Assemble a list of the Baltimore area’s top economic assets, and you can be pretty sure that Johns Hopkins University and Johns Hopkins Hospital will rank high. So will the University of Maryland Medical System (and graduate school programs). The city’s major hospitals? Check. Corporate headquarters like Under Armour, T. Rowe Price and McCormick & Co.? Double-check. And no list would be complete without mentioning Charm City’s proximity to the nation’s capital, the scenic waterfront, the city’s 296-year history, magnificent architecture and fine arts collections.
Too easily overlooked, alas, is a certain outpost of higher education located in Northeast Baltimore that continues to grow in size, stature and impact. Here’s a clue: It was founded in 1867 as the Centenary Biblical Institute and its original mission was to prepare young men for the ministry in the Baltimore Conference of the Methodist Episcopal Church. Still not there? Think Bears (as a mascot, not an invasive species). Or how about it’s consistently ranked among the top historically Black colleges and universities in the nation?
Here’s to Morgan State University, the coeducational public research university tucked away on 185 acres along East Cold Spring Lane with economic clout that should make its formidable mascot (not to mention alumni) proud. A recent survey estimated the school has a $1.5 billion annual economic impact statewide, up from $1.1 billion just four years ago. It isn’t just that the school is growing (enrollment has soared 39% since 2018 and is expected to top 11,000 for the first time this fall) or that it’s produced record investment (construction projects have become a campus staple including renovated residence halls, a new health and human services center completed last year and a $342 million science and research complex expected to be open in 2029), but the HBCU graduates thousands of students annually (including hundreds earning graduate degrees), a robust 17% in the STEM fields, who add value to the local job pool and economy.
And here’s an important tidbit: Morgan reports that 60% of that impact and employment occurs within Baltimore. That makes the school not just a national treasure but one of the most powerful tools available for improving economic opportunities for young Black men and women in a city with more than its share of economic disparity. This is an important, transformational undertaking that deserves far greater attention. Baltimore’s future isn’t just tied to the Inner Harbor or to the Baltimore Peninsula or even to Hopkins, as prestigious as that institution may be; it’s tied to the much-needed efforts of Morgan State President David K. Wilson and others in leadership who share his vision of the school.
Are there obstacles ahead? Absolutely. The federal government’s crusade against diversity, equity and inclusion poses a threat to HBCUs, and Morgan State is no exception. So far, these respected institutions of higher learning seem to be weathering the storm of federal cutbacks, but long-term? It’s difficult to say given conflicting signals sent out by a White House that has praised the contributions of HBCUs while decrying diversity investments elsewhere.
And so we shall simply propose that Morgan State never be taken for granted, not its 8,200 jobs, not its monumental impact on the economy, nor its projected enrollment of 11,200 students. It still may not occupy first place in any list of Baltimore’s top assets, but it clearly ought to rank high.
Baltimore Sun editorial writers offer opinions and analysis on news and issues relevant to readers. They operate separately from the newsroom.