Our Town Revisited: The University of Maryland Eastern Shore
Then & Now
PRINCESS ANNE, Md. – In March of 1999, Former WMDT anchor and reporter Kelley Rouse visited the Delaware Conference Academy founded in 1886, to see what education looked like at that time.
25 years later, Delaware Conference Academy is now the University of Maryland Eastern Shore, and not only has it grown, but it’s blossomed into the beautiful campus you see today.
Academy to University
What was known in 1886 as the Delaware Conference Academy now in 2025 is known as The University of Maryland Eastern Shore, and some say is the heart of Princess Anne. Earl Holland is a UMES grad and currently the Director of Public relations.
“By 1948 it became Maryland State College, and then on July 1, 1970, it became the University of Maryland Eastern Shore- it went through a number of names including Princess Anne Academy”
Courses and Curriculums
Originally focusing on agriculture and land grants, UMES now offers a wide range of courses from childcare development, to fashion merchandising, and human ecology. Holland says there are a multitude of studies to choose from, and that they have the most health professionals by an HBCU in the country.
“As Maryland’s only 1890 Land Grant School, we still continue to have those foundations of agriculture. The agriculture department has exploded into the school of agriculture and natural sciences… There are a number of things that UMES is expanded to that make UMES stand out. We’re the only aviation program in the state of Maryland as well”
Student and Structural Growth
Back in 1999 the school had over 800 employees and 3200 students, and today, he says the school is thriving. “We’ve had 4 consecutive years of continual student growth especially because the pandemic hit a lot of schools hard, and a lot of HBCUs haven’t seen the growth that we’ve had over the past 4 years.”
25 years ago, the student service center was undergoing construction, and the athletic center had just been completed with and indoor pool and track. Holland can remember how the campus looked when he was still a student in the early 2000s, and says they are anticipating some new additions.
“Before these buildings officially opened, our cafeteria was in Waters Hall and our Student center was in the student development center. Seeing that growth, during that time, even well beyond my graduation time- We’ve added a new women’s dorm that was University of terrace, we’ve added a food, science, and technology center we’ve have an expansive new physical plant.”
Excellence not Exclusion
Aside from the shining floors and beautiful lawns, UMES is also about diversity and inclusion of all backgrounds.
Holland says they are proud to be an HBCU, their mission is to create not only Black Excellence, but excellent leaders overall.
“With the term HBCU a lot of people may think it’s exclusively black, that’s not the case, it’s for everybody… No matter how old you are, no matter how young you are, no matter what your ethnicity is, where you’ve come from, HBCUs are a great place and a great mixing spot for everybody to learn and network and really appreciate a variety of cultures.”
Future Leaders
Holland says he hopes to be here 25 years from now and is sure UMES will still be standing strong. “It’ll have a lot more things of variety, a lot more things to offer for the community, for the state of Maryland, for the county. The goal is to be able to make an impact globally.”
UMES enrolls about 2700 students every year of all ages, ethnicities, and backgrounds. If you want to know more about The University of Maryland Eastern Shore, visit their website.
