A Message from the President

August 28, 2023

Welcome back Bulldogs!

I hope you have enjoyed a relaxing time with your families over the summer and are refreshed to finish up the last year of our Racing to Excellence Strategic Plan. Students from across the country and several foreign countries are joining the race with us this fall, along with 26 new faculty members. Please welcome them all and help them to learn the traditions and legacy of this great university.

As we begin this fall semester, I encourage each of you to reflect on the core values that are the foundation of Bowie State University – excellence, inclusivity, integrity, accountability and innovations.  Consider how each of these values come to life in how you approach your work as a faculty or staff member or student, how you interact with one other and with those who seek to partner with us. As we embrace these values, the true spirit of BSU becomes evident, and strengthens our quest to secure the long-term viability and legacy of Bowie State.

The future of Bowie State is bright as freshman enrollment continues to grow along with the demand for an on-campus college experience. University housing is filled to capacity with 1900 students, plus an additional 180 spaces at off-campus locations with free shuttle service provided to campus. A substantial number of students remain on a waiting list seeking housing for the fall semester. This surge is a sign of the growing interest in a Bowie State education. Students who have not received a housing assignment are encouraged to seek space in the surrounding community.  A link to a free Off-Campus Housing Locator service can be found on the university website. Questions about campus housing should be directed to housing@bowiestate.edu

Over the past year, the addition of 16 new academic programs has greatly expanded the available options for students this fall.

  • 5 Undergraduate Upper Division Certificates
    • Data Analytics, Entrepreneurship, Cloud Computing, Cybersecurity, Internet of Things
  • 6 Bachelor’s Degrees
    • Philosophy, Politics & Economics, Software Engineering, Cyber Operations Engineering, Data Science, Public Health Informatics & Technology, Health Services Administration
  • 2 Post Baccalaureate Certificates
    • Public Health Informatics, Clinical Pastoral Counseling
  • 2 Master’s Degrees
    • Applied Biotechnology and Molecular Biology, Internet of Things and Internet Technologies
  • FIRST Ph.D. Program
    • Counselor Education and Supervision

While You Were Away

While you were away, several achievements and partnerships continued to advance university priorities. Just a few examples include:

  • The announcement in July that the university has exceeded the $50 million goal of our BSU Bold: The Campaign for Excellence campaign two and a half years ahead of schedule through the outstanding efforts of our university fundraising team. The campaign continues as the need for student scholarships and program support continues to grow.
  • We ended Fiscal year 2023 with a record 64 new and continuing faculty grant awards, totaling $19,193,267 reflecting the university’s growing emphasis on research.
  • BSU was again named a Military Friendly© institution for 2023, achieving the silver level designation, up from bronze in previous years. The designation recognizes Bowie State for exceeding the standards for educational services to veterans.
  • Students and faculty from the Charlotte Brookson Academy in St. Maarten spent a week on campus as part of our Bridge to Bold partnership designed to create a pipeline of students coming to BSU from the island nation to pursue degrees in the performing arts. CNN anchor Abby Philips talked with the students about the challenges of being a performer and having confidence in themselves.
  • The university’s commitment to sustainability was recognized by the National Arbor Day Foundation designating BSU as a Tree Campus USA for our ongoing efforts to preserve and enhance the natural environment around us. You will notice several markers in treescape areas around the campus recognizing this designation.
  • You can’t miss noticing the substantial progress made on construction of the new Martin Luther King Jr. Communication Arts and Humanities Building, slated to open in fall 2024. It will be the new home for the departments of Communications, History and Government, Languages, Literature and Cultural Studies and Military Science (ROTC).

Upcoming Activities

I look forward to seeing you at the Fall Matriculation Convocation on Wednesday, Sept. 13 when we will officially welcome the entering freshman class into our community and launch their journey in pursuit of excellence as a BSU Bulldog.

Also, mark you calendar to join the BSU community of students, faculty, staff and alumni for HBCU Night at Oriole Park on Thursday, Sept. 28, at 6:45 p.m.  Wear your Bowie State gear to show our Bulldog pride in the stadium. For each ticket purchased, $5 will be donated back to support BSU. The Bowie Baysox will welcome the BSU community to Bowie Night with the Baysox on Sept. 7. I’ll be throwing out the first pitch. Ticket information will be available soon.

As a university, we definitely have much to be excited about. I applaud the efforts of all those who worked to keep the university moving over the summer, and I look forward to everyone joining with us to make this academic year a success for all our students and the university as a whole.