Remembering Tim Strachan ('99)

Beloved COMMunity Member & Former Maryland Broadcaster

Tim Strachan, a moving example of a successful and dedicated alumnus of the Department of Communication at UMD, passed away at age 49 after battling cancer.

Strachan graduated from the Department of Communication with a B.A. in the Fall semester of 1999. He served as the Student Keynote Speaker of his commencement ceremony, an achievement he was “honored to relive” a decade later as the Keynote Speaker for the Spring 2009 Commencement. Strachan also served on the COMMAlum Advisory Board, supporting the research, instructional, and public engagement missions of the Department of Communication. 

Strachan was originally drawn to the communication field after he suffered a spinal cord injury at the age of seventeen. He found himself receiving invitations from various groups to become a motivational speaker and  share his story of once being a High School All-American Quarterback at DeMatha Catholic High School and grappling with such an injury. He credited the Department of Communication at Maryland with helping him refine his public speaking skills and shape his voice. He once said he owed his academic journey to Dr. Leah Waks, who encouraged him to declare the Communication major.

Dr. Waks reflected, “I met Tim when I was teaching public speaking at Montgomery College, just as he was beginning his recovery. We connected, and he joined the Communication program at UMD the following year. He was a remarkable student and a wonderful human being who never gave in to his limitations.”

 After graduating from Georgetown University Law Center, Strachan served as Counsel to the United States Senate Committee on the Judiciary. Strachan then joined the Federal Communications Commission. Through all of his accomplishments, Strachan’s Terp pride remained unwavering—he served as a color analyst for the Maryland Terrapin Radio Network from 1996 to 2018.

Tim Strachan’s voice, perseverance, and passion will be deeply missed by the Department of Communication and all who knew him. 

Read the original article featuring an interview with Tim Strachan.