• Holiday Gift: A Ride on ‘The Polar Express’

    “The Polar Express” comes to life for local children and their families in an experience organized by the UMB Office of Community Engagement.

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  • A Conversation with Greg Lindsay

    At the UMB President’s Panel on Politics and Policy on Feb. 22, 2024, urban policy expert Greg Lindsay discussed the key issues that will affect the trajectory of cities such as Baltimore.

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  • UMB Honored with Seven Collegiate Advertising Awards

    The Office of Communications and Public Affairs wins two gold, four silver, and one bronze for marketing initiatives from 2022.

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The Office of External Relations, composed of Communications and Public Affairs, Community Engagement, and Government Affairs, is committed to effective communication, collaboration, and advocacy on behalf of the University of Maryland, Baltimore (UMB).

We share the University’s stories and articulate a narrative that elevates UMB’s reputation, enhances its brand, and connects our students, faculty, and staff to the public through strategic communication and interaction.

The Office of External Relations is committed to UMB’s core values: Respect and Integrity, Well-Being and Sustainability, Equity and Justice, and Innovation and Discovery. We embrace and celebrate the diversity of UMB’s constituencies and align our work to collaborate with partners across the University to enhance existing programs and develop new strategies for communications, engagement, and government affairs.

Our goal is to support the University’s mission of education, research, clinical care, and public service by amplifying UMB’s voice as a thought and action leader, and to enhance goodwill in the communities and people with whom we engage.

Communications and Public Affairs

The Office of Communications and Public Affairs is dedicated to promoting UMB and sharing its remarkable stories.

The office provides internal and external communications, including media and public relations, social media, image and reputation management, strategic planning, writing, editing, design, marketing, event support, and web communications services to the University’s seven schools and administrative units.

The office will help your team set priorities, focus energy and resources, strengthen your processes, and ensure that your team members have all the tools necessary to accomplish your communications and marketing goals.

Community Engagement

The Office of Community Engagement serves as UMB’s liaison to communities across the state of Maryland.

Focusing on West Baltimore, the office develops and nurtures Universitywide partnerships with external stakeholders, including K-12 public schools, community organizations, nonprofits, and businesses. It also assists UMB’s schools with community engagement initiatives; coordinates faculty, staff, and student volunteer and service-learning initiatives; and oversees the Community Engagement Center, which helps deepen relationships with the University’s closest neighbors. The 20,000-square-foot historic building on South Poppleton Street hosts expanded services and activities to meet growing community demand. 

Government Affairs

The Office of Government Affairs serves as the University’s primary point of contact with state, federal, and local government officials and their staffs, as well as business and community stakeholders.

The office develops collaborative opportunities and initiatives for UMB, works continuously to strengthen and maintain positive relationships with government officials, oversees legislation and related policies, guides testimony and provides information to public officials, and ensures that the University has an ongoing coordinated and unified position on issues relating to the public and higher education sectors.

Protocol and Special Events

The Office of Protocol and Special Events organizes annual, high-profile Universitywide events such as the Graduation Celebration, Founders Week, Faculty Convocation, and the MLK/Black History Month celebration.

It also helps plan speaker series, alumni events, and special events hosted by the UMB president, and provides management and protocol expertise for members of the UMB community in support of high-level state, national, and international visitors and delegations to our campus.