Hampton University (VA Morehouse College (GA) Tuskegee University (AL)

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.

UMES Employees of the Month

Leigh Ann Vreeland was selected as UMES’ Employee of the Month for June 2021, in the category of “Outstanding Service to Students.”

Although she has been working on campus since 2010, “Mrs. V” has been the administrative assistant in the Human Ecology Department since 2018. She is always willing to help students, faculty, and administrators no matter what department they are in. During the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown, she was able to convert many administrative processes to a digital format for ease of use. She implemented an electronic filing system for all faculty to be able to access documents in a quick and efficient manner. Leigh Ann helped with the department’s branding project and provided outstanding support for the department in order to achieve AAFCS accreditation. Her supervisor noted, “the faculty and students in the Department of Human Ecology are grateful.…and are very proud to have her as one of us.”

Eric Williams was selected as UMES’ Employee of the Month for July 2021. He was nominated in the category of “Exceptional Contribution to the Institution.”

Having worked in the Information Technology (IT) department for 10+ years, Eric is excellent at diagnosing and resolving computer issues, among his long list of duties. His nominators cited his accessibility to employees and students and his quick to response time. He is the “go to” IT person for many on campus. He also never makes anyone feel as though they, “asked something silly.” One nominator wrote, “He is somebody you would want to go to for help as he is pleasant to work with.” He was also praised as “being very customer service oriented and always goes above and beyond.” Congratulations Eric!

TENURE AND PROMOTIONS

School of Agricultural and Natural Sciences

• Dr. Victoria Volkis - Natural

Sciences - Promotion to

Full Professor (in lieu of post-tenure review)

• Dr. Meng Xia - Natural

Sciences - Promotion to

Full Professor (in lieu of post-tenure review)

School of Business and Technology

• Willie Brown - Engineering and Aviation Sciences -

Early Promotion & Tenure to Associate Professor

• Kyung Joo Lee - Business,

Management and

Accounting - Promotion to Full Professor

School of Pharmacy and Health Professions

• Dr. Nkem Nonyel -

Pharmacy Practice and

Administration - Non-

Tenure Track Promotion to

Associate Professor

Celebrating the 135th Anniversary of the

FOUNDERS’ WEEK 2021

”I would hope that if our Founders were here today, for our 135th anniversary, they would be as proud as I am to see this flourishing HBCU. I wish they could see how we are taking our 1890-land-grant roots to heart and conquering issues across the land, the sea and the sky. From nine students in 1886 to 558 freshmen this fall who have joined the Hawk Family, I hope to continue growing for another 135 years!”

Dr. Heidi M. Anderson, UMES President

”Her interest in the students never ceased”

Remembering Principal Portia L. Bird on UMES’ 135th anniversary

Portia L. Bird seated (front row, second from left) next to her husband, Principal Benjamin O. Bird at Princess Anne Academy in the mid-1890s.

Portia E. Lovett Bird of Clarke County, Va. was the first female leader of the University of Maryland Eastern Shore. Evidence suggests Bird might be the first Black woman to lead an HBCU after taking on the leadership role at then Princess Anne Academy after her husband, the late Benjamin O. Bird, died in 1897. She would lead the institution for two years until her death at the age of 40 in 1899.

“No one in Princess Anne mourns her loss quite as much as the aged and the poor. Her well filled basket was often at the door of someone in need,” wrote Jacob Dunn, an instructor at the school during the Birds’ years of leadership.

A 1900 obituary in the Annual Minutes of the Delaware Conference detailed the reverence people had for Principal Bird, a soprano singer and mother of nine children:

“As a teacher, she excelled, always making clear the subject in hand. As an instructor in special subjects, as physiology and elocution, her equal is rare. She will always be remembered for her work in these departments.” ”What impressed her pupils most was the sincerity of her character and the dignity of her womanhood. She was born a queen, withal a woman. Her interest in the students never ceased.” ”She was their personal friend all of the time. No human power can estimate the influence which this queenly little woman has wielded and now wields in the homes, school houses, and churches within the bounds of this Conference.”