UMCP, UMB Announce $7.5M MPower Early Scholars Investment Fund

Jennifer King Rice, University of Maryland, College Park senior vice president and provost, and Roger J. Ward, University of Maryland, Baltimore provost and executive vice president, sent the following email to their campus communities on Wednesday: 

The missions of both the University of Maryland, College Park (UMCP) and the University of Maryland, Baltimore (UMB) are grounded in research, scholarship, education and creative endeavors. Even in times of uncertainty, these pursuits remain essential to our shared commitment to advancing knowledge and working for the greater good.

As part of a broader strategy to sustain and strengthen these activities in the years ahead, we are pleased to announce the establishment of the MPower Early Scholars Investment Fund.

The University of Maryland Strategic Partnership: MPowering the State (MPower) has committed $7.5 million to this program, split between both institutions over three years. Both UMB and UMCP Ph.D. students, postdocs and junior faculty who have felt the direct impact of recent cuts to research funding will be eligible for support. Further, this short-term, high-impact initiative is designed to sustain the scholar pipeline and protect our joint research enterprise. 

Recognizing that each university has distinct needs and faces unique challenges, there will be separate application processes for UMB and UMCP. In the coming days, faculty will receive additional details about the program and how to apply from their respective leadership. We anticipate that the first round of awards will be announced in January 2026. 

The MPower Early Scholars Investment Fund reflects our shared belief that investing in early scholars today will yield discoveries, innovations, and creative breakthroughs that will benefit society for years to come. 

On behalf of the MPower Joint Steering Council, we are grateful for this opportunity to support the future of research, and we look forward to seeing the transformative impact of this program.

Sincerely,