Read Books, Win Prizes, during College's Summer Reading Program
The St. Mary's College Library's Adult Summer Reading Program starts June 1 and runs through August 18, 2017.
The online reading program is sponsored by the library, archives & media center at St. Mary's College of Maryland and is open to all members of the St. Mary's College community including students, staff, faculty, alumni and residents of St. Mary's, Calvert and Charles counties.
To earn points, participants must read a book and submit a review to the library's summer reading blog, smcmlibrary.wordpress.com. This year's grand prize is a $25 Amazon gift card.
For more information about the program rules, raffles and prizes visit the Summer Reading Blog at smcmlibrary.wordpress.com/about or email Pamela Mann a pemann@smcm.edu.
414 students participate in 2017 Commencement Ceremony
St. Mary's College of Maryland, the state's public honors college, graduated 414 students with Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Science degrees on Saturday, May 13, outdoors on the campus' Townhouse Green.
The commencement address was delivered by Neil Irwin '00, a senior economic correspondent at The New York Times and author of "The Alchemists: Three Central Bankers and a World on Fire" (Penguin Press, 2013). He is an alumnus of St. Mary's College and served as a member of the College's Board of Trustees from 2007 to 2013. Irwin told graduates, "St. Mary's College of Maryland has left you with the intellectual tools to shape your decisions." Irwin was presented with an honorary degree from St. Mary's College's Chairman of the Board of Trustees Sven Holmes.
Also receiving honorary degrees from St. Mary's College were Elfreda Talbert Mathis and Janice Talbert Walthour. Mathis and Walthour are sisters who were born and raised locally during the turbulent time of segregation and the Civil Rights Movement. Both returned to St. Mary's County after their education to continue to work in the St. Mary's County public schools. Both are extremely active in the community, serving on numerous boards and committees. Walthour is also the current president of the St. Mary's County Branch of the NAACP.
At the conclusion of the ceremony, President Tuajuanda C. Jordan charged the Class of 2017 with the following: "You have done well here at St. Mary's College of Maryland, where you have studied and learned in the finest liberal arts tradition. As you move beyond the banks of this river into the world, my expectation is that you will take your passions, your skills, and the knowledge you have gained in this place to create a more just and humane society for all."
The valedictorian of the graduating class was Adeline Schlussel, of Doylestown, Pa. In her remarks, Schlussel spoke about St. Mary's River as an estuary, "a place of convergence where fresh water mixes with salt water. Estuaries are a strange border between the land and the sea, and that makes them places of change." Using this analogy, she told her fellow graduates, "These experiences, and more importantly these people, are the nutrients that will allow us not only to survive, but to thrive, in this strange and scary and thrilling time of transition that we now find ourselves in." Schlussel is a Nitze Scholar and a member of Phi Beta Kappa, Beta Beta Beta and Omicron Delta Kappa honor societies. She is co-president of the St. Mary's River Project and AVATAR. Schlussel will intern in the Coastal Conservation and Research Program at the Wetlands Institute in New Jersey as she pursues a career in coastal ecology research and education.
Board of Trustees meets, sets tuition for 2017-18
St. Mary's College of Maryland's Board of Trustees met Friday, May 12, and approved a 2 percent tuition increase for the 2017-18 academic year. In-state tuition will increase by $228 to the rate of $11,646; out-of-state tuition will increase by $532 to the rate of $27,098.
The slight increase will be only the second increase at Maryland's public honors college in four years. A tuition freeze by the College locked rates into place for students between 2013 and 2015. The state legislature enabled St. Mary's College to implement an 8.6 percent in-state tuition reduction in 2014.
The 2017-18 tuition rate increase also reflects additional State funding provided by Governor Larry Hogan and the Maryland Legislature to moderate in-state tuition pricing. This added support effectively enables the College to limit the tuition increase to 2 percent.
"This modest tuition increase for 2017-18 will enable the College to continue to fulfill its mission to maintain our high academic quality as Maryland's only public honors college while providing an outstanding educational program to our students that is both affordable and accessible," said Dr. Tuajuanda C. Jordan, president of St. Mary's College.
In Other Business:
The Board approved the renaming of the College's library to the Hilda C. Landers Library. This recommendation will now be submitted to the State of Maryland's Board of Public Works for final review and approval, as required by law.
Landers was a 1923 graduate of the St. Mary's Female Seminary. She and her husband Arthur created two trusts: the Hilda C. Landers Trust and the Arthur E. Landers, Jr. and Hilda C. Landers Trust, of which St. Mary's College is one of the beneficiaries. Support to date from the Landers and their trusts is estimated at $6.4 million. Nearly 2,000 students have received merit and financial support through these gifts.
The space known as the Campus Farm has been renamed the Kate Chandler Campus Farm in memory of the life and legacy of Dr. Kate Chandler, a faculty member with a joint appointment between the English department and the Environmental Studies program.
Special Board Recognition:
During a special reception on the evening of Friday, May 12, the Board recognized two Order of the Ark and Dove citation recipients, three retiring trustees who will receive Trustee Emeritus status, and faculty promotions.
Order of the Ark and Dove citations:
The Order of the Ark and Dove citations were awarded to Bonnie Green and Harry Weitzel, Jr. The Order of the Ark and Dove citations were originally created in 1972 to honor those individuals who have given distinguished service to St. Mary's College.
Bonnie Green has served the Board of Trustees or the College's Foundation Board for 20 years. As executive director of the The Patuxent Partnership, she was recognized as providing a critical link between the College, the Patuxent River Naval Air Station and its contracting community, in particular regarding the College's efforts in the STEM fields. She is a 1974 alumna of the College, and since then has actively engaged students, including the creation of a summer internship program at the Maritime Administration of the U.S. Department of Transportation and American President Companies, Ltd.
Harry Weitzel, Jr. has been a member of the Board of Trustees or the College's Foundation Board since 1992. Weitzel was recognized for his dedication to the College, by providing business acumen and financial expertise, and serving as a valuable ambassador on the College's behalf to an extensive network of stakeholders. Throughout his career in the financial services and banking industry, he was civically involved with such groups as the University of Maryland School of Business, the Maryland Industrial Partnership, The Center Club, the Baltimore Museum of Art, the Association of Reserve City Bankers, and the American Bankers Association and Historic Annapolis, Inc.
Trustee Emeritus status:
Recommended by the Trustee Governance Committee, the Board recognized retiring trustees Gary Jobson, Molly Mahoney Matthews and Mike O'Brien, with Trustee Emerita/Emeritus status. All have served for 12 years or more, meeting the eligibility requirement for emeritus status.
Gary Jobson chaired the Government Relations Committee and provided leadership in Annapolis. He also worked with students through the Schaefer Intern program. In support of the College's sailing program, he provided national exposure for the teams through his work with ESPN and also serves on the College's Boat Foundation Board.
Molly Mahoney Matthews chaired the Development, Admissions, and Governance Committees, and served as Board Chair from 2010-13. Matthews' network of high-profile contacts has brought the College to the attention of a wide variety of elected officials, business leaders and journalists, including most recently David Kendall, who served as the keynote speaker for the College's Martin Luther King, Jr. Prayer Breakfast, and Cokie Roberts, who delivered the 2017 Benjamin C. Bradlee Lecture in Journalism.
Mike O'Brien chaired the Buildings & Grounds Committee on two separate occasions. During his tenure, the campus has been reshaped by the addition of thoughtfully designed academic buildings, athletic facilities and student housing. His strong history of philanthropy to the College culminated in the naming of the Michael P. O'Brien Athletics and Recreation Center to honor his legacy of support. He also served on the Foundation Board and as a member of the Joint Investment Advisory Committee.
Faculty and Staff Promotions:
The following faculty have been promoted to full professor:
Dr. Jeffrey Coleman, professor of English
Dr. Katherine Gantz, professor of French
Dr. Pamela Mertz, professor of chemistry and biochemistry
Dr. Sahar Shafqat, professor of political science
The following faculty have been reappointed with tenure and promoted to associate professor:
Dr. Diana Boros, associate professor of political science
Ms. Veronica Arellano Douglas, librarian
Dr. Barrett Emerick, associate professor of philosophy
Dr. Liza Gijanto, associate professor of anthropology
Students inducted into the College's first chapter of National French Honor Society
On Thursday, April 20, nine St. Mary's College students were inducted into the College's first ever chapter of Pi Delta Phi, the National French Honor Society. Founded in 1906, Pi Delta Phi is, according to its website, "the oldest academic honor society for a modern foreign language in the United States." Boasting 75,000 members and 360 chapters, Pi Delta Phi aims to "recognize outstanding scholarship in the French language and its literatures, to increase the knowledge and appreciation of Americans for the cultural contributions of the French-speaking world, and to stimulate and to encourage French and francophone cultural activities."
With Pi Delta Phi Regional Vice President Dr. Eileen Angelini presiding, the nine inductees pledged to uphold the values of the Society and to promote French and Francophone culture at home and abroad. Dr. Angelini presented the official charter for the St. Mary's chapter (known by the Greek letters "Pi Theta") and the students received a certificate of membership, pins, and red and blue cords to be worn at graduation.
The inductees ranged from sophomores planning to study abroad in Montpellier and Grenoble, to a senior about to begin the Peace Corps in Francophone, Africa, and another senior who will be teaching English in France.
College recognized by Maryland Historical Trust for Archaeological Stewardship
St. Mary's College of Maryland was recognized during the Maryland Historical Trust's 42nd annual Preservation Awards on April 20 in Annapolis, Md. St. Mary's College was awarded Outstanding Stewardship of Archaeological Resources.
According to the Maryland Historical Trust, "St. Mary's College of Maryland has a distinguished record for the management of archaeological resources on its property and has played a key role in the identification, preservation, and interpretation of sites, places, and landscapes in the Southern Maryland region."
"When St. Mary's College was created as a living monument to the founding of Maryland, I doubt that any of the school's founders envisioned the role archaeology would come to play in commemorating the past," said Dr. Julie King, professor of anthropology at St. Mary's College. "But here we are: the College not only as stewards of the archaeological sites on its land, but our students helping owners and communities with learning more about and preserving sites in their neighborhoods."
The Maryland Preservation Awards are the highest level of recognition for historic preservation, heritage education and community development projects in the state. Since 1975, the Maryland Historical Trust has honored the outstanding preservation efforts of more than 250 individuals and projects throughout the state. The awards are presented in four categories: Leadership and Service, Education and Community Engagement, Project Excellence, and Stewardship.