By Jason Giolando 9th grader at Brien McMahon High School and Jaden Snow 11th grader at Rye Neck High School

Tucked away on the shoreline of Maryland is a small gem known as the University of Maryland Eastern Shore (UMES) which sits on 620 acres of land in Princess Anne, Maryland. It is part of the University System of Maryland.

Founded in 1886 with a land grant, this HBCU (Historically Black College or University) held many names prior to 1970 when it was officially named the University of Maryland Eastern Shore. This was the smallest school we visited thus far on Carver’s 50th annual College Tour. The well-manicured lawns gave us a welcoming feel as we arrived, and we went on to discover a clean and organized campus.

Our enthusiastic tour guide Tommi Fashola began the process of persuasion. We learned about enrollment, class sizes, housing accommodations, dining options, sports, school activities, staff-to-student ratios, and the historic buildings on campus.

There are currently 2,000 students on campus, dormitories are apartment-style, the student to teacher ratio is 13 to 1, athletic students are housed in the Murphy building, the library is three floors, it’s a Division 1 school for basketball and track, and the acceptance rate is 87%. The school has a safety emergency system and all students can have cars on campus.

We also learned which classes were housed in which buildings. Little did Tommi know how well prepared we were. Our student group was on a quest for information far beyond the routine facts. We asked many probing questions. What is your standard for acceptance? What percentage of your students graduate in four years? Is the teaching here innovative and project-oriented? Are most classes taught by big-name professors or teaching assistants? Tommi was very knowledgeable, appreciated our interest and informed questions, and did not disappoint!

The UMES diverse student body represents thirty states and fifty-five countries. Fifty-five percent of the students live in on-campus housing. The campus life is balanced with events, games, academic support, and a large variety of food options including vegan meals.

The UMES campus is quiet and tranquil. Although it is a small school, it has the appeal of being an hour away from summer destinations like Ocean City, MD and less than three hours from Baltimore, MD, Virginia Beach, VA, and Washington, DC.

You could thrive at UMES especially if you prefer a small school. The academic advisory staff takes pride in coaching and mentoring students on their career paths and class selections. At UMES you are never just a number. You get the feeling that you matter as an individual, you are able to collaborate with your professors, and you are part of a learning community.

The amenities of UMES include a movie theatre, hotel, and bowling alley, which is necessary since the school is not in the vicinity of a major city. Bowling is a huge part of student life here. You can even earn a bowling scholarship to UMES!

In 2020, MacKenzie Scott who was once married to Amazon founder Jeff Bezos donated $20 million to UMES. This was the largest donation in the school’s history. When compared to the other schools we visited so far on our spring break tour, we thought UMES could use some of that money to upgrade a few of their buildings and maybe add a few new ones.

This is an ideal school for students who cherish smaller class sizes, value more time with their professors, and advisors, and thrive in a less competitive atmosphere.