Dear UMB Community,

I’m delighted to welcome you to the 2022-2023 academic year at the University of Maryland, Baltimore (UMB)!

Whether you are new to UMB or returning for another year, I hope that this year presents you with new possibilities, inspires you to take on new challenges, and allows you to meet new goals. If you didn’t know already, you are at a special place.

Our core values demonstrate what we stand for and serve as a guide to how we behave. They are respect and integrity, well-being and sustainability, equity and justice, and innovation and discovery. By acting on these core values and using them to guide our everyday interactions, UMB becomes a place where everyone feels welcome, has a sense of belonging, and is supported to succeed.

This is what I want for you: Whether you are a student, member of the faculty, or staff member, know that you belong at UMB and that I am rooting for your success.

I also want you to know that you are part of something bigger — the mission of UMB is to improve the human condition and serve the public good. 

As Maryland’s only public health, law, and human services university — and as one of Baltimore’s most powerful anchor institutions — we have an obligation to keep a spotlight shining on our community; to work for access, equity, and justice; to create opportunities for others to thrive; and to make our communities healthier, stronger, more connected, and more vibrant. 

I want you to explore and get to know UMB’s West Baltimore neighborhood, and I hope that you find a fulfilling way to get involved. 

Finally, I want to invite you to join me at the President’s Q&A and Ice Cream Social (with Baltimore favorite Taharka Brothers ice cream) on Tuesday, Sept. 13, at noon in the Health Sciences Research Facility III Atrium. I hope to see you there.

Here’s to a great year!

Sincerely,

Bruce E. Jarrell, MD, FACS

President