December 13, 2024

Ten years ago, UMB recognized the need to coordinate and focus dozens of outreach and service programs so the anchor institution could have a more significant impact on and commitment to its surrounding community in West Baltimore. Thus, the Office of Community Engagement — now the Office of Community and Civic Engagement (OCCE) — was born. The office’s name change, which became official Oct. 1, honors the meaningful partnerships and collaborative work the office is known for, according to Danielle Harris, LCSW-C, director of community engagement operations, while also reflecting the University’s evolving mission to support and collaborate with community members as active leaders and agents of civic change. 

Watch the anniversary video, read about the celebration, and visit an online gallery of photos at UMB News.

Depicted: Pro Football Hall of Famer Ray Lewis holds up local youth Blair Pinnacle, re-creating a moment from 2019 when the former Raven hoisted then-second-grader Pinnacle at the groundbreaking ceremony for UMB’s Community Engagement Center on South Poppleton Street.