The University of Maryland, Baltimore County has received a $21 million donation from the Sherman Family Foundation, the largest gift in the history of the university.
The donation will fund the new Betsy & George Sherman Center, which will expand UMBC’s work in school partnerships, teacher preparation, and research focused on early childhood education and improving learning outcomes for Baltimore students.
The investment comes as teachers throughout Maryland are leaving the classroom for other professions or retiring early, exacerbating an educator shortage in the state.
“This gift represents a clear and bold commitment to developing teachers that can better support future generations of students in Baltimore City, especially in early learning and STEM,” said Sonja Santelises, CEO of Baltimore City Public Schools, in a statement.
Prior donations from the Sherman family funded the Sherman STEM Teacher Scholars Program – which prepares UMBC students to become PreK-12 STEM educators – and the university’s Sherman Center for Early Learning in Urban Communities.
More than 170 educators have graduated from the Sherman Scholars program since it was founded in 2006. In 2021, 22 UMBC students graduated from the program, 19 of whom are now teaching in Baltimore City.
Lakeland Elementary/Middle School in South Baltimore was the first to partner with the university for the program, which now partners with ten schools.
“Partnering with schools and with communities to walk together through the process of growth and dreaming and achieving…it’s what the work really is about,” said Rehana Shafi, director of the Sherman Scholars program, in a statement.
