Dear Parents & Families,
Summer is here, and we hope that you and your Seahawk are having an enriching time. We know many of our students have embarked on summer experiences in research, study abroad, or work opportunities that enhance their educational journey, and we’re grateful for the support our families provide to them in these endeavors.
While the environment on campus is different in the summer, it is still a beehive with events, educational and summer activities for students and the community, and preparation for the coming year. Below you can read about some of this activity and find other helpful information that will make your student's return in the fall a smooth transition.
We’d like these monthly newsletters to be helpful to you in supporting your student; please send us your feedback and questions to communication@smcm.edu.
Congratulations to the Class of 2023!
Commencement proved to be the moving and memorable occasion we expected, with lots of happy tears and hugs to go with the excitement and anticipation of this new chapter in our graduates’ lives.
The Commencement Page has been updated with our livestream recording, highlight video, Flickr album, and more. You can access it here.
Graduation portraits are available for purchase through Classic Photography. Search on "St. Mary's College of Maryland" at this link.
Mulberry Music Festival Returns for 4th Year
Join us TOMORROW EVENING to kick off Juneteenth Weekend
St. Mary’s College of Maryland presents the Mulberry Music Festival Friday, June 16, beginning at 6 p.m. on the College’s Townhouse Green. The event is free of charge and open to the public.
This year's festival features four great acts: Oh He Dead, Kevin Howard, The Boneshakers, and headliners The JoGo Project.
The Mulberry Music Festival is the vision of President Tuajuanda C. Jordan and is held every year on the Friday before Juneteenth. Originally created in 2019, the event has become an annual tradition in Southern Maryland. Carly Harvey '07, D.C.'s "Queen of the Blues," returns to direct this year's festival.
Seahawk Undergraduate Research Fellows
SURF students present research
SURF (Seahawk Undergraduate Research Fellows) students will present their research on Friday, July 7 in Glendening Annex between 9 a.m. - 3 p.m. These presentations are free and open to the public.
Financial Aid Information
From the Office of Student Financial Assistance
Students who have successfully completed a 2023-24 FAFSA should have financial aid on the student portal. Students that are eligible for federal student aid are required to take action on loans, if wanted, through the "My Financial Aid" tab. If a FAFSA was filed, but you do not see any financial aid, please contact OSFA.
Questions related to grants, loans and scholarships should be directed to the Office of Student Financial Assistance (OSFA) at (240) 895-3000 or osfa@smcm.edu.
Billing Information and Due Dates - FA23
Bills for the Fall 2023 semester will be available on the student portal beginning the first week of July. To access the Fall 2023 bill, follow these instructions:
1. Go to https://seahawks.smcm.edu/ics; enter your username and password, and click "Login"
2. Click the "My Student Account" tab to see the bill.
Payments and payment plans should be set up no later than July 21 through the "My Student Account" tab on the student portal; for more information, please visit their website.
** Detailed information pertaining to billing, financial aid, meal plans, etc., can be found here: New Student Information
Any questions related to the student account, charges, payments, or 529/ prepaid college plans should be directed to the Business Office, (240) 895-4302/4303/4306 or studentaccounts@smcm.edu.
News & Events
President Jordan to Co-Chair Carnegie Postsecondary Commission
President Tuajuanda C. Jordan is co-chair of a newly established Carnegie Postsecondary Commission. The Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching, in partnership with the XQ Institute, announced members of the commission Wednesday, June 14.
Comprised of diverse leaders in higher education as well as K-12, the commission aims to identify the most effective ways to help millions of low-income, underrepresented and first-generation college students achieve their postsecondary education goals and secure meaningful careers. The commission will focus on scalable, affordable, career-aligned higher education models; technology-powered teaching and learning methods; pathways that blur the boundaries between secondary, postsecondary and work; and policy ideas that promote equity and greater opportunity for low-income, underrepresented and first-generation students.
President Jordan and Shirley M. Collado, president & CEO of College Track and Carnegie Senior Fellow will co-chair the commission.
“An engaging and holistic educational experience is the great democratizer. In this country, we have the potential to make this a reality but have continually fallen short,” Jordan remarked. “Solving persistent challenges requires an understanding of the systems that perpetuate the issues, experience successfully navigating the complexities, and a propensity for creative thinking. The members of the commission exhibit all these characteristics. Individually, each has forged a path that has lowered the barriers to success for future generations.” For the next two years, the commission will create a series of “action papers” to provoke critical discussion, create visibility, and spur action for innovative solutions to make the postsecondary sector a more vital engine of upward mobility and economic opportunity.
The commission will also promote and draw attention to some of the country’s most promising ideas, models, and solutions so that they may be scaled widely in more settings.
Learn more about the commission and its members on the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching website.
Board of Trustees Approves Strategic Plan
The St. Mary’s College Board of Trustees approved the College’s new strategic plan, The Rising Tide, at its May 12 board meeting.
“The Board’s approval of The Rising Tide, the third strategic plan undertaken by the College during my tenure, sets a transformational course for the next three years,” said President Tuajuanda C. Jordan, PhD. “Developed through a highly collaborative process involving students, faculty, staff and members of the community, The Rising Tide builds on our momentum toward solidifying our position as The National Public Honors College.”
As approved the strategic plan advances four pillars, each with specific goals and key performance indicators, and an estimated budget of $6.16 million over three years. “The Rising Tide focuses on the four pillars designed to create, empower, build and embody our unique position within the higher education landscape and to be a better resource and of service to our communities, both within and beyond the campus,” said Jordan.