LOOKING AHEAD TO HAWKTOBERFEST
We are looking forward to welcoming a record number of family, alumni, and community members for Hawktoberfest & Family Weekend - our first fully in-person since 2019. For information and schedule visit the Hawktoberfest website.
FOLLOW US ON FLICKR
While many of you follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, we also have an active Flickr account. Here you can find lots of event photos, available for free download in high resolution. Who knows? You might spot your student in one of our albums, conveniently organized by event.
GRAND OPENING A HUGE SUCCESS
Our long-awaited grand opening of the Performing Arts Center and Learning Commons on September 23-24 was not just a great success, but included a surprise announcement. The weekend was full of activities involving many students - see more photos in our Flickr album.
COVID UPDATE
The College lifted its masking requirement in classrooms effective September 22. A low community level in St. Mary’s County and the availability of the new, bivalent booster are positive developments for our campus community. We recommend, when eligible, all members of our campus community get boosted against the Omicron strains. More information.
NATIONAL MEDIA PANEL: INALIENABLE RIGHTS IN THE 21ST CENTURY
At 7:00 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 7 in the Nancy R. and Norton T. Dodge Performing Arts Center Auditorium at St. Mary's College of Maryland, a distinguished national panel will examine the question, “Can the inalienable rights referenced by the fathers of the Constitution exist for all Americans in the 21st century?” Moderated by Jessica Yellin, former Chief White House and Chief Domestic Affairs Correspondent for CNN and founder of News Not Noise, the panel will feature Jelani Cobb, award-winning writer, author and thoughtful voice in progressive politics; Mara Liasson, a national political correspondent for NPR and frequent Fox News Channel contributor; and Bill Kristol, a dyed-in-the-wool conservative and founder of influential publications such as “The Weekly Standard” and “The Bulwark.”
The panel is funded by the College's Andrew J. Goodpaster Endowed Leadership and Honor Lecture Series.
This will be a free ticketed event, open to the public. Reserve your tickets now.
SACRED JOURNEY
Mark your calendars for November 4 as the College celebrates what is becoming a new tradition - the Sacred Journey recognizing the contributions of the enslaved. A committee of students, faculty, and staff are actively putting together the campus-wide program that will feature the Commemorative to Enslaved Peoples of Southern Maryland and feature a concert by Sweet Honey in the Rock in the new Nancy R. and Norton T. Dodge Performing Arts Center.
Advice: Tuning in to What Your Student is Learning
By Joanne Goldwater
Associate Dean for Retention & Student Success/Seahawk Family Liaison
Office of Student Success Services (OS3)
Your student has made it through the first few weeks of the semester. YAY! By this time, they are starting to get their feet wet with lectures, class discussions, and coursework. At The National Public Honors College, we teach students how to analyze and evaluate information with an open mind (also known as critical thinking and information literacy), how to write effectively and how to speak with confidence. But what other information is your student learning outside of classes, and how do you get them to talk with you about what they’re learning?
- Talk about their favorite professor. Ask what makes that professor such a good teacher. What does the professor do that makes your student like them so much?
- If your student is taking a class that sounds like one you took in high school or college, share what you remember about the course. Depending on the subject, the way that subject is taught now may be different from how you were taught (although it could be the same!). Talking about the similarities and differences can help you understand what is being taught, learned, and understood.
- If your student has a job or internship, ask what they like and don’t like about it. Offer some suggestions on how to make what they dislike easier, and what they should look for in another position next semester or next year.
- The social life of college is a learning experience, too. Ask about events on campus, whether they attended the Involvement Fair (held on Sep. 2) or a Student Government Association (SGA) meeting (they meet every Tuesday night), which club(s) they joined, and what leadership opportunities they may want to have (great resume builders and opportunities to make new friends!).
- If your student has not yet chosen a major (our third annual Majors/Minors Fair was held on Sep. 16), talk about the best and worst classes they have taken and work together to figure out what a good path might be. You might be able to narrow down the field a little bit.
Your conversations with your student can and should go beyond asking about their grades. Learning and mastering information is more important than a grade, and may result in earning better grades, too! Try asking them about:
- A paper or project your student is currently working on. This gets them thinking about the assignment and helps them focus on explaining it to others.
- Something new or cool they learned in the lab. So much fascinating stuff happens in the lab! Get your student to explain it to you.
- An interesting conversation they had in a class or with an instructor or advisor and what made it so interesting. Getting them to think about their conversations can help you understand the new directions they are going in and what might be important to your student. It also helps the student make sense of the connections they are making with others.
- What steps they are taking to complete their next paper. If they need help with research, suggest talking with a librarian or their instructor or advisor. If they are having trouble getting started, they can also meet with a peer tutor in the Writing Center or with a Peer Academic Success Specialist (PASS) Specialist in OS3.
- One of the most interesting things they learned in class this week. This will give both the student and you some insight into your student’s day-to-day experiences.
It’s okay if your student doesn’t feel like answering some of these questions right away. Give them some time to think about their answers and spread the questions out. Asking all of them at once will be overwhelming!
There is much more to college than book learning and grades! Give some of these suggestions a try! Let me know how these conversation starters work for you. Contact me at families@smcm.edu or 240-895-4388 if I can be of assistance.
Adapted from The Parent Pages by PaperClip Communications (2007).
SEND A SEAHAWK SURVIVAL BOX TO YOUR STUDENT
Want to send some love and support to your student while they’re away for the semester? Introducing the Campus Store’s Seahawk Survival Box, the perfect surprise for your student!
You can order these here. Please leave your student's name in the shipping comments section at checkout and we'll email them when it's ready for pickup!
KEEPING UP THE MOMENTUM
Earlier this month, SMCM President Tuajuanda Jordan welcomed students, faculty, and staff back to campus with a fun celebration. Reflecting a “Keep Up the Momentum” theme, she shared some of 2021-2022’s accomplishment highlights as everyone enjoyed light fare, games, and fellowship. See more, including our “Points of Pride” handout that was distributed at the event.