John and Nancy Erickson are well known in Baltimore and beyond for their entrepreneurial success in building world-class retirement communities, including the Charlestown Retirement Community near UMBC's campus. But it was their philanthropic spirit that laid the foundation for their relationship with UMBC.

Since 1999, the Erickson Foundation, a family foundation that supports educational, scientific, and research initiatives, has worked with UMBC's Vice President of Student Affairs Charles Fey and Vice President of Administration and Finance Mark Behm to build and finance campus housing for more than 1,000 students, relieving the University's previous housing shortage.

"I wanted to help UMBC meet its housing needs and create an academic village for students," says John Erickson. "The foundation can help the University deliver an educational need, which is the reason for our existence, and this allows us to do more than we each could individually."

In fact, the expanded housing, combined with The Commons, UMBC's new $32 million student center, has allowed UMBC to offer students a full residential experience, including nighttime and weekend activities, a wide range of dining choices, on-campus banking, wireless Internet access, and much-needed meeting space.