Dear Parents & Families,
The fall semester is drawing to a close. We enjoyed seeing many of you at Hawktoberfest, with another fantastic weekend with a turnout of more than 1,700. We know many of you are excited to have your students home for Thanksgiving!
The Sacred Journey
On Friday, November 1, we held our annual celebration for the Commemorative to Enslaved Peoples of Southern Maryland, The Sacred Journey. This year, we were fortunate to be joined by our Congressman, Rep. Steny Hoyer, an SMCM Trustee since 1995. This year marked the presentation of the first annual Sacred Journey award, initiated by the Sacred Journey Steering Committee and presented to President Tuajuanda C. Jordan, whose vision led to the establishment of the Commemorative and the Sacred Journey.
Giving Tuesday
On Tuesday, Dec. 3, we are once again issuing the call to alumni, friends and the entire SMCM community. Over the past ten years, we have raised nearly $2.5 million in support of the College. Last year, more than 3,800 donors came together. For as little as $10, you can #BeCounted and help us meet this year’s goal of 3,000 donors.
NOVEMBER UPDATES
Division of Student Affairs: The River Runner, SMCM’s new motor coach, launched a twice-weekly shopping shuttle service into town for students. Envisioned under The Rising Tide strategic plan, the River Runner is also providing transportation to Washington, DC and Baltimore for students this Thanksgiving.
Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS) has moved! CAPS is now located next to the Campus Center in Margaret Brent Hall. CAPS offers a wide range of services to students, with walk-in hours, appointments and 24-hour crisis support through ProtoCall.
Office of Community Outreach & Engagement: On Tuesday, Nov. 5, Historic Sotterley welcomed educators from Charles County Public Schools for an informative panel discussion on history, education and community engagement. The event featured notable participants, including Kelsey Bush ‘94, SMCM community affairs liaison and a descendant of Sotterley, who shared valuable insights with the group. Katherine Humphries ‘06, interpretative programs manager for Historic Sotterley, moderated the panel. In addition, on Monday, Nov. 11, representatives from St. Mary’s College of Maryland proudly participated in the Annual Leonardtown Veterans Day Parade, the largest in the state and one of the largest in the region. The College's contingent, led by the Office of Community Outreach and Engagement, demonstrated its ongoing commitment to honoring veterans and engaging with the local community. The group included staff members from the Public Safety and Athletics departments.
Office of Student Financial Assistance (OSFA): The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) is now live. Check the Department of Education Website for updates: https://studentaid.gov/h/apply-for-aid/fafsa
Middle States Reaffirmation of Accreditation: On Oct. 22, SMCM hosted the team chair for the March 2025 site visit. The campus community is in the process of reviewing the draft self-study report.
Student Accounts: Students were recently sent information on accessing account information via the new student portal. That information is repeated below for your information.
- Winter 2024 and spring 2025 tuition bills will show on the portal under “My Finances – Account Information” as pending all the way at the bottom of the screen.
- Payment plans were suspended during the transition. Students must set up a new plan in December which can include the winter 2024 and spring 2025 billing. Bills will still be due on December 13, 2024 but no late fees will be charged until February 2025 for outstanding balances.
- You must create a new payer profile in Transact/Cashnet by clicking on “Make a Payment” under “Finances” in the left menu. Disable pop-ups in your browser to allow for the CashNet portal to open.
- Transactions prior to October 4 will not show in the new CashNet profile but they will show in the SMCM student portal, https://portal.smcm.edu, under “Account Information.”
- Saved payment methods prior to October 4 will need to be added back into your new Transact/CashNet profile.
- If you have a parent or guardian that contributes to your payments, you will need to send them a new invitation to CashNet by navigating to “My Account” and then selecting “Send a payer invitation.”
- We realize this transition can be stressful. If you have any questions, please contact the cashier's desk at 240-895-4302 or studentaccounts@smcm.edu.
Department of Athletics & Recreation: St. Mary’s College of Maryland inducted the 22nd Hall of Fame class on October 18. This year’s honorees were Jeffrey Byrd, special assistant to the president and professor emeritus of biology; and Scott Devine, SMCM’s director of athletics & recreation from 2000 to 2020; And President Tuajuanda C. Jordan for her numerous contributions to SMCM athletics during her 10-year tenure.
This fall, the Seahawks were hugely successful in athletic competition. Men’s soccer, women’s cross country and women’s field hockey all captured conference championships, while men’s cross country and women’s soccer finished second. For the first time ever, SMCM had three fall sports teams competing in the NCAA Division III Championship Tournaments (field hockey, men's soccer, women's soccer). Follow the action as winter sports get underway!
Office of Student Success Services (OS3): Great News! We are delighted to let you know that the Seahawk Success Network (SSN) has grown! In addition to the staff members in the Office of Student Financial Assistance (OSFA), the Office of Student Success Services (OS3), and your student’s academic advisor, your student is also connected to a member of the Student Affairs staff as their co-curricular advisor. The co-curricular advisor can help your student connect with clubs, volunteer and other involvement opportunities. The entire SSN is geared towards helping your student successfully navigate SMCM. Please encourage your student to visit the members of their SSN.
Upcoming Parent/Family Webinars
Tuesday, Dec. 10 from 7-8 PM: Differences Between High School and College, Part 1
- Presented by: Patrice Darby and Joanne Goldwater
- We will discuss: High school teachers vs college professors; guidance counselors vs academic advisors, high school expectations vs college expectations.
Tuesday, Jan. 14 from 7-8 PM: Differences Between High School and College, Part 2
- Presented by: Patrice Darby and Joanne Goldwater
- We will discuss: Course sequencing and how students experience classes in high school vs college, course pacing (speed/how quickly information is covered in high school vs college), and due dates (how they are presented and how they work in high school vs college).
Mark your calendars for the following dates for Parent/Family Webinars (topics are being finalized):
- Tuesday, Feb. 11 from 7-8 PM
- Tuesday, Mar. 4 from 7-8 PM
- Tuesday, April 8 from 7-8 PM
Zoom Link for all Webinars:
- Join Zoom Meeting
- https://smcm.zoom.us/j/87527646339?pwd=JqGZb1YaeW4pnMbapbGcwe2CbkGjfF.1
- Meeting ID: 875 2764 6339
- Passcode: 563613
Making the Most of Office Hours
Faculty members and staff in the Office of Student Success Services are strong supporters of having students meet with their instructors and academic advisors during their posted office hours (or, what we like to call, “student visiting hours”). Faculty members submitted their midterm grades in October and students were notified if they were not performing well in any of their classes. Meeting with the faculty can help them turn things around.
Please click here for tips on helping your student use office hours.