Hood College and CREST Join Economic Development in New Business & Technology Cultivation Center

Frederick County Executive Jan Gardner announced today that Hood College and the Frederick Center for Research and Education in Science and Technology (CREST) will open offices in Frederick County Government’s new business and technology cultivation center, ROOT.


“I welcome these two higher education institutions to help fulfill my vision of a one-stop entrepreneurial resource center that will inspire and develop the workforce of the future,” said Executive Gardner. “ROOT is a unique place where entrepreneurs can thrive and grow their businesses!”


Hood College recently announced the establishment of The Martha E. Church Center for Community Engagement, which will join the Frederick County Office of Economic Development (OED) and the Frederick County Chamber of Commerce at ROOT, located at 118 N. Market Street, an ideal location in the heart of downtown Frederick. “Through the work of this center, we will better meet the educational and workforce needs of our community, expand internship and research opportunities for our students, and increase our civic and service participation. All institutions of higher education must be a force of hope, opportunity, obligation and democracy. Hood has been this for 125 years, and we are excited to do even more in the next 125 years,” said Hood College President Dr. Andrea Chapdelaine. The center will support and promote community-based learning for Hood faculty and students and is envisioned to be a catalytic nexus that will serve the college’s mission.


CREST’s Executive Director Dr. Joanne Horn also expressed optimism over co-locating at ROOT with fellow stakeholders, stating, “We all work toward driving Frederick County employers toward success and expansion, along with offering Frederick residents more options and opportunities.”


CREST is working with the University of Maryland and local higher education institutions, along with Frederick STEM businesses and federal laboratories to make this a reality. Their initial course offering with University of MD College Park has enrolled Frederick County Public School science teachers to earn a Chemistry and Life Science master’s degree along with a local course in current topics taught by local scientists and research opportunities in CREST’s partner labs. “We have other programs being planned, including an internship brokerage to help our business partners better equip students for entry into the STEM workforce. Our close proximity to our fellow economic development organizations at helps CREST to better respond to business needs,” said Dr. Horn.


The Frederick Innovative Technology Center, Inc., also has an expansion planned at ROOT in early 2018 with the addition of an information technology incubator. OED is working on additional partnerships at ROOT. For more information, call OED at 301-600-1058 and “Like” ROOT on Facebook.