Hood Receives $1M from Maryland Department of Commerce Supporting Endowed Nurse Practitioner Chair Position

FREDERICK, Md., — Hood College today joined the Maryland Department of Commerce in the endowment of $2,020,905 towards the Ruth Whitaker Holmes ’55 Endowed Nurse Practitioner Chair position within the Ruth Whitaker Holmes School of Behavioral and Health Sciences. Hood was awarded $1 million from Maryland Commerce’s Maryland E-Nnovation Initiative Fund (MEIF), a state program created to spur basic and applied research in scientific and technical fields at colleges and universities. The award was matched by $1 million in qualified funding from the College.

Specializing in mental health and psychiatric care, the chair will support the growth of the College’s graduate nursing and counseling programs by bringing both clinical and active research experience to the classroom. As students develop their skills in mental health assessment, integrated care, and interdisciplinary collaboration, the chair will help ensure they can meet the complex demands of modern healthcare and are prepared for long-term career success.

The MEIF was created by the General Assembly during the 2014 legislative session and has provided more than $108.8 million in funding to leverage private donations totaling $120.7 million. The funding can be used to pay salaries of newly endowed department chairs, staff, and support personnel in designated scientific and technical fields of study; fund related research fellowships for graduate and undergraduate students; and purchase lab equipment and other basic infrastructure and equipment.

Hood received funding via the MEIF alongside Johns Hopkins University; the University of Maryland, Baltimore; and the University of Maryland, College Park. Across all four institutions, $9.2 million in private funding was raised for the positions, with Maryland Commerce awarding matching grants of $8.5 million in support of endowed chairs at Maryland's higher education institutions. 

"Maryland's economic future depends on investing in the innovators of today," said Maryland Commerce Secretary Harry Coker Jr. "We're proud to partner with and support Maryland's higher education institutions as they transform groundbreaking research and new ideas into the companies, technologies, and jobs that will drive economic growth for years to come."

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