UMES among finalists in HHMI’s Driving Change Competition

The University of Maryland Eastern Shore (UMES), a historically black university with a R2 Carnegie Classification, is the only HBCU among 38 finalists whose letter of intent was selected out of nearly 100 applicants for the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s (HHMI) Driving Change Initiative. The Driving Change competition consists of the following interlocking elements: the development of a coherent set of activities that provides a robust framework to support student success in STEM, the creation of a more inclusive STEM learning environment that affects all STEM students at the university, and convening a learning community of institutions that are engaged in driving change.

“My hope is for us to engage in genuine reflection as a university community regarding what we need to do to ensure our students can exude excellence in representing themselves and their professions in STEM,” said Dr. Nancy Niemi, Provost and Vice President of Academic Affairs

The university will undergo a self-study to identify its good practices and ways the university can improve and drive culture change in the world of STEM. Ultimately, six institutions will be selected in Fall 2021 from the finalists to receive $500,000 a year over six years. The funds must be used to help create culture change regarding STEM education on the campuses.