Who Are The Scholars?

Meyerhoff Scholars turn the typical stereotype of a minority student on its head. They set the curve. Many are straight-A students and members of Phi Beta Kappa. They are valedictorians, student government officers and scholar athletes. They are published journal authors and recipients of numerous scholarships and fellowships for graduate study. They lead class discussions, and they inspire admiration in other students. The sheer magnitude of the program, with roughly 50 to 60 students in each incoming cohort, demonstrates that exceptional minority students are not an exception.

The self-assurance, drive and hard work that Meyerhoff Scholars exhibit raise professors’ expectations for their performance. “I can remember vividly the first biology class I taught with Meyerhoff students in it,” explains Dr. Lynn Zimmerman, professor of biological sciences and vice provost for academic initiatives. “Normally, the handful of African-American students who took this junior-level class sat in the back row of the large lecture hall. Suddenly, one year, it was different. I walked into the classroom and there were twice as many African-American students. And they were sitting in the front row.” She noticed a change immediately: in an introductory class with a hundred students. Meyerhoff students were interactive, posing questions, speaking up. Their example ultimately allowed Zimmerman to teach in her preferred style—more dynamic discussion, less lecture—since all students became more encouraged to follow the Meyerhoffs’ lead: participate, be engaged, work collaboratively. “Very quickly,” she recalls, “it changed my expectations of all of the African-American students in my classes.”

Extending the Lessons
“Meyerhoff Scholars are expected to be part of the whole university,” says the program’s executive director, Earnestine Baker. While their achievements cause scholars to stand out among their peers, they are not set apart from other students. Nor is the program isolated within the university—it impacts students on campus and fits squarely with UMBC’s broader culture and strategic goals.

“When they first arrive, we stress with the students, yes, you’re Meyerhoff Scholars, but you are also UMBC students,” explains Baker. “We expect them to be active in the UMBC community—and they are. They are tutors, they are officers in organizations on campus, they play sports and perform community service.”

Specific tenets of the Meyerhoff Program have contributed to UMBC’s campus culture. For all students, an emphasis is placed on studying in groups, carefully selecting first-year courses, taking advantage of tutorial centers, working not just to get by but to excel, encouraging mutual support, and developing a sense of community among students. “The university has a rich tradition of combining first-rate research faculty and bright undergraduates,” says Provost Arthur Johnson, “so the Meyerhoff Program is in fact symbolic of the educational experience of many students on our campus.”