The Universities at Shady Grove - a new education center for participating institutions from the University System of Maryland (USM) and Montgomery County's first-ever opportunity to complete a four-year degree in a daytime USM program - will host an open house on Thursday, April 13 at the center, 9640 Gudelsky Drive in Rockville. The open house, which will offer incoming students the chance to learn more about the wide array of courses available at Shady Grove beginning this fall, will take place beginning at 1:30 p.m. The public is invited.
On hand for the open house will be officials from the USM and its Board of Regents, members of the Montgomery County state and local delegation - including Douglas M. Duncan, Montgomery County executive; Michael L. Subin, president of the Montgomery County Council; Ida Ruben, state senator and chair of the Montgomery County delegation; and Del. Nancy Kopp - local business leaders, officials from Montgomery College, and members of the Shady Grove faculty and staff.
The Universities at Shady Grove represent an opportunity for students at Montgomery College and other area community colleges to complete the final two years of their undergraduate degrees much closer to home. They can transfer their credits, and finish with a degree from a participating USM college or university.
Currently, plans call for a number of new course offerings at the two-building complex, including general and liberal studies in business and management, computer science and computer and information science; psychology, nursing, medical and research technology; and early childhood and special education. Future offerings will include courses in accounting, business, marketing, hotel and restaurant management, social work, and elementary and secondary education.
USM institutions have been offering evening and weekend programs at Shady Grove for nearly a decade, but the opening of the center marks the first time that various institutions will provide full-time programs during the day.
Donald N. Langenberg, chancellor of the USM and a major proponent of new ventures in higher education, said Shady Grove is the summation of years of work to provide the opportunity to earn a four-year degree to the heart of one of Maryland's most thriving areas.
"Higher education must go where the market is booming," Langenberg said. "In Maryland, one of those big markets is Montgomery County, where new businesses and industries are calling loud and clear for local graduates of enormous talent and ambition. We looked long and hard at this project, and, based on the response we've gotten so far, this charter venture we call the Universities at Shady Grove is a big success right out of the box."
Langenberg added that the convenience offered by a local education center has enormous value for both students and faculty.
"We realized that many of our students were traveling thousands of miles each semester to take classes at one of our established campuses," he said. "That is a credit to the quality of the USM institutions and the desire of the students, but we believed we could and should provide more ready access to higher education."
Charlene Nunley, president of Montgomery College, said, "It's truly exciting to see that students will soon be enjoying the benefits of this unique and exciting partnership that has been forged between Montgomery College and the University System of Maryland. Many transfer students who may have otherwise been without a feasible option for completing their four-year education will now be able to do so without ever leaving Montgomery County, through some of the top programs offered by our outstanding University System of Maryland institutions."
For more information, visit:
The Universities at Shady Grove
Contact:
Chris Hart
Phone: 301/445-2739
Pager: 301/507-2316
E-mail: chart@usmd.edu