Bringing UMBC to Montgomery County for a Decade
When the Universities at Shady Grove opened, it was an innovative concept in higher education: a place where part-time students could attend classes from a variety of public institutions. And UMBC was one of the first universities to embrace the concept, joining the center from its start.
This fall, UMBC celebrates its 10th anniversary as part of the endeavor. In those years, USG has grown into a state-of-the-art center with more than 60 degree programs in partnership with nine USM schools, serving more than 3,650 undergraduate and graduate students. UMBC now offers a wide range of degrees at the center — bachelors degrees in management of aging services, history, political science, psychology and social work, and graduate degrees in industrial/organizational psychology and geographic information systems.
UMBC is committed to providing degree programs tailored to the specific education and economic development needs of the Montgomery County region, said USG Executive Director Stewart Edelstein. It is a strong partner. Its presence on the USG campus has been strategic, focused and engaged.
Students are able to tap into the quality of a UMBC education while staying close to home. Small class sizes, one-on-one contact with faculty and a variety of professional development services help UMBC students at USG maintain their professional focus while furthering their education.
Many of my students have responsibilities to their families and communities and are unable to pursue a traditional college route by leaving home, said Katie Morris, program director of UMBCs baccalaureate social work program at USG. UMBC at Shady Grove allows them to pursue an excellent education and remain connected to their home community.
Looking forward, UMBC plans to expand its role at USG, especially in the areas of science, technology, engineering and math education. UMBC will continue to grow its presence on USGs campus, UMBC President Freeman Hrabowski said at a celebration commemorating the 10th anniversary. Its important to the county, and its important to the state.
Edelstein welcomes such an expansion. I look forward to the day when UMBC brings its mechanical engineering program to USG, he said, building on their nationally recognized success in graduating highly skilled scientists and engineers, specifically among minority student populations.
For more information on UMBC at USG, visit http://www.umbc.edu/shadygrove/. You can read more about the 10th anniversary celebration here.
(11/28/11)
