Maryland’s Deferred Dreams Deserve Their Moment

By Dr. K.L. Allen – Regional Vice President, Northeast, Western Governors University

When I moved to Prince George’s County, I thought it would be a quiet place to catch my breath between flights and meetings. What I found instead was a place full of people who are still dreaming. People who put their goals on hold not because they stopped believing in themselves, but because life demanded their attention somewhere else.

I’ve met parents who put everything into raising their children and quietly hope to finish the degree they left behind. I’ve met veterans trying to build a new chapter after serving our country. I’ve talked with workers whose jobs changed overnight, and young adults who had to step away from school because tuition was simply too much at the time. These aren’t people giving up. These are people waiting for a real chance to start again.

And that’s not just here in PG County. It’s true from Baltimore to Western Maryland to the Eastern Shore. Maryland is full of dreams deferred.

Maryland is a strong, driven state. But opportunity isn’t spread evenly. Only about 35% of adults in Prince George’s County have a bachelor’s degree or higher, even though many good jobs now expect one. For a lot of families, that gap shows up in paychecks, job opportunities, and long-term stability.

Meanwhile, businesses across Maryland are struggling to hire. Healthcare needs nurses. Schools need teachers. Cybersecurity alone has thousands of open roles. We have people who want better jobs and jobs that need people. What’s missing is a bridge between the two.

Earlier this year, I sat down with Governor Wes Moore. We talked about Maryland’s future, about the pride people have in this state, and about the barriers that keep too many residents from finishing what they started.

What struck me most was the Governor’s belief that opportunity should reach everywhere, not just the places that have always had it. Maybe because I know what it feels like to come from one of those places that opportunity forgets. His words reminded me that talent isn’t bound by zip code; it’s only bound by who decides to invest in it. Every week in Prince George’s County and beyond, I meet people proving that truth with their lives.

People who work hard, care for their families, and still carry the hope of building a better future. That’s when it became clear that we needed to do something meaningful to help.

From that conversation, the idea for Western Governors University’s (WGU) Maryland Rising Together Scholarship was born.

The scholarship offers up to $4,000 for Maryland residents who want to continue their education through WGU, but most importantly, it’s designed to for the people who often feel overlooked.

The Bowie parent trying to finally finish their degree. The Baltimore worker rebuilding after a layoff. The veteran beginning a new chapter. It’s one way to help turn deferred dreams into completed ones. You don’t need a perfect plan; you just need a starting point.

However, education alone isn’t the whole answer. Employers, community groups, and local leaders all play a part. When businesses partner with schools, when nonprofits support residents, and when communities open doors for each other, people rise faster.

Prince George’s County is strong. It’s a place full of people who work hard and believe in building something better, whether for their children, their neighbors, or themselves.

Governor Moore often says Maryland’s greatest strength is its people. I see that every day. And if we keep widening the path to opportunity, supporting each other, and giving people the chance to finish what they started, Maryland won’t just rise; it will lead.

And PG County will be one of the places that shows the rest of the state just how high we can go.

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Dr. K.L. Allen is the Regional Vice President of the Northeast region at Western Governors University. With nearly two decades of experience in higher education, Dr. Allen is all about closing the gap between college graduation and today’s workforce by making education more accessible and affordable for everyone.