The faculty at the University of Maryland, Baltimore (UMB) are some of the best and brightest in the nation. They are the backbone of the University and are the reason we can advance our mission to improve the human condition and serve the public good of Maryland and society at-large through education, research, clinical care, and service. As such, they deserved to be recognized. Below are some of the opportunities to bestow well-deserved honors to the faculty at UMB.

Distinguished University Professor Award

The title of Distinguished University Professor is the highest appointment bestowed on a faculty member by the University of Maryland, Baltimore (UMB). The title is a recognition not just of excellence, but also of impact and significant contribution to the nominee’s field, knowledge, profession, and/or practice. The Office of the Provost recognizes these honorees at the annual Convocation ceremony held each September.Distinguished University Professor award process

Founders Week Awards

Four awards are given to faculty or staff members, each signifying outstanding accomplishment in one facet of UMB’s mission: David J. Ramsay Entrepreneur of the Year, Educator of the Year, Public Servant of the Year, and Researcher of the Year.

University System of Maryland Awards

The Board of Regents Faculty Awards are the highest honor presented by the Board of Regents to exemplary faculty members within the University System of Maryland. These awards publicly recognize distinguished performance in 1) Teaching; 2) Scholarship or Research; 3) Creative Activity; 4) Public Service; and 5) Mentoring on the Part of Faculty Members.

Elkins Professorship

In this proud tradition, the Wilson H. Elkins Professorship was established in 1978 as the first permanently endowed, university-wide professorship at the University of Maryland.

The professorship is a fitting way to perpetuate the name and contributions of Wilson H. Elkins, a former Rhodes scholar who led the University of Maryland to new levels of distinction as its president from 1954 to 1978. Under Dr. Elkins’ leadership, the university grew notably in size, scope, and standing.

MPower Professorship Program

The MPower Professorship Program is a named professorship accompanied by funding to support salary, summer salary, or supplemental research activities. The program recognizes, incentivizes, and fosters collaborations between faculty at UMB and the University of Maryland, College Park (UMCP) who are working on the nation’s most pressing issues that require collaboration between the two institutions to achieve a positive outcome.

If you have questions about the MPower Professorship Program, you can contact Adrianne Arthur, executive director, University of Maryland Strategic Partnership: MPowering the State, at aarthur@umaryland.edu.

LEAPS Educator Awards

The LEAPS Educator Awards are designed to recognize exceptional teaching, mentoring, and educational scholarship activities of UMB faculty members, preceptors, and mentors. Note: LEAPS Steering Committee members may not self-nominate, but can be nominated by others.

Be JEDI Innovation Grant

The purpose of the Be JEDI Innovation Grant is to enhance belonging, justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion at UMB through education, research, service, climate, or leadership outcomes and to support and advance the UMB Strategic Plan, with a particular focus on Theme 3: University Culture, Engagement, and Belonging PDF and the integration of core values of equity and justice at UMB.

Instructional Innovation Seed Grant Program

This grant program is intended to provide the opportunity to experiment, test, or implement a teaching innovation that addresses an important instructional concern and improves teaching and student learning with the goal of increasing student success. Note: LEAPS Council and Steering Committee members are not eligible.

Faculty Convocation is an opportunity for the faculty from each of UMB’s schools to gather in fellowship with one another to celebrate the beginning of the academic year. This convocation is a newer tradition, first held during the start of the 2022-23 school year.