Dear Parents,
Congratulations to all students and families on the conclusion of another successful year at St. Mary’s College of Maryland! Thank you for braving the rain to support our graduates at Commencement and for your continued involvement and support throughout the year.
Commencement Recap
On Saturday, May 14, St. Mary’s College graduated 375 students with Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Science, and Master of Arts in Teaching degrees on the campus’ Townhouse Green.
The commencement address was delivered by Terron Hillsman, director of the ecological sciences division for the USDA- Natural Resources Conservation Services (NRCS), whose message to the Class of 2022 centered on the importance of resiliency and “gifting” hope to others.
President Tuajuanda C. Jordan, accompanied by Board of Trustees Chair Susan Dyer, presented honorary degrees to Hillsman and St. Mary’s County Health Officer Meenakshi G. Brewster. Five students earned the honor of serving as valedictorians: Harrison Bauman, Caitlin Hall, Sydney Lipsman, Charlotte Mac Kay, and Jacinda Thomas. A lottery led to Caitlin Hall delivering the remarks to the Class of 2022.
You can download the 2022 program, watch the ceremony, and view graduate photos on the Commencement website.
Closing the Tuition Gap
On May 13, the Board of Trustees approved a long-range tuition strategy that will freeze tuition as long as revenue and expense assumptions remain viable to the delivery of a top-tier honors college education for all. The 10-year strategy model was developed to better align St. Mary's College's in-state tuition with that of the University of Maryland, College Park. Currently, the in-state tuition gap between the two institutions is about 23%.
SOAR for New Students
Seahawk Orientation, Advising and Registration (SOAR) is a single-day campus activity for new students and their families. Available dates are June 16, 17, 23, 24. Your new student must sign up for SOAR on the Portal.
Summer Events
St. Mary’s College of Maryland is proud to host live music and workshops throughout the summer. The Mulberry Music Festival: Jazz will take place at 6 p.m. on Friday, June 17 on the Townhouse Green. The highly-acclaimed River Concert Series will take place on five Fridays (June 24 - July 22) at 7 p.m. on the Townhouse Green. All concerts are free and no registration is required.
The 11th Annual Chesapeake Writers’ Conference is still accepting applications on a rolling basis. From Sunday, June 19 to Saturday, June 25, participants will enjoy intensive workshops in fiction, nonfiction, poetry, translation, songwriting or youth writing, craft talks by published authors, and insight from publishing professionals. Course credit is available.
Lastly, the second annual Folklife Summer Workshops will be held on campus and around St. Mary’s City from Friday, June 3 - Sunday, June 5. Sponsored by the Southern Maryland Folklife Center, this festival is designed to celebrate and support community-based cultural traditions of Southern Maryland.
Support the Performing Arts at SMCM
You can leave a lasting legacy in the new Performing Arts Center, scheduled for opening in fall 2022. Be recognized, honor someone special, or remember a loved one with an engraved plaque on the armrest of an auditorium seat. Plaques are $250 each before June 30, 2022, after which they will go up to $300 each. Your tax-deductible gift will support the Performing Arts Fund.