Maryland Achieves Major Scholarship Fundraising Milestone
 |
The scholarship funds will support need-based and merit undergraduate scholarships, as well as graduate fellowships, insuring that the university will be affordable, accessible and able to offer a top quality education to the most talented students from Maryland and the nation.
"Lack of financial resources will not be a barrier to attending Maryland 's flagship university," said University of Maryland president C.D. Mote Jr. "A college education has become mandatory for most important positions in our knowledge-based economy. At the same time, the cost of education has increased significantly. The University of Maryland is creating alternatives to help talented students gain a high-quality education that will prepare them for leadership in society and in the global economy."
In less than two and half years since the university launched the campaign for scholarships, alumni and friends, led by the University of Maryland College Park Foundation Board of Trustees, have contributed almost a third of the scholarship and student support goal. "While state officials consider issues of college affordability and tuition, the university is aggressively moving forward to do what it can to raise needed scholarship funds to successfully compete for talented students and meet their financial assistance needs," said Mote.
Alumni Leaders
Three Maryland alumni chair the scholarship fundraising effort. Maryland men's basketball coach Gary Williams, journalist Connie Chung and entrepreneur Buno Pati have taken leadership roles in raising the funds to support scholarships.
"This is a way for me to give back to the university," said Williams. "Through scholarships, we are having a direct, positive impact on the lives of our students and on their futures."
"During my years on campus, I had the opportunity to meet many different and remarkable people," said Pati. "Scholarship support is vital to building our diverse student body and in making sure that a variety of students come to the University of Maryland."
Chung recently met two students who are recipients of scholarships she sponsors. "I can't tell you how exciting it is to see in them the future," she said.
Landmark Goal
Great Expectations, The Campaign for Maryland is a seven-year campaign. It is the largest fundraising drive of a public institution in Maryland and the Washington, D.C. region. The campaign is raising private funds to support students, recruit and retain faculty, enhance physical facilities and library and technology resources, and reinforce excellence and innovation in academic programs.
About the University of Maryland
The University of Maryland is the state's flagship university and one of the nation's preeminent public research universities. Ranked No. 18 by U.S. News & World Report, it also has 31 academic programs in the Top 10 and 92 in the Top 25. The faculty includes three Nobel Laureates, six Pulitzer Prize winners, 40 members of the National Academies of Science, and scores of Fulbright scholars.
More updates on Great Expectations, The Campaign for Maryland