History of Distance Learning in Maryland
1975 College of the Air Consortium formed.
1981 Nuclear industry asks UMUC to develop Nuclear Science Degree at a distance (NSEP).
1983 UMUC begins delivery of NSEP degree at nuclear sites around the U.S. using PLATO & mainframe-based learning modules.
1989 Montgomery College awarded FIPSE grant for a computer conferencing system.
1990 Win Tycho course management software created by UMUC.
1997 Web Tycho course management software created by UMUC-Maryland Community College Teleconsortium formed.
1999 Master’s degree in Distance Education created at UMUC-MarylandOnline (MOL) formed.
2000 Maryland Distance Learning Association formed.
2000 MHEC FOTTC grant awarded (faculty training)Maryland Digital Library created.
2001 MHEC Synergy grant awarded (faculty training).
2003 FIPSE grant for “Quality Matters” awarded to MarylandOnline.
2004-2005 “Quality Matters” production timeframe.
2022 The inaugural recipient of the Barbara Zirkin Award was Herbert “Buddy” Muse of Montgomery College. Buddy was Program Manager for eLearning, Innovation, and Teaching Excellence (ELITE) at Montgomery. He has been heavily involved with both organizations, having previously served as President and Treasurer of MDLA, as a MOL Board Member, and participated in the Quality Matters and Certificate for Online Adjunct Teaching (COAT) projects.
MDLA Officer History:
| Year | President | President Elect | Vice President, Finance | Vice President, Programs | Vice President, Membership | Secretary & Webmaster | Past President | Executive Assistant to the MDLA Board | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000/2001 | Gene Rubin | Herbert (Buddy) Muse | ? | ? | ? | n/a | ? | ? | ||||
| 2001/2002 | Herbert (Buddy) Muse | Bob Spear | David McDonald | Kay Shattuck | Cynthia France | n/a | Gene Rubin | Lynn Folick | ||||
| 2002/2003 | Bob Spear | Diana Zilberman | David McDonald | Tinnie Banks | Bernadette Low | n/a | Herbert (Buddy) Muse | n/a | ||||
| 2003/2004 | Diana Zilberman | Patti Wolf | Chikao Tsubaki | Virginia Kirk | Bernadette Low | n/a | Bob Spear | n/a | ||||
| 2004/2005 | Patti Wolf | Carol Redline | Chikao Tsubaki | Christina Sax | Joan Cassidy | n/a | Diana Zilberman | n/a | ||||
| 2005/2006 | Carol Redline | Tim Steelman | Chikao Tsubaki | Christina Sax | Enid Bank | n/a | Patti Wolf | n/a | ||||
| 2006/2007 | Tim Steelman | Jean Runyon | Chikao Tsubaki | Kathleen Barr Warner | John Beyers | n/a | Carol Redline | n/a | ||||
| 2007/2008 | Jean Runyon | John Beyers | Chikao Tsubaki | Kathleen Barr Warner | n/a | Melissa Harris | Tim Steelman | n/a | ||||
| 2008/2009 | John Beyers | Richard Schumaker | Chikao Tsubaki | Christina Sax | n/a | Melissa Harris | Jean Runyon | n/a | ||||
| 2009/2010 | Richard Schumaker | Jean Runyon | Chikao Tsubaki | Christina Sax | n/a | Melissa Harris | John Beyers | n/a | ||||
| 2010/2011 | Jean Runyon | Rhonda Spells Fentry | Chikao Tsubaki | Richard Smith | n/a | Melissa Harris | Richard Schumaker | n/a | ||||
| 2011/2012 | Rhonda Spells Fentry | Michael Mills | Herbert (Buddy) Muse | Richard Smith | n/a | Robert Cole | Jean Runyon | n/a | ||||
| 2012/2013 | Michael Mills | Susan Biro | Herbert (Buddy) Muse | Richard Smith | n/a | Robert Cole | Rhonda Spells Fentry | n/a | ||||
| 2013/2014 | Susan Biro | Pam Deering | Herbert (Buddy) Muse | Glenda Hernandez-Baca | n/a | Tom Cantu | Michael Mills | n/a | ||||
| 2014/2015 | Pam Deering | David Buck | Herbert (Buddy) Muse | Rebecca Walker | n/a | Tom Cantu | Susan Biro | n/a | ||||
| 2015/2016 | David Buck | Barbara Zirkin | John Cramer | Dionne Thorne | n/a | Gloria Barron | Pam Deering | n/a | ||||
| 2016/2017 | Barbara Zirkin | Richard Smith | John Cramer | Cynthia Brown-LaVeist | n/a | Gloria Barron | David Buck | n/a | ||||
| 2018/2019 | Richard Smith | Brandi Angel | John Cramer | VACANT | n/a | Debbie Dorsey | Barbara Zirkin | n/a | ||||
| 2019/2020 | Brandi Angel | VACANT | Richard Smith | VACANT | n/a | Debbie Dorsey | Richard Smith | n/a | ||||
| Executive Board | ||||||||||||
| 2020/2021 | Eric Belt | Debbie Dorsey | Adam Fantom | Sarah Felber | Wendy Gilbert | David Johnson | Jenn Larkin | Megan Myers | Richard Smith | Fred Stemple | Brandi Angel | Jinsong Zhang |
| 2021/2022 | Eric Belt | Debbie Dorsey | Adam Fantom | Sarah Felber | Wendy Gilbert | David Johnson | Richard Smith | Fred Stemple | Brandi Angel | Jinsong Zhang | Ron Hansen | |
| 2022/2023 | Eric Belt | Debbie Dorsey | Adam Fantom | Sarah Felber | Wendy Gilbert | David Johnson | Richard Smith | Fred Stemple | Brandi Angel | Jinsong Zhang | Ron Hansen | |
| 2023/2024 | Eric Belt | Debbie Dorsey | Adam Fantom | Sarah Felber | Wendy Gilbert | David Johnson | Richard Smith | Fred Stemple | Brandi Angel | Jinsong Zhang | Dionne Thorne | Ron Hansen |
| 2024/2025 | Debbie Dorsey | Sarah Felber | Wendy Gilbert | Richard Smith | Fred Stemple | Brandi Angel | Jinsong Zhang | Dionne Thorne | Ron Hansen |