COLLEGE PARK, Md - The University of Maryland is among 17 colleges and universities across the United States enrolling refugee students as the inaugural class of the Welcome Corps on Campus.
The first-of-its-kind program, operated through the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program, enables colleges and universities to privately sponsor and resettle academically qualified refugee students who have not, until now, had a pathway through which they could resettle in the United States to pursue their higher education.
The 30-plus refugee students in the first cohort, including one attending UMD, will be supported by on-campus sponsor groups who will help students secure housing, enroll in classes, access social services and integrate as new members of their campus communities. In return, American students and institutions will benefit from the enriching international perspectives offered by refugee students, peer-to-peer exchanges that support experiential learning, and a stronger sense of belonging to campus life and the surrounding community. (The Terp student is not being identified in order to protect their privacy.)
"The University of Maryland's participation in Welcome Corps on Campus underscores our commitment to doing good by creating educational opportunities for people who might otherwise miss out,” said UMD President Darryll J. Pines. “We are excited to welcome our first student from the program as our semester begins and we look forward to introducing more Welcome Corps students to our Terp community in the future."