Cal Ripken Jr. kicks off new UM Baltimore Washington Medical Center speaker series

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More than 200 community members attended a special event at the University of Maryland Baltimore Washington Medical Center (UM BWMC) – a member organization of the University of Maryland Medical System (UMMS) – kicking off the health care provider’s new Courtney Speaker Series with Baseball Hall of Fame member Cal Ripken Jr.

During the program, Ripken also announced a new collaboration between the foundation he co-founded in honor of his father and UMMS. Thanks to a three-year, $500,000 grant from UMMS, the Cal Ripken Sr. Foundation (CRSF) will open 10 new STEM Centers in schools and community centers across the state of Maryland, in areas where UMMS already has a strong footprint.

This partnership represents an opportunity to introduce students to the fields of science, technology, engineering and mathematics and supports the System’s community outreach efforts through strengthened relationships with local organizations and schools.

Ripken, who played his entire 21-year career with the Baltimore Orioles, spoke about his journey with the team and Major League Baseball, and how his perseverance, endurance and everyday work ethic created new opportunities for his success on and off the diamond.

The speaker series is a new initiative offered by UM BWMC to residents of Anne Arundel County and the surrounding region and is sponsored by philanthropists Dr. Leo and Liz Courtney through the Baltimore Washington Medical Center Foundation.

The program helps participants learn how to build a resilient mindset and enhance overall well-being through dynamic discussions. Former patients, community members and UM BWMC team members gathered in the Courtney Conference Center at the hospital’s Outpatient Care Center to learn from Ripken’s experiences.