UMGC Asia marks 70th anniversary of service to military learners in the Pacific

(Illustration courtesy of University of Maryland Global Campus)

TOKYO — September 17, 2026, marks the official start of University of Maryland Global Campus (UMGC) in Asia’s 70th year of dedicated service to U.S. military personnel, veterans, and their families stationed overseas — seven decades of helping servicemembers and their families transform their lives through education.

Established on September 17, 1956, under “Operation CALMAR” as the Far East Division, the university officially opened classrooms at 42 education centers across Japan, Okinawa, and South Korea, enrolling more than 1,700 initial students. This historic launch prompted General Lyman L. Lemnitzer, commander in chief of the U.S. Far East Command, to famously declare that “the sun never sets on the University of Maryland” — recognizing an unprecedented commitment to bringing genuine, resident-credit degree programs directly to troops wherever they served.

From its humble, gritty origins to today’s seamless digital network, UMGC Asia has continuously evolved to meet the changing needs of military learners. In decades past, “portable professors” traveled to remote island outposts and active war zones in Vietnam, holding classes in bunkers and Quonset huts under rocket fire and keeping learning alive by flashlight through typhoons and volcanic eruptions. Today, that physical footprint has expanded into a borderless virtual campus, supported by President Gregory Fowler’s vision of a 24/7 digital “cocoon of support” and no-cost digital course materials that have replaced traditional textbooks. UMGC continues that drive for innovation with live-streaming and two-way video classrooms that connect host and remote sites across military installations, delivering real-time, interactive instruction no matter where students are stationed.

Over seven decades, UMGC Asia has educated nearly 250,000 students across the Asia-Pacific region. Under the leadership of Vice President and Asia Director James Cronin, the division continues its mission to provide flexible, career-relevant academics and stackable credentials while fostering inclusion across a diverse military workforce. As UMGC Asia enters its 70th year, it stands as a testament to an unbroken chain of educators dedicated to inspiring students, empowering dreams, and transforming lives across the globe.

Naval Air Facility Atsugi