University of Maryland, Baltimore County facts for kids
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| Motto | An Honors University in Maryland |
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| Type | Public research university |
| Established | 1966 |
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Parent institution
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University System of Maryland |
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Academic affiliations
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| Endowment | $105.2 million (2015) |
| Budget | $523.4 million (2022) |
| President | Valerie Ashby |
| Provost | Philip Rous |
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Academic staff
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Full-Time: 538 Part-Time: 292 |
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Administrative staff
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1,288 |
| Students | 13,602 |
| Undergraduates | 11,060 |
| Postgraduates | 2,542 |
| Location |
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United States
39°15′19.80″N 76°42′40.52″W / 39.2555000°N 76.7112556°W |
| Campus | Suburban, 500 acres (2.0 km2) |
| Colors | Black, Gold, Red, White |
| Nickname | Retrievers |
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Sporting affiliations
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NCAA Division I America East Conference |
| Mascot | True Grit the Retriever |
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The University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC) is a public research university located in Catonsville, Maryland. It's named after Baltimore County. In fall 2022, about 14,000 students attended UMBC. The university offers many different study programs, including over 60 undergraduate majors and more than 90 graduate programs. UMBC is also home to Maryland's first university research park. It's known for its very high research activity.
UMBC was started in 1966 as part of the University System of Maryland. It was the first public college in Maryland to welcome students of all races. UMBC is one of the largest universities in the University System of Maryland. It is especially strong in natural sciences, engineering, liberal arts, and social sciences. The university's sports teams are called the UMBC Retrievers. They have 17 teams that compete in NCAA Division I as part of the America East Conference.
Contents
History of UMBC
Discussions about creating UMBC began in the 1950s. This was because many more students needed to go to college after World War II. Also, the Baltimore-Washington Metropolitan Area was growing fast. At that time, the University of Maryland, College Park was the main university in the area. So, people started talking about adding another campus near Baltimore.
In 1963, the Maryland Legislature approved building new universities. By the end of that year, 435 acres of land were bought from a state hospital in Catonsville, Maryland. This new campus was in a good spot in Southwestern Baltimore. It was easy to reach from major roads like Wilkens Avenue and Interstate 95. The campus was designed by architects from the University of Maryland, College Park. In 1965, Albin Owings Kuhn became the first leader of UMBC.
Classes at UMBC officially began on September 19, 1966. There were 750 students, 3 buildings, and 45 teachers. As more students joined, the university also saw big changes happening in the 1960s. During the Civil rights movement and the Vietnam War, UMBC became a place where people could protest peacefully. Over the years, new leaders took charge, helping the university grow.
By 1980, about 5,800 undergraduate students were at UMBC. Events like Homecoming and Quadmania started around this time. These became popular traditions for students. New buildings like the University Center and student apartments were also opened. In 1988, there was an idea to combine UMBC with the University of Baltimore, but it didn't happen.
In 1990, UMBC had over 10,000 undergraduate students. More buildings were added, like the Engineering and Computer Science Building. Freeman A. Hrabowski III became the university's longest-serving president in 1992. He retired in 2022, and Valerie Sheares Ashby became the new president.
The early 2000s brought many new developments as UMBC neared its 40th birthday in 2006. New centers were created, like the Center for Urban Environmental Research and Education. UMBC also partnered with NASA Goddard Space Flight Center for science projects. The campus expanded with buildings like The Commons and the Physics Building. During this time, UMBC was recognized as a top research university.
Academics and Research at UMBC
UMBC offers many different degree programs for students. There are 61 main study areas, 70 smaller study areas (minors), and 36 certificate programs for undergraduate students. For graduate students, there are 38 master's degree programs and 25 doctoral programs. The university is organized into three colleges and three schools, plus its graduate school.
UMBC Colleges
- The UMBC College of Natural and Mathematical Sciences includes departments like Biological Sciences, Chemistry, Mathematics, and Physics.
- The UMBC College of Engineering and Information Technology offers studies in Chemical, Computer Science, Information Systems, and Mechanical Engineering.
- The UMBC College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences has the most departments. It includes Ancient Studies, History, Dance, Music, Education, Political Science, Psychology, Media and Communication, and Visual Arts. Many of these are in the new Performing Arts and Humanities Building.
UMBC Schools
- The UMBC Erickson School of Aging Studies focuses on different parts of aging, including how policies and management affect older people.
- The University of Maryland Graduate School, Baltimore (UMGSB) combines graduate and research programs from UMBC and the University of Maryland, Baltimore (UMB).
- The UMBC School of Public Policy offers master's and doctorate degrees in public policy.
- The University of Maryland, Baltimore School of Social Work works with UMBC to offer social work programs.
UMBC Training Centers
- UMBC Training Centers offer technical and professional training. These programs are available online and at UMBC's South Campus, the Columbia Gateway Campus, and in Augusta, Georgia.
Research and Discoveries
UMBC is one of the fastest-growing research universities in the country. It is known for having very high research activity. The university often ranks among the top public U.S. schools for money received for research and development from the government. UMBC's research often focuses on environmental sciences, health sciences, data sciences (like cybersecurity), and public policy.
The university is also among the top 15 U.S. universities for NASA funding. UMBC has centers that work with NASA Goddard on Earth and space sciences. In 2021, one of these centers received an extra $54 million from NASA for space research.
Many UMBC teachers have won important awards for their research. This includes awards from the National Science Foundation and the Presidential Early Career Award in Science and Engineering.
bwtech@UMBC is the university's research park. It has over 130 companies and three special centers for new businesses in cybersecurity, life sciences, and clean technology. UMBC has more than 20 centers and institutes across campus. These include centers for sensor technology, environmental research, and social science.
Campus Life at UMBC
Campus History
The land where UMBC is located was bought by the state of Maryland in 1840. It was once part of the Stabler Estate. The Baltimore Trade School, a home for orphans, was also on this land. Later, the property was added to Spring Grove State Hospital, a facility for patients. Some original buildings were used by UMBC for a while. The Hillcrest Building, built in 1921, was first used for hospital patients. In 1965, it became UMBC's administration building. The Hillcrest Building was taken down in 2007. Today, the farm silo on UMBC Boulevard is the oldest building still standing on campus.
When UMBC opened in 1966, it was meant to help with the large number of students wanting to go to the University of Maryland, College Park. UMBC faced challenges because it was a new campus. But as it passed its 50th anniversary, UMBC became a great example for new universities in America. A book called Improbable Excellence: the Saga Of UMBC tells this story.
Campus Layout
You can enter UMBC's main campus from Metropolitan Boulevard. There's also access from Wilkens Avenue. Hilltop Road and Walker Avenue lead into the campus. Poplar Avenue gives direct access to the nearby Arbutus area. The main part of campus is circled by Hilltop Circle.
Academic Row is a central path for walking and maintenance vehicles. It runs between many buildings. This path is covered by trees. Buildings along Academic Row include the Administration Building, the Retriever Activities Center, and the Biological Sciences Building. At the north end, it leads to the Commons, which is the student union. Academic Row ends at the Albin O. Kuhn Library & Gallery. From there, paths lead to other buildings and dorms.
New roundabouts were built in 2015 to help with traffic flow. On the south side of the Commons, there's a large grassy area called the Quad. Many student events happen here. Another popular spot is UC Plaza, in front of the University Center. The University Center has dining options and event spaces.
Campus Gallery
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Administration Building
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Library Pond
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Performing Arts and Humanities Building
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Joseph Beuys Sculpture Park
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Information Technology and Engineering Building
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Physics Building
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Location and Surroundings
UMBC's campus covers 500 acres. It's about 15 minutes from Baltimore's Inner Harbor and an hour from Washington, D.C. The Baltimore-Washington International Airport is only five minutes away. There are also train stations nearby for Amtrak and Baltimore Light Rail. The MARC Penn Line train also serves students at Halethorpe Station, about two miles away.
Even though UMBC is outside Baltimore city limits, it uses "Baltimore" as its address. Students often think of it as being in Catonsville or Arbutus, which are nearby towns. Catonsville offers a "college town" feel with restaurants and shops. It also has festivals and farmers' markets.
Research and Technology Park
The UMBC Research and Technology Park is a 71-acre area on campus. It hosts many technology, bioscience, and research companies. Many of these companies work with the university. This research park is the oldest university research park in Maryland. The North Campus focuses on cybersecurity, while the South Campus is for life sciences and new businesses.
Getting Around Campus
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UMBC has several bus shuttle lines for students, teachers, and staff. Most of these are free if you show your student ID. In 2014, new bus lines started connecting the campus to downtown Baltimore. These lines also connect to the Baltimore Metro Subway and MARC Train.
The Maryland Transit Administration also has bus lines that serve the UMBC community. The MARC Train provides service to Baltimore and Washington, D.C., from Halethorpe station, which is near campus.
UMBC's campus also has paths for walking and biking. There's a walking bridge that connects the main campus to the Research Park. The Short Line Railroad Trail is also nearby, offering a paved path for walking and biking.
Campus Police
UMBC has a police staff that works 24 hours a day. They are supported by security officers and student marshals. The campus police are officially recognized for their high standards. They keep records of all crime reports and statistics on the UMBC Police Webpage.
University President
In May 1992, Freeman A. Hrabowski III became the president of UMBC. TIME Magazine named him one of the "100 Most Influential People in the World." He was also honored as one of America's Top 10 College Presidents in 2009. Under his leadership, UMBC was ranked the #1 Up and Coming University in the U.S. for six years in a row by U.S. News & World Report magazine. His work focused on improving science and math education, especially for minority students.
After President Hrabowski retired, Valerie Sheares Ashby became president on August 1, 2022. She is the first female president of the university.
Scholarships and Support
The Meyerhoff Scholarship Program at UMBC helps students from underrepresented groups succeed in math, science, and engineering. Other scholarship programs include the CWIT Scholars Program, the Humanities Scholars Program, and the Linehan Artist Scholars Program. Students can also get scholarships if they are recruited to play on a sports team. The Linehan Artist Scholars Program is for new students who want to study the arts, like dance, music, or visual arts.
UMBC also has a Grand Challenge Scholars Program. This program is for students who want to solve important problems in society. It helps students from all majors work together to find solutions to big challenges of our time.
University Rankings
UMBC is ranked among the top universities in the United States. In the 2023-2024 U.S. News & World Report rankings, it was 130th among "National Universities." It was also ranked 70th nationally among public universities. UMBC was ranked 6th nationally for undergraduate teaching and 6th for innovation.
The Carnegie Foundation says UMBC is a research university with very high research activity. This means it does a lot of important research.
University Partnerships
UMBC has many partnerships with different organizations. It works closely with NASA. Centers like the Center for Space Science and Technology are connected to the Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland. They also work with the University of Maryland, College Park.
In 2014, UMBC signed agreements with the United States Army Research Laboratory. This was for research in areas like computer science, cybersecurity, and robotics. UMBC also works with the University of Maryland, Baltimore (UMB) to support research projects.
In 2015, UMBC partnered with Kyushu University in Fukuoka, Japan, for research in computer security. The university also announced partnerships with the US Navy. This included opening the first Naval ROTC unit in Maryland at UMBC. They also started cybersecurity research projects together.
Sustainability Efforts
In 1997, President Freeman Hrabowski created the Conservation and Environmental Research Areas of UMBC, known as CERA. This area covers 50 acres on the south end of campus. CERA helps protect the land and allows students to use it for learning and recreation. It has different environments like forests and wetlands. Students and teachers can do research projects here.
In 2007, President Hrabowski signed a commitment to reduce the university's impact on the climate. UMBC now gets 20% of its energy from renewable sources. New buildings like the Performing Arts and Humanities Building are designed to be environmentally friendly. These are called LEED certified buildings. UMBC also has "no-mow zones" and ponds to manage rainwater.
In 2013, UMBC was recognized as a Tree Campus USA by the Arbor Day Foundation. In 2014, UMBC set aside 11 acres on campus for preservation. The university also opened its first community garden for students, where they can grow their own food.
In 2015, two student teams won grants for their ideas to make UMBC more sustainable. One team, Retriever Treasure, collects unwanted items from students moving out. They resell these items to raise money for other projects. The other team, SolarRetrievers, bought solar tables that let students charge their devices using solar power.
Mascot: True Grit
The Chesapeake Bay Retriever is the state dog of Maryland. It has been the mascot of UMBC since 1966. The costumed mascot is called True Grit. The university also once had a real dog mascot named Campus Sam. In 2008, a new Chesapeake Bay retriever puppy was chosen as a mascot. His name is "Gritty." The school's dining hall is named True Grits.
You can see True Grit in two ways: as a statue in front of the Retriever Activities Center and as a costumed mascot. The costumed mascot often wears clothes related to the sport he is attending, like basketball or lacrosse. There are also smaller True Grit statues around campus, decorated by student artists.
Student Life at UMBC
| Race and ethnicity | Total | ||
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| White | 35% |
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| Asian | 23% |
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| Black | 21% |
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| Hispanic | 9% |
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| Other | 5% |
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| Foreign national | 4% |
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| Economic diversity | |||
| Low-income | 24% |
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| Affluent | 76% |
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The Resident Student Association and Student Events Board plan fun activities for students throughout the year. There are over 220 student-run groups on campus.
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Living Learning Communities (LLCs)
A Living Learning Community (LLC) is special housing where students who share a common interest or major live together. LLCs help students connect socially, academically, and with their future careers. Many LLCs also have a special class that students must take.
UMBC has several LLCs:
- The Center for Women in Technology is for women and men studying engineering or information technology. It helps create a supportive community for women in these fields.
- Discovery Scholars helps students who are not sure about their major explore different options.
- Honors College is for students in UMBC's honors program. It provides a place for them to socialize and study together.
- Humanities Floor is for students interested in the humanities. They have discussions and go on field trips related to these subjects.
- Intercultural Living Exchange promotes cultural diversity. Students are mentored by international students and participate in cultural events.
- Shriver Living-Learning Center focuses on community service. Students volunteer and learn leadership skills.
- Visual and Performing Arts helps students interested in the arts develop new skills and attend art events.
- Women Involved in Learning and Leadership helps students develop leadership skills for social issues.
- STEM LLC is for first and second-year students studying science, technology, engineering, and math. It provides mentors and seminars to help them succeed.
Student Events
The Student Events Board (seb) plans about 150 events each semester. These events are fun, diverse, and often free. They also organize Quadmania, the big spring festival on campus.
UMBC holds Homecoming in the fall, usually in October. It includes many activities and a comedy show. Past comedians have included Trevor Noah and Jim Gaffigan.
Quadmania is the university's student festival in the spring. It takes place outdoors in April. Famous musicians like Macklemore & Ryan Lewis and Kesha have performed at Quadmania.
In October 2019, SEB announced that rappers Megan Thee Stallion and DaBaby would perform on campus.
Greek Life
UMBC has 20 officially recognized sororities and fraternities. About 5% of UMBC's undergraduate students are part of these groups. There are four main Greek councils on campus. These groups offer social activities and community service opportunities.
Mock Trial Team
UMBC has a very successful undergraduate mock trial team. As of the 2022–2023 season, they are ranked #9 in the nation. In 2021, UMBC won the American Mock Trial Association (AMTA) National Championship Tournament. They beat Yale University in a very close final round. This was a huge achievement for the team.
Campus Housing
On-Campus Housing
UMBC has ten housing areas for about 3,900 students. These include Potomac Hall, Chesapeake Hall, and various apartments.
"Hall" buildings are traditional dorms:
- Students usually share rooms (two per room).
- Bathrooms are shared (often by four students).
- Rooms include basic furniture, Internet, and cable TV.
- There are special activities in the dorms every week.
- Potomac Hall and the on-campus apartments stay open all year, even during breaks. Many international students prefer Potomac Hall for this reason.
"Apartment" buildings are different:
- Each student has their own room.
- They are open all year.
- All apartments include a living room.
Off-Campus Housing
While many first-year students live on campus, about 65% of all UMBC students live off campus. These students often live in nearby communities like Catonsville and Arbutus. The UMBC Transit bus lines serve many of these neighborhoods. Students also live in different parts of Baltimore.
Chess Team
UMBC has a very strong chess team. They have won the Pan American Chess Tournament 9 times between 1996 and 2009. The university offers special scholarships to talented high school chess players. A former UMBC team captain, GM Alexander Onischuk, became the U.S. Chess Champion in 2006. Professor Alan Sherman has been key to building UMBC's chess success by bringing in players from all over the world. UMBC also hosts two chess tournaments each year.
UMBC Athletics
The sports teams at UMBC are called the Retrievers. The university competes in NCAA Division I sports. They are part of the America East Conference since 2003. Before that, they were in other conferences.
UMBC has 17 varsity sports teams. Men's sports include baseball, basketball, lacrosse, and soccer. Women's sports include basketball, lacrosse, soccer, and softball.
Quick Facts about UMBC Sports
The school colors are black and gold. The mascot is a Chesapeake Bay Retriever, which is Maryland's state dog. The mascot's name is True Grit. A statue of True Grit stands in front of the Retriever Activities Center (RAC). The school's fight song is the UMBC Riser.
Sports Achievements
The UMBC women's volleyball team has often played in the America East tournament. In 2013, they were the runner-up.
In 2007, UMBC's women's basketball team won their first conference title. They were invited to the NCAA tournament. They also won the AEC conference title in the 2011–12 season.
The Retrievers men's basketball team won their first regular-season America East title in 2007–08. They also went to their first NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament.
The men's lacrosse team has won several America East championships. They have also played in the NCAA tournament many times. In 2007, they upset Maryland in the NCAA tournament, which was a big win.
In 2010, the UMBC Athletic Department revealed a new logo for the Retrievers.
The Retrievers men's swimming and diving program won 15 conference championships in a row until 2013.
On March 16, 2018, the Retrievers’ Men's Basketball team made history. During the 2018 NCAA men's basketball tournament, they became the first No. 16 seed to defeat a No. 1 seed. They beat the Virginia Cavaliers 74–54. They then moved on to the next round of the tournament for the first time ever.
Soccer Success
The Retrievers Men's Soccer Team won the America East Conference in 2010. This earned them a spot in the NCAA Division I men's soccer tournament. They won their first game but lost in the second round. In 2011, Levi Houapeu became the first UMBC player to be drafted into the MLS (Major League Soccer). The men's team won the conference again in 2012 and 2013. In 2014, they won their third straight championship. They made it to the NCAA Men's Soccer Championship semifinals, which was the furthest any UMBC NCAA Division I team had gone. They were the first team in tournament history to win four road games in a row and have four shutouts (no goals scored against them).
The UMBC Women's Soccer Team had a great season in 2013. They won their first America East Conference title and made their first NCAA tournament appearance.
Notable People from UMBC
