greatest benefit of the Women’s Leadership Network is the way it has given me support that is specific to the issues women may experience in leadership roles. For example, at the Women’s Leadership Network event last fall, we gained practical skills for how to deal with imposter syndrome. In the spring, we learned about the importance of prioritizing our own health.

I take every chance I can to thank donors, because their generosity has allowed me to attend McDaniel and have life-changing opportunities before I have even graduated. I love being able to show donors that their gifts matter and change lives, and I hope I can make them proud with taking the opportunities they have made possible for me.“

NICKI JAMES ’26

AS A STUDENT, WHAT IS THE IMPORTANCE OF PHILANTHROPY AND DONORS TO THE McDANIEL EXPERIENCE?

I wouldn’t be at McDaniel or have had access to any of the opportunities and experiences I have had in college without the generosity of donors, especially through experiential learning grants. Events like the Scholarship Luncheon, Founders Day Reception, and the 1867 Challenge generate awareness of what’s possible through philanthropy. New things pop up on campus all the time, but when students aren’t aware that donors are the reason we have things like the Learning Commons @ Hoover Library, or a new track, or renovated offices, we take them for granted.

Last semester, I took a Social Work course where we learned about how nonprofit organizations function. We had the opportunity to hear from Vice President of Institutional Advancement Dave Sears, who explained how much work his staff does to fund everything from summer research to the new BSU Clubroom to scholarships to major renovations. That class opened my eyes to the importance of donors and fundraising.

WHAT DO YOU WISH YOUR PEERS KNEW ABOUT PHILANTHROPY?

I wish my peers had opportunities to learn about philanthropy from the business side of it, as well as the human side of it, because it would open their eyes. I take every chance I can to thank donors, because their generosity has allowed me to attend McDaniel and have life-changing opportunities before I have even graduated. I love being able to show donors that their gifts matter and change lives, and I hope I can make them proud with taking the opportunities they have made possible for me.

From Refugee to Green Terror for Life

Home / Community Connections

SANA ASKARI ’26 CREDITS McDANIEL’S ALUMNI WITH UPLIFTING FAMILIES AND GENERATIONS, STARTING WITH HER

Senior Sana Askari’s mother was not allowed to get an education, so each day at McDaniel, she is proud to honor her mother’s sacrifices by pursuing her own education. Askari grew up as a refugee from Afghanistan with few resources, and today, women in her home country lack access to education beyond sixth grade. Without being named a Dorsey Scholar, Askari may not have been able to change her family’s narrative.

Thanks to the financial and personal support of alumni and donors, Askari has found a true sense of belonging and started a new chapter for herself, her siblings, and women back home in Afghanistan. She shares her experiences — and the life-changing influence of McDaniel’s alumni network — in her own words.

HOW HAS PHILANTHROPY MADE YOUR McDANIEL EXPERIENCE POSSIBLE?

I grew up as a refugee with no resources, and today, women in my home country have no access to education beyond sixth grade. If it were not for the generosity of donors, I would not have been able to attend McDaniel and pursue my education. Having witnessed my mother struggle to raise her children as a refugee and seeing other refugee women suffer due to a lack of opportunities, I became determined to change my circumstances and create a path for my younger siblings to pursue education.

What I wish my peers and others better understood is that philanthropy, whether small or large, has the power to change lives. My life is living proof: this scholarship not only transformed my future but also opened doors for my younger sisters to pursue their education. The impact of philanthropy extends beyond individuals; it uplifts families and generations.

ASIDE FROM YOUR MENTORING RELATIONSHIP WITH NUPUR PAREKH FLYNN ’94 DURING THE INNOVATION AND ENTREPRENEURSHIP CHALLENGE, WHAT OTHER ALUMNI OR DONORS HAVE YOU INTERACTED WITH?

I had the privilege of meeting my scholarship donor, Mary Lynn Durham ’70, who is funding the Dorsey Scholarship. It felt very special to meet the person who is enabling me to get an education, especially during a time when women and girls in my country, Afghanistan, are not only barred from education but also stripped of their basic human rights. Knowing that someone who does not even know me believes in my potential and is supporting my education strengthened my commitment to continue empowering women through my company, Esheel.

HOW HAVE YOU FOUND A SENSE OF BELONGING HERE ON THE HILL?

McDaniel has been my home for the past three years. I arrived on campus with only two suitcases and a dream of pursuing an education. What I have found here is so much more than an education — I have found a true sense of belonging. I am surrounded by a community of people who consistently support me, whether it is staff members like Amanda Gelber or professors who never fail to root for my success. Their encouragement has made me feel seen, valued, and uplifted, and it reminds me every day that I am not alone in this journey.

I had the privilege of meeting my scholarship donor, Mary Lynn Durham ’70, who is funding the Dorsey Scholarship. It felt very special to meet the person who is enabling me to get an education, especially during a time when women and girls in my country, Afghanistan, are not only barred from education but also stripped of their basic human rights.“

SANA ASKARI ’26

WHAT IMPACT HAS THE ALUMNI NETWORK HAD ON YOUR EXPERIENCE AS A STUDENT AT McDANIEL SO FAR?

The alumni network has had a tremendous impact on my experience as a McDaniel student. The support I have received extends far beyond what words can fully capture. One special example is my relationship with Alex Ober ’63 and his wife, Jan Engle Ober ’73, who have truly become like family to me. I first met them at an Alumni Association dinner, and from that moment, we developed a meaningful relationship.

Living alone and far from my family, I often face challenges that go beyond academics, such as moving between dorms and summer housing. Alex and Jan have always been there for me — helping me transport my belongings and making sure I never felt alone. Their kindness and generosity are a reflection of the alumni network’s impact, which reaches well beyond professional connections and directly touches students’ lives in deeply personal ways.

WHAT DO YOU ENVISION WHEN YOU THINK OF McDANIEL COLLEGE REACHING NEW HEIGHTS AS AN INSTITUTION?

I envision McDaniel as an institution that continues to change lives and open doors for students like me, enabling them to pursue their dreams and make a meaningful impact in their communities. The opportunities McDaniel has given me have not only transformed my own life but also the lives of my younger siblings and the students I have mentored over the past three years — students who have gone on to create positive change in their communities. This is the kind of far-reaching impact I see McDaniel achieving in the future.