The University’s Community Engagement Center has grown into a vibrant hub where neighbors and the University come together to learn, share, and thrive.
This fall, the University of Maryland, Baltimore’s (UMB) Community Engagement Center (CEC) will celebrate a milestone — 10 years of connection, collaboration, and community in West Baltimore. Since opening in 2015 as a one-room “storefront” on West Baltimore Street and later expanding into its permanent home at 16 S. Poppleton St., the CEC has grown into a vibrant hub where neighbors and the University come together to learn, share, and thrive.
The birthday celebration, scheduled for early November, will fill the building with joy and color — balloons, music from a DJ, a photo booth, and birthday treats. Guests will enjoy light refreshments and mingle with neighbors and friends. And no birthday party would be complete without fun party favors to mark the occasion.
“We are so excited to celebrate the longevity of the CEC,” said Danielle Harris, LCSW-C, director of community engagement operations, UMB Office of Community and Civic Engagement (OCCE). “To date, we have had over 97,000 visits to the center. This milestone would not be possible without the engagement of our community, partnerships within UMB and with community organizations, and the generous support of our donors.”
The CEC exists because of the community it serves, and every program, event, and gathering reflects neighbors’ voices, ideas, and needs. From health and wellness programs to tutoring, workforce development, cultural events, and neighborhood gatherings, the CEC listens, responds, and grows alongside the people who live, work, learn, and play there.
The center’s success is and always has been guided by visionary leadership — then-UMB President Jay Perman’s vision of a University deeply embedded in its neighborhoods; President Bruce E. Jarrell’s commitment to inclusive and impactful partnerships; Assistant Vice President of Community Engagement and Partnerships Bill Joyner’s strategic guidance; Harris’ empathetic leadership; Ashley Valis, the first director, who set the tone with creativity and care; and Strategic Initiatives and Community Partnerships Director Brian Sturdivant’s steady hand. But it is the community, along with all the dedicated OCCE staff, who have brought meaning, energy, and impact to everything the CEC offers the community.
The CEC embodies the OCCE’s vision of a place that is safe, vibrant, and inclusive, whose mission is to build authentic, mutually beneficial partnerships between the University and Baltimore communities.
Ten years in, the CEC stands as a concrete example of what happens when the University and its neighbors unite: Opportunities are created, relationships flourish, and the shared goal of a stronger, healthier, and more connected community is realized.
As we sing “Happy Birthday,” we honor not only a decade of achievement but also the ongoing power of community. It’s going to be a celebration of the people who make West Baltimore strong. The CEC is just getting started — and the upcoming celebration will be a joyful reminder that when neighbors and the University come together, anything is possible.