MEDIA ADVISORY: Groundbreaking Ceremony for
Education Building at Universities at Shady Grove
Nov. 22 - Governor Ehrlich to Attend
November 8, 2005
EVENT: University System of Maryland (USM) Chancellor William E. Kirwan and Universities at Shady Grove (USG) Executive Director Stewart Edelstein will host the groundbreaking ceremony for Education Building III on the USG Montgomery County campus. The new building will significantly improve access to higher education for an expanding and diverse population in the region by tripling the enrollment capacity of the fast-growing regional center, which is part of the University System of Maryland, to 6,000.
TIME/PLACE: The ceremony will begin at 10 a.m., Multi purpose Room, Education Building II, 9630 Gudelsky Drive, Rockville, MD, 301-738-6023. A reception at approximately 11 a.m. will follow the groundbreaking. For directions, visit www.shadygrove.umd.edu
PARTICIPANTS: Featured speakers will include Governor Robert Ehrlich, Chancellor Kirwan, USM Board of Regents Chair David Nevins, USG Board of Advisors Chair Steven O'Connor, Montgomery County Executive Douglas Duncan, Maryland Senator P.J. Hogan (District 39), and USG student Foday Sackor. Mr. Sackor is enrolled in the Robert. H. Smith School of Business and attends all his classes at Shady Grove.
PROGRAM/
PHOTO OP: Following remarks, the speakers, accompanied by Mr. Edelstein and seven students representing the Maryland public universities that offer degree and certificate programs at USG, will proceed to the construction site for the groundbreaking.
BUILDING III: Building III will be a 192,000 square foot, five-story, wireless academic building, housing 29 classrooms, 10 computer classrooms, two distance education classrooms, two open computer laboratories, 81 faculty offices, and five conference rooms. Additional facilities will include a dining area, bookstore, recreational facilities, student lounges, study areas, and a library and media center (www.shadygrove.umd..edu/about/SGIII/floor-plans-gallery.cfm). The construction company is Skanska USA Inc. and the architect is Cannon Design Inc. The new structure was included in Governor Ehrlich's 2006 capital budget and approved by the Maryland Legislature in its 2005 session.
Building III will support the expansion of degree and certificate programs in such areas as nursing, education,, business, social work, and information technology, and it will facilitate the introduction of new programs in engineering and applied technologies, health care and allied health fields, and other professional degrees.
ABOUT USG: Established as a regional center by the University System of Maryland in 2000, The Universities at Shady Grove now has more than 2,000 students enrolled in over 30 upper-level bachelor's degree and graduate degree and certificate programs from seven of the state's leading public universities. Students may attend undergraduate programs full or part-time; graduate and certificate programs are offered part-time. Students receive their degrees from the university that offers the degree program. Participating institutions include Bowie State University; Towson University; University of Maryland, Baltimore; University of Maryland, Baltimore County; University of Maryland, College Park; University of Maryland Eastern Shore; and University of Maryland University College.
MEDIA CONTACT:
Judy Phair, 301-317-8243
Liz O'Neill, 301-445-2719