Interview with the Host with Dr. Maurice D. Edington

Transcript

We can already tell there’s something special here about UDC, but in your opinion, what makes UDC so unique? Yeah, I think a, a couple things, right? When you think about our history, it’s very unique, and then in terms of how we’re structured to offer, uh, educational programming. Many people don’t know that, UDC is the nation’s second oldest HBCU, founded in 1851, and we’re the nation’s only exclusively public urban land-grant institution.

We’re the only public university, uh, in the District. So when you put all those things together, right, we find ourselves in a, in a category with, with very few institutions, in addition to the fact that we offer a wide range of programs and, uh, degree and credential offerings, and so students can start at every level.

I mean, there’s a opportunity for everyone here at UDC- That’s right … is what I’m hearing. That’s right. Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah. We pride ourselves on, you know, being an access opportunity institution, right? And I, and I always use an analogy of a freeway, right? Um, you can get on the UDC freeway at any on-ramp that’s available, right?

And then you can stay on as long as you want, and you can get off and come back and get another credential, uh, so v- very unique identity. Yeah. One thing we can’t ignore is the location of UDC, right here in the heart of the nation’s capital. Let’s talk a bit about how that shapes UDC- Sure … and what’s so special about this incredible location.

Oh, yeah, yeah. DC, uh, is just such an incredible, unique place, and so UDC is, is at the center of that, right? And so, uh, the institution and our students are very closely tied to, um, organizations, businesses, sports that you don’t get in a lot of more rural areas, right? Right. And, and, and DC is an attraction, too, for students and parents, right?

So for, for people who don’t live here, they wanna come here to study and live. And so it, it itself is a magnet and, and part of our identity and part of what makes going to school here very special. Yeah. DC is an incredible city. It is. And while you’re new to UDC, you’re no stranger to higher education.

Right. You’ve been in higher education for a while. So what does the future look like here at UDC? We have a new School of Education, as an example, that we just launched a few months ago. We have a new, um, one-stop shop Student Success Center, all right, modern state-of-the-art facility, right, for students to get served, wraparound services, academic support services.

We have, um, thriving engineering research programs. And we pride ourselves on being what we call the District’s workforce and economic mobility engine. And so what that means is, right, we, we deliver opportunities for residents to get education and a pathway to employment, and we also produce talent for our employers in the region, right?

So we launched, recently a DC tech hub in partnership with Accenture, right? Apprenticeship program, but it’s a perfect example of the type of initiatives that are coming out of our new strategic plan. Yeah. So many opportunities all around. Yes. Yes, yes. I can’t wait to see what’s next for UDC. Thank you so much for having us here on campus this week.

No, thank you. Glad that y’all were here.