Read Dr. Jarrell’s column looking back at an eventful 2025 and learn about student, faculty, and staff achievements; news from around the University; and upcoming events.
To see previous editions of The President’s Message newsletter, go to the archives page on the Office of the President website.
President’s Column
LOOKING BACK ON 2025: CELEBRATING MILESTONES, THRIVING AMID CHALLENGES
As we close the chapter on 2025, I can’t help but feel a tremendous amount of gratitude for all the milestones we’ve celebrated across the University of Maryland, Baltimore (UMB). In the face of new and evolving challenges impacting both higher education and scientific research, we continue to thrive in our mission to improve the human condition and serve the public good. Time and again, I have been inspired by your accomplishments, your support for your community, and your commitment to making the world a better place.
And what a year it’s been!
In 2025, we marked two major anniversaries: 50 years of UMB Police and Public Safety and the 10th anniversary of UMB’s Community Engagement Center. These two entities — and the countless staff, volunteers, and partners who support them — have made an indelible impact on West Baltimore. This demonstrates that remarkable things happen when our University and our neighbors come together to support our community. I am thankful for their roles in making our city safer, healthier, and more connected.
On the research front, our Breakthroughs Can’t Wait campaign has shown the wider world how each and every human being is impacted by UMB-driven research in some way. I am enormously grateful to these incredible innovators — and countless others across our University — who lead transformative work in areas ranging from pediatric cancer to teen driver safety to addiction recovery. In addition to making lifesaving discoveries, these researchers serve as mentors to countless others who represent the future of health, law, and social work.
Throughout the year, we’ve also celebrated a lot of changes to our campus.
It’s hard to believe that the doors to our 4MLK building (in photo, left) have only been open since January. In this short time, we’ve seen this newest addition to the University of Maryland BioPark transform into a bustling hub of innovation. Today, 4MLK is a focal point on the west side of campus: home to researchers, entrepreneurs, and life science leaders who are working together across disciplines to address the most pressing health challenges of our time. 4MLK also is home to the Edward and Jennifer St. John Center for Translational Engineering and Medicine, where UMB researchers work closely with University of Maryland, College Park engineers to create new devices, diagnostics, and treatments to address real-world clinical needs, shortening the path from ideation to commercialization.
On the north end of UMB’s campus, the School of Social Work’s new environmentally friendly six-story building is coming into clearer view, with the topping-off ceremony scheduled for February. Just as 4MLK is specifically engineered to foster collaboration, the new School of Social Work building is designed to support the school’s mission of innovation in community service. It, too, will serve as a bridge between UMB and our surrounding community, furthering our campus vibrancy work. Our continued commitment to vibrancy is just one of the many reasons I am grateful to work on this campus, in this wonderful city, where we know our future is bright.
Of course, throughout the year, we’ve seen countless examples of how our impact reaches far beyond our main campus. At the Universities at Shady Grove, nine UMB programs serve the region and the state by strengthening the talent pipeline for in-demand positions in nursing, pharmacy, dentistry, and more. Our work to bridge the health gap on Maryland’s Eastern Shore also is ramping up: Just last month, I joined the deans of our Schools of Medicine, Nursing, and Dentistry in speaking to a capacity crowd in Easton, Md., and more than 250 individuals who joined us online. Together, we discussed how UMB is working with regional and state partners to significantly grow the health care workforce on the Shore and address critical health care needs there.
While this hardly scratches the surface of all we’ve celebrated this year, I am even more hopeful about what’s to come. After all, we know that our students, faculty, staff, and alumni make UMB a place where everyone can thrive and everyone can make a difference — and where, together, we can improve the human condition.
Bruce E. Jarrell, MD, FACS
President
Laurels is a roundup of student, faculty, and staff achievements that is published 11 times a year in The President’s Message newsletter. This month’s edition includes kudos for (in photo, from left) Joan Carpenter, associate professor, School of Nursing, who was named a 2025 Fellow of the Gerontological Society of America; Richard Barth, Distinguished University Professor, School of Social Work, who was recognized as the most cited scholar in social work in a comprehensive review of 20 years of publications in the Research on Social Work Practice journal; and Melissa Morland, executive director, Operations and Maintenance, who received the Arnold G. Wedum Distinguished Achievement Award from the American Biological Safety Association.
DOWNLOAD LAURELS FOR DECEMBER 2025
New Hires
See a LIST OF NEW HIRES at UMB central administration and our seven schools for November.
News and Notes
School of Nursing Dean Yolanda Ogbolu and School of Medicine Dean Mark Gladwin were among the speakers at the UMB Community Town Hall on Nov. 17 in Easton, Md. (Photo by Matthew D’Agostino)
TOWN HALL OFFERS INSIGHT INTO UMB’S EASTERN SHORE INITIATIVES
UMB President Bruce Jarrell and University leaders held a community town hall Nov. 17 at the historic Avalon Theatre in Easton, Md., to lay out UMB’s vision to improve health care delivery and bolster the health care workforce on the Eastern Shore of Maryland. More than 150 attended in person and another 250 watched via livestream as Jarrell, three UMB deans, and others took turns discussing initiatives that intend to increase the ranks of health care providers on the Shore by leveraging UMB’s institutional strength and providing educational opportunities and support in exchange for commitments to serve the community after graduation.
CENTER FOR CLIMATE HEALTH AND ENTREPRENEURSHIP LAUNCHING
The School of Graduate Studies will establish the Center for Climate Health and Entrepreneurship (CCHE) after receiving a grant from TEDCO, Maryland’s economic engine for technology companies. The award, part of the Baltimore Innovation Initiative pilot program, will create UMB’s first hub dedicated to advancing climate and health entrepreneurship in Maryland. The launch of CCHE builds on UMB’s strength in entrepreneurship and interprofessional education, while expanding the University’s connection to Baltimore’s growing innovation community. By focusing on climate and health, the center will address an urgent need for ventures that improve resilience and community well-being.
TWO MORE WELLMOBILES SUPPORT COMMUNITY HEALTH OUTREACH
Two new 40-foot-long Wellmobiles, funded by a $1 million allocation from the state of Maryland, will help pave the way for the mobile nurse-managed health clinic to expand its outreach in helping uninsured and underserved residents. Each new truck features state-of-the art equipment, two exam rooms, and an entry area, and it expands to a large walk-in area when parked. An older truck remains in storage and serves as a backup, with potential use in emergencies or for special projects, such as when the Wellmobiles were used for COVID-19 testing and vaccinations during the pandemic. The Wellmobile Program has provided continuous primary care services since its founding in 1994.
SYMPOSIUM FOCUSES ON CLIMATE CHANGE’S IMPACT ON HEALTH
The “Climate, Health, and Policy in Maryland: The State Steps Up” symposium, held Oct. 14 at the 4MLK building, brought together leaders from across Maryland — including those in higher education, medicine, and community organizations — for conversations about the impact of climate change on health and what the state is doing to address the issue. The all-day event included panel discussions on topics such as health, heat, and climate standards; federal climate science and law; and Maryland climate law and advocacy. “I was inspired by all our speakers to continue this important work,” said Karin Russ, assistant professor at the University of Maryland School of Nursing.
PAYROLL DEDUCTION: AN EASY WAY TO MAKE A BIG IMPACT
Join fellow UMB employees who are already making a lasting impact through payroll deduction. It’s convenient (set it and forget it); budget-friendly (spread your gift across pay periods); and sustainable (provide steady funding for the funds and programs you care about). Your generosity adds up — and every dollar makes a difference. Choose payroll deduction and be part of something bigger, every day.
SEEKING DONATIONS FOR CHRISTMAS STORE DRIVE
The UMB Office of Community and Civic Engagement and the Staff Senate — with support from the Foundry Church and WJZ-TV — are seeking donations of toys and cash for this year’s annual Christmas Store Drive. The purpose of the Christmas Store is to provide local families with a unique opportunity to purchase gifts at significantly reduced cost so that every parent can experience the joy of giving. There are two ways to donate: Make a gift to the Christmas Store, or purchase an item from an Amazon or Target online wish list.
UMB STUDENT VETERANS WIN ARMY-NAVY TICKET GIVEAWAY
Two UMB student veterans, Matthew Link and Shannon Long, will be attending the Army-Navy football game for the first time this year, thanks to a Veterans Day-inspired UMB ticket giveaway to honor the service and sacrifice of those who have worn the nation’s uniform and pursued higher education at UMB. Link and Long were randomly selected to each receive two tickets to the storied rivalry game, which will be held at M&T Bank Stadium in Baltimore on Dec. 13, plus a goodie bag filled with UMB swag. Link and Long, fittingly, served in the Army and Navy, respectively.
UMB President Bruce Jarrell poses with students Shannon Long and Matthew Link, who won tickets to the Dec. 13 Army-Navy game and a bag filled with UMB swag. (Photo by Matthew D’Agostino)
Upcoming Events
DEC. 9: VALUES IN ACTION SPEAKER SERIES
Karen Gordes, a professor at the School of Graduate Studies, will lead this hybrid event, speaking about the UMB core values set of Well-Being and Sustainability. The conversation will allow for the exchange of ideas and critical reflection with colleagues across the UMB community focused on how we create a sustainable future together.
JAN. 6: VOCAL MASTER CLASS WITH ‘WICKED’ CAST MEMBER MELISSA VICTOR
The Hippodrome Foundation offers this exclusive program with Baltimore native Melissa Victor, who is starring in the U.S. tour of “Wicked.” Spend 45 minutes learning and singing a Broadway show tune with Victor, followed by a 15-minute Q&A at which you can ask questions about the life of a touring Broadway performer.
Save the Date
FEB. 5: MLK AND BLACK HISTORY MONTH CELEBRATION
UMB’s annual Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and Black History Month Celebration will feature keynote speaker Chris T. Pernell (in photo, left), a dynamic physician leader and public health expert who is the director of the NAACP’s Center for Health Equity. Her talk is titled “The Clarion Call for Health Justice: No Retreat, No Surrender.” The event will include recognition of MLK Leadership Award winners among UMB students, staff, and faculty as well as Community Champion of Equity and Justice Award recipients.
MARCH 4: WOMEN’S HISTORY MONTH SYMPOSIUM
Registration will open in January for UMB’s seventh annual Women’s History Month Symposium, an all-day event at the SMC Campus Center that will feature a morning keynote speech, an afternoon fireside chat, two sets of breakout sessions, breakfast, lunch, and more.
Video of the Month
UMB celebrated the Community Engagement Center’s 10th anniversary with a party on Nov. 3: