
Center for Student Excellence
The Center for Student Excellence at the School of Agricultural and Natural Sciences is your one-stop shop to find help and resources as you prepare for a career of your dreams with a degree from the University of Maryland Eastern Shore.
Let the Center for Student Excellence help you with guidance specific to your academic interest and future career goals.
The Center assists all undergraduate students from freshmen through seniors — at all academic levels. The Center can help you stay better connected, network and enhance your School of Agricultural and Natural Sciences experience.
Student-led Research Symposium
SANS First Look Fair 2025
What the Center Can Do for You
Gain knowledge through talks, training and more
- UMES Student-led Undergraduate Research Symposium: Meet the winners
- SANS Seminar Series
- After-hours academic help for School of Agricultural and Natural Sciences students (Hours TBA)
- Learn how to connect with college and campus-wide club and organizations
- School of Agricultural and Natural Sciences’ Center for Student Excellence Office Hours.
- Check out the latest Center for Student Excellence Friday Flyer offering student internships, research experience, professional development, and other opportunities
Career path guidance
2026 Summer Internship Opportunities for SANS Students
- USDA APHIS Externship and Internship Programs. Application deadline: Variable, depending on program.
DASL Expo 2026 showcases student clubs
Students enjoyed a day of fun, food and student-centered activities a the annual Dean’s Award for Student Leadership (DASL) Expo held on the campus on April 21. The event, sponsored by the Center for Student Excellence, showcased student clubs from the School of Agricultural and Natural Sciences. The expo was preceded by the 1890 Land-Grant Walk, held to celebrate the second Morrill Act that established the university, and a planting of a Hackberry tree on the campus to mark Earth Day 2026. Photos by Todd Dudek/UMES Ag Communications.
Resources to Help Your Academic and Career Path
Departmental Scholarships
Agriculture, Food and Resource Sciences
- The Igor Petrovich Soverda Memorial Scholarship Fund
- The Agribusiness Advisory Council Endowment Fund
- The Attorney Generals Agriculture Natural Science Scholarship Fund
- The UMES Department of Agriculture Centennial Scholarship Fund
- The Julia Carter Lacy Endowed Scholarship Fund
- The James W and Anne W Taylor Endowment Fund
- John A Wilson Achievement Award Fund
- The Henry and Carolyn Brooks Endowed Scholarship Fund
- Dr Joseph and Valerie Wutoh Scholarship Fund
Natural Sciences
DNS Fund: This scholarship provides support for students enrolled in programs offered by the DNS.
Wutoh Scholarship: This scholarship provides support for one DNS student who is an African National.
Finish Line Scholarship: This scholarship is for full-time, UMES undergraduate students in the Department of Natural Sciences with a GPA of 2.5 and above. Students within 30 credits of graduation and who have demonstrated financial need are eligible to apply for these funds and will be the primary recipients of these funds. Special consideration will be given to senior students who transferred from a 2-year institution. Juniors and sophomores, respectively, will be considered only if the need of senior students is met or there is an exceptional circumstance that warrants deviation.
Gregg & Cooper Fund: This scholarship provides support for one DNS student, particularly an undergraduate biology student, enrolled full-time with a GPA of 2.0 or greater.
Pepco/Exelon Training Program in Climate Resilience Fund: The purpose of the Pepco/Exelon Training Program in Climate Resilience Fund is to support and allow students in the DNS to explore energy management, alternative energy sources, and their increasing importance in a changing climate, especially on the Eastern Shore. Potential topics could include biomass, energy production, tidal energy resources, wind and solar energy, and sea level rise and the resilience of coastal ecosystems and communities. This program will support field and lab student research, professional development including student travel to research sites and conferences as well as costs associated with the invitation of experts to the DNS over a two-year period.
Seibold Scholarship: This scholarship provides support for one undergraduate or graduate DNS student enrolled in a fisheries or wildlife program with demonstrated financial need.
Newland Scholarship: This scholarship provides support to a sophomore student majoring in biology in honor of Brielle Newland. Applicants must have at least a 2.5 GPA and must be from Baltimore, MD.
Chemistry Teacher Scholarship: This scholarship provides support for a full-time undergraduate chemistry major with a demonstrated commitment to become a teacher and a GPA of at least 3.0. Applicants must be a US citizen for permanent resident. Preference will be given to students with a demonstrated financial need. This scholarship is renewable.
Sarbanes Fund: This is a merit-based scholarship opportunity that provides support for one DNS undergraduate or graduate student in the environmental sciences program with demonstrated financial need.
Human Ecology
- The James W and Anne W Taylor Endowment Fund
- The Brenda Eaton Edwards Scholarship Fund
- Ronnie and Brenda Holden Scholarship Fund
- The Julia Carter Lacy Endowed Scholarship Fund
- The Shirley Hymon Parker Endowed Fund
- Elka M Stevens Professional Development Endowment
- Williedean H Waring and Eddie Gregg Scholarship Fund
- Human Ecology Alumni Endowment Fund
- Dr. Youssef Hafez Endowment Fund
- The Savoy Fund for Human Ecology
- George A. & Peggy W. Stewart Endowment Fund
- The Retia Walker Scholarship Fund
- Finish Line Scholarship
Learn more about scholarships and financial aid opportunities at UMES
Contact Us
Call: 410-651-7101
Email: sanscse@umes.edu
Subscribe to our weekly newsletters: sanscse@umes.edu
Center Director: Dr. Kausiksankar Das, Ph.D.
Program Manager: Katrina Kelly
Coordinator of Recruitment, Retention and Experiential Learning Activities: Logan Quinn















