Notre Dame of Maryland University joins other members of the Maryland Independent College and University Association (MICUA) to help more of the state’s community college students earn a four-year liberal arts degree, thanks to an initial $50,000 Teagle Foundation grant awarded to MICUA.
Nationally, about 80% of community college students want to earn a four-year degree, but fewer than 20% do so. MICUA institutions, including Notre Dame of Maryland University, will work with Maryland’s 16 community colleges to create a comprehensive transfer consortium and improve transfer pathways to colleges. The consortium’s work will focus on clear communication, shared data analysis, and a consistent focus on identifying and removing roadblocks to student success.
“The MICUA consortium and Teagle Foundation grant will make it possible for thousands of students to receive a transformative education from one of Maryland’s premier independent institutions of higher education,” said Sharon Slear, SSND, provost & vice president of academic affairs at Notre Dame of Maryland University. “Strengthening our partnerships with Maryland’s community colleges will break down barriers for students to realize their dream of achieving a four-year degree that will enrich the lives of their families and communities.”
With a focus on students who have been historically underrepresented and underserved in higher education, the MICUA consortium will expand existing opportunities to smooth their transfer to independent schools from community colleges. A workgroup, made up of chief academic officers and staff from the MICUA campuses and the community colleges, submitted the funding proposal.
Through this grant, MICUA will create a comprehensive and coordinated mechanism for promoting transfer from Maryland community colleges to MICUA schools and for sharing transfer student outcomes across all institutions. Beyond enabling MICUA to build a statewide structure to collaborate with community college peers, this grant will align the transfer priorities for MICUA with the priorities of the Maryland Higher Education Commission (MHEC), as well as the nationwide interest in expanding post-secondary education to all those who seek it.
“We are so grateful for this generous funding from the Teagle Foundation and the Arthur Vining Davis Foundations,” said Sara Fidler, president of MICUA. “Their confidence and support will enable us to strengthen our efforts to facilitate transfer as part of the community college student’s journey toward the achievement of a baccalaureate degree. We are looking forward to getting started!”
Established in 1895, Notre Dame of Maryland University (NDMU) is a private, Catholic institution in Baltimore, Maryland, with the mission to educate leaders to transform the world. Notre Dame has been named one of the best "Regional Universities North" by U.S. News & World Report.
