Johns Hopkins University becomes Partner in Education with Maryland National Guard

A formal agreement between the Maryland National Guard and Johns Hopkins University was signed during a virtual ceremony today making them the 40th Partner in Education. 

For members of the MDNG enrolled with JHU, this new partnership provides a 50% tuition waiver for the first six credits of undergraduate study and up to 100% reimbursement of qualifying undergraduate and graduate tuition. 

“Maryland continues to lead the way in education benefits and unmatched opportunities for its citizen-Soldiers and Airmen,” said Lt. Governor Boyd Rutherford. “Over the last 12 months, we have relied on the members of the Maryland National Guard to keep us safe in ways that we may not have imagined. They have been instrumental in efforts to treat COVID-19 patients and provide vaccines as we work to end the pandemic. They also answered the call in January to protect the capital and help secure a peaceful transition of power in Washington D.C.”

The MDNG often partners with public universities within the Maryland state university system. This partnership is unique as it opens new opportunities with a private research university.

“For an Adjutant General, formally recognizing partnerships with the Maryland National Guard is one of the most honored privileges” said Maj. Gen. Timothy E. Gowen, adjutant general for Maryland. “It’s a time to demonstrate the strong ties we’ve established within our communities. I truly honor the start of this newly established relationship with Johns Hopkins University.” 

One MDNG officer and JHU alumni, Lt. Col. Alexi Franklin, reflected on how both the military and JHU changed his life for the better. 

“Johns Hopkins University helped mold me into an Army leader,” Franklin said. “The Army helped me return to Hopkins for graduate education, and that education in turn helped me be an even better leader for the Maryland National Guard.”

Johns Hopkins is America’s first research university. For more than 140 years, Johns Hopkins has been a world leader in both teaching and research, with nine academic divisions — the Krieger School of Arts and Sciences, the Whiting School of Engineering, the Bloomberg School of Public Health, the Carey Business School, the Peabody Institute, the Paul H. Nitze School of Advanced International Studies, and the schools of Medicine, Nursing, and Education — plus the Applied Physics Laboratory, a nonacademic division that supports national security and pursues space science.

“Johns Hopkins is thrilled to become a Partner in Education with the Maryland National Guard and to support the academic advancement of those working in service to our state,” said Sunil Kumar, Johns Hopkins provost and senior vice president for academic affairs. “Johns Hopkins and the Maryland National Guard share a commitment to education and making a positive difference in our communities. This partnership is a natural extension of our missions.”

The MDNG is partnered with 39 other educational institutions through similar agreements. Partnerships like these provide eligible MDNG Soldiers and Airmen the opportunity to participate in both the State Tuition Waiver, an upfront reduction in tuition costs, and State Tuition Assistance Reimbursement, covering tuition costs paid out-of-pocket after completing the courses.

“Becoming a Partner in Education with the Maryland National Guard doesn’t involve just a quick signature on a piece of paper,” Gowen said. “It involves a moral understanding that both parties are selflessly doing this for the benefit of our Soldiers and Airmen and for Maryland and for that, I am grateful.”      

The virtual ceremony can be viewed at https://video.ibm.com/channel/johnshopkinsu.