NCAT and UMES Share University of the Year Award

North Carolina A&T State University (NCAT) and the University of Maryland Eastern Shore (UMES) are co-winners of the 2014 “1890 University of the Year” award. The honor is presented by the Association of Public and Land-grant Universities (APLU).  The Universities accepted their award during APLU’s 2014 annual meeting in Orlando, FL in November.

NCAT and UMES shared the 1890 University of the Year Award honor handed out by the APLU’s Council of 1890 Universities.  For the second year in a row, the Council comprised of presidents and chancellors from APLU-member historically black land-grant and public universities.

The award recognizes best overall performance in teaching, research and innovation over the previous two academic years.  UMES and NCAT were among the top three in six of 14 categories evaluated from the 2012-13 through 2013-14 school years, according to APLU.

“It’s a tremendous honor for the extraordinary work being done on our campus by administrators, educators, researchers and our students,” NCAT Chancellor Harold L. Martin Sr. said. “As we continue the journey to fulfill our strategic plan, the North Carolina A&T Preeminence 2020, it is imperative that we continue to make strides in the areas highlighted by this Council and beyond.”

“I am encouraged the institution’s mission and president’s goal to reach eminence are exemplified by the presentation of this award,” said Dr. Lombuso S. Khoza, chair of the UMES Senate. “This award is a great testament to the achievements of our institution as an HBCU that strives to go above and beyond duty.”

The Council works to strengthen teaching, research, and extension programs and seeks to maintain, ensure and increase funding at these institutions. The awards are designed to bring exposure to these universities and add to the national dialog regarding their significance.

Prior to the selection process, self-reported data was submitted from the 1890 Universities in a number of outcome categories. Each university was then evaluated among its peers with the winning institution demonstrating the most productivity in a given area.

“The 1890 Teaching, Research and Innovation Awards serve not only as a means to recognize the advances of 1890 university campuses in these areas, but serve as a means to tell the story of how black public universities are going above and beyond their call of duty,” said John Michael Lee Jr., APLU’s vice president for access and success.

UMES’ increase in the number of undergraduate students participating in study-abroad programs — the largest among institutions considered for the award — also earned the council’s “International Student Development Award.”

Remaining categories include: retention; degree completion; education degree completion; STEM degree completion; experiential student learning; international student development; alumni engagement; and exemplary alumni.

North Carolina A&T and the University of Arkansas Pine Bluff were named co-winners in the innovation category. NCAT placed in the top three of the agriculture degree completion; intellectual property; research; international research; and international students categories.

Twenty historically black institutions comprise APLU’s Council of 1890 Universities. UMES President Dr. Juliette B. Bell is chair of the council’s executive committee.

Information in this article was provided by the APLU’s Office of Access and Success, University of Maryland Eastern Shore Office of Public Relations, and North Carolina A&T State University Office of Public Relations.