For 50 years, America's largest online public university has been known as the University of Maryland University College. This year, the institution has changed its name to be more reflective of its mission of reaching students all over the nation.
Starting this fall, current and prospective students will now know the university as the University of Maryland Global Campus and will begin to see the new name reflected in the logo and look on the school's website.
“This new name reflects the institution’s established standing as a global leader in adult higher education, its impact as an innovator and early adopter of online education, and its focus on helping Maryland build its highly skilled workforce through affordable, accessible, and career-relevant academic programs," said Maryland Governor Larry Hogan.
Hogan signed the legislation officially changing the institution name on April 18.
University of Maryland Global Campus (UMGC) serves approximately 90,000 students annually in more than 20 countries. The new name more accurately conveys the institution’s public mission to meet prospective attendees right where they are.
Serving students around the world has always been the mission of UMGC. In 1949, the institution became the first American institution of higher education to send faculty overseas to teach military personnel stationed in Allied-occupied Germany. The overseas program expanded across Europe, sending faculty to Asia beginning in 1956, to the Middle East in 2005, and even into war zones in Vietnam, Kosovo, Iraq, and Afghanistan.
“The name University of Maryland Global Campus affirms both our roots as a respected public institution in the state of Maryland and our global footprint,” said President Javier Miyares. “It better reflects who we are today as we seek to broaden our reach in a highly competitive national landscape, thus keeping tuition low for Maryland students and ensuring the long-term sustainability of the university.