--- title: $100M Gift from Trott Family Philanthropies Supports Expanded Opportunity for Rural Students date: 2026-09-11T11:15:00-04:00 author: Jordan Dunklee canonical_url: "https://umdrightnow.umd.edu/news-releases/100m-gift-from-trott-family-philanthropies-supports-expanded-opportunity-for-rural-students" section: News Releases --- News Releases # $100M Gift from Trott Family Philanthropies Supports Expanded Opportunity for Rural Students As a member of STARS, the University of Maryland will reach more rural and small-town students through new career programs and an expanded network of college advisors and high school partners. ![Campus shot Founders Gate](https://omc-system.transforms.svdcdn.com/production/images/umdrn/Campus-shot_Founders-Gate.jpg?w=2018&h=1138&auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=crop&dm=1770151344&s=cde21938e6a40498faa088cc38824594) September 11, 2026 ## Contacts Media Relations: **COLLEGE PARK, Md. —** A new gift to launch the Trott Center for Excellence in Rural America will expand academic and career opportunities for students from rural and small-town communities across the United States. The Trott Center for Excellence in Rural America, based at the University of Chicago, is anchored by a $100 million gift from Trott Family Philanthropies, the foundation of Byron and Tina Trott. A portion of the gift will go to support expanded programming through the Small Town and Rural Students College Network (STARS), a coalition of colleges and universities committed to expanding access and opportunity for rural and small-town students, of which the University of Maryland is a member. Launched in 2023 with Trott's support and headquartered at the University of Chicago, STARS has grown to include 32 schools, with an additional eight to be added in the coming months. Since its founding in 2023, STARS has supported its 32 member schools in enrolling nearly 40,000 rural and small-town students across the country, with most schools reporting that their rural student population has doubled in a three-year period. Students active in the STARS network are more than twice as likely to attend a four-year institution than the national average. **Expanding Access and Supporting Rural Student Success** Students from rural communities graduate from high school at rates comparable to their metropolitan peers, yet are less likely to enroll in and graduate from top, residential four-year colleges and universities. They often lack access to resources such as college counselors in their schools. The STARS College Advisor Program partners with rural and small-town schools to provide free college advising, workshops and other college access programming, and resources for educators. This new gift will support 6 more college advisors in addition to the inaugural team of 10 advisors, allowing the program to serve more partner schools and districts and more individual students. Currently STARS has 84 partner schools across 20 states; the new gift will support its goal to provide 1:1 college advising to rural students in all 50 states. **Strengthening Career Pathways for Rural Communities** A central focus of the Trott Center will be helping students translate educational opportunity into long-term economic mobility and leadership. The Center will provide career pathway guidance, employer engagement, and preparation for leadership in growth industries and emerging fields. By connecting academic opportunity with career preparation and professional networks, the initiative seeks to advance individual economic mobility while strengthening the businesses, institutions and communities that depend on rural talent. Expanded career opportunities for STARS students will include a rural internship matching program, career treks to rural destinations, career competitions with employer partners, and early access to career advising. ## About the University of Maryland The University of Maryland (UMD) is the state's flagship university driven by a community of more than 50,000 fearless Terrapins. As a leading research university and top 20 public institution, UMD is proud to be part of the Association of American Universities. Dedicated to excellence and impact for the public good, the university is propelled by a $1.4 billion joint research enterprise. UMD is the nation’s first Do Good campus, and is consistently ranked for its innovation, research and top-tier academic programs. Located in the National Capital Region, the university offers an unparalleled student experience with federal internship opportunities, hundreds of academic programs and study abroad options, and top-ranked living-learning programs. Spurred by a culture of innovation and creativity, UMD’s faculty are global leaders in their fields and include Nobel laureates, Pulitzer Prize winners and members of the national academies. For more information about the University of Maryland, College Park, visit [umd.edu](http://umd.edu/)