Beyond Scholarships
Maryland and the Terrapin Club have been a huge part of life for 31 years and counting for former President Scott Weitz and his family.
Alyssa Muir, Assistant Director of Strategic Communications
11/16/2023
The Fall 2023 issue of ONE MARYLAND Magazine recently arrived in the mailboxes of Terrapin Club members. ONE MARYLAND features stories of strength and perseverance, of determination and spirit. These stories define our athletics program, and this new magazine will allow us to share these stories with you. Over the next few weeks, we will be rolling out these stories on umterps.com as a preview of what you will find in ONE MARYLAND. To receive future issues of the magazine when they debut, please join the Terrapin Club. We hope you enjoy.
Scott Weitz has embodied philanthropy and thinking outside the box during his 31 years as a Terrapin Club member, including time spent as the Terrapin Club president.
"Maryland's been a huge part of my life and of my family's life," Weitz said. "And the Terrapin Club has provided us with some really cool experiences."
Weitz has been the point person for assisting and coordinating new memberships for about 500 people in the past year. He was also instrumental in creating the Terrapin Club's Backstage Pass, a program that allows members to select from experiences based on their interests and passions. These exclusive experiences allow members to create lasting memories with their families, friends, and fellow Terps.
Every dollar you donate to the Terrapin Club also frees up a dollar for the athletic department to fund all the other important and cool things you see for each team across the university.Scott Weitz
Today, any Terrapin Club member at any donation level is eligible for Backstage Pass. However, that wasn't always the case. As a Director's Circle donor, Weitz was able to take his family to exclusive experiences, particularly taking his two daughters to different Maryland dance team events. The experiences meant so much to Weitz and his family that he wanted everyone who donated to have the same opportunities on some level.
"It was important to me that it wasn't only high donors who got to do all the cool things we do, but that any donor had that opportunity," Weitz said. "It's such a great thing because every single member gets to have unique experiences at Maryland."
Weitz's most significant source of pride within the Terrapin Club comes from the calls he's received from parents who had unparalleled experiences bringing their kids to a Maryland practice and having them meet the student-athletes and interact with the team. Weitz has specifically had a lot of success with this with the dance team, something that resonates deeply with him as his two daughters both danced growing up, with the oldest also dancing at Maryland.
"Lots of kids watch Maryland football and basketball and that's where they get their stars," Weitz said. "But for my daughters, the dance team was where they found their Julian Reeses. And a lot of other kids are like that too where they're into dance, tennis, track, or volleyball. But a lot of times those kids don't meet those players that are their heroes and a lot of times those players don't get the recognition they deserve and don't have fans waiting up to get their autograph. Backstage Pass was a way to connect those two groups of people and I think it has worked out wonderfully for all sides."
Weitz also played a significant role in establishing the Terrapin Club discounts that members receive at various local restaurants and businesses.
"Those two things were very instrumental in getting the everyday small donor some sort of a benefit for being a Terrapin Club member," Weitz said. "Because every donor counts and every dollar counts and it's important to recognize that."
And if that wasn't enough, Weitz also throws what is arguably the biggest Maryland football tailgate every single home game. What started as a small tailgate for immediate family and close friends ramped up once Weitz's two daughters enrolled at Maryland and has now ballooned into a tailgate for 150-200 people, complete with custom tents, a blow-up Terp, four TVs, and an ice luge.
"It was a way for me to not be a helicopter parent but to still remain in my kids' lives. I wanted it to be a place where my kids and their friends wanted to come. And it's also been a great way to meet more people in the Maryland community and develop more of those relationships."
Weitz's time as Terrapin Club president ended on July 31. However, he will continue to be just as impactful, working on the Terrapin Club's executive committee to reach new donors and establish more program benefits to appeal to a broader audience.
As a veteran Terrapin Club member, Weitz's biggest selling point on the program's importance is to look beyond the scholarships. Yes, the fundamental role of the Terrapin Club is to provide scholarships to student-athletes. However, whatever scholarships cannot be covered by the Terrapin Club must be covered by the athletic department, which takes away money for other potential projects.
As a result, Weitz leaves a simple but significant message on the importance of the Terrapin Club.
"Every dollar you donate to the Terrapin Club also frees up a dollar for the athletic department to fund all the other important and cool things you see for each team across the university.”
