Oliver Crossland has fond childhood memories of many fun trips to Salzburg, Austria, from growing up a few hours away in the small town of Sindelfingen in southern Germany. Although his family moved to the U.S. when he was 10 years old, he still remembers Salzburg’s food, people, and candies like Kracher, a large sugar-coated chewy bean-shaped candy with a fizzy powder filling. “I had forgotten entirely about them until I saw them in the grocery store near my hostel and had to purchase them,” says Crossland.

Before beginning his senior year at UMBC, Crossland, music and global studies, took a trip down memory lane and created some new memories through a summer education abroad experience in Salzburg, thanks to the support of the College of Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences (CAHSS) Dean’s Education Abroad Scholarship.

“I enjoyed the chance to re-engage with aspects of my childhood that were unique to Austrian and German communities. This included food and sweets I have not been able to eat in years and a chance to speak with people in German every day,” says Crossland who speaks German fluently, which helped him research and write a paper on Mozart’s significance in Austrian and Western music. “As a trombone player with a music performance major, living in Salzburg and exploring Mozart’s work in his birthplace and first home was important for me too.”

Crossland is one of 24 recipients of the inaugural CAHSS Dean’s Education Abroad Scholarship, which guarantees $100,000 per year for the following three years to help offset the financial costs of studying abroad. Undergraduate and graduate students with at least one major in CAHSS, and who need additional financial support to study abroad, can apply for awards ranging from $1,500 to $5,000.

“This is a pivotal moment for education abroad at UMBC. The CAHSS Dean’s Scholarship for Education Abroad is the most significant investment in increasing access to study abroad in UMBC’s history,” says Katherine Heird, director of education abroad and global learning at UMBC’s Center for Global Engagement. “If you are a student who wants to study overseas but finances are holding you back, please come and speak with me. We want to make this a reality for you!”

A year of immersion

Thanks to the scholarship, Retrievers spent their summer learning and engaging with communities in Ghana, Greece, Morocco, Spain, Italy, England, Amsterdam, Germany, Switzerland, and Japan. But the scholarship isn’t limited to a season or semester. Samuel Nason, a political science sophomore, set off to Swansea University in Wales, United Kingdom, this fall, and Jessie Gordon, a biochemistry senior, is studying Korean language and culture at Yonsei University in Seoul, South Korea, for the entire 2024 – 2025 academic year. 

“I am immensely grateful for this scholarship, which is allowing me more opportunities to enrich my study abroad experience in Korea,” says Gordon, a biochemistry major and a 2024 UMBC public policy undergraduate summer research fellow. Her research focuses on the accessibility and utilization of healthcare resources by immigrants from Spanish-speaking countries and the Korean Peninsula.

Gordon chose to study in Korea to achieve a similar level of understanding of the Korean language and culture that she has of the Spanish language and Latinx/Hispanic culture. “It is amazing to learn about historic events in the classroom and then be able to physically visit the actual sites. Thanks to this scholarship, I have some extra funds I can devote solely to extra experiences like these!”

There are dozens of education abroad scholarships and education abroad programs available through UMBC. But, with great opportunity comes great responsibility. Crossland has some practical tips for students interested in education abroad, “Stay on top of forms and documents when registering or paying for this experience,” he cautions. “It will prevent you from missing important deadlines.” And no matter where you go, he says, “Be sure to do your research on which sights are to be seen and what foods are to be eaten so that you can plan around your courses and get the very most out of your stay.”

Learn more about the CAHSS Dean’s Education Abroad Scholarship application deadlines:

• February 10, 2025, for the 2025 – 2026 summer, fall, academic year, winter, and spring program. 
• September 10, 2025, for the 2026 – 2027 upcoming winter, spring, summer, and fall semesters 
• Applicants who are not selected may reapply in the next application cycle. 

UMBC announces partnership with national nonprofit College Track, a national organization dedicated to supporting the academic and personal growth of first-generation and other less-advantaged students as they navigate through high school, college, and beyond. 

The agreement gives College Track a public higher education partner in the Baltimore region and builds on the April announcement by the Baltimore Ravens, the Stephen and Renee Bisciotti Foundation, and M&T Bank of a $20 million donation to establish a College Track center in Baltimore to support Baltimore City Public Schools. 

By combining College Track’s innovative 10-year commitment to wraparound services with UMBC’s proven success at delivering equity-based educational outcomes, the collaboration between the research-oriented public institution and the nonprofit is an exciting step forward for inclusive academic excellence in the Baltimore region and reflects UMBC’s deep commitment to advancing knowledge, economic prosperity, and social justice by welcoming and inspiring inquisitive minds from all backgrounds.

“UMBC’s tradition of academic and scholarly achievement is rooted in our understanding that there can be no excellence without inclusion; providing opportunities for students from all backgrounds is central to our core mission,” said UMBC President Valerie Sheares Ashby. “Partnering with College Track will allow us to ensure that first generation students and students from underserved communities have all the tools they need to reach their full potential.” 

College Track currently serves more than 4,000 high school and college scholars in California, Colorado, Louisiana, and the D.C. metro area. Ninety percent of College Track scholars are first-generation college students, and 84 percent are from underserved communities. They earn their bachelor’s degrees at more than two and a half times the rate of their first-generation peers. UMBC, a historically diverse university that is a national and global leader in education, research, affordability, and community engagement, is the nation’s number one producer of Black undergraduates who go on to complete a Ph.D. in the natural sciences or engineering, and number one for Black undergraduates who complete an M.D./Ph.D.

Under the terms of the partnership agreement, UMBC will guarantee admissions each year for eligible College Track Scholars from Maryland with a priority on students from Baltimore City schools. UMBC will provide funding for the full demonstrated financial need of these College Track scholars up to the cost of attendance for up to five years of full-time enrollment. UMBC will also invite all College Track scholars to participate in the Summer Bridge program, a 6-week residential program that prepares students for academic life, with costs covered by UMBC.

“At UMBC, we do not just talk about equity and social justice, we make it happen in real, tangible ways that improve people’s everyday lives,” said Sheares Ashby. “Combining our academic strengths with College Track’s effective support model will empower promising students in Baltimore and across Maryland to pursue their dreams and contribute meaningfully to their communities.”

For more information about the partnership, contact UMBC’s media relations.

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