Tue, 17 May 2005 04:00:00 -0400
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Shared Values Set in Stone

UMBC honors Walter Sondheim, Jr., a pivotal leader of school desegregation and economic revitalization in Baltimore, for his achievements in community service, social justice and diversity on May 11 with the dedication of the University’s first named academic building, Janet and Walter Sondheim Hall, and an accompanying sculpture.

The event caps off a successful $6 million campaign to endow the Sondheim Public Affairs Scholars Program at UMBC and rename the former Social Sciences building in honor of Sondheim and his late wife, Janet.

Sondheim is perhaps best known for leading the desegregation of Baltimore City Public Schools as chair of the City School Board and for guiding the “Baltimore Renaissance” of downtown and the Inner Harbor in the 1970s and 1980s as chairman of Charles Center-Inner Harbor Management, Inc. (View an online documentary on Sondheim’s career.)

“Walter Sondheim embodies the values that the UMBC community treasures most,” said UMBC President Freeman A. Hrabowski, III. “He is a visionary leader who cares deeply about children, families and education in Baltimore. The statue and building we dedicate in his honor will stand for a long time. But a more fitting and lasting tribute will be the Sondheim Public Affairs Scholars who bear his name as they serve the public and make a difference to generations to come.”

Founded in 1999, UMBC’s Sondheim Public Affairs Scholars Program, directed by Roy Meyers, professor of political science, supports talented undergraduate students who want to become effective leaders in government, non-profits , corporations and the community. Through an interdisciplinary approach combining service learning, internships and intensive advising/mentoring, over 40 Sondheim Public Affairs Scholars have graduated from the program or are currently receiving training for careers in law, social work, public administration, business, education, environmental policy, politics and other fields.

While Sondheim has received many honors over his career, the UMBC hall is the first entire structure named in his honor and the statue, sculpted from cast bronze by Maryland artist Antonio Tobias Mendez, is the first life-size rendition. Three granite benches for public seating anchoring the bluestone plaza outside the renamed building are inscribed with quotes from Sondheim reflecting his insights and values. Once unveiled, a life-sized likeness of Sondheim stands and invites the viewer to sit on a bench and take part in the community, symbolizing his civic spirit and humble generosity.

More information on the May 11 Sondheim Hall and statue dedication is available online.

(5/9/05)