[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 152 (2006), Part 13] [Extensions of Remarks] [Pages 17317-17318] [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]TRIBUTE ON THE 40TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND, BALTIMORE COUNTY ______ HON. BENJAMIN L. CARDIN of maryland in the house of representatives Wednesday, September 6, 2006 Mr. CARDIN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to offer congratulations to one of Maryland's premier institutions of higher learning--the University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC)--as it celebrates its 40th anniversary. Located on what was once a cow pasture, the university has risen to astonishing heights in a very short time. When UMBC first opened in 1966, it had only 750 students and three buildings. Today, the university offers first-rate education and research opportunities to more than 11,000 students, while retaining the personal contact typically found at a small liberal arts college. In recent years, the guidance of President Freeman Hrabowski has led the university to new heights. UMBC's unique combination of undergraduate focus and graduate research reflects the dedication to balance that has led [[Page 17318]] UMBC to become one of the top public universities in the nation. The nationally recognized Meyerhoff Scholars Program, which Dr. Hrabowski co-founded, is among the most successful undergraduate diversity programs in the nation. UMBC has one of the highest rates of minority students pursuing advanced degrees in medicine and science of any school in the United States. UMBC also has been ranked first nationally in the total number of undergraduate chemistry degrees given to African-Americans. In 40 years UMBC has become one of the nation's top independent public research universities. The numerous accomplishments of the university are all the more impressive because they have come so rapidly. In fact, UMBC is one of the youngest universities ever to be honored with a chapter of Phi Beta Kappa, and in recent years UMBC has led every university in the nation in undergraduates receiving Merck Undergraduate Science Research Scholarships. Mr. Speaker, I call upon my colleagues in the U.S. House of Representatives to join me in honoring the achievements and success of UMBC, one of the bright stars in American higher education. ____________________