It began with a dream . . . and an idea that brought together a prominent Baltimore philanthropist, a young university, and a commitment to the next generation.

The Meyerhoff Scholarship Program was created at The University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC) in 1988 with a major grant from The Robert and Jane Meyerhoff Foundation. Robert Meyerhoff wanted to address the shortage of African-Americans in the sciences and engineering, a committment which UMBC shared.

The initial grant enabled UMBC to launch a program of full support for outstanding African-American males. Participants would be competitively selected from across Maryland, major in mathematics,

science, engineering, or computer science, and pursue M.D., Ph.D., or M.D./Ph.D. degrees. The first group of Meyerhoff Scholars were 19 young African-American men who enrolled in the fall of 1989. A year later the program was expanded to include African-American women and students from across the country.

Today there are 180 Meyerhoff Scholars enrolled at UMBC, and the program is open to all high-achieving high school seniors who have an interest in pursuing doctoral study in the sciences, mathematics, computer science, and engineering, and who are interested in the advancement of minorities in the sciences and related fields.

The Meyerhoff Scholarship Program is working. And dreams are being realized.