Division of Economic and Community Outreach

Message from the Vice President, Dyan Brasington, CEcD, FM

	Dyan Brasington Vice President

Towson University, Maryland’s Metropolitan University, is committed to addressing education, economic development and broad social issues. To further Towson’s role as a premier metropolitan university, the Division of Economic and Community Outreach (DECO) was established in 2004 as an initiative of President Robert L. Caret. DECO’s charge is to provide a focus for engagement with the external community and to provide a path into the university to our research and project talent. Those interactions enable Towson to make a difference in the business community and the community-at-large.

As Vice President for the Division, I am deeply committed to fulfilling the unique and important role that Towson plays in the region. DECO brings together innovative, forward-thinking professionals from a variety of disciplines, to forge stronger links between the University and the community it serves. We work closely with businesses and state and local governments to match our academic capabilities with their needs to expand opportunities for University-community collaboration. Quite simply, our goal is to connect the University to the broader community and allow the community to benefit from the University’s expertise.

Since 2004, DECO has secured over $50 million in grants, contracts and external funding. We have launched the Mid-Atlantic CIO Forum, the Edward V. Badolato Distinguished Speaker Series in Homeland Security, the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute, the TU Executive Club, TowsonGlobal, our International business incubator, and the Maryland Alliance for Information Security Assurance. Through DECO’s leadership, the university was named a “University Center for Economic Development” by the Federal Economic Development Administration, and has received designation as a Center of Academic Excellence in Information Assurance by the National Security Administration and Department of Homeland Security. Additionally, Leadership Baltimore County, Building Steps and the Coalition of Urban and Metropolitan Universities (CUMU), and the University Economic Development Association (UEDA) are now headquartered at Towson University, providing immense partnership and engagement opportunities.

DECO’s talented and experienced staff provides services in key functional units that include:

• Center for Applied Information Technology (CAIT) – CAIT offers graduate degrees in applied information technology as well as certificate programs and training.
• Center for Geographic Information Sciences (CGIS) – At CGIS, maps take on new life and new meaning. Our experts layer data sets to identify geographic trends related to preparedness, transportation planning and other analyses. Maryland’s map-enabled web sites provide superior services to citizens.
• Center for Homeland Security (CHS) – This Center provides consulting services for businesses and government agencies to prepare for unexpected events and emergencies. The broad goal is to ensure homeland security in our region.
• Economic & Workforce Development (EWD) – EWD groups provide research services and IT solutions to business and government. The groups in EWD consist of RESI-Applied Economics, RESI-Information Systems Solutions, the Small Business Development Center (SBDC) and TowsonGlobal.
• Extended Education and Online Learning (EEOL) – EEOL provides clients with staff development and training opportunities at worksites or on-line. Classes range from technical to non-technical and everything in between.

I encourage you to visit the DECO web site to find more about the innovative programs and services that our Division provides. You can always contact us at 1-877-TULINK-4U, or at TULink4U@towson.edu.

Division of Economic and Community Outreach
Office Location: Administration Building, Suite 301

Phone: 410-704-DECO
Fax: 410-704-2152
E-mail: outreach@towson.edu