Champion of “Computing for All” Honored with a Named Space at UMD
A gift from alum Brendan Iribe named a student lounge in honor of Computer Science Principal Lecturer Emerita Jandelyn Plane.
For 33 years, Jandelyn Plane worked to expand access to computing education at the University of Maryland. Earlier this year, a $2.85 million donation from alum Brendan Iribe established the Dr. Jan Plane Endowed Program Support Fund in Computer Science and named a student lounge in her honor.
On Friday, the University of Maryland Computing Catalyst held a ribbon-cutting ceremony to commemorate the lounge’s opening and recognize Plane, a principal lecturer emerita in UMD’s Department of Computer Science.
Located on the first floor of the Brendan Iribe Center for Computer Science and Engineering, the Dr. Jan Plane Student Lounge “will serve as a gathering place for students to study, socialize, read and reflect,” said Amitabh Varshney, dean of the College of Computer, Mathematical, and Natural Sciences and a professor of computer science.
Plane pioneered UMD’s K-12 computing outreach programs by launching CompSciConnect in 2012 and initiated several current student support programs, including tutoring and mentoring.
“Jan is the type of person we all need—someone who sees an opportunity and takes charge,” UMD President Darryll J. Pines said during the ribbon-cutting ceremony.
Iribe’s latest gift is included in Forward: The University of Maryland Campaign for the Fearless, a campuswide effort to raise $2.5 billion that officially kicked off this month. Currently the co-founder of the artificial intelligence digital voice startup Sesame, Iribe has given a total of $4.35 million to initiatives led by Plane and the Computing Catalyst team. His giving began after he attended a showcase for the CompSciConnect middle school program in 2014.
“Right when we met, I knew I wanted to be a part of what you were building,” Iribe said to Plane during the ceremony. “It’s been an honor to support you and see you do what you do best and support all of these incredible students.”
The Computing Catalyst is a unit in the Department of Computer Science that supports UMD computing majors and local middle and high school students through experiential learning, scholarships and professional development programs. Since 2012, the Computing Catalyst and its predecessor organizations have served over 10,000 university students and over 1,000 K-12 Summer Academy students. In 2024-25, the Catalyst reported a 26% increase in sense of belonging in computing among undergraduate students who participated in its programs.
“The Computing Catalyst has… helped me rediscover my confidence in coding, find a supportive community, and gain real, hands-on experience that has set me up for my future,” senior computer science major Mary Abbago said during the ceremony. “In this community, I found safe spaces, both physically and mentally—including this lounge.”
The Dr. Jan Plane Student Lounge will continue to serve as a space for the Computing Catalyst community to come together, study and socialize. Tutoring, corporate events and socials will be held in this space, which is open Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.
“When students and community members gather in this space, I hope they feel part of the welcoming community that has been at the heart of this organization,” Plane said, “and that it continues to cultivate an inclusive computing community, as the mission statement on the wall says.”
Individuals can support the University of Maryland Computing Catalyst by donating to the Dr. Jan Plane Endowed Program Support Fund in Computer Science.
