Montgomery County Executive Isiah Leggett and other State and County leaders joined Dr. William E. “Brit" Kirwan, Chancellor of the University System of Maryland (USM), and Dr. Stewart Edelstein, Executive Director of The Universities at Shady Grove (USG) and Associate Vice Chancellor for USM, on May 19, 2014, to celebrate progress toward the development of a fourth academic building on the USG campus. This expansion will pave the way for the future addition of top biomedical and engineering degree programs from several of Maryland’s top universities.

This year in the Maryland General Assembly, legislators secured the second year of planning and design funds for the new $170 million, 220,000-square-foot biomedical sciences and engineering academic complex. Montgomery County officials earlier approved $20 million for the funding of a new parking structure to support the expansion, which will enable USG to serve thousands of additional students in STEMM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math and Medical) programs.

USM, County and State officials successfully secured support for an acceleration of the USG campus expansion project, which is now targeted for opening in fall of 2018.

The new educational facility is being programmed to meet the needs of the region’s projected workforce, especially in science, technology, engineering, mathematics and medical sciences (STEMM). USG and its USM partner institutions will expand degree opportunities in healthcare and biosciences, engineering, and STEMM education. The building will feature state-of-the-art laboratories, active learning classrooms, clinical training facilities, academic offices, and an expanded level of student services necessary to support program and enrollment growth in these high-demand fields.

USG has become nationally recognized for its academic/instructional model, one that is predicated on effective partnering among USM institutions, Montgomery College and other area community colleges, and local employers such as the Montgomery County Public Schools, Marriott International, Adventist HealthCare, Lockheed Martin and the federal government. Through its strong relationships with these partners, USG is able to expand access to advanced degrees that meet specific workforce needs and help assure students post-graduation career opportunities within the region.

The planned USG biomedical sciences and engineering education facility, coupled with the resources available at the co-located USM Institute for Biosciences and Biotechnology Research (IBBR), will provide USM with an educational and research complex that is unique in its ability to nurture, support, and exploit the research and commercial opportunities and workforce needs of the region and continue to position Maryland as a competitive leader in the knowledge-based industry and innovation economy.

“Unique in the nation, The Universities at Shady Grove is continuing to grow into a thriving, multi-university campus that provides convenient and affordable access to some of the top and most in-demand degree programs in the state of Maryland and that growth would simply not be possible without the tremendous support we receive from our State and County officials, and most certainly from the University System of Maryland,” said Dr. Stewart Edelstein, Executive Director of USG and Associate Vice Chancellor of USM. “On behalf of our USG Board of Advisors and the entire USG community, we want to sincerely thank our State and County leaders, and all of those who have partnered with us in shaping USG’s vision for the future.”

Other participants in the event to celebrate USG’s growth and progress included State Senator Nancy King, Susan Bateson, Chair of the USG Board of Advisors, and Shahina Khan, a 2014 graduate of the University of Maryland, College Park’s Biological Sciences program.

To view photos of the event, click here.