A mid-winter trip to the island country of The Bahamas was no beach getaway for the faculty from the University of Maryland Eastern Shore. Instead, the delegation from the School of Natural Sciences spent their time building an educational collaboration with the Bahamas Agriculture and Marine Science Institute.
The visit was to facilitate a partnership between the two institutions that offers BAMSI students the potential to earn a UMES degree after earning their associate degree, while UMES students could potentially study abroad in The Bahamas.
“At its core, this partnership in the Bahamas focuses on student progression and academic continuity,” said Phillip Broussard, Interim Director of the Center for International Education at UMES. “This would establish a framework that allows students to begin their academic journey in The Bahamas and advance seamlessly into degree completion and professional preparation through clearly defined pathways.”
Topics of discussion included opportunities for faculty exchanges, graduate student engagement, shared research initiatives, and veterinary and agricultural collaborations.
During the tour, UMES faculty observed how BAMSI students worked with unique resources in their environment. It’s why Dr. Jonathan Cumming, chair of the Department of Natural Sciences, is an advocate of the partnership.
Cummings explained that when he was a boy, his father challenged him to carve a spoon from wood using a knife. Cummings remembered that moment as a lesson in patience and respect for nature.
“That is how partnerships should be built,” he said. “You begin with what exists, then you listen carefully. You move deliberately. When you honor the process, something lasting takes shape.”
The UMES/BAMSI visit also highlighted a pre-veterinary education component rooted in the “One Health,” a medical approach described by the American Veterinary Medical Association as a recognition of the connection between the health of humans, animals and the environment. The widely followed concept encourages research by medical professionals to achieve the best outcomes for all living organisms.
Dr. Kimberly Braxton, an associate professor in SANS’ Department of Agriculture, Food, and Resource Sciences, returned to the Shore with clear inspiration from the BAMSI visit.
“Being able to experience what BAMSI has to offer has reinforced my passion for teaching and being able to share the enthusiasm for agriculture at both UMES and BAMSI,” she said. “I look forward to seeing this partnership flourish in all aspects.”
A BAMSI/UMES partnership is expected to provide broader educational and research opportunities beyond the natural sciences.
“This partnership would signal the intentional construction of academic pathways designed to expand access, strengthen student outcomes, and create sustainable international collaborations rooted in shared purpose,” Broussard said.
