In a period of intense, rapid societal change peppered with a multiplicity of diverse and demanding priorities, UMBC at The Universities at Shady Grove recognizes the importance of setting aside time to strategically evaluate, assess, and envision continued growth and the ever evolving act of “becoming," particularly as the surrounding world and our higher ed community emerges from a multi-year global pandemic. UMBC-Shady Grove is a special community which serves a diverse population of UMBC students and through which our mission, operations, and services are integrally connected to and intertwined with a wide variety of critical partners and stakeholders. It is important that we take time to intentionally pause, reflect, evaluate, garner perspective and a sense of direction, and listen at the unique intersection of UMBC and the Universities at Shady Grove (USG) in Montgomery County, Maryland; we must continue to actively envision and respond to how best to dynamically serve students, each other, and our wider community to advance knowledge and foster opportunity, innovation, civic engagement, social justice, and inclusive excellence.

As the University System of Maryland (USM), UMBC, and the Universities at Shady Grove each embark upon and/or continue to pursue their respective strategic planning processes, UMBC-Shady Grove has initiated a UMBC-Shady Grove Listening Tour to garner feedback and perspective from various stakeholders and partners regarding ways in which UMBC-Shady Grove can best center among these plans, collaborate, and build partnership to meet the unique needs of our student population and community. We are especially considering these efforts in terms of administrative and academic innovation.