Happy Monday: Making Bold Moves With College of Southern Maryland

Dear UMBC Community,

On Thursday, I joined our partners at the College of Southern Maryland (CSM) to sign a new dual admission agreement. This partnership puts our BOLD MOVES strategic plan into action, strengthening our support for transfer students coming to UMBC.

The event was about so much more than a signature on a piece of paper. Working groups from both institutions were in the room putting the agreement into practice. Three first-year CSM students joined us to share how excited they are about starting at UMBC under the new dual admission program. One student aims for engineering, another for theatre education, and the third for health sciences with a likely path toward medicine. Hearing their stories was deeply moving. Through dual admission, these students can see themselves as Retrievers now—as Hawk Retrievers—well before completing their associate degrees.

The sense of collective purpose and joy in the room was palpable. I was inspired by the deep commitment to student success shared by colleagues at both UMBC and CSM. Our common values were clear: every student deserves transformational opportunities, and we are committed to removing any barriers that stand in their way.

This partnership is a reminder that UMBC's reach extends beyond our nearest neighbors to every corner of Maryland.

Happy Monday!

President Valerie Sheares Ashby