The “Just Right” Size
In our pursuit of excellence, our institution committed to the goal of the enrollment of 8,500 students within the next five years. This strategic objective positions SU as an institution endowed with the resources and infrastructure required to furnish world-class facilities and learning opportunities, all while upholding our reputation for a personal touch.
During the 2022-2023 academic year, our community comprised approximately 7,200 students. Notably, approximately 9% of these students were pursuing graduate-level studies, spotlighting the importance of a renewed focus on the expansion of graduate programs. SU’s vision for the future includes increasing the graduate student population to 12% of our student body within the next five years.
To achieve these ambitious objectives, SU has outlined a multi-faceted approach that leverages strengths and innovations to move the University to its “just right” size.
SU will expand offerings with five-year programs, providing students with a seamless and accelerated pathway to advanced degrees, furthering our commitment to accessible higher education. We are committed to introducing innovative programs and engaging activities that will attract prospective students. Strategic partnerships with industry leaders and academic collaborators will attract talent and create an environment where students can thrive, excel and contribute meaningfully to their chosen fields.
SU’s growth is integral to our continued role as a driving force behind regional and national development. By cultivating a highly skilled workforce, SU plays a pivotal role in fostering economic growth within our communities, ensuring a brighter future for all.
$2.5 Million Grant to Help Instructional Assistants Further Their Education
SU’s Samuel W. and Marilyn C. Seidel School of Education has been a leader in preparing future educators for 98 years. Now, with the help of a nearly $2.5 million Maryland Rebuilds: Growing a Highly Effective Childcare Workforce grant from the Maryland State Department of Education, SU is helping advance the education of those already in the field.
Dr. Althea Pennerman, associate professor of early and elementary education, is the principal investigator for SU’s Cradling the Early Years Apprenticeship Program, joined on the implementation team by Dr. Chin-Hsiu Chen, associate professor of early childhood education, as the content expert, and Dr. Vincent Genareo, assistant dean of program assessment, serving as the internal evaluator. The initiative is expected to help current childcare workers and paraprofessionals – also known as instructional assistants – earn their bachelor’s degrees and teaching certifications.
SU’s first focus is helping instructional assistants working in Wicomico County, MD, who hold associate degrees, complete coursework for bachelor’s degrees and their Maryland teaching certification requirements. The program has already seen some 50 educators begin taking courses.
The program covers all tuition and fees for participants and leans heavily on virtual and hybrid learning to work around the full-time employment schedules for many of the participants. These two factors address the two biggest obstacles for those hoping to advance their teaching careers – time and money.
SU hopes to nourish the passion of educators already in the field and provide more substantial knowledge to these individuals to make them better teachers capable of impacting generations of future students.
Enhancing a One-of-a-Kind Fraud and Forensic Accounting Certificate Program
SU was awarded a $2.6 million federal grant from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to support the University’s Fraud and Forensic Accounting Certificate Program – the only fraud experiential learning program of its kind in the nation. This substantial funding allows SU to provide new opportunities for students to assist Worcester County, MD, law enforcement officials in the fight against elder financial and high-tech fraud.
Students in SU’s Fraud Program have the option of interning with the Office of the State’s Attorney for Worcester County, providing outreach and prevention services to elder victims and those at risk for financial fraud, and working to assist Worcester County Sheriff’s Office detectives on related criminal investigations. The funding received by this grant provides SU students in the program with more specialized training in data analytics, cryptocurrency investigations, and cybersecurity and computer forensics.
The grant also provides scholarship funding for interns in the program. Through SU’s ShoreCorps AmeriCorps program, students earn approximately $1,400 during their one-year internship with the Office of the State’s Attorney in exchange for at least 300 hours of service. The grant adds a $4,500 scholarship for each intern.
A new partnership with SU’s Glenda Chatham and Robert G. Clarke Honors College provides honors credit for students participating in a financial fraud or business ethics course designed to complement the experiential learning component of the Fraud Program, starting in fall 2023. A new freshman experience course also is planned to debut in fall 2024. Grant funding is provided to develop these courses, to test whether doing so will increase students’ interest in public service.
For students involved in the program and the real-life applications of their work, the experiences are often as exciting as they are gratifying.