| University of Maryland, Baltimore County | |
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| Motto: | An Honors University in Maryland |
| Established | 1966 |
| Type: | Public |
| President: | Freeman A. Hrabowski III |
| Faculty: | 949 |
| Undergraduates: | 9,668 |
| Postgraduates: | 2,184 |
| Location | Catonsville, Maryland, United States
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| Campus: | Suburban, 500 acres (2 km²) |
| Colors: | Black, Gold and Red[1] |
| Nickname: | Retrievers |
| Mascot: | True Grit |
| Athletics: | The UMBC Retrievers, 17 varsity teams, NCAA Division I |
| Affiliations: | America East Conference |
| Website: | www.umbc.edu www.umbcretrievers.com |
The University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC) is a public honors university, part of the University System of Maryland, located in the southwest Baltimore County community of Catonsville. It was founded in 1966 and specializes in the natural sciences and engineering while also offering a breadth of programs in the liberal arts.
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Academics
UMBC offers 42 majors and 41 minors and 24 certificate programs in the physical and biological sciences, social and behavioral sciences, engineering, mathematics, information technology, humanities and visual and performing arts. New degree programs include management of aging services, media and communication studies, and gender and women's studies. UMBC's Graduate School offers 33 master's degree programs, 23 doctoral degree programs and 20 graduate certificate programs. Programs are offered in education, engineering, imaging and digital arts, information technology, life sciences, psychology, public policy and a host of other areas of interest. A new gerontology Ph.D. program is one of only six in the United States. The Carnegie Foundation's new classification of American colleges and universities places UMBC alongside other extensive doctoral/research universities. UMBC is one of only two public universities in Maryland to hold this position, the other being University of Maryland, College Park. Only 152 universities are part of this category nationwide.
Finances and scholarships
UMBC is home to the Meyerhoff Scholarship Program, 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 Humanities Scholars Program, the Linehan Artist Scholars Program, the Sondheim Public Affairs Scholars Program and the Sherman Teacher Education Scholars Program. Major businesses in the Baltimore-Washington area recruit using scholarships and internship opportunities.
Campus
Notable buildings
Public Policy Building
Completed in 2003 at an estimated cost of $18,700,000, the Public Policy Building houses the Shriver Center and related departments.
The Hillcrest Building
Built in 1921 and completed in 1922, it was designed specifically for the containment and rehabilitation of criminally insane patients, and one of the first of its kind. After several decades of use, the building eventually became outdated and unable to compete with newer facilities in the area. In 1965 the land UMBC currently occupies was sold to its proprietors, which included the Hillcrest Building. In this period it functioned as an administration building, with rooms for student organizations and clubs and housed the Residential Life office. The basement of the building was renovated into a club known as "The Rattskeller". The building ceased to be used by the university in 2000, and future plans to demolish it were announced. Some students took an interest in trying to preserve the building on the grounds of its historical significance. Trevor J. Blank, a former student at UMBC, has led a historic preservation effort to halt administrative efforts to raze the structure. He currently is working towards a Ph.D. at the Indiana University Folklore Institute and is in the process of co-authoring a book with David S. Helsel, M.D. on the history of Spring Grove State Hospital, which will include a spotlight on the Hillcrest Building's history. It is scheduled for a February 2008 release by Arcadia Publishing. During the Summer of 2007 the building began to be demolished. As of late August, the building has been completely torn down.
The Commons
The Commons, which opened in January 2002, is the hub of student life on campus. It consists of multiple dining opportunities, the campus bookstore, Off-campus Student Services, the Women’s Center, various student lounges, meeting rooms, administrative offices, as well as office space for many of the 180-plus UMBC student organizations, including the Graduate Student Association. Occupying more than 144,000 square feet, The Commons is "high-tech" with wireless computer technology and information displays. Architecturally, the facility is transparent with a multitude of glass windows that provide an appealing environment for the many social activities taking place therein.
Other locations
Drainage tunnels
A system of drainage tunnels lies underneath the campus at the University of Maryland Baltimore County. Unknown to most of the student body, it is most accessible through a sizeable entrance near the Commons Garage and the Grassy Knoll. It traverses through much of the campus, the main shaft ending at the artificial pond near the Albin O. Kuhn Library. Multiple secondary tunnels deviate from the main tunnel, branching off towards the Biology and the Public Policy Buildings. Many students and fraternities have explored and made their mark (often with graffiti) within the system, The condition of the tunnel system is not satisfactory for exploration by the public, so caution should be taken if entered, both in safety and being aware of possible repercussions from the campus authorities.
Steam tunnels
The steam tunnels are a series of maintenance tunnels that connect almost all major buildings on campus. The main tunnel runs directly under the "main concourse" that leads from the library to the administration building, and is about 1/2 a mile in length. They carry all heating, water, electrical, and data lines within them. They are only accessible from secured entrances within the buildings themselves.
Grassy knoll
The "Grassy Knoll" is a landmark in a somewhat hidden clearing in the woods between the Administration Drive and the Commons Garage. It is accessible via a path near the drainage tunnel.
Pig Pen Pond
Located on the south end of campus, Pig Pen Pond is one of the few remaining elements of the farmland upon which UMBC was built. It is home to much wildlife, including the Baltimore oriole[2].
Campus life
Approximately 75% of freshman students live on campus. With the completion of Erickson Hall, Harbor Hall, and the Walker Avenue Apartments, UMBC is making the transition from a commuter school to a residential school. As more students move onto campus, organization such as the Resident Student Association (RSA) and Student Events Board (SEB) are continually creating more activities for students to become involved in. In addition to events created and sponsored by the University, hundreds of university-sanctioned clubs and organizations are present on campus to build a sense of community. These clubs and organizations range from Greek life to academic and cultural clubs, to activity-based clubs including ice hockey, sky diving, sailing, tennis, rowing, and the martial arts. The school is known for the ethnically diverse student body and remains in the top 20 most diverse schools in the country.
