In recognition of National Volunteer Month, University of Maryland Global Campus (UMGC) invited its global community of alumni, students, faculty, and staff to participate in Global Give 2026, an initiative that brings together volunteers around the world to make a meaningful impact through service and philanthropy.
This year’s initiative continued highlighting the power of education to transform lives, families, and communities, while encouraging participants to give back in ways that are personally meaningful—from volunteering locally to supporting scholarships and student success funds. Environmental stewardship was this year’s shared theme, empowering individuals to find activities to support responsibly caring for the natural environment through conservation, sustainable practices, and protection of ecosystems. Whether it’s park clean ups, beautification projects, or nurturing local habitats, the UMGC community was encouraged to support stewardship of the environment to foster stronger communities around the world.
“At UMGC, we believe education extends beyond the classroom—it’s about shaping compassionate, globally minded citizens,” says UMGC Association Vice President of Institutional Advancement Nikki Sandoval. “Global Give empowers our community to take action and create lasting impact in the communities in which they live and serve.”
Making an Impact—Together
Each year, the UMGC community comes together each April to demonstrate the collective impact of service and giving. In 2026, participants once again engaged in volunteer activities in their local communities contributing to causes that matter most to them.
Global Give 2026 impact includes:
- More than 560 UMGC community volunteers worldwide
- 5,101 hours of service contributed
- $61,228 raised to support scholarships and student programs
- More than 2,200 UMGC community volunteers worldwide
- Volunteers contributed more than 28,000 hours to their local communities
- Raised over $292,973 for scholarships and to provide emergency resources to students in need since the first Giving Day launching April 2018
Engaging in Volunteerism
Participants had multiple ways to participate in Global Give 2026. Alumni, students, faculty, and staff were encouraged to identify and participate in volunteer opportunities in their local communities, support causes aligning with their personal and professional interests, submit volunteer hours to be recognized as part of the global effort, and contribute philanthropically to expand access and opportunity for UMGC students.
Around the world, UMGC hosted Global Give activities brought together members of the community with activities ranging from environmental clean-up projects to community outreach and educational support initiatives—demonstrating the wide-ranging impact of the University's network.
Global Give 2026 Volunteer Day was held at Greenbelt Park in Maryland in partnership with the National Park Service (NPS). This event brought together UMGC students, alumni, faculty, staff and NPS park rangers with a shared goal: to support the local environment and beautification of park landscapes supporting native wildlife and recreation. Throughout UMGC's Global Giving 2026 Volunteer Day, volunteers made a positive impact by:
- Helping clean up litter and overgrown vegetation
- Working side-by-side with rangers to build new park tables
- Planting native flowers to beautify the park and help combat climate change
- Spreading mulch to provide a protective layer for park soil and to help reduce erosion
UMGC observed Earth Day 2026 with events around the world including a community gathering at its Adelphi, Maryland, headquarters. Participants learned about sustainability, deposited documents for shredding, discussed recycling practices, and celebrated nature and conservation. Staff, students, and alumni attended.
In honor of Arbor Day, participants also planted a White Oak—Maryland's state tree—and a native eastern redbud. It’s the fifth tree-planting ceremony at headquarters in recent years, with more to come. Additionally, a seed planting station allowed attendees to plant Black-eyed Susan flowers to take home, while learning about the benefits of a garden.
“A goal of the event is to get people to stop by and talk about sustainability,” said Cora Lee Gilbert-Catron, UMGC's director of sustainability and contract services, the organizer of the headquarters event.
Additionally, other UMGC Global Give 2026 events included the Garden Day at Stone Oak Park in San Antonio, Texas, and a Plogging at Hyochang Park in South Korea.
“One of the things I continue to talk with our team about is … transforming lives and communities,” said UMGC President Gregory Fowler in a speech thanking volunteers at the Global Give 2026 – Plogging at Seoul Hyochang Park event. “There are so many ways we can have an impact on people’s lives, and this is one of them.”
UMGC Giving Day 2026
To conclude the month, UMGC hosted Giving Day 2026 on April 29. Contributions collected through this annual campaign helps to remove financial barriers for students providing them access to a transformative education that will equip them to meet their education and professional goals. This special day is an impactful opportunity for the UMGC community to come together and ensure that every student — no matter their story — has the financial resources, support, and opportunity to succeed.
Learn More
Last month the University united to showcase the power of education to transform lives, families, communities, and the world by participating in a multitude of volunteer activities. Thank you to all the volunteers who participated. Visit UMGC Global Give 2026 to view photos, for additional information on this year’s initiative, and to learn how you can make an impact in the communities in which you live and work.
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