On September 19, 1966, the first students began classes at UMBC. Fifty years later to the day, the UMBC community gathered for a special Founders Day celebration to reflect on the first generation of students, faculty, staff, and alumni who paved the way for university to become a national model of inclusive excellence.

Before a full crowd at the Retriever Activities Center (RAC), Robin Mayne ’69, American studies, UMBC’s first graduate, presented a letter she wrote to UMBC’s current freshman class and to future UMBC students over the next fifty years. It will be placed in a time capsule that will be opened in 2066.

Mayne described how her liberal arts education at UMBC inspired her to become a lifelong learner and provided her with the critical thinking skills needed to grapple with the complexities of today’s world.

“At [UMBC’s] core was engagement of both students and faculty in studies, creativity, community, political action, and social awareness and responsibility,” shared Mayne. “In the 50 years since those beginnings, these commitments have not diminished, but have only expanded and intensified.”

Vrinda Deshpande ’20, mathematics, formally thanked Mayne and accepted her letter on behalf of the freshman class. She reflected on her desire, and that of her fellow new Retrievers, to build on the foundation they are inheriting. “With these lessons, I know that my class’s next four years will reflect the same dedication that the first graduating class had to education and changing the world for the better,” Deshpande said.

The program also included top photos from the 50th anniversary celebration weekend and a living history that was presented by faculty, student, staff, and alumni leaders, documenting significant milestones over the university’s 50-year history.

President Freeman Hrabowski delivered the 2016 State of the University Address, reflecting on the university’s growth and achievements over the last 50 years. He highlighted rapid increases in UMBC’s research funding and partnerships, as well as the university’s economic impact. He also spoke to the impressive accomplishments of 70,000 UMBC alumni and the university’s commitment to issues of social justice and equality.

President Hrabowski also highlighted a New York Times story by columnist Frank Bruni, published during UMBC’s 50th anniversary weekend, that praised the university for serving as a national model of inclusive excellence—being a place where students of all backgrounds can achieve great things.

“From the ceiling of the student commons hang flags of countries from which students have come. There are more than 100,” wrote Bruni. “It’s a kind of kaleidoscope, and as I walked under it with Freeman Hrabowski, U.M.B.C.’s dynamic president, he stressed the school’s determination to ‘connect students to people different from themselves and lives different from their own.'”

“This has been a 50-year experiment in Catonsville,” Pres. Hrabowski explained in his remarks at Founders Day. “Can you bring people together from all races, backgrounds, and religions, and have them learning how to work together, to live together, and to listen to each other? That’s what we’re in the process of doing in our country, and it’s what we believe we are doing on this campus and will do even more of in the time to come.”

After commemorating UMBC’s first 50 years, President Hrabowski closed the Founders Day celebration by emphasizing that there is plenty of work still to be done in achieving sustained future success.

“We are forward-looking and responsive. We have a strong focus on inclusive excellence. We believe in high expectations and a passion for learning. But most important, we still believe in hard work.”

Read more about UMBC’s 50th anniversary celebration in The Baltimore Sun article “Over 50 years, UMBC has cultivated a research mission from former pastures” (with video).

Images: UMBC 50th Anniversary Founders Day Celebration, September 19, 2016. Photos by Marlayna Demond ’11 for UMBC. Video by New Media Studio. 

Thousands of Retrievers came together as a community on Saturday night—alumni, faculty, staff, and students from all five decades of UMBC history—to celebrate the remarkable story of UMBC.

In UMBC’s first Commencement program, Diane Juknelis Tichnell  ’70, political science, wrote, “The present class of graduates is the first in a long line of innovators who are not to be considered products of UMBC, but rather constant producers of all that gives it character and quality… The campus, ever-growing and changing, will bear the indelible imprint of those who participated in its all-important first steps on a course untried.”

On the night of the anniversary festival, September 17, 2016, the founding generation of Retrievers who together created and shaped UMBC over the course of its first 50 years, had an opportunity to honor that achievement, salute one another, and set the stage for the next half-century. Together they cheered for a dazzling display of fireworks at the top of UMBC’s hilly campus, transforming from a flurry of twinkling stars to astounding fireballs. Center stage, before the backdrop of fireworks, was the UMBC Symphony Orchestra—a microcosm of UMBC’s inclusive excellence—performing Stravinsky’s gripping Firebird.

Saturday began with the Roots of Greatness Luncheon, honoring UMBC’s founding faculty and staff, as well as those who have won Presidential and Regents’ awards through the history of the university. Wendy Salkind, professor emerita of theatre, opened the program with a comment made by UMBC’s founding chancellor, Albin O. Kuhn, in the first issue of what would become the Retriever newspaper. “We do not expect UMBC to be quite like any other campus,” Kuhn wrote, continuing, “You will find many open doors to the offices of faculty and staff who are anxious to make UMBC an outstanding center for educational adventure.”

“That’s been true for 50 years now,” said Salkind.

CAHSS Dean Emeritus John Jeffries; Professor Emeritus and Research Professor of Political Science George La Noue; Yasmin Karimian ‘11, political science; and David Bennett ‘11, political science, spoke before a full University Center Ballroom about the process of researching and writing La Noue’s new book Improbable Excellence: The Saga of UMBC. “UMBC has developed a new model,” said La Noue. He predicted “the quest for excellence will become a permanent part of UMBC culture.” [watch video]

At GRIT-X, later that afternoon, faculty and alumni presented a series of engaging talks demonstrating UMBC’s broad impact in research, scholarship, and creative achievement. Speakers covered topics from the process for creating a successful theatre company to dealing with contaminants of emerging concern in local watersheds.

“We really wanted to put a program together that…gives a glimpse at the diversity of programs and groundbreaking, impactful research and the many thought-provoking topics that many of our alumni and faculty are working on,” explained Karl Steiner, vice president for research. [watch video]

The House of Grit was one of the largest attractions of the 50th anniversary celebration. Named for UMBC’s character and spirit, this community festival showcased programs and communities from across the university.

A Lego model of campus, constructed by Jason Burik ‘00, psychology, proved particularly popular for visitors of all ages. The Dawg Pound, hosted by UMBC Athletics, also drew crowds, showcasing UMBC scholar-athletes signing autographs, a display of UMBC’s NCAA trophies, games, a photobooth, and a performance space.

At the UMBC Racing team’s station, guests explored two Baja racing cars alongside footage from past races that showed the challenge and excitement of steering a vehicle along treacherous courses. Students, alumni, and future Retrievers, some who couldn’t yet reach the pedals, enjoyed a chance to sit in the driver’s seat.

3D-printed braille rings developed by UMBC’s Prototype and Design (PAD) lab and an interactive “Cranes in Motion” display, which enabled visitors to guide the motion of animated birds on a screen, were crowd favorites. Guests also had a chance to build and race their own boats from upcycled materials, and to use items like bouncy balls, playing cards, and frying pans to create unique percussion music.

Through Celebrate Science, held in UMBC’s College of Natural and Mathematical Sciences facilities, kids had a chance to make slime, sort M&Ms to learn about mathematical concepts, detect sunspots, see a model of a satellite, play with magnets, and explore how a square block can roll.

Visitors later gathered for the long awaited Puppy Parade [watch live video]. Featuring dozens of dogs of all ages and breeds, UMBC’s own True Grit, dancers, and musicians, the parade was a highlight in Baltimore Sun coverage of the festivities.

George Derek Musgrove ‘97, history, associate professor of history, moderated a lighthearted alumni panel on the UMBC student experience over the years. Steven Fedder ‘72, American studies; Shari Elliker ‘83, interdisciplinary studies; and Oliver Myers (M1) ‘94, M.S. ‘96, Ph.D. ‘07, mechanical engineering, shared memories of their time as students. Myers reflected on his unique experience as part of the first class of Meyerhoff Scholars, and how UMBC offered him unparalleled opportunities to connect with world leaders in science and government on their frequent visits to campus.

Immediately after the alumni panel, visitors ran to catch the start of a special UMBC edition of the popular Stoop Storytelling Series, featuring moving personal tales from UMBC’s earliest days [watch video]. UMBC President Freeman A. Hrabowski shared his own memory of the UMBC community coming together to protect and advocate for humanities programs when their future was uncertain. “I am a strong believer that working class people, middle class people, should be exposed to the best,” said Hrabowski, “because they are going to be leaders.”

Leaving the emotional event, guests emerged from UMBC’s Performing Arts and Humanities Building to find the sun had set. In the heart of the House of Grit they saw a crowd of thousands of Retrievers and their families gathered around a massive, brightly lit stage, buzzing with excitement, ready for one final performance to begin. Visitors and organizers alike had high expectations, and the finale—with its soaring music and momentous firework display—surpassed them all. [watch Baltimore Sun video]

“Hearing the fireworks right behind me and the huge crowd cheering, watching the blinking bracelets, and pulling as rich of a sound as possible from my viola was a sensory feast,” shares Sarah Hansen, M.S. ‘15, biological sciences, a member of the orchestra and UMBC communications manager. “This is my community. That finale brought together the UMBC family in a way that has never happened before, and reminded me that I will always be a UMBC alumna, and UMBC will always be my home.”

Header image: Fireworks display at UMBC’s 50th anniversary celebration. Photo by Dan Bailey. Additional photos by UMBC staff and freelance photographers.