Fiske Guide to Colleges 2016 Includes St. Mary’s College of Maryland
St. Mary’s College of Maryland, the state’s public honors college, has been recognized as one of the “best and most interesting” schools in the 2016 edition of the “Fiske Guide to Colleges.”
For more than 30 years, millions of students, parents, and guidance counselors have relied on the Fiske Guide to Colleges during their college search. Compiled by former New York Times education editor Edward B. Fiske, the guideis a selective, subjective, and systematic look at 300+ colleges and universities in the U.S., Canada, and Great Britain.
Readers will discover the personality of St. Mary’s College based on a broad range of subjects, including student body, academics, social life, financial aid, campus setting, housing, food, and extracurricular activities.
About St. Mary’s College, it states, “Students here can easily design their own majors, undertake independent research projects, or work closely with professors to investigate whatever interests them. … St. Mary’s has worked hard to establish itself as one of the nation’s premier public liberal arts colleges … students leave with a solid grounding in the liberal arts—and the close bonds that they forge with friends during peaceful days on Chesapeake Bay.”
For a list of St. Mary’s College rankings, visit www.smcm.edu/about/college-rankings.
St. Mary’s College of Maryland Appoints Conner Blouin Assistant Varsity Sailing Coach
St. Mary’s College of Maryland is pleased to announce the appointment of Conner Blouin as assistant varsity sailing coach. Blouin most recently served as the head sailing coach at his alma mater, Washington College, a position he has held for the past two years. Prior to his return to intercollegiate athletics, Blouin served as a high school coach in both Rhode Island and Florida.
In addition to his extensive coaching experience, Blouin has also had marketing and communications experience within the sailing industry, including working for the governing body of the sport, US Sailing. Speaking about his new role, Blouin said, “I wouldn’t have left my alma mater for just any team. I am excited for the opportunity to work with both Coach Adam Werblow and Coach Bill Ward, and I hope to add to the legacy of St. Mary’s sailing.”
As a student athlete, Blouin was twice named an Honorable Mention All-American and was selected first team Academic All-American. He was inducted into the Phi Beta Kappa (Theta Chapter) at Washington College in 2010 for academics. Blouin holds a master’s degree in sport management from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst.
“The Seahawk coaching staff has followed the illustrious undergraduate, graduate, and professional career of Blouin, on and off the water, and know that he will be an asset to the program,” said Bill Ward, director of sailing at St. Mary’s College. “Conner brings expertise in a variety of boats as both a competitor and a coach. We just love his passion for the sport. Coach Werblow and I could not be more excited to have him join the Seahawk team.”
Ward notes that the newly created assistant coaching position is funded entirely by the generous support of the boat donation program of the St. Mary’s College Boat Foundation, Inc. “The donated big boats are literally the gift that keeps on giving--first providing opportunities for new sailors to get on the water and later providing the funds to support the college’s sailing program.”
Blouin is currently preparing to represent the United States in the Pan American Games, to be held July 12-19 in Toronto, in the Sunfish class. Also competing in the Games will be St. Mary’s College alumnae Mimi Roller ’13 and Kayla McComb ’13 in the 49erFX class representing the U.S. Virgin Islands.
St. Mary’s College Instructor Meng Su Wins Gold at International Guitar Competition
Meng Su, instructor of guitar at St. Mary’s College of Maryland, is the gold medal-winner of the 2015 Parkening International Guitar Competition, the world's preeminent guitar competition.
Su took the gold medal with her rich interpretation of Joaquin Rodrigo's “Concierto de Aranjuez” at Pepperdine's Smothers Theatre during the sold-out final round on Saturday, May 30. She received the Jack Marshall Prize of $30,000, the most prestigious title in classical guitar, in addition to her medal.
Su, a native of Qingdao, China, joined the St. Mary's College faculty in September 2014. Since picking up the guitar at age 5, she has shown her talents from an early age and has won first-prize in numerous competitions, including the Vienna Youth Guitar Competition, the Tokyo International Guitar Competition, and the Iserlohn International Guitar Competition in Germany. In 2014, Su received the Individual Artist Award in Classical Performance from the Maryland State Arts Council.
Su, with guitarist Yameng Wang, make up the globetrotting Beijing Guitar Duo. The duo’s debut CD, released in 2009, received a Latin-Grammy nomination for the titled piece, “Maracaipe.” Most recently, the duo has been performing with Maestro Manuel Barrueco in trio in Europe and the United States. Their first trio CD, “China West,” was released in May 2014.
The Parkening International Guitar Competition, which debuted in 2006 and consists of three days of intense public performances, offers the largest prize purse of any classical guitar competition in the world, with competitors vying for cash awards that total in excess of $65,000.
Su was also the winner of the 2006 inaugural Parkening Young Guitarist Competition, and is the first female guitarist to make it both to the final round of the main competition and to win the gold medal. She obtained her performer's certificate and graduate performance diplomas in both guitar and chamber music from the Peabody Conservatory in Baltimore, Md., where she is currently completing her master's degree.
St. Mary's College 42nd Annual Governor’s Cup Yacht Race Sets Sail July 31
St. Mary's College of Maryland’s highly anticipated Governor’s Cup Yacht Race, to be held July 31–Aug. 1, is open for registration. This year will be the 42nd running of the oldest and longest overnight race on the Chesapeake Bay.
This year, race officials are introducing a new Southern Leg from Mobjack Bay (Virginia) to St. Mary's City for a total of three individual races ('legs'): Annapolis, Potomac, and Southern. Qualified sailors who want to participate in the race are encouraged to register online at the official Gov’ Cup website, www.smcm.edu/events/govcup. Live GPS tracking will be available for participants as well as shore-side spectators on the Gov’ Cup website and through the RaceQs mobile app for iPhone or Android.
For information about the event, visit http://www.smcm.edu/events/govcup or email govcup@smcm.edu.