Community Engagement

  • 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.

    Read the story

  • Back-to-School Drive on the news!

  • Ready and Waiting

    After months of anticipation, UMB is thrilled to announce that the new Community Engagement Center was completed on time and under budget.

    Read more in UMB News.

  • Volunteer Today to Be Part of the COVID-19 Response

    There are many ways civic-minded Marylanders can help during the COVID-19 crisis.

  • Remembering Ms. Anita

    It is with a very heavy heart that UMB’s Office of Community Engagement shares the news of Anita Maynor Warren’s passing.

    Read more about Ms. Anita

  • Get the Scoop on Census 2020

    Census registration is open. Completing the census is mandatory. It’s our way to participate in democracy and say “I COUNT!”

    College students who live away from home should count themselves at their campus residence where they live and sleep most of the time, even if they are home on April 1, 2020.

    Learn more.

  • Members of the Office of Community Engagement enjoyed sharing fun with our neighbors during Neighborhood Lights.

    Members of the Office of Community Engagement enjoyed sharing fun with our neighbors during Neighborhood Lights.

  • Members of the Francis King Carey School of Law’s trial team hosted 32 students from UMB partner school George Washington Elementary’s after-school program for a career exposure activity on March 13.

    Members of the Francis King Carey School of Law’s trial team hosted 32 students from UMB partner school George Washington Elementary’s after-school program for a career exposure activity on March 13.

  • UMB students, faculty, and staff provide more than 2 million hours of service annually to residents in communities surrounding the campus and throughout the state of Maryland.

    UMB students, faculty, and staff provide more than 2 million hours of service annually to residents in communities surrounding the campus and throughout the state of Maryland.

  • Brian Sturdivant, MSW, directs UMB resources to support local schools and families.

    Brian Sturdivant, MSW, directs UMB resources to support local schools and families.

  • Bronwyn Mayden, MSW, leads the Promise Heights Initiative.

    Bronwyn Mayden, MSW, leads the Promise Heights Initiative.

  • Margaret Hayes, MS, leads A Bridge to Academic Excellence at the School of Pharmacy.

    Margaret Hayes, MS, leads A Bridge to Academic Excellence at the School of Pharmacy.

The Office of Community Engagement (OCE) serves as UMB’s liaison to communities across the state of Maryland on behalf of the Office of the President.

Focusing on communities in West Baltimore that border the UMB campus, OCE develops and nurtures Universitywide partnerships with external stakeholders, including K-12 public schools, community organizations, nonprofits, and local businesses. We assist UMB’s professional schools with coordinating community engagement initiatives. Additionally, OCE coordinates faculty, staff, and student volunteer and service-learning initiatives to respond to needs identified by community partners.

Many of our ventures take place in the Community Engagement Center (CEC), which is the cornerstone of UMB's Community Campus, a location and a concept that demonstrate a deep commitment to strengthening West Baltimore in collaboration with the neighbors who live there and local business owners. The new CEC is close to seven times larger than the former center, which opened its doors in 2015. 

The CEC is where neighbors of all ages come to engage in free quality programs, services, supports, trainings, and activities. Our aim is to provide a safe environment that supports the empowerment of our neighbors while strengthening the neighborhoods of West Baltimore. With this newly renovated space, the CEC is even better equipped to reach and serve more people as we work toward our goal of improving the health and well-being of our neighbors. 

Giving Opportunities

Help the UMB Community Engagement Center (CEC) touch lives and change the trajectory of children and families growing up in poverty and vulnerable situations in West Baltimore.

News

December 18, 2023  |  The UMB Office of Community Engagement (OCE), in collaboration with the University of Maryland Medical Center, Foundry Church, and UMB Staff Senate, orchestrated the annual Christmas Store.

December 13, 2023  |  “The Polar Express” came to life in the heart of West Baltimore on Dec. 8 as local children and families embarked on a whimsical journey aboard the Polar Express Experience at historic B&O Railroad.

November 27, 2023  |  UMB. UMMC, and WJZ-TV partner for Thanksgiving Turkey Blessing Day to distribute over 900 turkeys to West Baltimore families.

August 28, 2023  |  UMSSW Center for Restorative Change, in partnership with Bethel AME Church, celebrated a highly successful Second Annual Back to School Bash.

March 29, 2023   |  Through May 31, HSHSL will be collecting new and gently used children’s books, age levels birth through high school, for donation to local schools and day care centers.

February 28, 2023  |  Esteemed prevention research scientist will marshal multidisciplinary team to reduce and respond to violence in Baltimore and beyond.

in the news

February 2, 2023  |  The CASH Campaign of Maryland celebrated its annual kickoff event at the University of Maryland, Baltimore’s Community Engagement Center.

February 1, 2023  |  The University of Maryland, Baltimore celebrated the fifth anniversary of the relaunch of its Live Near Your Work program, which offers homebuying assistance to employees.

in the news

December 27, 2022  |  West Baltimore neighbors develop platonic, intimate connections through experimental storytelling as part of the Sowebo Story Swap.

in the news

December 20, 2022  |  The University of Maryland, Baltimore brings West Baltimore neighbors aboard the Polar Express Experience at the B&O Railroad Museum.

in the news

December 14, 2022  |  UMB partners with the Foundry Church of Baltimore and WJZ to bring the annual Christmas Store to the Community Engagement Center.

December 7, 2022  |  Middle school students from Mother Mary Lange Catholic School explore careers in STEM with a visit to the University of Maryland School of Pharmacy.

in the news

November 24, 2022  |  UMB partners with UMMC and WJZ-TV on their annual Thanksgiving drive, raising more than $54,000.

November 8, 2022  |  After a two-year hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Kids to Farmers Market Program is back at UMB!

July 28, 2022  |  School of Pharmacy PATIENTS Program's collaboration with West Baltimore stakeholders seeks to increase African American participation in COVID-19 vaccine research.

July 13, 2022  |  The University of Maryland, Baltimore teams up with Moving History for a summer enrichment program that teaches African culture and traditions through visual and performing arts.

June 23, 2022  |  The University of Maryland, Baltimore joined friends and neighbors in West Baltimore to celebrate freedom with the Community Engagement Center’s second annual Juneteenth Jubilee.

in the news

June 6, 2022  |  After a two-year hiatus, the University of Maryland, Baltimore (UMB) teamed up with Maryland first lady Yumi Hogan to bring back the Neighborhood Spring Festival.

press release

April 27, 2022  |  University of Maryland, Baltimore & Maryland First Lady to Bring West Baltimore Neighbors Together with First Spring Festival Since COVID-19 Pandemic.

March 2, 2022  |  Pop-up event provides food supplies and spreads awareness about the UMB Student Pantry.

February 18, 2022  |  In UMB Black History Month Celebration keynote, Lawrence Brown says Martin Luther King Jr.’s dream is unfulfilled, advocates a plan of action akin to the Freedom Budget to fight institutional racism.

February 11, 2022  |  University of Maryland, Baltimore police and Baltimore youth from the Healing Youth Alliance learn from and help each other mend wounds, deliver care.

February 11, 2022  |  The Eviction Prevention Project has logged over 4,500 hours of community outreach since September 2021.

February 8, 2022  |  'The UMB Pulse' podcast interviews Lisa Rawlings, director of workforce development and job readiness in the University of Maryland, Baltimore Office of Community Engagement.

January 28, 2022  |  The UMB Live Near Your Work program has helped 63 University employees buy homes in nearby communities, dispersing $1 million in grants to date.

January 26, 2022  |  The University of Maryland School of Social Work (UMSSW) will lead the evaluation and disseminate related research to benefit a new West Baltimore collaborative to empower Black and Latina women.

January 18, 2022  |  $2.9 million federal grant awarded to Kennedy Krieger Institute’s Center for Child and Family Trauma Stress and the University of Maryland School of Social Work to provide antiracist training.

December 14, 2021  |  Store stocked with donated items allows West Baltimore families to buy gifts at reduced prices.

press release

December 8, 2021  |  University of Maryland, Baltimore & Foundry Church to Open Annual Christmas Store Stocked with Deeply Discounted Toys for West Baltimore Neighbors

in the news

December 2, 2021  |  The University of Maryland School of Medicine provided free Thanksgiving dinners to West Baltimore as part of Project Feast.

in the news

November 10, 2021  |  The University of Maryland, Baltimore opens the doors to a new Community Engagement Center with a grand opening celebration.

October 25, 2021  |  On the Oct. 21 edition of Virtual Face to Face with President Bruce Jarrell, SWCOS chief Wendy Shaia and Ashley Valis from the Office of Community Engagement.

June 22, 2021  |  The University of Maryland, Baltimore partnered with City Ranch to bring a free youth horseback riding program to West Baltimore.

in the news

May 12, 2021  |  One year after quarantine, the UMB Community Engagement Center brings neighbors back together with its free community lunch program.

in the news

April 13, 2021  |  The Community Engagement Center (CEC) partners with nursing students to canvass neighborhoods in West Baltimore and get community members signed up for a vaccine appointment.

in the news

January 27, 2021  |  UMB's Office of Community Engagement starts Small Business Volunteer Initiative to help women-, minority-, and immigrant-owned local businesses during COVID-19 pandemic.

in the news

January 25, 2021  |  Dr. Fauci has an open and honest discussion with Baltimore clergy leaders about the COVID-19 vaccine clinical trials.

in the news

January 7, 2021  |  Alumna of UMB's Workforce Wednesdays program is named Employee of the Quarter by the University of Maryland Medical Center.

in the news

December 21, 2020  |  Tented, outdoor setup gave UMB’s West Baltimore neighbors the opportunity to buy new gifts for their loved ones at deep discounts.

November 20, 2020  |  On the Nov. 19 edition of Virtual Face to Face with President Bruce Jarrell, the newest member of the West Baltimore community is also the first new Catholic school in Baltimore in nearly 60 years.

in the news

November 6, 2020  |  In an effort to bridge this digital divide, UMB has partnered with Comcast to provide internet service for up to 1,000 families from 14 partner schools in West Baltimore for a full year.

press release

October 26, 2020  |  UMB partners with Comcast to sponsor one year of internet connectivity for up to 1,000 families from 14 partner schools in West Baltimore.

October 23, 2020  |  Leaders from Lexington Market developer Seawall answer any and all questions about the new Lexington Market.

October 11, 2020  |  “A Night of Stars” features philanthropy, food and cocktail demonstrations, singing performances, and gratitude for UMB’s efforts to fight COVID-19.

in the news

September 24, 2020  |  After months of anticipation, UMB is thrilled to announce that the new CEC has been completed on time and under budget.

September 24, 2020  |  New president aims to “reimagine and reposition” UMB in response to COVID-19.

in the news

September 23, 2020  |  UMB and UMMC team up to bring their annual summer YouthWorks Program to a virtual platform due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

September 18, 2020  |  On the Sept. 17 edition of "Virtual Face to Face with Dr. Bruce Jarrell," a discussion of UMB's new Community Engagement Center.

in the news

August 27, 2020  |  The UMB PAL Program moves its summer programming to a virtual setting in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic.

August 17, 2020  |  Druid Heights and Heritage Crossing added to successful homeownership initiative.

in the news

July 17, 2020  |  UMB's Community Engagement Center is partnering with Project Waves to install Wi-Fi towers across West Baltimore to provide free internet access to hundreds of families.

in the news

June 16, 2020  |  UMB’s Community Engagement Center moves its weekly exercise classes to a virtual platform in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic.

June 12, 2020  |  Promise Heights initiative chief Bronwyn Mayden and Union Baptist Senior Pastor Rev. Alvin Hathaway talk about coping and thriving during the COVID-19 pandemic.

in the news

May 6, 2020  |  UMB's Community Engagement Center teamed with Southwest Baltimore’s Arabber Preservation Society to deliver 2,000 pounds of frozen chicken to West Baltimore.

in the news

April 20, 2020  |  The UMB Community Engagement Center delivers dozens of donated care packages to PAL Program families during the COVID-19 pandemic.

in the news

April 7, 2020  |  UMB is collecting monetary donations to help order food from local businesses and provide free lunches to essential employees working on campus during the COVID-19 pandemic.

in the news

February 13, 2020  |  The University of Maryland, Baltimore welcomes Tyrone Roper, MSW, as the new director of the Community Engagement Center.

January 8, 2020  |  The University of Maryland, Baltimore lights up campus buildings in a show of "Purple Pride" for the hometown Baltimore Ravens football team.

December 26, 2019  |  West Baltimore residents gather to bid farewell to Dr. Perman in his transition from UMB president to USM Chancellor; enjoy holiday cheer at Community Engagement Center.

December 6, 2019  |  The University of Maryland School of Medicine marked three decades of outreach to West Baltimore during Project Feast on Thanksgiving Day.

in the news

November 13, 2019  |  A top-tier multidisciplinary team confronted the challenges of chronic pain at a community discussion.

in the news

November 11, 2019  |  Third-grade students from three Baltimore City schools got a tasty lesson in healthy eating and exercising habits through the Kids to the Farmers Market Program.

in the news

October 30, 2019  |  The University of Maryland, Baltimore (UMB) is expanding its outreach to the surrounding West Baltimore community with the groundbreaking of a brand-new Community Engagement Center.

press release

September 23, 2019  |  University of Maryland, Baltimore Invites Community Members and City Leaders to Celebrate the Groundbreaking of $8 Million Community Engagement Center; Ravens' Hall of Famer Ray Lewis to Attend

hot topic

September 6, 2019  |  UMB’s Fall Fest 2019 attracted hundreds for outdoor fun.

in the news

August 22, 2019  |  This summer, the Grid hosted some of Baltimore's best and brightest teenagers for the five-week Bet on Baltimore program.

press release

August 21, 2019  |  Donated vehicles increase access to programs, field trips.

July 31, 2019  |  University of Maryland, Baltimore to begin renovation of $8 million Community Engagement Center as centerpiece of its community campus.

in the news

July 24, 2019  |  This summer 78 students are participating in the Summer Bioscience Internship Program, one sector of the YouthWorks Program at UMB.

July 12, 2019  |  An interactive event held by the University of Maryland School of Pharmacy PATIENTS Program aims to improve the way research is understood by community residents, patients, and researchers.

in the news

June 6, 2019  |  The University of Maryland, Baltimore (UMB)’s Project SEARCH graduation ceremony featured a mix of revelry and reunion with the Class of 2019 celebrating completion of the internship program.

May 24, 2019  |  West Baltimore children shared the spotlight with UMB police officers at the Black Cherry Puppet Theater through the Police Athletic/Activities League.

May 10, 2019  |  University of Maryland, Baltimore President Jay A. Perman, MD, delivers the sixth annual State of the University Address.

May 3, 2019  |  The University of Maryland, Baltimore holds its fourth annual neighborhood health and arts festival for West Baltimore residents.

in the news

April 11, 2019  |  With the stroke of a dozen paintbrushes, students from Renaissance Academy High School along with First Lady Yumi Hogan put the finishing touches on a brand-new mural.

March 29, 2019  |  University of Maryland, Baltimore President Jay A. Perman, MD, weighs in on report at State of Downtown Breakfast

in the news

March 28, 2019  |  Ninth-grade students from P-TECH Healthcare at Dunbar had the opportunity to visit R Adams Cowley Shock Trauma Center for a unique, hands-on experience.

in the news

March 22, 2019  |  Maryland Carey Law clinics are working with the NAACP to address the disparate impacts of climate change on communities of color.

in the news

March 6, 2019  |  West Baltimore middle school students got the chance to be certified in Stop the Bleed training then present their own life-saving invention to a room of pharmacy students and professionals at UMB.

in the news

February 12, 2019  |  In partnership with Port Discovery, UMB has given more than 100 families at James McHenry Elementary/Middle School free, year-long memberships to the Baltimore children's museum.

January 15, 2019  |  UMB's Live Near Your Work Program offers eligible employees $16,000 toward the purchase of a home in the surrounding community.

press release

December 6, 2018  |  Neighbors From West Baltimore Can Buy Holiday Presents at a Deep Discount thanks to the University of Maryland, Baltimore’s Community Engagement Center and Foundry Church

November 29, 2018  |  The University of Maryland School of Medicine, with the support of volunteers from UMB and beyond, welcomes hundreds to a festive Thanksgiving meal.

in the news

November 28, 2018  |  Farmers, landowners, environmentalists, and other agricultural stakeholders benefited from the daylong Agricultural and Environmental Law Conference on Nov. 8, 2018.

in the news

November 2, 2018  |  Third-graders from three Baltimore schools get the chance to learn about health and nutrition through the Kids To The Farmers Market Program.

in the news

October 30, 2018  |  The University of Maryland, Baltimore’s Community Engagement Center is once again playing a role in civic affairs by hosting an early voting site for the 2018 Maryland General Election.

in the news

October 22, 2018  |  Officers from the University of Maryland, Baltimore Police Force pulled on aprons and hair nets to serve dinner at the American Cancer Society Hope Lodge of Baltimore.

October 19, 2018  |  UMB President Jay A. Perman, MD, asks Baltimore business and civic leaders to apply the same effort used to transform Baltimore's downtown to improving its Westside community.

in the news

September 17, 2018  |  West Baltimore children shared the spotlight with UMB police officers at the Black Cherry Puppet Theater through the Police Athletic/Activities League.

September 13, 2018  |  UMB President Jay A. Perman, MD, explained the benefits of the P-TECH technology education program at a gathering of government, business, and education leaders in Annapolis.

hot topic

August 10, 2018  |  Despite stormy skies, UMB’s National Night Out reinforced the relationships between the university's Police Force, Community and Engagement Center, and West Baltimore neighbors with a free cookout.

July 27, 2018  |  The University of Maryland School of Pharmacy’s PATIENTS Program welcomes members of West Baltimore communities to engage with experts and participate in an interactive health fair.

July 25, 2018  |  YouthWorks interns learn valuable skills to succeed in higher education and careers.

June 14, 2018  |  The Community Engagement Center hosts a site operated by the Baltimore City Board of Elections during early voting June 14-21, encouraging turnout by canvassing, decorating, and holding a cookout.

press release

May 23, 2018  |  The Levitas Initiative will put Carey Law students into middle schools to teach young people about sexual assault and healthy relationships.

May 10, 2018  |  Third annual UMB Neighborhood Spring Festival brings community together for fun, food, and fellowship.

May 9, 2018  |  University of Maryland, Baltimore President Perman Reviews Accomplishments at State of the University Address

April 24, 2018  |  The University of Maryland, Baltimore welcomed a special visitor during Light City 2018.

April 5, 2018  |  Annual State of Downtown breakfast celebrates successes of businesses, institutions partnered to improve Baltimore’s most “dynamic” district.

March 16, 2018  |  UMB works to help community members find jobs through Workforce Wednesday and other programs.

UMB/UMMC Community Engagement Strategic Plan

Visit the UM Partnership With West Baltimore and download the UMB/UMMC Community Engagement Strategic Plan.