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Student success remained a defining strength of Salisbury University during the 2025-26 academic year. We continue to see strong demand for the Salisbury experience, reflected in the 7,243 students who attended SU this past year 鈥� a year-over-year increase of 218 students 鈥� and are projecting even more for the 2026-2027 academic year. At the same time, our focus on student success is showing results, with our retention rate rising 1% this year to 79%, alongside more targeted support at key moments in the student journey 鈥� thanks in part to efforts of the Student Success Council.

We expanded pathways to Salisbury University, reaching more first-generation students and broadening access across Maryland and beyond. Our faculty and staff have strengthened advising, mentoring, and hands-on learning designed to help students not only reach graduation, but make the most of their time at SU and prepare them or what comes next.

Increasingly, our students are putting their learning into action though high-impact experiences, including internships, undergraduate research, and global learning. This year, six SU students earned Fulbright awards and two received Gilman Scholarships. And Stephora Alberi became SU鈥檚 first Gates Cambridge Scholarship winner since 2013 鈥� an extraordinary achievement that reflects the power of research, global experiences and international mentoring to open doors at the highest levels.

We are equally proud of the doors we are opening through scholarships.

Reaching the milestone of more than 100 new scholarships totaling $11.3 million as part of the Centennial Challenge stands as a powerful example of what we can accomplish when we align around student opportunity.

That investment is especially important as student financial need continues to grow. Pell-eligible first-year enrollment increasing by more than 5% this fall, and 28% of our undergraduates now receiving Pell grants 鈥� the highest level in our history for the second straight year.

As the financial landscape for students continues to change, SU is responding with greater investment and greater opportunity. The Salisbury University Foundation reached a total endowment of $171 million and will transfer nearly $3.5 million in private scholarship dollars to SU at the start of the 26-27 fiscal year.

During FY26:

• 1,931 scholarships were awarded
• 905 students received renewable Foundation scholarships
• 219 students received awards or stipends
• 25 students received emergency grants

Together, these investments are helping more students enroll, persist, and succeed.

The SU of tomorrow is taking shape today.

This year, we completed and secured approval of a long-term facilities master plan, providing a clear roadmap for how Salisbury University will grow and invest in the years ahead.

We also saw major progress on transformative projects. The inclusion of the new performing arts center in the state鈥檚 Capital Improvement Plan is especially encouraging, signaling state recognition of the project鈥檚 value and placing it within a formal path for future investment. For our students, the project represents new opportunities to learn, perform, and create. For the Eastern Shore, it reinforces Salisbury University鈥檚 role as a cultural and economic anchor; a place where creativity, community, and opportunity come together.

Our partnerships are expanding those opportunities beyond the boundaries of campus, too. A new partnership with the Baltimore Orioles, naming Salisbury University as the franchise鈥檚 exclusive higher-education partner, puts our student in the room with one of the region鈥檚 most recognizable organizations. From engagement with Orioles front office staff to capstone projects that bring Orioles leaders directly into the classroom, the partnership turns connections into real-world learning experiences.

At the same time, we are evolving our academic portfolio to meet the needs of today鈥檚 students and tomorrow鈥檚 workforce. New academic program offerings this past year included:

• Education minor
• Game Design minor
• Health Communication minor
• Special Education Teaching minor
• Forensic Science major (MHEC approval pending)

Each new program represents another way for student to find their passion, build their skills, and prepare for a changing world.

We also made important progress through our participation in the Maryland Transfer Intensive with Wor-Wic Community College. By aligning curricular pathways, strengthening advising, and reducing barriers, we are making it easier for more students to move efficiently from an associate degree to a bachelor鈥檚 degree with confidence and a clearer path to degree completion.

A great university is measured not only by what happens in its classrooms, but by the difference it makes in the lives of its students and the communities it serves.

One of the clearest affirmations of our values this year was the renewal of Salisbury University鈥檚 Carnegie Community Engagement Classification through 2032. The distinction recognizes a campus culture in which community engagement is not an add-on, but an essential part of how we teach, learn, and build relationships.

That commitment is viable in the impact our students make.

For the third year in a row, Salisbury University finished the academic year as the in the nation.

Women鈥檚 basketball was the top-performing women鈥檚 team in all of Division III, Baseball led the men鈥檚 side, and several other Sea Gull teams ranked among the nation鈥檚 top performers.

Our Sea Gulls are proving that excellence and service go hand in hand.

We are also investing in the people who make Salisbury University such a special place to learn and work. Human Resources launched Take Flight, a more immersive new hire orientation that introduces employees to Salisbury University鈥檚 history, culture, leadership, and campus community, helping them connect more quickly to our mission and to one another.

And we know that belonging matters.

A strong university is shaped not only by academic success, but also by how students experience campus life, find support, and develop a sense of belonging. This year, Student Affairs and Inclusion, Access, and Belonging (IAB) continued to strengthen that experience through programs and partnerships that helped students feel more connected, supported, and prepared to thrive.

Across the year, students engaged in a wide range of opportunities that built community and strengthened their path beyond graduation. Student Affairs and IAB partnered on programs that supported leadership, connection, and campus involvement, while Career Services expanded coaching, employer engagement, and student staff training to help students translate their experiences into career readiness.

We also continued to invest in a campus environment where more students can see themselves, access support, and feel that they belong. From mentoring and transition support through Powerful Connections, to high-engagement programs such as OAA STARS, these efforts reflected an ongoing commitment to helping every student feel welcomed, valued, and able to succeed.