On March 25, 2026 the University of Maryland Baltimore held a virtual town hall to seek input and collaborate on the university's 2027-2031 strategic plan. The hosts and co-chairs are Jenny Owens, ScD, MS, vice provost of academic affairs, and Yolanda Ogbolu, PhD, NNP, FNAP, FAAN, the BIll and Joanne Conway dean and professor of the University of Maryland School of Nursing.

On March 25, 2026 the University of Maryland, Baltimore held a virtual town hall to discuss digital accessibility requirements under the ADA Title II. The discussion included a presentation by Emily Hurst, MSLS, associate vice provost and dean of the Health Sciences and Human Services Library.

What if schools could support more than just learning?Shantay McKinily of the University of Maryland School of Social Work Positive Schools Center explains how full-service community schools connect families to essential resources like food, housing support, and critical services — helping students feel supported and succeed.When schools become hubs for their communities, they can transform how students experience school every day.Breakthroughs can’t wait. At the University of Maryland, Baltimore, we’re changing the future today.#BreakthroughsCantWaitUMB #CommunitySchools #StudentSuccess #EducationEquity #SocialWork #PublicHealth

University of Maryland, Baltimore (UMB) faculty, staff, and students joined the Whiting-Turner Contracting Company crew and Ballinger architects Feb. 25 inside the school’s future assembly room to reflect on what this construction milestone represents: change.“This is a new moment for what we call changemakers,” said UMB President Bruce E. Jarrell, MD, FACS. “That’s what the School of Social Work does.”At a topping-off ceremony at 600 W. Lexington St., UMB and Whiting-Turner celebrated the structural completion of the new School of Social Work building that culminated in the raising of the final beam.Read a recap of the event: https://www.umaryland.edu/news/archived-news/february-2026/umb-tops-off-new-school-of-social-work-building.php

On May 18, 2026, the Maryland Board of Public Works gave final approval for a key element of the University of Maryland, Baltimore West Lexington Corridor project, a 99-year ground lease to developers to build housing and retail space in the 600 block of West Lexington Street in Baltimore. The project will use almost entirely private funds and will result in a "College Town" environment on the north end of the University's West Baltimore campus.For more from UMB News, read this story: https://www.umaryland.edu/news/archived-news/march-2026/state-gives-final-approval-for-west-lexington-corridor-plan.php

What if student success started with stronger families and healthier communities?At the University of Maryland School of Social Work, the Positive Schools Center partners with West Baltimore high schools to connect students and families with critical resources.By supporting families, improving engagement, and addressing barriers to learning, this work helps students focus, succeed, and thrive.Breakthroughs can’t wait. At the University of Maryland, Baltimore, we’re changing the future today.#BreakthroughsCantWaitUMB #CommunitySchools #StudentSuccess #SocialWork #EducationEquity

At the University of Maryland School of Social Work (UMSSW), Shantay McKinily, MS, is working to strengthen communities by helping schools serve as hubs of support for students and their families.Supported by a Full-Service Community Schools Grant from the U.S. Department of Education, the Positive Schools Center — which McKinily directs — is helping Renaissance Academy and Augusta Fells Savage Institute of Visual Arts in West Baltimore expand services that address both educational and basic needs for students and their families.Learn more at https://www.umaryland.edu/breakthroughs

Apathy is one of the most common — and most serious — challenges for people living with Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias.Jennifer Klinedinst, PhD, MPH, RN, FAHA, a researcher at the University of Maryland School of Nursing, explains that apathy reduces a person’s motivation to engage with the world around them. When people stop engaging, they often become extremely sedentary.Sedentary behavior is linked to cardiovascular disease, loss of function, and increased mortality.Understanding apathy is an important step toward improving quality of life for people living with dementia.Breakthroughs Can’t Wait. At the University of Maryland, Baltimore, we’re changing the future today.

What if volunteering could improve the lives of people living with dementia?Jennifer Klinedinst, PhD, MPH, RN, FAHA, a researcher at the University of Maryland School of Nursing, is studying how to address apathy — a common challenge for people living with Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias.Through the Volunteering in Place (VIP) program, residents in assisted living communities take on meaningful volunteer roles based on their interests and abilities. These activities help residents stay active, engaged, and connected to their community.Breakthroughs can't wait. At the University of Maryland, Baltimore, we're changing the future today.Learn more about the research: https://www.umaryland.edu/breakthroughs

At the University of Maryland School of Nursing (UMSON), Jennifer Klinedinst, PhD, MPH, RN, FAHA, associate professor, is addressing apathy, a common and serious challenge for people living with Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias.Learn more at umaryland.edu/breakthroughs