Setting the Stage for Success

The curtain is about to go up on a very special Founders Week at the University of Maryland, Baltimore (UMB). In 2007, we are celebrating the bicentennial of the year that our institution began as the College of Medicine of Maryland. But we are not just looking back; we are also looking ahead to the next exciting era of growth at UMB.

Founders Week is a time for students, faculty, staff, alumni, and friends to recognize the accomplishments and advances made in our classrooms, research labs, and community. Founders Week is also a time to acknowledge the generosity of our many donors. On our professional campus, state funding covers less than 20 percent of our operating budget. Continued private support is vital to the success of our mission.

Our Founders Week 2007 festivities will open this year with the black-tie gala at the Hippodrome Theater on Tuesday, Oct. 9. That night we will recognize five of our “superstars”—the Teacher of the Year, the Research Lecturer of the Year, the Public Servant of the Year, and two Entrepreneurs of the Year. This special night will also herald the official launch of our capital campaign.

Other Founders Week 2007 activities include the Research Lecture, presented by the Research Lecturer of the Year, the Student Cookout—one of my annual favorites—and the Staff Luncheon. Thank you for joining us in the Founders Week activities, and for your enduring support as we move forward into the next 200 years of progress at UMB.