LEXINGTON PARK, Md. — Southern Maryland Loves You announced a $16,000 donation to the AFCEA Southern Maryland Chapter’s STEM Scholarship Fund on Nov. 10, 2025. The gift supports scholarships for students pursuing degrees in science, technology, engineering and mathematics, aligning with the nonprofit’s focus on regional education and innovation.
The presentation occurred at TechPort in the St. Mary’s County Regional Airport, the birthplace of Southern Maryland Loves You during the COVID-19 pandemic. Chapter President Tommy Luginbill accepted the check, emphasizing its role in fostering community resilience. “This moment is deeply personal for me,” Luginbill said. “I want this to be an example for my daughter, Brooke—and for anyone, young or old—that even when the world feels scary, when good people come together for a common cause, magic can truly happen. These funds will continue to do something real and lasting in our community—supporting students and the future of STEM.”
AFCEA Southern Maryland Board Member Dominic Fragman, who participated in Southern Maryland Loves You during the pandemic, attended the event. “As a Board member of AFCEA, I’m excited—but as an active participant in Southern Maryland Loves You during the pandemic, it’s wonderful to see two organizations I care deeply about come together again,” Fragman said.
The donation draws from remaining funds after the group’s pandemic efforts wound down. Southern Maryland Loves You formed in early 2020 amid national shortages of personal protective equipment. Led then by President Barbara Ives, the group partnered with Triton Defense, Burch Oil and innovators including Matt Hayes, who invented its core product and served on the board. Hayes credited family support for navigating the period’s challenges.
The collaboration produced The Hot Box, a modular dry-heat device authorized by the Food and Drug Administration on Nov. 17, 2020, for sanitizing N95 masks. Housed at TechPort—a drone incubator run by the University of Maryland, Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division, St. Mary’s County and TEDCO—The Hot Box processed up to 24,000 masks daily in 1.5-hour cycles at 75 to 82 degrees Celsius, achieving a 12-log reduction in pathogens like SARS-CoV-2. The 20-foot-long unit, powered by No. 2 heating oil and weighing 6,800 pounds, used household electricity and included features like temperature logging and secure doors for single-user mask reuse up to five times.
Development began in March 2020 when TechPort’s operations halted, prompting Hayes, Luginbill and others to prototype solutions in the empty facility. Initial efforts yielded masks and shields, but supply issues shifted focus to decontamination. After rejecting ultraviolet light for cost and hydrogen peroxide for hazards, Hayes proposed dry heat. Triton Defense built the prototype from galvanized and A36 steel in one week, donating materials and labor from six staff members. Burch Oil installed the HVAC system at no charge. Testing at University of Maryland Charles Regional Medical Center confirmed efficacy, leading to FDA guidelines endorsing the method for reuse—a first for dry heat against viruses.
Three units sold to St. Mary’s and Charles County health departments supported local hospitals during surges, conserving supplies for frontline workers. Retired N95 inventor Dr. Peter Tsai advised the team, validating the approach. Next week, on Nov. 17, 2025, marks five years since FDA clearance, highlighting how St. Mary’s County ingenuity addressed a global crisis.
As demand eased, Southern Maryland Loves You pivoted its resources to education. The AFCEA Southern Maryland Chapter, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit tied to the Armed Forces Communications and Electronics Association, administers the scholarships. Focused on Naval Air Station Patuxent River and the Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division, the chapter awarded funds to STEM students last year, emphasizing information technology, cybersecurity and telecommunications. Eligibility targets undergraduates at accredited institutions, with awards supporting tuition and related costs. The group partners with local schools and colleges, including the College of Southern Maryland, to mentor aspiring engineers and technologists.
This infusion bolsters broader efforts in Southern Maryland, where Patuxent River anchors defense innovation. The Patuxent Partnership’s STEM-Link program offers summer camps for high schoolers, funded partly by Southern Maryland 2030, connecting participants to internships at naval facilities. Southern Maryland 2030, a workforce initiative, links students to paid apprenticeships in STEM fields, aiming to retain talent amid a regional pipeline of 5,000 annual high school graduates. Naval Air Warfare Center programs engage middle schoolers in hands-on activities, preparing them for careers in aviation and systems engineering.
Southern Maryland Loves You, comprising about 100 engineers and medical professionals, embodies this continuity. By channeling pandemic gains into scholarships, the group extends its model of collaboration—from crisis response to long-term investment. AFCEA’s work ensures recipients contribute to sectors driving St. Mary’s County’s economy, where defense employs thousands and innovation hubs like TechPort incubate startups.
The donation underscores a regional commitment to education amid evolving challenges. Scholarships cover fields critical to Patuxent River’s testing of aircraft and weapons systems, where STEM graduates fill roles in cybersecurity and data analysis. Past recipients have advanced to roles at the naval base, perpetuating a cycle of local leadership.
Southern Maryland’s history of such partnerships traces to World War II, when Patuxent River established as a testing ground, drawing engineers and fostering community ties. Today, organizations like AFCEA bridge that legacy, providing grants and professional development to 50 students annually through chapter events and symposia.
This gift positions Southern Maryland Loves You as a bridge between immediate needs and future growth, ensuring the ingenuity behind The Hot Box inspires the next generation.
