Jarrell Slade, M.Ed., LCPC

Jarrell Slade is the Acting Executive Director of Pre-College Programs. Slade is also the Diversity Officer for Undergraduate Studies. Slade has recently received the 2025 MVP of Impact Award for Undergraduate Studies and UHR for his hard work, dedicated service, and commitment to advancing Pre-College Programs to new heights.

He manages two, federally-funded TRIO programs (Upward Bound I & II) and oversees the LIFT program and its logistics. Before occupying this position, Slade worked as the Program Manager for Pre-College Programs: Upward Bound II and was promoted to Acting Executive Director of Pre-College Programs due to his community engagement prowess, revenue-building initiatives, his knowledge of mental and social health, and his civic duty to enhance the program and department as a whole. 

Before UMD, Slade worked in many sectors, including non-profit organizations, mental health clinics, the public school system, and more. While in these spaces, Slade created a psychiatric rehabilitation program (Greater Maryland Youth) that focused on life skills training, academic achievement, and community integration for underrepresented minority youth in Prince George's County, MD from 2016 to 2019. Slade also worked as a DEI consultant with Alexandria City Public Schools to enhance their knowledge of equitable practices within the school environment. Slade is also a licensed clinical therapist and works with BIPOC, LGBTQIA+ individuals coping with mental health issues. 

Slade's most recent experience as the Acting Executive Director has allowed him to revolutionize our programs to new heights by designing a comprehensive, culturally competent counseling curriculum for program students, organizing community service and programmatic events around civic duty and engagement, and developing a mentorship program in partnership with the UMD Intercollegiate Athletics department to help Upward Bound student athletes actualize their dreams in becoming D1 athletes. Slade's most recent initiative legitimized Pre-College Programs as a 'service-learning site' with PG and Montgomery County Public Schools. With this, Slade created a community service pipeline with UMD Dining Services to allow local low-income, first-generation high school students to volunteer and experience UMD's sporting events while completing their high school's service hours requirement. 

He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Psychology (Minor: Neuroscience) from the University of Maryland, College Park, and a Master’s Degree in Counseling and Human Development from The George Washington University. He hopes to continue towards his terminal degree.

Slade focuses on closing the achievement gap within the minority community and promoting all students to strive for their absolute highest!