The Class
Current events present unprecedented challenges, but also provide a meaningful chance to hear each other’s stories, to investigate today’s issues together, to examine our shared humanity and how history is recorded, and to explore implications for the future.
Taught by President Pines, this one-credit course will meet Mondays for 8 weeks (Sept. 11 to Nov. 1) and introduce new students to national and campus experts working on today’s most pressing problems. The second part of the course will meet Wednesdays for 8 weeks (Sept. 11 to Nov. 1) and provide small class settings for first-year Terps to get to know each other while diving into these important issues.
Together, you will create your own historical documentation of current events for future UMD students. Our hope is that you will more deeply understand society’s grand challenges and how you will tackle them.
President Pines looks forward to working with you.
What to expect
We designed this course with you in mind, and we're excited that it can give you ways to:
- Investigate today’s challenging issues together and to explore implications for the future
- Really get to know other first-year Terps
- Connect with faculty and staff members at the University of Maryland in a meaningful way
- Be a part of the Maryland legacy!
President Pines meeting with students
Dr. Pines’ lecture and small group discussion sections will be held Mondays and Wednesdays at 4:30 p.m. for 8 weeks during the fall semester.
Students will dig deep into specific areas about voting rights, Black Lives Matter, climate change and other important issues in our time.
No.
Yes! Grand Challenges is offered for one credit. It is our hope that you will get to know other new students, connect with UMD faculty and staff, and engage in important discussions—all activities that will help you feel comfortable at the University and promote your student success.
There will be no textbooks to buy for this course. You will read UMD's First Year Book, which will be available for free in August.
This class won’t have tests or a final exam. There will be short assignments to complete and as a result of your small group discussions, there will be a final project curated by you and your small group members.
Very few students have the opportunity to meet regularly with the president of the university.
We’ve also heard from many students with concerns:
- How can I connect with students outside of my major or who are living in different circumstances than I am (e.g. living at home, on- or off-campus)?
- How do I begin to make sense of the big problems I see out in the world relating to changing climate, social justice, systems of oppression, and health disparities (to name a few)?
- How might I contribute to the University of Maryland as a student with my particular identity, experiences, and perspective?
This class can help you turn these questions into meaningful actions and interactions.
Please fill out a form.
This Year's First Year Book
UMD’s 2023-2024 First Year Book (FYB) is Smashing Statues: The Rise and Fall of America's Public Monuments and will be discussed in the Grand Challenges course.
About FYB
Presidential Distinguished Forums
In Fall 2023, President Pines will host Presidential Distinguished Forums featuring renowned experts working at the forefront of today’s most pressing issues.
Past Speakers:
Featured speakers included an environmental activist dedicated to fighting for equal access to clean water and functional sanitation in rural communities, a social justice advocate whose work is fueled by the murder of his brother and a CEO, scientist and author at the forefront of the country's response to a global health crisis.
Dr. Albert Bourla
The Chairman and CEO of Pfizer, Dr. Bourla offered a behind-the-scenes story of how Pfizer raced to create the first COVID-19 vaccine.
Catherine Coleman Flowers
Catherine Coleman Flowers is an internationally recognized environmental activist, MacArthur “genius” grant recipient, and author.
Philonise Floyd
The brother of George Floyd had a personal and powerful message about social justice, equity-focused reforms and eradicating systemic racism.