UMBC began with 750 students walking to class on paths of wooden planks connecting three buildings. There were no dorms. Most of the professors were fresh out of graduate school, and, like their students, brimming with enthusiasm and potential. The Commons, the telescope, green roofs, and the Performing Arts & Humanities Building hadn’t yet been envisioned.

A new article by The Daily Record’s Dan Leaderman traces the history of UMBC, from its roots as a university community defying definition to a “research powerhouse” known as a national leader in teaching and innovation.

“In the life of universities, 50 years is not that long, but UMBC has done a remarkable job emerging as a first-class research university,” USM Chancellor Robert Caret told the The Daily Record, noting that today UMBC is also a major player in the region’s economic development.