4 The Key / September 2021
Faculty, Staff and Student News
Photo courtesy of: Joe Andrucyk, Chief Photographer - Office of the Governor In August, President Heidi M. Anderson was recognized as the recipient of the 2021 Lower Shore Distinguished Citizen Award by the Boy Scouts of America, Delmarva Council. Congratulations Dr. Anderson!
Dr. Kathryn Barrett-Gaines was elected as corresponding secretary of the Executive Council of the University System of Maryland Women’s Forum for fiscal year 2021-2022.
A clean slate for UMES students The University of Maryland Eastern Shore’s Office of Administration and Finance provided the following details on wiping out debt for over 400 students: “As part of the university of Maryland Eastern Shore’s continued effort to support its students during the COVID-19 pandemic, the university has provided a portion of its Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund III (HEERF III) institutional funding to students with outstanding balances incurred after March 13, 2020. The university had an unprecedented opportunity to join other HBCUs in making history of “forgiving outstanding balances.” This ”clean slate” will truly make a positive impact on the lives of our students. With help from the HEERF III funding, the university has been able to assist approximately 466 students with debts totaling over $1,833,010. By removing ”back bill” barriers, students that had a desire to enroll, but were financially struggling, now have the opportunity.” TOP 20 / continued from cover
UMES is the only HBCU to offer eight health professions programs, producing graduates to combat the rural health care disparities that exist in medically underserved areas throughout the country. UMES is one of 15 HBCUs with Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology credentials. U.S. News asks senior administrators - presidents, senior academic policymakers and admissions directors - to rate the academic quality of peer institutions. Graduation and retention rates, alumni giving and faculty resources also carry a lot of weight in the ranking equation.
Other factors taken into consideration include the number of full-time faculty, student selectivity based on test scores and high school class standing, the institution’s financial resources and how large classes are. UMES’ student-to-faculty ratio is 10-to-1, and 70 percent of classes the university offers average fewer than 20 students. The Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education recognizes UMES as a “high-research activity” doctoral institution where seven current faculty members hold a combined 14 U.S. and international patents.
