A Home Built Together: UMB’s Community Engagement Center Turns 10
A decade after opening in a one-room storefront on W. Baltimore St., the University of Maryland, Baltimore’s (UMB) Community Engagement Center (CEC) marked its 10th anniversary with a community-wide celebration that felt equal parts birthday party, homecoming, and reunion.
As he welcomed over 100 neighbors, partners, faculty, and staff to the event, University System of Maryland Chancellor Jay A. Perman, MD, paused to acknowledge the significance of the moment. “I am pretty emotional being here, standing here in front of you, because you know, for each of us, it's always nice to see one's dreams come true, and that is what this is for me,” he said.
Perman, who served as UMB’s president before moving into his current role, reflected on arriving at the University in 2010 and recognizing a divide between campus and community. He worked to launch a new community engagement agenda after realizing “we didn't have the right connection to the neighborhood that we live in,” and noting “there are fences around the campuses, there are walls. And that wasn't for me.”
Community members celebrate with whimsical balloon creations during the Community Engagement Center's 10 year anniversary party.
The CEC’s transformation, he emphasized, was shaped by residents. “This all came together because of the community that we hope to deserve to be a part of,” he said. “I can't begin to tell you how inspired I am to stand on this stage and look out at you and see what's happened.”
Today, the CEC – now located in a 20,000 square foot historic building on S. Poppleton St. – serves as a hub where West Baltimore residents can access resources, programs, and services supporting health, education, employment, and community connection. Operated by UMB’s Office of Community and Civic Engagement, the center offers workforce development training, health and wellness services, youth programs, financial counseling, arts and makerspace activities, and a range of events that provide space for neighbors to learn, socialize, and build skills. The goal is to create an inclusive, welcoming environment that strengthens families, fosters economic mobility, and deepens relationships between the University and the surrounding community.
Building on Perman’s reflections, UMB President Bruce E. Jarrell, MD, FACS, praised the partnership that has shaped the CEC over the past decade. He underscored that its success lies not in the building itself but in the collaborative work that makes it a place where residents feel welcome and supported. He pointed to programs like workforce development and the nurse-run health suite as examples of how the center goes beyond offering services to actively improve people’s lives. “It's one thing to build a building,” he said, “and another thing to get people here to view it as their own home.”
After opening remarks, the CEC’s four floors buzzed with music and activity as community members enjoyed refreshments and birthday cupcakes and took self-guided tours of the facility. One interactive area invited guests to write their hopes for the future on paper leaves under the theme “we grow together,” creating a visual display of community voices. A Kid’s Zone offered activities such as coloring and balloon art, while other stations showcased the breadth of programming housed throughout the building.
For OCCE Director of Community Engagement Operations Danielle Harris, LCSW-C, the anniversary was meaningful because it centered people. “To be able to celebrate with our neighbors, our partners from various UMB schools and our community partners – it's just a fun time to be able to reflect on all of the history that we share together and what we're planning to do for the future,” she said.
Harris added that sustaining such work over a decade required shared investment. “To have this community engagement center for 10 years is so important for us,” she said, emphasizing, “We couldn't do that without our community supporters, our donors, and our UMB partners.”
For residents like Stefanie Croslin, the CEC has been a constant presence in family life. “My two older boys are in the UMB Cure Scholars Program, and that’s how we initially found out about the CEC,” she explained, adding that her family has attended numerous events over the years, including community dinners. “I remember when the CEC was across the street,” she noted. “Well, it's gotten bigger. There’s just so much more stuff for the community.”
That sense of belonging and shared investment was echoed by Assistant Vice President for Community Engagement William Joyner, JD, MSW, who offered remarks at the celebration. He described the anniversary not just as a milestone, but as a testament to the long-term relationship between UMB and West Baltimore.
“Here we are standing in a physical manifestation of a long-term commitment between UMB and the community that surrounds us,” he said. “We've celebrated, laughed, and cried over these past 10 years. The CEC has hosted, literally, weddings and funerals and birthday parties across that lifespan. We have celebrated and mourned with all of the people that have made this marriage work between the east side of MLK and the west side of MLK, and we are so proud of the choice that we made to get married to you, West Baltimore. We could not think of a better, more appropriate partner.”
