University Of Maryland, Baltimore County
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The University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC) is a
public In public relations and communication science, publics are groups of individual people, and the public (a.k.a. the general public) is the totality of such groupings. This is a different concept to the sociological concept of the ''Öffentlichkei ...
research university A research university or a research-intensive university is a university that is committed to research as a central part of its mission. They are the most important sites at which knowledge production occurs, along with "intergenerational kno ...
in
Baltimore County, Maryland Baltimore County ( , locally: or ) is the third-most populous county in the U.S. state of Maryland and is part of the Baltimore metropolitan area. Baltimore County (which partially surrounds, though does not include, the independent City of ...
. It has a fall 2022 enrollment of 13,991 students, 61 undergraduate majors, over 92 graduate programs (38 master, 25 doctoral, and 29 graduate certificate programs) and the first university research park in Maryland. It is classified among "R1: Doctoral Universities – Very High Research Activity". Established as a part of the
University System of Maryland The University System of Maryland (USM) is a public higher education system in the U.S. state of Maryland. The system is composed of the eleven campuses at College Park, Baltimore County, Baltimore, Princess Anne, Towson, Salisbury, Bowie, Fr ...
in 1966, the university became the first public college or university in Maryland to be inclusive of all races. UMBC has the fourth highest enrollment of the
University System of Maryland The University System of Maryland (USM) is a public higher education system in the U.S. state of Maryland. The system is composed of the eleven campuses at College Park, Baltimore County, Baltimore, Princess Anne, Towson, Salisbury, Bowie, Fr ...
, specializing in natural sciences and engineering, as well as programs in the liberal arts and social sciences. Athletically, the
UMBC Retrievers The UMBC Retrievers are the athletic teams that represent the University of Maryland, Baltimore County, located in Catonsville, Maryland, in intercollegiate athletics as a member of the Division I level of the National Collegiate Athletic Associ ...
have 17
NCAA Division I NCAA Division I (D-I) is the highest level of College athletics, intercollegiate athletics sanctioned by the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) in the United States, which accepts players globally. D-I schools include the major ...
teams that participate in the
America East Conference The America East Conference is a collegiate athletic conference affiliated with NCAA Division I founded in 1979, whose members are located in the Northeastern United States. The conference has nine core members including eight public research ...
.


History

The planning of the University of Maryland, Baltimore County was first discussed in the 1950s due to the post-
World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...
baby boom, the expansion of higher education under the
GI Bill The Servicemen's Readjustment Act of 1944, commonly known as the G.I. Bill, was a law that provided a range of benefits for some of the returning World War II veterans (commonly referred to as G.I.s). The original G.I. Bill expired in 1956, bu ...
, and the large amount of growth both in population and industry in the Baltimore-Washington Metropolitan Area. At this time, the
University of Maryland, College Park The University of Maryland, College Park (University of Maryland, UMD, or simply Maryland) is a public land-grant research university in College Park, Maryland. Founded in 1856, UMD is the flagship institution of the University System of Mary ...
was the main higher education source in the region, so talks began of adding a branch campus in the
Baltimore Baltimore ( , locally: or ) is the List of municipalities in Maryland, most populous city in the U.S. state of Maryland, fourth most populous city in the Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic, and List of United States cities by popula ...
area. In 1955, Governor
Theodore McKeldin Theodore Roosevelt McKeldin (November 20, 1900August 10, 1974) was an American politician. He was a member of the Republican Party, served as mayor of Baltimore twice, from 1943 to 1947 and again from 1963 to 1967. McKeldin was the 53rd Governor ...
issued "The Needs of Higher Education in Maryland," which recommended the need for university expansion. Three years later, the "Advisory Committee on Higher Education in the State of Maryland" report proposed that the Baltimore branch of the
University of Maryland The University of Maryland, College Park (University of Maryland, UMD, or simply Maryland) is a public land-grant research university in College Park, Maryland. Founded in 1856, UMD is the flagship institution of the University System of M ...
be established as a two-year program, subordinate to the College Park campus. In 1960, the Warfield Commission, appointed by Governor Tawes, issued, "A Plan for Expanding the University of Maryland," which propelled the idea of creating three additional university centers throughout
Maryland Maryland ( ) is a state in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States. It shares borders with Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware and the Atlantic Ocean to ...
. In 1963, the
Maryland Legislature The Maryland General Assembly is the state legislature (United States), state legislature of the U.S. state of Maryland that convenes within the Maryland State House, State House in Annapolis. It is a bicameral body: the upper house, upper chambe ...
approved the development of several new universities throughout Maryland. By the end of that year, 435 acres were purchased from Spring Grove State Hospital, a psychiatric facility in
Catonsville, Maryland Catonsville is a census-designated place (CDP) in Baltimore County, Maryland, United States. The population was 41,567 at the 2010 census. The community lies to the west of Baltimore along the city's border. Catonsville contains the majority of th ...
. The new campus would be efficiently located in Southwestern Baltimore, and would be able to be accessed from
Wilkens Avenue Maryland Route 372 (MD 372) is a state highway in the U.S. state of Maryland. Known as Wilkens Avenue, the state highway runs from MD 166 in Catonsville east to U.S. Route 1 (US 1) in Baltimore. MD 372 connects Baltimore and Interstate 695 (I ...
, the Baltimore Beltway and
Interstate 95 Interstate 95 (I-95) is the main north–south Interstate Highway on the East Coast of the United States, running from U.S. Route 1, US Route 1 (US 1) in Miami, Miami, Florida, to the Houlton–Woodstock Border Crossing between M ...
. Architectural design and planning of the new campus was completed at the
University of Maryland, College Park The University of Maryland, College Park (University of Maryland, UMD, or simply Maryland) is a public land-grant research university in College Park, Maryland. Founded in 1856, UMD is the flagship institution of the University System of Mary ...
. In 1965, Albin Owings Kuhn, an accomplished administrator and professor at College Park was named Vice President of Baltimore Campuses, including both UMBC and the founding campus,
University of Maryland, Baltimore The University of Maryland, Baltimore (UMB) is a public university in Baltimore, Maryland. Founded in 1807, it comprises some of the oldest professional schools of dentistry, law, medicine, pharmacy, social work and nursing in the United States ...
. The new campus also included Dr. Homer Schamp of the College Park as the first Dean of Faculty, David Lewis as the first full-time faculty member and head of Social Sciences, and John Haskell, Jr. as the first Librarian. The first classes began on September 19, 1966 with 750 students, 3 buildings, and the older wing of the Biological Sciences building, 45 faculty members, 35 support staff, and 500 parking spaces. As university enrollment increased drastically over the coming years, the university would also coincide with the turbulent changes in society in the 1960s. While undergoing the
Civil rights movement The civil rights movement was a nonviolent social and political movement and campaign from 1954 to 1968 in the United States to abolish legalized institutional Racial segregation in the United States, racial segregation, Racial discrimination ...
and the
Vietnam War The Vietnam War (also known by #Names, other names) was a conflict in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. It was the second of the Indochina Wars and was officially fought between North Vie ...
, UMBC would prove to be a new and different atmosphere with open and peaceful minds during campus protests. In 1971, Albin Owings Kuhn resigned his position as UMBC's first chancellor, succeeded by Calvin B. T. Lee. Five years later in 1976, John Dorsey, Administrative Vice President at the
University of Maryland, College Park The University of Maryland, College Park (University of Maryland, UMD, or simply Maryland) is a public land-grant research university in College Park, Maryland. Founded in 1856, UMD is the flagship institution of the University System of Mary ...
was appointed as UMBC's third Chancellor. By 1980, undergraduate enrollment reached 5,800 students. Also in this year, Homecoming and Quadmania were established as cornerstone events that would become UMBC tradition for years to come. During this decade, the University Center and Sherman Hall were opened, as well as Hillside and Terrace Apartments. In addition,
University of Maryland, College Park The University of Maryland, College Park (University of Maryland, UMD, or simply Maryland) is a public land-grant research university in College Park, Maryland. Founded in 1856, UMD is the flagship institution of the University System of Mary ...
alum
Jim Henson James Maury Henson (September 24, 1936 – May 16, 1990) was an American puppeteer, animator, cartoonist, actor, inventor, and filmmaker who achieved worldwide notice as the creator of The Muppets and '' Fraggle Rock'' (1983–1987) and ...
funded the establishment of the Imaging Research Center at UMBC. In 1986,
Michael Hooker Michael Kenneth Hooker (August 24, 1945 – June 29, 1999) was an American academic who served as the eighth Chancellor of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and President of University of Maryland, Baltimore County, and Bennington ...
became chancellor, a post he held until 1992, when he was appointed president of the
University of Massachusetts The University of Massachusetts is the five-campus public university system and the only public research system in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. The university system includes five campuses (Amherst, Boston, Dartmouth, Lowell, and a medica ...
system. In 1988, a proposed merger of UMBC with the
University of Baltimore The University of Baltimore (UBalt, UB) is a public university in Baltimore, Maryland. It is part of the University System of Maryland. UBalt's schools and colleges provide education in business, law, public affairs, and the applied arts and sc ...
was considered but was voted down by the
University System of Maryland The University System of Maryland (USM) is a public higher education system in the U.S. state of Maryland. The system is composed of the eleven campuses at College Park, Baltimore County, Baltimore, Princess Anne, Towson, Salisbury, Bowie, Fr ...
Board of Regents. In 1990, undergraduate enrollment reached over 10,000 students. In 1991, a merger plan between UMBC and the
University of Maryland, Baltimore The University of Maryland, Baltimore (UMB) is a public university in Baltimore, Maryland. Founded in 1807, it comprises some of the oldest professional schools of dentistry, law, medicine, pharmacy, social work and nursing in the United States ...
was approved in the
Maryland House of Delegates The Maryland House of Delegates is the lower house of the legislature of the State of Maryland. It consists of 141 delegates elected from 47 districts. The House of Delegates Chamber is in the Maryland State House on State Circle in Annapolis, ...
, but was rejected by the Senate. Throughout the last decade of the twentieth century, the university opened the Engineering and Computer Science Building and Potomac Hall. UMBC's longest-serving president, Freeman A. Hrabowski III, was appointed in 1992. He retired in 2022 and was succeeded by
Valerie Sheares Ashby Valerie Sheares Ashby is a chemist and university professor who currently serves as President of the University of Maryland, Baltimore County. She was the Dean of Trinity College of Arts and Sciences at Duke University from 2015 to 2022 and for ...
that summer. The first decade of the twenty-first century featured many university developments as UMBC approached its fortieth anniversary in 2006. Some of these developments included the establishment of the Center for Urban Environmental Research and Education, a new partnership with the NASA Goddard Space Flight Center to develop the Goddard Earth Science and Technology (GEST) Center, as well as numerous expansions to the campus such as The Commons, the Physics Building, Information Technology & Engineering Building and the Public Policy Building. During this time, UMBC was recognized by the
American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology The American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (ASBMB) is a learned society that was founded on December 26, 1906, at a meeting organized by John Jacob Abel ( Johns Hopkins University). The roots of the society were in the American Ph ...
(ASBMB) for being the leading producers of chemistry and biochemistry degrees, and was classified by The Carnegie Foundation as being among the top tier research universities, Doctoral/Research Universities for achieving 50 or more doctoral degrees per year across at least 15 disciplines.


Academics and research

UMBC offers undergraduate and graduate degree programs in a variety of areas of study. There are 61 majors in 55 distinct programs, 70 minors, and 36 certificate programs offered in its undergraduate program. UMBC's Graduate School offers 38 master's degree programs, 25 doctoral degree programs, and 29 graduate certificate programs. The university is divided into three colleges, three schools, as well as its graduate school.


Colleges

* The UMBC College of Natural and Mathematical Sciences includes the Departments of Biological Sciences, Chemistry and Biochemistry, Marine Biotechnology, Mathematics and Statistics, Naval Science, and Physics. * The
UMBC College of Engineering and Information Technology The College of Engineering and Information Technology is one of three colleges at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County. The college offers bachelor's, master's, and doctoral degrees in various engineering, computer science, and informati ...
offers different areas of study in five departments: the Departments of Chemical, Biochemical & Environmental Engineering, Computer Science and Electrical Engineering, Information Systems, and Mechanical Engineering. * The
UMBC College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences The College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County (CAHSS) has 22 departments, and offers 30 Bachelor's, 16 Master's, and 6 Ph.D. programs. The college also includes several scholarship programs; t ...
houses the most departments in the university and awards more than half of all undergraduate and graduate degrees. Among many others, it includes the departments of Ancient Studies, History, Dance, Music, Education, Political Science, Psychology, Media and Communication studies, and Visual Arts. Many of the departments are now housed in the new Performing Arts and Humanities Building. The Media and Communications studies department is housed on the second floor of Sherman Hall, in the A-wing. Groundbreaking and a grand opening ceremony for the Performing Arts building was held on September 19, 2012. Another grand opening ceremony was held to officially open both phases of the building on October 17, 2014.


Schools

* The UMBC Erickson School of Aging Studies offers undergraduate and graduate level programs that focuses on various aspects of aging studies, including policy and management issues. * The University of Maryland Graduate School, Baltimore (UMGSB) represents the combined graduate and research programs at UMBC and the
University of Maryland, Baltimore The University of Maryland, Baltimore (UMB) is a public university in Baltimore, Maryland. Founded in 1807, it comprises some of the oldest professional schools of dentistry, law, medicine, pharmacy, social work and nursing in the United States ...
(UMB). * The UMBC School of Public Policy includes the public policy programs for the masters and doctorate degrees. * The
University of Maryland, Baltimore School of Social Work The University of Maryland, Baltimore (UMB) is a public university in Baltimore, Maryland. Founded in 1807, it comprises some of the oldest professional schools of dentistry, law, medicine, pharmacy, social work and nursing in the United States ...
links with UMBC in offering graduate and undergraduate level social work programs, respectively.


Extension

*
UMBC Training Centers UMBC Training Centers is an extension of the University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC) established in 2000 at UMBC's South Campus in Catonsville, Maryland. UMBC Training Centers provides technical and professional training programs remotely ...
provide technical and professional training programs remotely and directly at UMBC's South Campus in Arbutus, the Columbia Gateway Campus in nearby
Columbia, Maryland Columbia is a census-designated place in Howard County, Maryland. It is one of the principal communities of the Baltimore–Washington metropolitan area. It is a planned community consisting of 10 self-contained villages. Columbia began with ...
, and cybersecurity education in
Augusta, Georgia Augusta ( ), officially Augusta–Richmond County, is a consolidated city-county on the central eastern border of the U.S. state of Georgia (U.S. state), Georgia. The city lies across the Savannah River from South Carolina at the head of its navig ...
.


Research and Creative Achievement

UMBC is among the fastest-growing research universities in the country and is classified as a Doctoral University with Very High Research Activity by the Carnegie Foundation. The university consistently ranks among the top 100 public U.S. institutions in federal research and development expenditures. UMBC's research themes focus on environmental sciences, especially atmospheric physics and remote sensing, Earth and space sciences, and ecology and remediation; on health and life sciences, including marine biotechnology and bio sciences and engineering; on data sciences and national security, with special focus on cybersecurity and artificial intelligence, cognitive computing, health IT, and big data analytics; on health equity and policy studies, and on public humanities and the arts. The university is ranked among the Top 15 US universities in
NASA The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA ) is an independent agency of the US federal government responsible for the civil space program, aeronautics research, and space research. NASA was established in 1958, succeeding t ...
funding. UMBC's NASA-funded centers at
NASA Goddard The Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC) is a major NASA space research laboratory located approximately northeast of Washington, D.C. in Greenbelt, Maryland, United States. Established on May 1, 1959 as NASA's first space flight center, GSFC empl ...
include the Joint Center for Earth Systems Technology (JCET), the Goddard Planetary Heliophysics Institute (GPHI), and the Center for Space Sciences and Technology (CSST). In April 2021, CSST received an additional $54M in funding from NASA Goddard for astrophysics research. Faculty at UMBC have been recognized with 40
National Science Foundation The National Science Foundation (NSF) is an independent agency of the United States government that supports fundamental research and education in all the non-medical fields of science and engineering. Its medical counterpart is the National I ...
CAREER Awards since 1995, including nine since 2017. Two UMBC researchers have received the Presidential Early Career Award in Science and Engineering (PECASE) — one from NSF in 2005 and one from NSA in 2014. UMBC also has one of only two Howard Hughes Medical Institute investigators at a public university in Maryland, a
National Academy of Sciences The National Academy of Sciences (NAS) is a United States nonprofit, non-governmental organization. NAS is part of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, along with the National Academy of Engineering (NAE) and the Nati ...
member, as well as a DARPA Young Faculty Award winner, and NASA's 2012 Distinguished Public Service Medal recipient. UMBC faculty regularly receive Fulbright and Guggenheim fellowship. bwtech@UMBC, UMBC's incubator and research park, houses over 130 companies and three incubators in cybersecurity, life sciences, and clean technology. UMBC has over 20 campus-wide centers and institutes, including three Collaborative Centers with NASA Goddard (JCET, GPHI, and CSST), the Center for Advanced Real-Time Analytics (CARTA), the Center for Advanced Sensor Technology (CAST), the Center for Urban Environmental Research and Education (CUERE), the Earth and Space Institute (ESI), The Hilltop Institute, the Center for Social Science Scholarship (CS3), the Center for Art, Design & Visual Culture (CADVC), the Dresher Center, and the Imaging Research Center (IRC)


Campus


History

In 1840, the state of Maryland purchased the land that the university is located on today. At that time, it was known as the Stabler Estate, owned by the prominent Stabler family of
Baltimore County Baltimore County ( , locally: or ) is the third-most populous county in the U.S. state of Maryland and is part of the Baltimore metropolitan area. Baltimore County (which partially surrounds, though does not include, the independent City of ...
. James P. Stabler, the chief engineer and superintendent of the
Baltimore and Ohio Railroad The Baltimore and Ohio Railroad was the first common carrier railroad and the oldest railroad in the United States, with its first section opening in 1830. Merchants from Baltimore, which had benefited to some extent from the construction of ...
was connected to the estate. The Baltimore Trade School, an orphan's home located on present day Giffen Hill, was established in that same year. The school continued to operate and farm the surrounding acreage up until
World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...
. The state later added the property to Spring Grove State Hospital, who farmed the land until the university's establishment. A few of the original structures were still in use by UMBC for some time, including the Hillcrest Building and a farmhouse. Located off of Walker Avenue, the Hillcrest Building was originally built in 1921 to house patients of Spring Grove State Hospital. The building was historically significant for it was the "first building constructed specifically for the care and treatment of mentally ill prisoners to be built at a state psychiatric hospital anywhere in the United States". In 1965, the structure was used as UMBC's administration building, and later used as the office of residential life and a student union. A common campus
urban legend An urban legend (sometimes contemporary legend, modern legend, urban myth, or urban tale) is a genre of folklore comprising stories or fallacious claims circulated as true, especially as having happened to a "friend of a friend" or a family m ...
claims that the man that
Hannibal Lecter Dr. Hannibal Lecter is a Character (arts), fictional character created by the novelist Thomas Harris. Lecter is a serial killer who Human cannibalism, eats his victims. Before his capture, he was a respected Forensic psychiatry, forensic psychi ...
was based on lived in a basement cell of the building. Hillcrest was demolished in 2007 due to toxicity concerns, leaving the farm silo on UMBC Boulevard to be oldest surviving structure on the university's campus. Opened for enrollment in 1966, UMBC was created to serve the overflow of students from the Baltimore area seeking admission to
University of Maryland, College Park The University of Maryland, College Park (University of Maryland, UMD, or simply Maryland) is a public land-grant research university in College Park, Maryland. Founded in 1856, UMD is the flagship institution of the University System of Mary ...
. From its beginning, the new commuter campus faced a surfeit of problems. Sited on free land taken from a state hospital, the campus was not sponsored or protected by any political constituency. There were already nine other campuses in the metropolitan area. Located a few miles from the
University of Maryland, Baltimore The University of Maryland, Baltimore (UMB) is a public university in Baltimore, Maryland. Founded in 1807, it comprises some of the oldest professional schools of dentistry, law, medicine, pharmacy, social work and nursing in the United States ...
campus, there was no chance UMBC could develop the array of professional schools common to research universities. Its County name, an afterthought, was more consistent with two-year schools than a Ph.D. - granting institution. Yet as UMBC continues past its 50th anniversary, it has become a national role model for new American universities. The book ''Improbable Excellence: the Saga Of UMBC'' chronicles this development.


Landscape

UMBC's main entrance is approached from Metropolitan Boulevard where there is a UMBC Campus exit that leads to UMBC Boulevard. Soon after the campus exit, UMBC Boulevard intersects Research Park Drive which leads into UMBC's Research & Technology Park. UMBC's campus is also served by
Wilkens Avenue Maryland Route 372 (MD 372) is a state highway in the U.S. state of Maryland. Known as Wilkens Avenue, the state highway runs from MD 166 in Catonsville east to U.S. Route 1 (US 1) in Baltimore. MD 372 connects Baltimore and Interstate 695 (I ...
, which provides access to the Baltimore Beltway and
Rolling Road Maryland Route 166 (MD 166) is a state highway in the U.S. state of Maryland. The state highway runs from Interstate 195 (I-195) in Arbutus north to MD 144 in Catonsville. MD 166 consists of two sections: a short freeway section that serves ...
. Entrances off of
Wilkens Avenue Maryland Route 372 (MD 372) is a state highway in the U.S. state of Maryland. Known as Wilkens Avenue, the state highway runs from MD 166 in Catonsville east to U.S. Route 1 (US 1) in Baltimore. MD 372 connects Baltimore and Interstate 695 (I ...
include Hilltop Road and Walker Avenue. Hilltop Road leads towards Catonsville's Business District on Frederick Road and
Spring Grove Hospital Center Spring Grove Hospital Center, formerly known as Spring Grove State Hospital, is a psychiatric hospital located in the Baltimore, Maryland, suburb of Catonsville. Founded in 1797 as a general medical and psychiatric retreat, Spring Grove Mental ...
. On the other side of the campus, Poplar Avenue gives direct access to Arbutus's Business District on East Drive. The campus core is served by Hilltop Circle, which creates a complete circle encompassing the campus. Academic Row is known to be the central pedestrian concourse and maintenance vehicle highway in the campus that borders along a series of buildings. Beginning south at Administration Drive, the pathway is covered by mature trees on either side. Friendly squirrels are a common sight near the University Center where students tend to feed them waffle fries from Chick-fil-A. Academic Row is bordered by the Administration Building, the Retriever Activities Center, Janet and Walter Sondheim Hall, Sherman Hall (Previously named Academic IV), University Center, Math and Psychology Building, Biological Sciences Building, and the Meyerhoff Chemistry Building. At the northern end, the walkway is intersected by Schwartz Breezeway leading to the Commons, the university's student union. Academic Row terminates at the Albin O. Kuhn Library & Gallery, where multiple paths radiate across Erickson Field towards the Commons, the Physics and Public Policy Buildings, West Hills, Hillside, and Terrace Apartments, as well as additional dormitories. Taking any of the tree-lined staircases to the next level of campus leads to the ITE, Engineering, and Fine Arts buildings, all of which can also be accessed though shortcuts from any of the multitude of buildings on Academic Row. As of 2015, the new Performing Arts and Humanities building has also been servicing students, which is another short walk up from the Engineering building. New lots have also been constructed outside of the Performing Arts and Humanities building in order to accommodate more commuter students and faculty. Fall of 2015 brings with it two new roundabouts that have been made at the intersection of Administration Drive and Research Park Drive and between Research Park Drive and the entrance ramp on to I-95. On the southern side of the Commons, a large grassy area known as the Quad is where many student events and activities take place throughout the school year. Another area of student congregation is at UC Plaza in front of the University Center. The University Center houses multiple dining options, the UC Ballroom, as well as additional university event and teaching space.


Gallery

File:University of Maryland Baltimore County (UMBC), 1000 Hilltop Circle, Baltimore, MD 21250 (33774495671).jpg, Administration Building File:UMBC gardens.jpg, Library Pond File:UMBC Performing Arts and Humanities Building.jpg, Performing Arts and Humanities Building File:Joseph Beuys Sculpture Park at UMBC.jpg, Joseph Beuys Sculpture Park File:UMBC ITE Building.JPG, Information Technology and Engineering Building File:Physics Building, University of Maryland Baltimore County.jpg, Physics Building


Location

UMBC's campus is located on 500 acres. It is approximately 15 minutes from Baltimore's Inner Harbor and 60 minutes from Washington, D.C.
Baltimore-Washington International Airport Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport , commonly referred to as BWI or BWI Marshall, is an international airport in the Eastern United States serving mainly Baltimore, Maryland and Washington, D.C. With Dulles Internatio ...
is five minutes away, as well as
Amtrak The National Railroad Passenger Corporation, Trade name, doing business as Amtrak () , is the national Passenger train, passenger railroad company of the United States. It operates inter-city rail service in 46 of the 48 contiguous United Stat ...
and
Baltimore Light Rail Baltimore Light RailLink (formerly Baltimore Light Rail, and also known simply as the "Light Rail") is a light rail system serving Baltimore, Maryland, United States, as well as its surrounding suburbs. It is operated by the Maryland Transit A ...
stations (BWI Airport and BWI Business District). In addition, the MARC Penn Line serves the UMBC population at Halethorpe Station, which is located approximately two miles away on Southwestern Boulevard in
Arbutus, Maryland Arbutus is an unincorporated community and a census-designated place in Baltimore County, Maryland, United States. The population was 20,483 at the 2010 census. The census area also contains the communities of Halethorpe and Relay, in which all th ...
. The Halethorpe/Satellite bus transit line transports students to and from the train station. UMBC, three miles outside the Baltimore city limits, successfully lobbied the government to use 'Baltimore' as its address. While its suburban campus has minimal interaction with its surroundings, students variously consider it to be located in the towns of Catonsville (by CDP) or
Arbutus ''Arbutus'' is a genus of 12 accepted speciesAct. Bot. Mex no.99 Pátzcuaro abr. 2012.''Arbutus bicolor''/ref> of flowering plants in the family Ericaceae, native to warm temperate regions of the Mediterranean, western Europe, the Canary Islan ...
(whose street grid it borders). The campus is undercut by a series of tunnels. Originally UMBC was supposed to be located in Baltimore City. However, due to many disputes the university is located in the neighborhood of Southern Catonsville, 1.5 miles south of Catonsville's Central Business District along Frederick Road. Catonsville provides a
college town A college town or university town is a community (often a separate town or city, but in some cases a town/city neighborhood or a district) that is dominated by its university population. The university may be large, or there may be several sma ...
atmosphere for UMBC by having numerous restaurants, bars, and other conveniences. The town also provides festivals and
farmers' markets A farmers' market (or farmers market according to the AP stylebook, also farmer's market in the Cambridge Dictionary) is a physical retail marketplace intended to sell foods directly by farmers to consumers. Farmers' markets may be indoors or o ...
every Sunday from May to November.


Research and Technology Park

UMBC Research and Technology Park is a 71-acre development on the campus hosting technology, bioscience and research organizations, many of which are engaged in partnership with the university. The research park, split into two campuses, is the oldest university research park in Maryland. The North Campus focuses primarily on cybersecurity, and includes the Cyber Incubator and a new addition of the CyberHive. The South Campus is a life-science and business incubator, and has graduated over 50 companies through its program. Research Park tenants include the
US Geological Survey The United States Geological Survey (USGS), formerly simply known as the Geological Survey, is a scientific agency of the United States government. The scientists of the USGS study the landscape of the United States, its natural resources, an ...
, US Forestry Service, CardioMed Device Consultants,
Audacious Inquiry Audacious Inquiry (Ai) is an American company founded in 2004 and with headquarters in Baltimore, Maryland. The company provides health information technology services and cloud-based software. History Audacious Inquiry was founded in 2004 ...
, Med-IQ, Physician Practice, Inc.,
Retirement Living TV RLTV (previously known as Retirement Living TV) was an American cable television Television broadcasting, network. Launched on September 5, 2006, the channel targeted a Old age, demographic aged 50 years and older. Its topics and programs include ...
, Ascentium Corporation, Solvern Innovations, RMF Engineering, Inc., Convergent Technology, Clear Resolution Consulting, Fearless Solutions, Potomac Photonics, and Next Breath.


Transportation

UMBC has several bus shuttle lines that are available to UMBC's students, faculty, and staff. All but the Wave 'n Ride are free by showing of one's campus identification card. The Wave-n-Ride was historically available to anyone who needs intracampus transport around Hilltop Circle and UMBC Boulevard, but the service is pending decommission. In August 2014, service has expanded to two new lines connect the campus to Downtown Baltimore. These two lines (Downtown A-B Lines) also connect the campus to the
Baltimore Metro Subway The Metro SubwayLink is a rapid transit line serving the greater area of Baltimore, Maryland, in the United States, and is operated by the Maryland Transit Administration. The segment in Downtown Baltimore is underground, and most of the line outs ...
byway of Lexington Market Station. The Downtown B Line connects to the Metro as well as
MARC Train MARC (Maryland Area Rail Commuter) is a commuter rail system in the Baltimore–Washington metropolitan area. MARC is administered by the Maryland Transit Administration (MTA) and operated under contract by Alstom and Amtrak on track owned b ...
at
Camden Station Camden Station, now also referred to as Camden Street Station, Camden Yards, and formally as the Transportation Center at Camden Yards, is a train station at the intersection of South Howard and West Camden Streets in Baltimore, Maryland, and is ...
, and the
Baltimore Light Rail Baltimore Light RailLink (formerly Baltimore Light Rail, and also known simply as the "Light Rail") is a light rail system serving Baltimore, Maryland, United States, as well as its surrounding suburbs. It is operated by the Maryland Transit A ...
byway of Convention Center Station. The
Maryland Transit Administration The Maryland Transit Administration (MTA) is a state-operated mass transit administration in Maryland, and is part of the Maryland Department of Transportation. The MTA operates a comprehensive transit system throughout the Baltimore-Washingt ...
offers additional service to the University of Maryland Baltimore County community. Bus lines 35, 77, and 95 offer service to the campus. The
MARC Train MARC (Maryland Area Rail Commuter) is a commuter rail system in the Baltimore–Washington metropolitan area. MARC is administered by the Maryland Transit Administration (MTA) and operated under contract by Alstom and Amtrak on track owned b ...
provides
Penn Line The Penn Line is a MARC commuter rail service running from Union Station in Washington, D.C., to Perryville, Maryland, along the far southern leg of the Northeast Corridor. However, the great majority of trains terminate at Baltimore's Penn ...
rail service two miles from the campus at
Halethorpe station Halethorpe is a passenger rail station located in the unincorporated community of Halethorpe, Maryland on the Northeast Corridor. MARC Penn Line trains serve the station; Amtrak trains pass through but do not stop.
, connecting the university to Baltimore and Washington. The UMBC campus is home to a number of trails for pedestrians and bicyclists as well. Some of these pathways include a walking bridge and path that connects the central campus to the Research Park to the south, as well as an unpaved path from UMBC Boulevard to Selford Road that is frequented by runners and joggers. Nearby, the
Short Line Railroad Trail The Short Line Railroad Trail is a trail in Western Baltimore County, Maryland. The trail segment begins approximately at the Charlestown Retirement Community off Maiden Choice Lane, south of the Baltimore National Cemetery, and ends at Frederic ...
can be accessed through Hilltop Road and
Spring Grove Hospital Center Spring Grove Hospital Center, formerly known as Spring Grove State Hospital, is a psychiatric hospital located in the Baltimore, Maryland, suburb of Catonsville. Founded in 1797 as a general medical and psychiatric retreat, Spring Grove Mental ...
. The rail trail provides paved pathway access from Downtown Catonsville and Paradise, crossing the Baltimore Beltway. Additionally, cyclists have on-road bike routes from the campus to Halethorpe station via Downtown Arbutus.


Campus police

UMBC maintains a 24-hour police staff of sworn officers, supplemented by non-sworn security officers and student marshals. Like the campus police of the
University of Maryland, College Park The University of Maryland, College Park (University of Maryland, UMD, or simply Maryland) is a public land-grant research university in College Park, Maryland. Founded in 1856, UMD is the flagship institution of the University System of Mary ...
and the
University of Maryland, Baltimore The University of Maryland, Baltimore (UMB) is a public university in Baltimore, Maryland. Founded in 1807, it comprises some of the oldest professional schools of dentistry, law, medicine, pharmacy, social work and nursing in the United States ...
, the campus police are accredited by the
Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies The Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies, Inc. (CALEA) is a credentialing authority (accreditation), based in the United States, whose primary mission is to accredit public safety agencies, namely law enforcement agencies, trai ...
. Accreditation is expected by the
University System of Maryland The University System of Maryland (USM) is a public higher education system in the U.S. state of Maryland. The system is composed of the eleven campuses at College Park, Baltimore County, Baltimore, Princess Anne, Towson, Salisbury, Bowie, Fr ...
mandated 2013 deadline. The UMBC police logs all crime reports and statistics as required by law on the UMBC Police Webpage.


President

In May 1992, Freeman A. Hrabowski III began his term as president of the University of Maryland, Baltimore County. He was named by
TIME Magazine ''Time'' (stylized in all caps) is an American news magazine based in New York City. For nearly a century, it was published weekly, but starting in March 2020 it transitioned to every other week. It was first published in New York City on Mar ...
as one of the "100 Most Influential People in the World", and for his work with UMBC was honored as America's Top 10 College Presidents in 2009. Under his leadership, UMBC has been ranked the #1 Up and Coming University in the US for six consecutive years (2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, and 2014) by '' U.S. News & World Report'' magazine. His research and publications are more focused on science and math education, with particular emphasis on minority participation and performance. On August 1, 2022, following Hrabowski's retirement,
Valerie Sheares Ashby Valerie Sheares Ashby is a chemist and university professor who currently serves as President of the University of Maryland, Baltimore County. She was the Dean of Trinity College of Arts and Sciences at Duke University from 2015 to 2022 and for ...
became president of the university, becoming its first female president.


Financial aid and scholarships

The
Meyerhoff Scholarship Program The Meyerhoff Scholars Program is a program at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC) designed to prepare minority students for academic careers in the science, technology, engineering and math ( STEM) disciplines. The program has se ...
at UMBC is a program focused on the cultivation of underrepresented minority scholarship and awareness in the math, science, and engineering disciplines. Other scholarship programs include the
CWIT Scholars Program The Center for Women In Technology (CWIT) was established at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County in July 1998. The center's original name was the "Center for Women and Information Technology", and it was founded to encourage women as both ...
, the Humanities Scholars Program, the Dresher Humanities Fellowships, Honors College Fellowships, the Linehan Artist Scholars Program, the Sondheim Public Affairs Scholars Program and the Sherman Teacher Education Scholars Program. Students can also receive scholarships through the athletic department, after being recruited to play on a sports team at UMBC. The Linehan Artist Scholars Program is a four-year scholarship program for incoming freshmen with a major in the arts, including dance, music, performing arts, visual arts, and theater. The artists learn to work together and collaborate on projects, under the direction of Doug Hamby. UMBC's Grand Challenge Scholars Program is designed for students from all majors who are interested in solving important societal problems. The program fosters a vibrant interdisciplinary community to help tackle the National Academy of Engineering's (NAE) Grand Challenges, and gives students experiences and skills to create solutions to some of the most pressing challenges of the 21st century.


Rankings

The university is ranked tied for 137th in the 2022-2023 '' U.S. News & World Report'' rankings of "National Universities" in the United States, and is ranked tied for 78th nationally among public universities. It was ranked 6th nationally in undergraduate teaching and 6th in innovation. UMBC ranks fourth among U.S. research universities in the production of IT degrees and certificates, according to U.S. Department of Education data. The data shows UMBC ranking #21 in MS, and #31 in PhD IT degree production. In 2012, ''U.S. News & World Report'' rated UMBC as the 12th most under-performing university, citing a gap between academic reputation and performance in the academic indicators. The Carnegie Foundation classifies UMBC as a research university with high research activity. UMBC has received a rating of 4 out of 5 from
Campus Pride Campus Pride is an American national nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization founded by M. Chad Wilson, Sarah E. Holmes and Shane L. Windmeyer in 2001 which serves lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) and ally student leaders and/or campus orga ...
's
LGBT ' is an initialism that stands for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender. In use since the 1990s, the initialism, as well as some of its common variants, functions as an umbrella term for sexuality and gender identity. The LGBT term is a ...
-friendly campus climate index.


Partnerships

The university has formed a variety of centers and institutes. It has a partnership with
NASA The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA ) is an independent agency of the US federal government responsible for the civil space program, aeronautics research, and space research. NASA was established in 1958, succeeding t ...
. The Center for Space Science and Technology, Goddard Earth Sciences and Technology Center, and the Joint Center for Earth Systems Technology all are affiliated with the
Goddard Space Flight Center The Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC) is a major NASA space research laboratory located approximately northeast of Washington, D.C. in Greenbelt, Maryland, United States. Established on May 1, 1959 as NASA's first space flight center, GSFC empl ...
in
Greenbelt, Maryland Greenbelt is a city in Prince George's County, Maryland, United States, and a suburb of Washington, D.C. At the 2020 census, the population was 24,921. Greenbelt is the first and the largest of the three experimental and controversial New D ...
, and share collaboration efforts with the
University of Maryland, College Park The University of Maryland, College Park (University of Maryland, UMD, or simply Maryland) is a public land-grant research university in College Park, Maryland. Founded in 1856, UMD is the flagship institution of the University System of Mary ...
. In 2014, the university signed agreements with the
United States Army Research Laboratory The U.S. Army Combat Capabilities Development Command Army Research Laboratory (DEVCOM ARL) is the U.S. Army's foundational research laboratory. ARL is headquartered at the Adelphi Laboratory Center (ALC) in Adelphi, Maryland. Its largest sing ...
and the
United States Army Research, Development and Engineering Command The Combat Capabilities Development Command, (DEVCOM, aka CCDC) (formerly the United States Army Research, Development, and Engineering Command (RDECOM)) is a subordinate command of the U.S. Army Futures Command. RDECOM was tasked with "creating, ...
, for research in information systems, computer science, cybersecurity, networks, sensors, communications, mathematics and statistics, human dimensions, human systems integration, synthetic biology, power, quantum information processing, natural language processing and robotics. USB and the
University of Maryland, Baltimore The University of Maryland, Baltimore (UMB) is a public university in Baltimore, Maryland. Founded in 1807, it comprises some of the oldest professional schools of dentistry, law, medicine, pharmacy, social work and nursing in the United States ...
(UMB) jointly operate the Research & Innovation Partnership Seed Grant program, which aims to promote inter-institutional research collaborations between the two USM institutions and to stimulate joint grant proposals to federal agencies and foundations. This shared program allows students and faculty to receive grants for research, increased collaboration, as well as the ability to use the facilities of both universities. In February 2015, UMBC formed another partnership with
Kyushu University , abbreviated to , is a Japanese national university located in Fukuoka, on the island of Kyushu. It was the 4th Imperial University in Japan, ranked as 4th in 2020 Times Higher Education Japan University Rankings, one of the top 10 Design ...
in
Fukuoka is the sixth-largest city in Japan, the second-largest port city after Yokohama, and the capital city of Fukuoka Prefecture, Japan. The city is built along the shores of Hakata Bay, and has been a center of international commerce since ancie ...
,
Japan Japan ( ja, 日本, or , and formally , ''Nihonkoku'') is an island country in East Asia. It is situated in the northwest Pacific Ocean, and is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan, while extending from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north ...
, for research in
computer security Computer security, cybersecurity (cyber security), or information technology security (IT security) is the protection of computer systems and networks from attack by malicious actors that may result in unauthorized information disclosure, the ...
. Furthermore, in the spring of 2015 an array of partnerships between UMBC and the
US Navy The United States Navy (USN) is the maritime service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. It is the largest and most powerful navy in the world, with the estimated tonnage of ...
were announced. The two announced the opening of the first Naval
ROTC The Reserve Officers' Training Corps (ROTC ( or )) is a group of college- and university-based officer-training programs for training commissioned officers of the United States Armed Forces. Overview While ROTC graduate officers serve in all ...
unit in Maryland, on the campus of UMBC, with the US Navy sponsoring a multitude of four year full-ride scholarships for select candidates. In addition, a cybersecurity research partnership between the two institutions was announced, beginning with five collaborative research projects between UMBC faculty and students and the US Navy.


Sustainability

In 1997, President
Freeman Hrabowski Freeman Alphonso Hrabowski III (born August 13, 1950) is an American educator, advocate, and mathematician. In May 1992, he began his term as president of the University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC), one of the twelve public universities ...
created the Conservation and Environmental Research Areas of UMBC also known as ''CERA'' on the south end of the campus. The conservation area encompasses 50 acres surrounding Pig Pen Pond and Bwtech@UMBC Research and Technology Park. At the same time as preserving the land, CERA allowed UMBC students to use the land for educational and recreational purposes. CERA contains two parts. The larger tract, covering approximately 45 acres of the south end of the main campus, contains a wide variety of ecological conditions: mature upland forest, early- and mid- successional forest, and riparian and wetland environments. The second, area is much smaller, with an area of about 3 acres. This surrounds Pigpen Pond, which was once actually a pigpen until it filled with water. There are also several areas within CERA where evidence of previous human occupancy and use can be found. In addition to teaching opportunities for faculty, CERA offers a wide range of opportunities for students and faculty to undertake short and long-term research projects in a variety of disciplines. Management of CERA is guided by the need to maintain these landscapes as natural areas to be preserved and protected for approved uses in education, research and wildlife observation. In 2007, President
Freeman Hrabowski Freeman Alphonso Hrabowski III (born August 13, 1950) is an American educator, advocate, and mathematician. In May 1992, he began his term as president of the University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC), one of the twelve public universities ...
signed on to the American College and University President's Climate Commitment (ACUPCC) and formed the Climate Change Task Force. 20% of the university's emissions comes from renewable energy. Additional sustainable efforts include a
green roof A green roof or living roof is a roof of a building that is partially or completely covered with vegetation and a growing medium, planted over a waterproofing membrane. It may also include additional layers such as a root barrier and drainage ...
on Patapsco Hall, and the construction of new LEED certified buildings such as West Hills Community Center and the Performing Arts and Humanities Building. Preservation has also been a growing focus for UMBC, through the creation of CERA, Conservation Environmental Research Area. "No-mow zones" and stormwater retention ponds have also been added to the campus. In 2013, UMBC earned Tree Campus USA recognition by the
Arbor Day Foundation The Arbor Day Foundation is an American 501(c)(3) nonprofit membership organization dedicated to planting trees. The Arbor Day Foundation has more than one million members and has planted more than 350 million trees in neighborhoods, communities ...
. In May 2014, UMBC dedicated 11 acres on the northeastern side of the campus for preservation through the
Maryland Department of Natural Resources The Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR) is a government agency in the state of Maryland charged with maintaining natural resources including state parks, public lands, state forests, state waterways, wildlife, and recreation areas. I ...
. Also in 2014, the university has opened its first community garden for its students. The garden will give students the chance to grow their own food on campus. In May 2015, two Prove It! teams went on to win the $10,000 grant for their sustainability driven ideas to improve the life of students. The first, Retriever Treasure, collects unwanted furniture, clothes, and other items from students moving out of dorms and apartments at the end of each school year. They then resell these items at the beginning of the school year to raise funds for other initiatives and donate the remainder of the items not sold. The second, SolarRetrievers, raised an additional $30,000 from UMBC Residential Life, Facilities Management, and The Commons to purchase 4 EnerFusion Solar Power-Dok solar tables. These tables promote the idea of sustainable energy by directly demonstrating how solar panels are used to charge a battery and power devices in areas that normally would not have electricity readily available. The tables are located in the courtyard between Harbor and Chesapeake Hall, The Commons terrace, and two are on the terrace outside of the Retriever Activities Center.


Mascot

The
Chesapeake Bay Retriever The Chesapeake Bay Retriever is a large breed of dog belonging to the retriever, gundog, and sporting breed groups. The breed was developed in the United States Chesapeake Bay area during the 19th century. Historically used by local market hu ...
is the state dog of
Maryland Maryland ( ) is a state in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States. It shares borders with Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware and the Atlantic Ocean to ...
and has been the mascot of UMBC since weeks after its founding in 1966. The costumed mascot was alternately known as "Fever the Retriever" in the late 1990s. The university also once had a live mascot, upon whom the True Grit statue is based, named Campus Sam. At the beginning of the 2008 fall semester, a Chesapeake Bay retriever puppy was chosen as a new mascot. He attends many athletic events and an online poll was held on the Retriever Activities Center website to choose his name, which was ultimately decided as "Gritty". The school's dining hall is named True Grits. True Grit appears in two forms: Both as a
statue A statue is a free-standing sculpture in which the realistic, full-length figures of persons or animals are carved or cast in a durable material such as wood, metal or stone. Typical statues are life-sized or close to life-size; a sculpture t ...
in front of the Retriever Activities Center of a
Chesapeake Bay retriever The Chesapeake Bay Retriever is a large breed of dog belonging to the retriever, gundog, and sporting breed groups. The breed was developed in the United States Chesapeake Bay area during the 19th century. Historically used by local market hu ...
and as a costumed mascot, an
anthropomorphized Anthropomorphism is the attribution of human traits, emotions, or intentions to non-human entities. It is considered to be an innate tendency of human psychology. Personification is the related attribution of human form and characteristics t ...
Chesapeake Bay retriever. The latter can typically be seen in attire of whatever sport he is currently attending; this is most often
basketball Basketball is a team sport in which two teams, most commonly of five players each, opposing one another on a rectangular Basketball court, court, compete with the primary objective of #Shooting, shooting a basketball (ball), basketball (appr ...
or
lacrosse Lacrosse is a team sport played with a lacrosse stick and a lacrosse ball. It is the oldest organized sport in North America, with its origins with the indigenous people of North America as early as the 12th century. The game was extensively ...
. As part of an art installation, there are also several smaller True Grit statues placed around campus, all given themed decoration by various student artists.


Student life

The Resident Student Association and Student Events Board provide social programming during all academic semesters at UMBC. Over 220 student-run organizations exist on campus.


LLC (Language Literacy & Culture)

This unique interdisciplinary doctoral program draws upon faculty from disciplines in the humanities and social sciences from eight departments and programs at UMBC: African Studies; American Studies; Education; English; History; Gender and Women's Studies; Modern Languages, Linguistics and Intercultural Communication; and Sociology and Anthropology.


LLC (Living Learning Community)

A living learning community (LLC) is essentially themed housing. A hallway of one of UMBC's residence halls is set aside for students who share a certain academic ground. LLCs are intended to provide residents with social, academic, and career opportunities related to their theme. Many sponsor a one credit course in which students are required to enroll. UMBC has eight LLCs, listed below.


The Center for Women in Technology

The Center for Women in Technology LLC houses women and men who major in engineering or information technology, with the special intention of providing a community for females in this traditionally male dominated academic area. It offers academic, social, and career opportunities.


Discovery Scholars

The Discovery Scholars LLC helps students of an undecided career path explore possible majors and careers. Participants must enroll in its sponsored one credit course. Discovery Scholars are provided with social excursions, career exploration services, academic advising.


Honors College

The Honors College LLC houses members of UMBC's honors college, providing an environment for socialization outside the classroom. Graduates of the Honors program must earn an "A" or "B" in special honors-level courses in various categories of academic disciplines. It is located in Susquehanna Hall.


Humanities Floor

The Humanities Floor LLC is composed of students interested in—though not necessarily majoring in—the humanities. It facilitates intelligent discussion and field trips related to the humanities. Residents must attend four sponsored events and assist in planning floor activities. Many of the accepted Humanities Scholars choose to reside on the Humanities Floor LLC. The students who live on the floor find a community of like-minded scholars to study with and join in social activities with.


Intercultural Living Exchange

The Intercultural Living Exchange LLC aims to promote cultural diversity. Residents are mentored by international students and participate in social events centered around cultural items, such as holidays, movies, or cuisine. Students are also expected to maintain at least a 3.5 GPA while earning academic credits during service projects. Students earn academic credit for participating in this LLC. Students can participate in language immersion and live with others who are studying French, Spanish, Korean, or Chinese.


Shriver Living-Learning Center

The Shriver Living-Learning Center LLC is centered around service learning. Students build leadership skills by volunteering three to five hours weekly. They are required to take the LLC's sponsored academic course. Residents also hear presentations from guest speakers and give presentations on their own service experiences. Students are able to earn academic credit for their participation.


Visual and Performing Arts

The Visual and Performing Arts LLC provides students interested in the arts chances to deepen their experience of the arts through learning new skills, holding intelligent discussions, and attending relevant events.


Women Involved in Learning and Leadership

The Women Involved in Learning and Leadership LLC is intended to promote leadership skills in social issues. Residents hear speakers, activists, and organizations involved in social change as well as plan and attend related events. Though not its sole focal points, feminism and gender issues predominate this LLC.


STEM LLC

The STEM LLC is UMBC's tenth and largest LLC, and as of Fall 2016 houses 75 students. The STEM LLC is intended for first and second year students at UMBC majoring in STEM. Residents have access to Peer Mentors that are exclusive to the STEM LLC, resources through the College of Natural and Mathematical Sciences, and different seminars that assist residents with deepening their understanding and knowledge of STEM.


Student Events Board

The Student Events Board, stylized as (seb), is the major programming organization on campus. They host approximately 150 events a semester that are diverse, fun, and often free. The spring festival on campus, Quadmania, is hosted entirely by (seb). UMBC holds homecoming in the fall semester during the month of October. Homecoming consists of numerous activities and festivities on campus. Namely, Homecoming includes the 5K Dawg Chase race, and a comedy show. Past performances include
Trevor Noah Trevor Noah (born 20 February 1984) is a South African-born comedian, writer, producer, political commentator, actor, and former television host. He was the host of ''The Daily Show'', an American late-night talk show and satirical news progra ...
,
Jim Gaffigan James Christopher Gaffigan (born July 7, 1966) is an American stand-up comedian, actor, writer, and producer. His material often addresses fatherhood, laziness, food, religion, and general observations. He is regarded as a "clean" comic, using l ...
, B. J. Novak, Nick Offerman, Bo Burnham, and others. Quadmania serves as the university's student festival during the spring semester. The event takes place during April outdoors, near the center of campus on the Quad or Erickson Field. The headliner for the spring of 2012 was Gym Class Heroes. The headliner for the spring of 2013 was
Macklemore & Ryan Lewis Macklemore & Ryan Lewis are an American hip hop duo from Seattle, Washington, formed in 2008 by Macklemore, a rapper,Trust, Gary (2013)Macklemore & Ryan Lewis' 'Can't Hold Us' Makes Hot 100 History, ''Billboard'', May 8, 2013. Retrieved January ...
and that for the spring of 2014 was
Capital Cities A capital city or capital is the municipality holding primary status in a country, state, province, department, or other subnational entity, usually as its seat of the government. A capital is typically a city that physically encompasses the ...
. The 2014 Quadmania was also to have elephant rides, but these were allegedly cancelled due to claims of animal cruelty by some students. In 2015,
Kesha Kesha Rose Sebert (; born March 1, 1987), formerly stylized as Ke$ha, is an American singer and songwriter. In 2005, at age 18, Kesha was signed to Kemosabe Records. Her first major success came in early 2009 after she was featured on America ...
performed at the Retriever Activities Center. In spring of 2016,
Fetty Wap Willie Junior Maxwell II (born June 7, 1991), better known by his stage names Fetty Wap or Harlem Fetty, is an American rapper, singer and songwriter. He rose to prominence after his debut single " Trap Queen" reached number two on the U.S. ''B ...
headlined Quad Mania on April 24. In the spring of 2017, T-Pain returned to UMBC and headlined the event. In October 2019, SEB announced that it would be hosting rappers Megan Thee Stallion and
DaBaby Jonathan Lyndale Kirk (born December 22, 1991), known professionally as DaBaby (formerly known as Baby Jesus), is an American rapper. After releasing several mixtapes between 2014 and 2018, he rose to mainstream prominence with his debut albu ...
on campus. DaBaby performed on November 14, 2019 in the RAC, and Megan Thee Stallion performed on November 21 in the UC Ballroom.


Greek life

UMBC has 20 officially registered sororities and fraternities with nearly 5% of UMBC's undergraduate students belonging to one of them, as well as one professional fraternal organization. UMBC houses four Greek councils, (
NPHC The National Pan-Hellenic Council (NPHC) is a collaborative umbrella council composed of historically African American fraternities and sororities also referred to as Black Greek Letter Organizations (BGLOs). The NPHC was formed as a permanen ...
, PHA, MGC, IFC). UMBC is home to 5 PHA organizations, which include
Alpha Sigma Alpha Alpha Sigma Alpha () is a United States National Panhellenic sorority founded on November 15, 1901, at the Virginia State Female Normal School (later known as Longwood College and now known as Longwood University) in Farmville, Virginia. Once a sor ...
,
Alpha Sigma Kappa Alpha Sigma Kappa – Women in Technical Studies ( – WiTS) is a social sorority for women in the fields of mathematics, architecture, engineering, technology and the sciences. The sorority was founded at the University of Minnesota in 1989 by ...
,
Delta Phi Epsilon Delta Phi Epsilon () may refer to: *Delta Phi Epsilon (professional), the professional foreign service fraternity and sorority *Delta Phi Epsilon (social) Delta Phi Epsilon ( or DPhiE) is an international Fraternities and sororities in North Ame ...
,
Phi Mu Phi Mu () is the second oldest female fraternal organization established in the United States. The fraternity was founded at Wesleyan College in Macon, Georgia as the Philomathean Society on , and was announced publicly on March 4 of the same y ...
, and
Phi Sigma Sigma Phi Sigma Sigma (), colloquially known as Phi Sig, was the first collegiate nonsectarian sorority to allow membership of women of all faiths and backgrounds. The sorority was founded on November 26, 1913, and lists 60,000 initiated members, 115 ...
. The IFC organizations represented on campus are
Lambda Chi Alpha Lambda Chi Alpha (), commonly known as Lambda Chi, is a college fraternity in North America which was founded at Boston University in 1909. It is one of the largest social fraternities in North America, with more than 300,000 lifetime members a ...
,
Pi Kappa Phi Pi Kappa Phi (), commonly known as Pi Kapp(s), is an American Greek Letter secret and social fraternity. It was founded by Andrew Alexander Kroeg Jr., Lawrence Harry Mixson, and Simon Fogarty Jr. on December 10, 1904 at the College of Charleston i ...
,
Tau Kappa Epsilon Tau Kappa Epsilon (), commonly known as or Teke, is a social college fraternity founded on January 10, 1899, at Illinois Wesleyan University. The organization has chapters throughout the United States and Canada, making the Fraternity an interna ...
,
Phi Kappa Sigma Phi Kappa Sigma () is an international all-male college secret society and social fraternity. While nicknames differ from institution to institution, the most common nicknames for the fraternity are Skulls, Skullhouse, Phi Kap, and PKS (the fi ...
, and
Triangle A triangle is a polygon with three Edge (geometry), edges and three Vertex (geometry), vertices. It is one of the basic shapes in geometry. A triangle with vertices ''A'', ''B'', and ''C'' is denoted \triangle ABC. In Euclidean geometry, an ...
. The NPHC currently houses the organizations
Alpha Phi Alpha Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. () is the oldest intercollegiate historically African American fraternity. It was initially a literary and social studies club organized in the 1905–1906 school year at Cornell University but later evolved int ...
, Alpha Kappa Alpha,
Delta Sigma Theta Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. () is a historically African American sorority. The organization was founded by college-educated women dedicated to public service with an emphasis on programs that assist the African American community. Delta ...
, Phi Beta Sigma. Their Multicultural Greek Council currently consists of Lambda Theta Alpha,
alpha Kappa Delta Phi alpha Kappa Delta Phi (), also known as aKDPhi, Kappa Delta Phi, KDPhi, is an international Asian-interest sorority founded at the University of California, Berkeley. alpha Kappa Delta Phi has 63 chapters located at numerous universities acros ...
,
Zeta Sigma Chi Zeta Sigma Chi () (also known as Z-Chis, pronounced "Zeek eyes") is a multicultural American sorority founded in 1991 at the Northern Illinois University in DeKalb, Illinois.Lurding, Carroll and Becque, Fran. (December 3, 2022) Almanac of Frater ...
,
Iota Nu Delta Iota Nu Delta (, also IND) is the first South Asian interest college fraternity. IND was founded in 1994 at the Binghamton University. It is a member of the North American Interfraternity Conference since 2007 and National APIDA Panhellenic Ass ...
, and
Lambda Phi Epsilon Lambda Phi Epsilon (, also known as LPhiE and LFE) is the largest Asian-American-Interest fraternity in North America. Lambda Phi Epsilon is affiliated with the National APIDA Panhellenic Association, and is a former member of the North American ...
.


Mock Trial

UMBC has one of the strongest Mock Trial teams in the country. In 2021 the UMBC Mock Trial Team won the
American Mock Trial Association A mock trial is an act or imitation trial. It is similar to a moot court, but mock trials simulate lower-court trials, while moot court simulates appellate court hearings. Attorneys preparing for a real trial might use a mock trial consisting ...
(AMTA) National Championship Tournament, defeating
Yale University Yale University is a private research university in New Haven, Connecticut. Established in 1701 as the Collegiate School, it is the third-oldest institution of higher education in the United States and among the most prestigious in the wo ...
in one of the closest final rounds in AMTA history.


Residential life


Campus housing

There are ten housing areas housing approximately 3,900 students, which are: Potomac Hall, Chesapeake Hall, Erickson Hall, Harbor Hall, Patapsco Hall, Susquehanna Hall, Hillside Apartments, Terrace Apartments, Walker Avenue Apartments, West Hill Apartments. Those building types denoted "Hall" are traditional dormitories with the following typifying characteristics: :* Shared rooms (usually two students per room) :* Shared bathrooms (usually four students per bathroom/two rooms per bathroom) :* Includes basic furniture (bed, desk, chair, closet), Internet access (Ethernet and Wi-Fi) and access to cable television :* Special activities and events every week in the dormitories :* Potomac Hall and the on-campus apartments are open all year, including holiday breaks (called "continuous occupancy"). ::Most international students prefer Potomac Hall because it is always open. (The other dormitories close during Thanksgiving, winter, and spring breaks.) :* Erickson and Harbor Hall rooms include a living area between the two bedrooms, with the bathroom located in the living area. (living room shared by four students) Those denoted "Apartments" are distinct in the following ways: :* One student per room :* All avail "continuous occupancy" 9-month housing :* All include a living room


Off-campus housing

Although 71% of first-year undergraduate students are reported to live on campus, UMBC is known as a commuter campus where approximately 65% of the entire student population lives off campus, often in neighboring communities. These students are provided specialized programs and services through the Off Campus Student Services (OCSS) office. Popular locations for students include Catonsville and
Arbutus ''Arbutus'' is a genus of 12 accepted speciesAct. Bot. Mex no.99 Pátzcuaro abr. 2012.''Arbutus bicolor''/ref> of flowering plants in the family Ericaceae, native to warm temperate regions of the Mediterranean, western Europe, the Canary Islan ...
. Popular apartment complexes include the Westland Garden Apartment & Town homes, and the Colony Hill Apartments located 1.5, and 2.5 miles away from campus, respectively. The UMBC Transit lines serves many neighborhoods. Students also live in numerous
Baltimore City Baltimore ( , locally: or ) is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Maryland, fourth most populous city in the Mid-Atlantic, and the 30th most populous city in the United States with a population of 585,708 in 2020. Baltimore was ...
neighborhoods such as Beechfield, Oaklee, Irvington, Yale Heights, and Edmondson.


Chess

UMBC has won the Pan American Chess Tournament 9 times in 13 years (1996–2009). The school provides substantial chess scholarships to outstanding high school graduate players at the International or Grandmaster level. Former UMBC team captain GM Alexander Onischuk has gone on to become US Champion in 2006. Professor of Computer Science Alan Sherman has been instrumental in building up the UMBC chess dynasty by recruiting players from around the world. UMBC hosts two annual open chess tournaments, the UMBC Open (March) and the UMBC Championship (September).


Athletics

The Maryland–Baltimore County (UMBC) athletic teams are called the Retrievers. The university is a member of the Division I level of the
National Collegiate Athletic Association The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) is a nonprofit organization that regulates student athletics among about 1,100 schools in the United States, Canada, and Puerto Rico. It also organizes the athletic programs of colleges an ...
(NCAA), primarily competing in the
America East Conference The America East Conference is a collegiate athletic conference affiliated with NCAA Division I founded in 1979, whose members are located in the Northeastern United States. The conference has nine core members including eight public research ...
since the 2003–04 academic year. The Retrievers previously competed in the
Northeast Conference The Northeast Conference (NEC) is a collegiate athletic conference whose schools are members of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA). Teams in the NEC compete in Division I for all sports; football competes in the Division I Foo ...
(NEC) from 1998–99 to 2002–03; and in the Big South Conference from 1992–93 to 1997–98; while they also competed in the
Mason–Dixon Conference The Mason–Dixon Conference is a defunct NCAA Division II (former ''NCAA College Division'') athletics conference, formed in 1936 and disbanded in October 1978. A track championship bearing the conference's name continued for several years after ...
at the
NCAA Division II NCAA Division II (D-II) is an intermediate-level division of competition in the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA). It offers an alternative to both the larger and better-funded Division I and to the scholarship-free environmen ...
ranks: the first variation of it from 1972–73 to 1977–78; and the second variation from 1983–84 to 1987–88. UMBC competes in 17 intercollegiate varsity sports: Men's sports include baseball, basketball, cross country, lacrosse, soccer, swimming & diving and track & field (indoor and outdoor); while women's sports include basketball, cross country, lacrosse, soccer, softball, swimming & diving, track & field (indoor and outdoor) and volleyball.


Quick facts

The school's colors are black and gold. The mascot of the university is the
Chesapeake Bay Retriever The Chesapeake Bay Retriever is a large breed of dog belonging to the retriever, gundog, and sporting breed groups. The breed was developed in the United States Chesapeake Bay area during the 19th century. Historically used by local market hu ...
, the state dog of
Maryland Maryland ( ) is a state in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States. It shares borders with Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware and the Atlantic Ocean to ...
, named
True Grit True Grit may refer to: Fiction * ''True Grit'' (novel), a 1968 novel by Charles Portis ** ''True Grit'' (1969 film), a film adaptation by Henry Hathaway, starring John Wayne ** ''True Grit'' (2010 film), a film adaptation by the Coen Brothers, ...
. A statue of True Grit stands in front of the Retriever Activities Center (RAC). Their
fight song A fight song is a rousing short song associated with a sports team. The term is most common in the United States and Canada. In Australia, Mexico, and New Zealand these songs are called the team anthem, team song, or games song. First associated ...
is the UMBC Riser, and was written by Dr. George LaNoue, a professor of policy sciences.


Accomplishments

Until 2017, the UMBC women's volleyball team has participated in the America East tournament every year since 2008. In 2013 the team became a runner-up after losing to University of New Hampshire. In 2007, UMBC's women's basketball team won the schools first ever women's basketball title. They were invited to the 2007 NCAA tournament where they fought hard against UConn. The UMBC women's basketball team also won the AEC conference title in the 2011–12 season. They were invited to the WNIT where they fell short to the University of Florida. The Retrievers won their first regular-season American East men's basketball title in 2007–08, and also qualified for their first NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament. They had previously competed in the Division II men's basketball tournament. In 2009, the men's lacrosse team secured their fifth consecutive outright or shared America East regular season championship and their third America East tournament championship in four years. UMBC has secured a berth in the NCAA tournament each of the past four seasons.All-Time Records
(PDF), ''2009 UMBC Retrievers Men's Lacrosse Media Guide'', p. 41–50, UMBC, 2009.
In 2007, the unseeded Retrievers upset seventh-seeded
Maryland Maryland ( ) is a state in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States. It shares borders with Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware and the Atlantic Ocean to ...
, 13–9, in the NCAA tournament to advance to the Division I second round for the first, and so far only, time in school history. In 2010, a contest was launched to find a new logo for Athletics. In May 2010, the UMBC Athletic Department unveiled a new logo for the Retrievers created by Jim Lord. The Retrievers men's swimming and diving program captured its 15th straight conference championship in the 2012–13 season. This streak included every season the UMBC program had competed in the America East, starting with the school's joining the conference in 2003–04 and ending when the America East dropped the sport at the end of the 2012–13 school year. The streak of UMBC conference titles in this sport did not continue in the CCSA. In March 2016, UMBC announced that their new Men's Basketball coach would be Ryan Odom. Parks Smith criticized the pick, saying that the search firm hired had promoted a candidate more remarkable for his nepotistic ties than for merit. With the master plan wrapping up in 2018, the school spent $67 million in January 2016 on a new event center completed in Winter 2018. This new event center hosts athletic events such as basketball games, as well as concerts. The Retrievers’ Men's Basketball team, on March 16, 2018 during the 2018 NCAA men's basketball tournament became the first No. 16 seed in the history of the competition to defeat a No. 1 seed, defeating the Virginia Cavaliers 74–54. They advanced to the Round of 32 for the first time in school history.


Soccer

The Retrievers Men's Soccer Team won the America East Conference in 2010, receiving an automatic bid to the NCAA Division I men's soccer tournament. The Retrievers won their first-round game against Princeton but lost in the second round to William and Mary. Star striker, Levi Houapeu, from the 2010 team was drafted as a 5th pick in the 3rd round of the 2011 MLS SuperDraft by the Philadelphia Union. He is the first UMBC player to be drafted into the MLS. The men also won the conference again in 2012, and advanced to the NCAA tournament once again. They won their first-round game against Old Dominion, but lost in the second round to defending champion, UNC Chapel Hill. In 2013 the Retrievers led the country with an overall record of (16-1-3) and became the first team since 1997 to repeat as America East Conference Champions. They would earn a #16 seed and a first round bye as well as host UMBC's first ever NCAA Tournament match in any sport. The Retrievers would fall in the second round of the tournament to UConn. In 2014, the Retrievers won their third straight America East Conference Championship and advanced the furthest of any UMBC NCAA Division I team by beating the #12-ranked Creighton, as the Retrievers reached the NCAA Men's Soccer Championship semifinals. UMBC is the first team in tournament history to win four consecutive road games and to post shutouts in four consecutive games. UMBC Women's Soccer Team went 13-5-2 in their 2013 season, tying for the regular-season conference title then winning the conference tournament. This was their first American East Conference title. They then made their first NCAA tournament appearance in 2013, where they lost to #1-ranked VA Tech 2–0 in the first round. This was an amazing accomplishment considering the team had a cumulative record of 3-39-9 in their previous three years.


Notable people


References


External links

*
Official athletics website
{{DEFAULTSORT:University Of Maryland, Baltimore County Public universities and colleges in Maryland Educational institutions established in 1966 Baltimore County, Maryland landmarks Universities and colleges in Baltimore County, Maryland 1966 establishments in Maryland Baltimore County, University of Maryland