St. Mary’s College of Maryland President Tuajuanda Jordan and members of the Carnegie Postsecondary Commission of the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching in Baltimore and in Prince George’s County met last month to discuss effective programs, partnerships and pipelines to prepare marginalized students for college and careers.
The first day of the two-day meeting took place at M&T Bank Stadium, home of the Baltimore Ravens. There, the commission, of which Jordan is co-chair, discussed a newly formed partnership with College Track, the Ravens, M&T Bank and Baltimore Public Schools that will bring a College Track Center to Baltimore. The Baltimore College Track Center aims to open in the fall of 2025. College Track is a national comprehensive college completion program that makes a 10-year commitment to students from underserved communities who seek to become the first in their families to earn a bachelor’s degree. While in Baltimore, the commission also visited the Academy for College and Career Exploration (ACCE) to meet with students. ACCE prepares students to make informed choices by providing exploratory experiences in a variety of careers.
On the second day of the November meeting, the commission visited the Durrant Center, the first College Track Center on the East Coast. Located in Prince George’s County, Maryland, the Durrant Center partners with the Kevin Durant Charity Foundation and Prince George’s County Public Schools. President Jordan noted that on both visits, she spoke with students who have already applied or are interested in applying to SMCM.
