Here’s a recap of what’s in the news in and around the UMBC campus, originally brought to you by UMBC News.
This news recap is brought to you by UMBC’s Division of Professional Studies, offering a broad array of professionally-focused master’s degrees and certificate programs that address industry needs while anticipating future opportunities.
Freeman Hrabowski to continue higher ed leadership as inaugural ACE Centennial Fellow after retirement as UMBC president
After retiring from UMBC in the summer of 2022, Dr. Hrabowski is continuing his efforts to improve and diversify higher education. Following decades of service and leadership in the UMBC community, the former university president has been appointed as the first ever Centennial Fellow for the American Council of Education (ACE), an organization of over 1,700 colleges and universities nationwide. Through this position, Dr. Hrabowski plans to work towards creating equal opportunities in higher education, with a focus on first generation college students and those from underrepresented backgrounds.
U.S. News highlights UMBC’s national leadership in teaching, innovation, diversity
This year, UMBC welcomed its largest incoming class to date. With the number of total enrollments surpassing 2,000, the university saw record-breaking numbers for freshman and transfer students alike. Among the many factors at play, UMBC’s impressive placements on U.S. News and World Report’s 2022-2023 undergraduate college rankings likely contributed to this increase. Ranking at #9 for undergraduate teaching, #10 for most innovative universities, and #64 for public universities overall, UMBC’s impressive showing isn’t a first; the university has been steadily climbing in national rankings for years. If UMBC’s recent enrollment is anything to go by, it looks like prospective students are beginning to notice.
https://umbc.edu/stories/us-news-2022-23/
UMBC students explore South Korea, Japan through new Education Abroad Access Fund
Studying abroad is an invaluable experience for many scholars. However, the cost of international travel can be a barrier for some students who want to engage in these opportunities. Through UMBC’s new Education Abroad Access Fund – founded by the class of 1970 – the university hopes to support students who may not be able to afford an international learning experience on their own. From airfare to application fees, the Education Abroad Access Fund strives to make studying abroad an inclusive and accessible experience, in hopes that more scholars will complete their goals of global travel.
UMBC-led Baltimore Ecosystem Study receives federal support for critical environmental monitoring
Since 1998, the UMBC-led Baltimore Ecosystem Study (BES) has conducted research on the local environment, paving the way for the now thriving field of urban ecology. After a former donor chose not to renew funding for the project in 2019, the U.S. Forest Service (USFS) has allocated $500,000 for the continuation of the crucial study. Although the project’s longest-running studies involve local watersheds and environment-related social issues, the funds will support a diverse range of urban ecology studies from researchers across the city. Based out of UMBC’s Technology Research Center, the environmental work of BES members is interdisciplinary, public, and more important than ever.
https://umbc.edu/stories/umbc-led-baltimore-ecosystem-study-receives-federal-support/