Dear Parents,
Between Alumni Weekend, our first two SOAR events, and the Mulberry Music Festival: Jazz, June has been an amazing start to summer at St. Mary’s College of Maryland! We hope to see you and your student at one of our exciting live concerts in June or July.
Rather relax with your Seahawk at home? The Office of Student Success Services has provided an excellent article to help you support your student while they are home for the summer.
Live Music in June and July
On Friday, June 17, St. Mary’s College kicked off its summer concert lineup with the Mulberry Music Festival: Jazz, featuring Joseph Brotherton, the Kelly Bell Band, the Carly Harvey Experience and Sharón Clark. The Mulberry Music Festival is the vision of President Tuajuanda C. Jordan and is held every year on the eve of Juneteenth (June 19), the day commemorating the emancipation of all slaves in the United States. You can experience the Mulberry Music Festival: Jazz by viewing photos from the evening.
The highly-acclaimed River Concert Series will start this Friday, June 24 and continue for five weeks through July 22. A Southern Maryland tradition now in its 24th season, this family-friendly music festival will be held on the St. Mary’s College Townhouse Green at 7 p.m. The concerts and parking are free and open to the public. There are on-site vendors who offer food and beverages for purchase. You can view the River Concert Series musical program here.
Supporting your Student During the Summer
by Kathy Langan Pusecker, Executive Director of Student Success Services
Students have been home about four weeks and enjoying their break, but you want them to do more, like read, get a job, volunteer, intern, etc. Sound familiar? This is a very common issue for parents and their students. Students often want to enjoy having someone make their favorite meals, lend them the car and do their laundry. They deserve it because they worked hard this year. Don’t laugh too hard when they say this.
In actuality, coming back home for the summer can be stressful to everyone in the home. Well, maybe not the dog. But everyone who adjusted to a new routine without the student now has adjustments to make. Often the stress of re-entry into the home is because of a lack of communication about expectations. So now it might be time to clear the air. Yes, they are your kids, but they also see themselves as independent emerging adults. Stop the snickers.
So here are some thoughts that might help now that your student has caught up on rest and reconnected with friends.
- Remind them that they are not guests but members of the family.
- They are used to coming and going as they please. Ask what time you can expect them.
- Set reasonable ground rules and explain the rationale.
- Ask your student, what would you like to accomplish this summer? Listen and be supportive. Often they have career goals and you can connect them with your network to gain experience.
- Remember, students who are handed everything don’t get motivated to work.
- Find ways to reconnect and schedule it. Watch a ball game, attend a concert, go for a walk. Just connect and do more listening than talking.
- Share how your life has changed for you. Tell them about what you miss and also what you gained.
- Take care of yourself. Change is stressful. Find healthy ways to manage it. And don’t be afraid to ask for help if and when you need it.
- Please don’t be upset if around August they tell you that they can’t wait to “go home.” They are referring to returning to campus. This is a good thing because it means they feel connected here.
Good luck! The summer flies by and in no time, they eventually fly the nest. Enjoy your Seahawk while they are there.
Seahawk Orientation, Advising and Registration (SOAR)
On Thursday, June 16 and Friday, June 17, the New Student Experiences team welcomed new students and their families on campus for SOAR, which was established to serve as a student’s roadmap to becoming a successful Seahawk. You can view photos from the first two SOAR sessions here. Two upcoming SOAR sessions are scheduled for Thursday, June 23 and Friday, June 24. In addition to SOAR, three virtual Hawk Talks are scheduled for students and family members about important topics such as academics, campus life, student success and transitioning to college. Hawk Talks will occur on July 26, August 2 and August 9 at 7:00 p.m.
Reporting the Loss of a Long-time Member of our Faculty
We are deeply saddened to report that on Sunday, June 19, widely admired and loved Professor of Music David Froom passed away after a months-long battle with cancer. David Froom joined the faculty at St. Mary’s College in 1989 and for 33 years was an invaluable member of the College’s music department, helping to bring it to national prominence.