UPDATE (11/14/11): The segment is now available to view online here. A transcript is available here.
UPDATE (11/05/11): The airing of the “60 Minutes” piece on UMBC has been postponed. It is now tentatively scheduled for Sunday, Nov. 13, at 7 p.m.
After many months of filming on campus, “60 Minutes” plans to feature UMBC on its program this Sunday. What’s the bad news? It’s all too familiar: the United States continues to graduate too few students, particularly minorities, in science, technology, engineering, and math. The good news: “60 Minutes” focuses on UMBC as a place that gets it right.
We appreciate the recognition – but, more importantly, the opportunity to raise the visibility of this critical issue. We hope that you will tune in Sunday, Nov. 6, at 7 p.m. and encourage others to do so as well. (Of course, we have to give you the disclaimer that “news happens,” and the lineup could change.)
As you watch, you will see a well-executed production, not the months of taping, research, and editing. You certainly won’t see the messy outtakes. Transformation in higher education happens in much the same way. It’s a process, not a product. What started in 1988 with an idea for a select program for African-American males in science, math, and engineering – the Meyerhoff Scholars Program – has blossomed into a broad culture of student achievement at UMBC.
Lessons from the Meyerhoff program, for example, inspired scholars programs for undergraduates in the arts, humanities, public affairs, and teacher education. More recently, the Meyerhoff experience with group study informed course redesigns for first-year courses in science, engineering, and psychology. And, in turn, lessons from that initiative now have UMBC working to infuse active learning throughout its curriculum.
But these few examples aren’t the story. What we have worked toward over the past 25 years at UMBC is a culture that goes beyond “project mode” when it comes to improving undergraduate education. More than a particular program, department, or initiative – we are an entire community that works relentlessly to improve the educational experience we provide.
Our faculty, staff, students, alumni, and partners have worked tirelessly, and often behind the scenes, to breathe life into that work. UMBC’s successes are your successes. Thank you for your continued support, and enjoy the spotlight!
I have always been extremely proud of the education I received at UMBC and speak of my time there with great pride. As a female non-traditional student in my 40s working toward my English Lit. Secondary Education degree, UMBC prepared me to be the best educator I could be. I never felt out of place nor that I was different from any other student on campus. My professors were challenging and stimulating. The electives I took in Classical Latin, music, and African Studies/Toni Morrison helped propel me toward my ultimate career as a Librarian for the Baltimore County Public School system. Graduating with high honors and being inducted into the honor society of Phi Beta Kapa, make me extremely proud to associate myself with the many past and present UMBC Alumni!
Rebecca Frager – Librarian Woodlawn High School
Cudos, kudos…, even a umbc graduate can have a problem spelling a word, but never fail expressing their enthusiasum for the greatness of the teacher(s). I’m a proud alumnae, and parent of current benficiary of UMBC’s pusuit of educational nervana. The national exposure for UMBC and Dr Habrowski, hopefully highlight my “insitutions” legacy of exceptional leadership, students, staff, resources and associations..
The magic continues….. I will make sure to watch.
I am proud to be a graduate of UMBC. I was an Interdisciplinary Studies major (Africana Studies & Mass Media) with a minor in Writing which has been even more valuable to me than my MA I received later at another school. From the McNair program to strong residence life programs, I was strongly supported during my matriculation. UMBC was a great school for many– even those of us not in the STEM majors.
Kudos for the media coverage.
UMBC………….very fond memories.
Great documentary on CBS 60 minutes .. I am also inspired by the greats like Isaac Newton, Carlo Alberto Castigliano, Joseph Fourier, Pierre-Simon Laplace, George Gabriel Stokes, Osborne Reynolds etc.
Interesting to see UMBC churning out future greats.
Great Piece about UMBC and their president. I would love to have my kids to go to this type of education. Great message and I wish more schools had this program…
Jim Gavin
As a proud parent of a Meyerhoff scholar, I watched the segment with great pride and admiration for president Hrabowski. The Centennial Academic Leadership Award from Carnegie Corporation and the prime time coverage on 60 minutes are well deserved tributes to the hard work and dedication of the UMBC community of scholars and the enabling environment created by an untiring leader . This is only the beginning.
Congratulations UMBC
Dawit Teklu