UMGC’s unwavering commitment to meeting military learners where they are
By Gregory W. Fowler, PhD, President, University of Maryland Global Campus
For nearly eight decades, University of Maryland Global Campus (UMGC) has maintained an unwavering commitment to the men and women who wear the uniform of our country. The program that grew into our modern institution was established in 1947.
While GIs returning from World War II were a primary audience, the university quickly pivoted to creating physical locations in Europe for servicemembers stationed overseas. UMGC was the only institution that answered the government’s call to set up physical operations alongside military facilities, sending seven faculty members to Germany on short notice.
That foundation shaped the institution we are today. This year, roughly 55 percent of the 100,000 learners we will serve have a military affiliation—active duty, veteran, spouse, or dependent. That representation is not incidental. It reflects deliberate choices about who we are and how we serve.
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This article was originally published by the Presidents Forum on March 9, 2026.
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