Margaret Hayes Named to the Daily Record’s Circle of Excellence

School’s director of strategic initiatives also named a Top 100 Woman for the third time

By Becky Ceraul
June 1, 2011

Margaret Hayes, director of strategic initiatives and student educational services and outreach at the University of Maryland School of Pharmacy, has been named to The Daily Record’s Circle of Excellence, a distinction earned by being named one of Maryland’s Top 100 Women three times.

The Daily Record’s annual list of Maryland’s Top 100 Women was created to recognize outstanding achievement by women as demonstrated through professional accomplishment, community leadership, and mentoring. The Circle of Excellence is awarded for sustained achievement.

“After receiving The Daily Record’s Maryland’s Top 100 Women and the Circle of Excellence awards, I reflected on what these honors mean and why I may have received them,” says Hayes. “I do know that I have used personal energy to make a difference and create positive results in professional accomplishments, community leadership, and mentoring. To do this, I live by my family’s motto taken from Colin Powell, ‘If you are going to achieve excellence in big things, you develop the habit in little matters. Excellence is not an exception, it is a prevailing attitude.’ Thus, receiving this honor exemplifies the personal satisfaction of knowing I act in alignment with this motto when serving the communities to which I and my family and friends belong.”

“Margaret has made a tremendous difference in the life of our community and our students,” says Natalie D. Eddington, PhD, FAAPS, dean of the School of Pharmacy. “For more than 10 years, she has served as advisor to our A Bridge to Academic Excellence tutoring program for local high school students and has inspired those children to pursue undergraduate educations that many of them did not think were possible. Our own pharmacy students have formed a unique bond with Margaret in her role as an advisor and career counselor. She has been instrumental in helping to prepare many of them for a successful career in pharmacy as alumni of the School of Pharmacy. All of us at the School are remarkably proud of her.”

Since 1996, The Daily Record has recognized more than 900 high-achieving Maryland women who are making an impact in the state through its Top 100 Women and Circle of Excellence awards.

In order to qualify for The Daily Record’s Circle of Excellence, women must have been named to the Top 100 Women list two previous times. As with Top 100 Women, nominations are solicited from economic development agencies, women’s organizations, chambers of commerce, and the business community at large. Nominees are asked to provide an application outlining her educational and career history, professional and community involvement, and corporate and nonprofit board memberships.

A panel of judges comprised of business professionals and past Top 100 Women winners from across Maryland review all of the applications submitted. Judges are asked to be extremely selective when it comes to the Circle of Excellence. They look for continued involvement in all key areas – professional accomplishment, community leadership, and mentoring – with a demonstration that each nominee is still actively involved and proactive.

For more information about Maryland’s Circle of Excellence and Top 100 Women and a complete list of winners, visit www.thedailyrecord.com.