Bethesda, Maryland-based AccelerEd, a subsidiary of UMGC Ventures (University of Maryland Global Campus) that offers expert consulting on digital learning systems, has announced the closure of its Bethesda office as it continues to reintegrate with UMGC.
The closure will impact 108 employees, with layoffs to be completed by Dec. 31, 2025. This is the second layoff following 57 employees laid off on October 15, 2025.
UMGC President Gregory Fowler stated, “The final report has been completed, and pending the receipt of appropriate notifications and approvals, UMGC intends to reintegrate Ventures and AccelerEd back into the University of Maryland Global Campus (UMGC). ”
According to published reports, UMGC contracted with AccelerEd to build a new student information system, an IT project that went over budget and past its timeline. The product was 'ultimately determined to be unusable and abandoned' — after the university already paid $25.7 million to Ventures, auditors said."
Change is coming. There will always be a tomorrow, no matter how much you may try to ignore it. There are no guarantees in life, nor promises of a bright future. We see good people being laid off through no fault of their own. Just because something terrible hasn't happened yet doesn't mean it won't. It can happen to anyone, at any time, anywhere. No one is guaranteed to wake up tomorrow and still have a job by evening. While many employees can read the writing on the wall, why do most assume it’s targeted at someone else? Are you now wondering, Am I Next?