Continuing a successful collaboration first established in 2011, St. Mary’s College of Maryland (SMCM), the nation’s public honors college, has renewed its strategic Education Partnership Agreement with the Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division (NAWCAD) at Patuxent River and The Patuxent Partnership (TPP).
This updated agreement enhances the partnership with new opportunities for students, faculty, and staff to engage in advanced research, applied learning, and career pathway development in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields, as well as business and related professional disciplines. The partnership provides a formal framework for collaboration across research, academic programming, and workforce development.
Through the agreement, SMCM students, faculty, and staff will gain access to specialized facilities, technical expertise, and real-world applications in naval aviation and related systems, experiences not typically available in a traditional academic setting.
The collaboration is designed to strengthen the pipeline of future scientists, engineers, and business professionals while supporting national priorities in innovation and defense. It also creates expanded opportunities for internships, mentoring, and career exploration connected to one of the region’s most significant federal employers.
“This partnership reflects what higher education must do at its best: connect learning with real-world impact,” said President Rhonda Phillips. “By bringing together the distinct strengths of each partner, we are creating meaningful pathways for our students while advancing the role of public higher education in addressing national and regional workforce needs.”
"This partnership is a critical investment in our future” said RMDL Todd Evans, NAWCAD Commander. “By providing students with direct access to real-world naval aviation challenges and our expert workforce, we are not just building a pipeline of skilled business and STEM professionals; we are cultivating the innovative and mission-ready talent that NAWCAD needs to solve the nation’s most complex defense challenges. This collaboration will ensure that we continue to have the best and brightest minds ready to support our warfighters.”.
Bonnie Green, Executive Director of TPP stated that “this partnership exemplifies our unwavering commitment to fostering a vibrant and collaborative ecosystem in Southern Maryland. By connecting our world-class academic institutions with the cutting-edge work at NAWCAD, we are building a powerful engine for innovation and economic growth. This agreement is a critical step in cultivating the next generation of leaders and ensuring that our region has the skilled workforce needed to support our nation's defense and drive our economy forward for years to come."
In addition to student engagement, the agreement supports faculty collaboration, curriculum enrichment, and joint exploration of emerging technologies and research priorities.
Located in close proximity to Naval Air Station Patuxent River, SMCM is uniquely positioned to serve as a bridge between academic inquiry and applied innovation. The partnership builds on that proximity to create a model for how public honors colleges can contribute to national priorities while delivering a distinctive, high-impact student experience.
The agreement will be implemented through coordinated efforts among all partners, including the development of structured internship pathways, faculty engagement opportunities, and targeted programming to support student success and workforce readiness.
About St. Mary’s College of Maryland
St. Mary’s College of Maryland (SMCM), the National Public Honors College, is a diverse and engaged community of scholars providing an accessible, transformative, and experiential liberal arts and sciences education, setting the unrivaled standard in excellence, integrity, and social responsibility. SMCM enrolls some 1,600 students on a 361-acre residential campus. Students choose from more than 60 undergraduate programs and participate in over 70 club activities. A member of NCAA Division III, the Mid-Atlantic Rowing Conference, and the Intercollegiate Sailing Association, SMCM fields 23 varsity men’s and women’s athletic teams. The College has won the United East Conference's Presidents' Trophy for highest athletic performance for three years in a row and has produced 17 national sailing championships and more than 150 sailing All-Americans.
About Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division
NAWCAD supports the research, development, engineering, test, evaluation, and sustainment of all Navy and Marine Corps aircraft. Headquartered in Patuxent River, Maryland, its blended workforce of military and civilians operates test ranges, laboratories, and aircraft in support of military operations worldwide.
About The Patuxent Partnership
The Patuxent Partnership is a non-profit member organization that works with government, industry, and academia to advance education through STEM-based initiatives, to advance technology through speaker programs and networking, to advance science and technology transfer through the exchange of ideas, information, and data related to technologies, and to foster workforce development through an array of initiatives.
