[Congressional Record Volume 152, Number 108 (Wednesday, September 6, 2006)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1636]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




    TRIBUTE ON THE 40TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND, 
                            BALTIMORE COUNTY

                                 ______
                                 

                        HON. BENJAMIN L. CARDIN

                              of maryland

                    in the house of representatives

                      Wednesday, September 6, 2006

  Mr. CARDIN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to offer congratulations to one 
of Maryland's premier institutions of higher learning--the University 
of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC)--as it celebrates its 40th 
anniversary.
  Located on what was once a cow pasture, the university has risen to 
astonishing heights in a very short time. When UMBC first opened in 
1966, it had only 750 students and three buildings. Today, the 
university offers first-rate education and research opportunities to 
more than 11,000 students, while retaining the personal contact 
typically found at a small liberal arts college.
  In recent years, the guidance of President Freeman Hrabowski has led 
the university to new heights. UMBC's unique combination of 
undergraduate focus and graduate research reflects the dedication to 
balance that has led UMBC to become one of the top public universities 
in the nation.
  The nationally recognized Meyerhoff Scholars Program, which Dr. 
Hrabowski co-founded, is among the most successful undergraduate 
diversity programs in the nation. UMBC has one of the highest rates of 
minority students pursuing advanced degrees in medicine and science of 
any school in the United States. UMBC also has been ranked first 
nationally in the total number of undergraduate chemistry degrees given 
to African-Americans.
  In 40 years UMBC has become one of the nation's top independent 
public research universities. The numerous accomplishments of the 
university are all the more impressive because they have come so 
rapidly. In fact, UMBC is one of the youngest universities ever to be 
honored with a chapter of Phi Beta Kappa, and in recent years UMBC has 
led every university in the nation in undergraduates receiving Merck 
Undergraduate Science Research Scholarships.
  Mr. Speaker, I call upon my colleagues in the U.S. House of 
Representatives to join me in honoring the achievements and success of 
UMBC, one of the bright stars in American higher education.

                          ____________________