St. Mary's College receives River Champion Award

ST. MARY'S CITY, Md. (June 5, 2017)—On Sunday, June 4, on behalf of St. Mary's College of Maryland, President Tuajuanda C. Jordan was given the River Champion Award by the St. Mary's River Watershed Association during its annual "A River Affair" celebration. The celebration took place on the State House lawn overlooking the St. Mary's River. This is the seventh year for the event and fifth year of the award, which is given to individuals or organizations that are instrumental to the work of the Watershed Association.

"St. Mary's College, its students, faculty and staff, are intricately tied to this land along the banks of the St. Mary's River," said President Jordan. "The river inspires our work, our play, and our commitment to the environment. Students study the river and its inhabitants, our faculty use it as a teaching resource, and our many programs help our students understand our history and fill them with a sense of purpose. In many ways, the St. Mary's River defines us."

"We are proud to honor St. Mary's College this year because of the very strong partnership we've enjoyed with the College from the very start of the Watershed Association, almost 15 years ago," said Joe Anderson, president, St. Mary's Watershed Association. "Not to mention the many St. Mary's College students who have volunteered, interned, and worked for us over the years."

This year, Bill Bailey was also a recipient. Past River Champion recipients include former Maryland State Senator Bernie Fowler, a longtime leader in the fight to restore the Patuxent River and Chesapeake Bay; Bob Lewis, executive director and founder of the St. Mary's Watershed Association; Joe Anderson, founder and current president of the board of directors; Bob Paul, founder and board member of the St. Mary's Watershed Association and retired St. Mary's College professor of biology; Boeing; and the Lexington Park Rotary Club.

The mission of the St. Mary's Watershed Association is to protect, improve, and promote the well-being of the St. Mary's River Watershed through collaborative efforts of economic, agricultural, environmental, social, cultural, and political stakeholders in the community.