The tour spotlighted the success of the CEC, which provides a full continuum of care based on neighbors’ requests.
The University of Maryland, Baltimore’s (UMB) commitment to Maryland and its investment in West Baltimore were highlighted when Sen. Chris Van Hollen visited the University’s Community Engagement Center (CEC).
On Oct. 6, the Maryland Democrat took a tour of the center led by CEC director Tyrone Roper, MSW. They were joined by UMB President Bruce E. Jarrell, MD, FACS; Renée McDonald Hutchins, JD, dean of the University of Maryland Francis King Carey School of Law; Mark T. Gladwin, MD, vice president of medical affairs, UMB, and dean of the University of Maryland School of Medicine; and Bill Joyner, JD, MSW, UMB’s assistant vice president of community engagement.
“We are building healthier, wealthier, and more connected communities through our programming and resources at the center,” Joyner explained to Van Hollen on the tour. “We are working to scale these programs into bigger initiatives that can be used in other communities across Maryland and beyond.”
The tour spotlighted the success of the CEC, which provides a full continuum of care based on neighbors’ requests. Two members of the CEC’s Community Advisory Board participated in the tour and explained how UMB works with the board to create accessible resources and holistic programming that directly addresses the needs of the community. They explained that this is critical for building trust in the community.
Gladwin and Hutchins also discussed how the center leverages the resources within the University to serve the community. They also discussed the success of UMB’s partnerships with the University of Maryland, College Park through the University of Maryland Strategic Partnership: MPowering the State (MPower) and with the University of Maryland Medical System. Jarrell also presented Van Hollen with the mission and goals of the University’s newest partnership with the R Adams Cowley Shock Trauma Center to create the UMB Center for Violence Prevention.
Van Hollen expressed how impressed he was with UMB’s commitment to improving the human condition and touted the University’s Live Near Your Work Program as an investment in the future of West Baltimore.
“We have a lot of work to do here in Maryland, but it’s clear that UMB is making amazing progress here,” said Van Hollen.