UMD’s long-running program that engages students in real-world projects to “Do Good” for Maryland communities will now do more. The Partnership for Action Learning in Sustainability (PALS) is one of six campus programs selected to receive funding as part of UMD’s inaugural Do Good Campus Signature Initiatives.
The new Signature Initiative designation recognizes programs that equip students to become social impact leaders, foster collaborative partnerships and translate academic work into tangible solutions. The inaugural cohort was selected from 27 proposals submitted by colleges and units across the university.
“The University of Maryland is proud to be the nation’s first Do Good campus, and these initiatives bring that vision to life in powerful ways,” said UMD’s Senior Vice President and Provost Jennifer King Rice. “By connecting classroom learning with meaningful action in communities, students are being prepared to lead and contribute to solutions that improve lives across Maryland and around the world.”
Since 2013, PALS has demonstrated how classroom learning can drive community impact by connecting faculty expertise and student creativity with 70 local governments, nonprofits and community organizations to address pressing sustainability challenges. Administered by UMD’s National Center for Smart Growth in the School of Architecture, Planning and Preservation, the program delivers practical, cost-effective solutions while giving students hands-on, real-world experience.
As a Signature Initiative, PALS will advance its successful model to connect more students in classes across campus with nonprofit organizations to engage in applied problem-solving that improves the quality of life in Maryland communities.
The university will support the initiatives through funding, partnerships and programming, with additional Signature Initiatives expected in the coming years.
“Maryland’s Do Good Campus is about empowering students to make an impact today on a cause they are passionate about,” said Robert Grimm, director of the Do Good Institute and the Levenson Family Chair in Philanthropy and Nonprofit Leadership. “We look forward to partnering with these initiatives to advance our Do Good efforts.”
The inaugural cohort spans disciplines and communities, reflecting the breadth of Maryland’s Do Good commitment. Other recipients address issues from food insecurity through campuswide collaborations to a student-run makerspace for West Baltimore families.