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St. Mary's College of Maryland (SMCM) is a
public In public relations and communication science, publics are groups of individual people, and the public (a.k.a. the general public) is the totality of such groupings. This is a different concept to the sociology, sociological concept of the ''Öf ...
liberal arts college A liberal arts college or liberal arts institution of higher education is a college with an emphasis on undergraduate study in liberal arts and sciences. Such colleges aim to impart a broad general knowledge and develop general intellectual ca ...
in St. Mary's City, Maryland.Maryland State Archives, Online Manual, "St. Mary's College Of Maryland: Origin & Functions" http://msa.maryland.gov/msa/mdmanual/25univ/stmarys/html/stmarysf.htmlMiddle States Commission on Higher Education, "St. Mary's College of Maryland", https://www.msche.org/institutions_view.asp?idinstitution=450 Established in 1840, St. Mary's College is an honors college that claims to "offer an experience similar to that of an elite liberal arts college". With about 1,600 enrolled students, the institution offers
bachelor's degree A bachelor's degree (from Middle Latin ''baccalaureus'') or baccalaureate (from Modern Latin ''baccalaureatus'') is an undergraduate academic degree awarded by colleges and universities upon completion of a course of study lasting three to si ...
s in 21 disciplines, as well as a
master's program A master's degree (from Latin ) is an academic degree awarded by universities or colleges upon completion of a course of study demonstrating mastery or a high-order overview of a specific field of study or area of professional practice.
and certification programs. The college shares much of its campus with Historic St. Mary's City, the site of Maryland's first colony and capital. It is also the site of the fourth colony in
British North America British North America comprised the colonial territories of the British Empire in North America from 1783 onwards. English colonisation of North America began in the 16th century in Newfoundland, then further south at Roanoke and Jamestow ...
. The Historical Archaeology Field School is jointly operated by St. Mary's College of Maryland and Historic St. Mary's City."Historic St. Mary's City Wins Archaeology Award", Baynet, Baltimore, MD - January 23, 2012, Kenneth K. Lam, "Unearthing early American life in St. Mary's City: St. Mary's City is an archaeological jewel on Maryland's Western Shore", Baltimore Sun, August 30, 2013, http://darkroom.baltimoresun.com/2013/08/unearthing-early-american-life-in-st-marys-city/#1 The campus and the rest of St. Mary's City combined are considered to be one of the premier
archaeological Archaeology or archeology is the scientific study of human activity through the recovery and analysis of material culture. The archaeological record consists of artifacts, architecture, biofacts or ecofacts, sites, and cultural landscap ...
sites in the United States.


History

St. Mary's College of Maryland is located on the original site of Maryland's first colony, St. Mary's City, which was also the first capital of Maryland"ST. MARY'S COUNTY, MARYLAND: HISTORICAL CHRONOLOGY", Maryland Manual Online, Maryland State Archives, Government of the State of Maryland, http://msa.maryland.gov/msa/mdmanual/36loc/sm/chron/html/smchron.html and is considered to be the birthplace of
religious freedom Freedom of religion or religious liberty is a principle that supports the freedom of an individual or community, in public or private, to manifest religion or belief in teaching, practice, worship, and observance. It also includes the freedo ...
in America."Religious Freedom Byway Would Recognize Maryland's Historic Role",
Megan Greenwell Megan Greenwell is an American editor and journalist. She was the first female editor-in-chief of Deadspin and editor of Wired.com. Biography Greenwell grew up in Berkeley, California. Her mother is an Episcopal priest who currently serves as t ...
, Washington Post, Thursday, August 21, 2008, https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/08/15/AR2008081504104.html
Colonial St. Mary's City was actually only a town and at its peak had between 500 and 600 residents. However, as the colony quickly expanded and settlements spread throughout the Eastern part of what is now Maryland, the town remained the capital and representatives would travel from all over the colony to participate in the Maryland General Assembly, the colony's first legislative body. The Colony was founded under a mandate by the colonial proprietor, Cecil Calvert, the second Lord Baltimore of England, that the new settlers engage in
religious tolerance Religious toleration may signify "no more than forbearance and the permission given by the adherents of a dominant religion for other religions to exist, even though the latter are looked on with disapproval as inferior, mistaken, or harmful". ...
of each other.Cecilius Calvert, "Instructions to the Colonists by Lord Baltimore, (1633)" in Clayton Coleman Hall, ed., Narratives of Early Maryland, 1633-1684 (NY: Charles Scribner's Sons, 1910), 11-23.Dr. Lois Green Carr, "Margaret Brent (ca. 1601-1671)", MSA SC 3520-2177, Archives of Maryland (Biographical Series), http://msa.maryland.gov/megafile/msa/speccol/sc3500/sc3520/002100/002177/html/bio.html The first settlers were both Protestant and Catholic during a time of persecution of Catholics. This mandate was unprecedented at the time, as England had been wracked by religious conflict for centuries. The college is secular and has been since it was started in 1840. Its name St. Mary's commemorates Maryland's first colony, "St. Mary's City", which once stood where the college stands now. It has been coeducational (both male and female students) since 1949.


Academics

St. Mary's College offers 21 majors (with 5 additional in development), 29 minors, seven pre-professional programs and it has a
master's program A master's degree (from Latin ) is an academic degree awarded by universities or colleges upon completion of a course of study demonstrating mastery or a high-order overview of a specific field of study or area of professional practice.
in education. It is a public honors college,"When the Answer to 'Access or Excellence?' Has to Be 'Both': St. Mary's of Maryland, a public honors college, wants to be affordable while offering a private liberal arts-style experience" Beckie Supiano, Chronicle of Higher Education, October 16, 2011, https://chronicle.com/article/When-the-Answer-to-Access-or/129423/?sid=wb one of only two such colleges in the United States. As such, it maintains a core honors-level curriculum that all of its students, regardless of major, must complete. The college underwent its first ever large-scale program review or program prioritization process in February 2021, resulting in the discontinuation of several majors and minors. It has an 81% overall graduation rate (including longer than four years). The college has a 70% four-year graduation rate, the highest of any public institution in Maryland and third highest in the United States among public colleges. 69% of students pursue dual concurrent degrees or dual minors, which may take longer than four years, in some cases. 10% of students transfer from St. Mary's College to other institutions and 83% of students enroll for a second year. 79% of students are receiving financial aid, with 66% of students receiving grants or scholarships. The school is a member of the
Phi Beta Kappa Society The Phi Beta Kappa Society () is the oldest academic honor society in the United States, and the most prestigious, due in part to its long history and academic selectivity. Phi Beta Kappa aims to promote and advocate excellence in the liberal ...
.


Tuition

According to the Maryland Higher Education Commission, St. Mary's College, despite being a public institution, competes mostly with elite private colleges."R14D00, St. Mary's College of Maryland: Analysis of the FY 2015 Maryland Executive Budget -- 2014 Operating Budget Data Analysis in Brief / Major Trends", Garret T. Halbach, Analysis of the FY 2015 Maryland Executive Budget, 2014; Page 2, Maryland Higher Education Commission, http://mgaleg.maryland.gov/Pubs/BudgetFiscal/2015fy-budget-docs-operating-R14D00-St-Marys-College-of-Maryland.pdf The commission reported in 2014 that the cost of obtaining a degree at St. Mary's College is $30,000 less when compared to the average costs of the elite private colleges that it competes with.


Campus


Accreditation and charter

The college is accredited by the
Middle States Commission on Higher Education The Middle States Commission on Higher Education (abbreviated as MSCHE and legally incorporated as the Mid-Atlantic Region Commission on Higher Education) is a voluntary, peer-based, non-profit membership organization that performs peer evalua ...
. Although it is a state-operated institution, St. Mary's is independent of the
University System of Maryland The University System of Maryland (USM) is a public higher education system in the United States, U.S. state of Maryland. The system is composed of the eleven campuses at College Park, Maryland, College Park, Baltimore County, Maryland, Baltimor ...
as it opted out of the system in 1992. However, in early 2006, St. Mary's College joined the University of Maryland Academic Telecommunications System (UMATS), which interconnects the University System of Maryland with several other networks, including the Internet and Internet2 networks.


Administration

St. Mary's College's president, Tuajuanda Jordan, was appointed in 2014. She is the former dean of two other colleges and holds a PhD in biochemistry. She is the first black woman to become the president of St. Mary's College. The school has 150 full-time faculty, 14 of whom are current Fulbright scholars (the college faculty has earned 30 Fulbright research awards in the past 20 years). There is a 9:1 student-to-faculty ratio, one of the lowest in the nation.


Programs


Overseas programs

Approximately 46% of St. Mary's College students study abroad, half of them for a full semester or more. The
Institute of International Education The Institute of International Education (IIE) is a 501(c) organization which focuses on international student exchange and aid, foreign affairs, and international peace and security. IIE creates programs of study and training for students, educa ...
has recognized St. Mary's College as being 17th in the nation (public and private schools combined) for the percentage of its undergraduate students who study abroad for at least one semester."U.S. Study Abroad: Leading Institutions by Undergraduate Participation and Institutional Type" Open Doors Data, Institute of International Education, 2011/2012, http://www.iie.org/Research-and-Publications/Open-Doors/Data/US-Study-Abroad/Leading-Institutions-by-Undergraduate-Participation/2011-12


Music

The
Fiske Guide to Colleges The Fiske Guide to Colleges is an American media company that publishes, ''inter alia'', descriptions, ratings, and analysis for more than 320 U.S. colleges and universities. It is the best-selling college guide in the United States, although it r ...
ranked St. Mary's College as one of the best small universities/colleges in the U.S. for music study since 2003, and was the only public liberal arts college listed. St. Mary's College removed the music major in 2021, however, and added a new Performing Arts major.


Fulbright program

St. Mary's College has had many students and faculty win Fulbright awards. In the 2009–2010 academic year, the college had the second highest number of student Fulbright winners of any public liberal arts college in the nation. In the 2011–2012 academic year, the college had the third highest number of faculty Fulbright winners in the United States among public and private baccalaureate colleges (undergraduate colleges).


Leadership development programs

There are many opportunities for leadership development on campus, including positions as a resident assistant (RA), as an orientation leader (OL), on the school's student Judicial Board, as a Multicultural Academic Peer Program (MAPP) mentor, within the active Student Government Association (SGA), and among the various programs boards.


General student services

*Academic counseling service *Career counseling service"National Liberal Arts Colleges Summary: St. Mary's College of Maryland" U.S. News & World Report Best Colleges and Universities Ranking, 2017 http://colleges.usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/best-colleges/rankings/national-liberal-arts-colleges/veterans *Employment search services for students *Navigator programs,"St. Mary's College Receives Grant From National Science Foundation," Baynet, January 10, 2012, in all departments (guidance, support and advocacy in staying on track academically) *Emerging Scholars Programs (ESP)s in science, technology, engineering, math and computer science *Psychological counseling and life counseling (confidential, available through health center) *Support groups (confidential, sponsored by health center) * St. Mary's College Office of Financial Aid, assistance in accessing financial assistance for tuition and living expenses


Racial diversity

As of Fall 2020, 27% of the students are "students of color", including 10% "African American". The college has a history of seeking to improve its racial diversity, as the enrollment over the last few decades has held white students in high majority.


Historical studies

Since 1840, the school has been charged by the state in various capacities in researching,"Center for the Study of Democracy: Purpose and Inspiration for Our Work", St. Mary's College of Maryland, CFSOD, interpreting and memorializing Maryland history at the site of Maryland's first colony and capitol, St. Mary's City, Maryland, which is also where the college is located.


Historical Archaeology Field School

In this capacity St. Mary's College of Maryland, in partnership with Historic St. Mary's City, also runs the Historical Archaeology Field School which is an internationally recognized institution. The field school has worked on over 300 archaeological dig sites in the St. Mary's City area over the last 40 years.


School's inspirational historic grounding

This research also includes a special focus and draws inspiration from local milestone historical events related to the struggle for establishment of democracy in Maryland, in many of its aspects, including: *The early development of representative legislature in Maryland. *The struggle for the establishment of religious freedom in America. *The beginnings of the quest for women's suffrage in America. *The struggle for minority rights in America. *The beginnings of freedom of the press in the Southern colonies.


Institutions


The Center for the Study of Democracy

The Center for the Study of Democracy is an interdisciplinary joint initiative of St. Mary's College of Maryland and Historic St. Mary's City."Pax Defense Forum to Focus on China Seas" Lexington Leader, Thursday, April 11, 2013 · http://lexleader.net/pax-defense-forum-focus-china-seas/ It explores historical and contemporary issues related to democracy and also provides presentations by government officials and other leaders from both developed and developing countries"Archaeology, Narrative, and the Politics of the Past: The View from Southern Maryland", Page 68, Julia King, University of Tennessee Press; July 30, 2012, , and notable scholars. Colonial St. Mary's City, which was on the site where St. Mary's College of Maryland is located today, was a place where struggles over "Liberty of conscience" in religion, representative political practices,Jo-Ann Pilardi, Baltimore Sun, "Margaret Brent: a Md. founding mother", March 5, 1998, http://articles.baltimoresun.com/1998-03-05/news/1998064114_1_margaret-brent-lord-baltimore-calvert freedom of the press, and minority rights all came to the fore at various times. Utilizing early Maryland as a case study in "emerging democracy", the foundation works to apply the lessons of the region's history to a domestic and international discussion of democracy's role in the modern world. The National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) ''We the People'' initiative awarded the center a $500,000 challenge grant in September 2004.


The James P. Muldoon River Center

The James P. Muldoon River Center is a biological research center located along the Saint Mary's River. The center administers the Saint Mary's River Project and the university's geothermal operations.


The Slackwater Center

The Slackwater Center studies the current events, culture and history of St. Mary's County and other rural Chesapeake bay and Southern Maryland communities."SlackWater takes St. Mary's oral histories, essays online: Project continues, but future of printed journals uncertain", Jason Babcock, Wednesday, March 27, 2013, Its focus is interdisciplinary and it studies the region from both an historical and contemporary point of view."More Than Oral History: The Slackwater Center Investigates the Meaning of "Rural", J. A. King, October 21, 2005, Bay Net, The center studies, records and documents as well as interprets and reports on current and historical life in Chesapeake Bay communities. The center also has a public education mission. Students engage in historical research and historical interpretation as well as documenting
oral histories Oral history is the collection and study of historical information about individuals, families, important events, or everyday life using audiotapes, videotapes, or transcriptions of planned interviews. These interviews are conducted with people wh ...
of living residents. The center utilizes interdisciplinary collaboration and also fosters public education and debate. It also publishes the ''Slackwater Journal'' and maintains an extensive archive. The center's mission statement says: "We aim to offer a closer look at the rich and complicated legacies of the past, at the social and environmental challenges facing the present, and at our collective visions for the future."


Slackwater Archives

Preservational and curatorial roles are also played by the Slackwater Center, primarily through the Slackwater Archives and the Slackwater Southern Maryland Documentation Project. The mission of the archives includes preserving, transcribing, analyzing and interpreting: *Southern Maryland Documentation Project (The only work and collection of its kind in the region that includes extensive oral histories of the region, preserving local history and documenting community issues still unfolding as current events in Southern Maryland). ''The project includes:'' **Oral folk life (folk culture) and oral history interviews of the people of St. Mary's County, Maryland and other Southern Maryland communities."Archaeology, Narrative, and the Politics of the Past: The View from Southern Maryland", Pages 41 and 68, Julia King, University of Tennessee Press; July 30, 2012, , Includes an oral history collection of more than 2,000 folk life and oral life history taped & transcribed interviews, documenting the traditional Chesapeake Bay Tidewater cultures of Southern Maryland. **Oral histories documenting the transition to modern St. Mary's County. Uses oral histories of key historical witnesses and participants to document St. Mary's County's transition to its modern era. **''The Slackwater Journal.'' The archive is also a repository for issues of the ''Slackwater Journal'', which has articles and interviews about the history, culture and people of Southern Maryland, past and present. **St. Mary's College of Maryland oral histories. Documents the growth and history of St. Mary's College of Maryland.


Historic St. Mary's City Commission

Historic St. Mary's City, which sits next to the college, is a State-run
archaeological Archaeology or archeology is the scientific study of human activity through the recovery and analysis of material culture. The archaeological record consists of artifacts, architecture, biofacts or ecofacts, sites, and cultural landscap ...
research, historical research, preservation and interpretation center and an indoor and outdoor museum complex. The area managed by the commission also includes a reconstructed colonial town and sailing ship, located on the historic site of Maryland's first colony. St. Mary's College and Historic St. Mary's City jointly coordinate programs of study in
archaeology Archaeology or archeology is the scientific study of human activity through the recovery and analysis of material culture. The archaeological record consists of artifacts, architecture, biofacts or ecofacts, sites, and cultural landsc ...
, history, museum studies, African American studies,
political science Political science is the scientific study of politics. It is a social science dealing with systems of governance and power, and the analysis of political activities, political thought, political behavior, and associated constitutions and ...
and theater. This includes both classroom and also hands-on opportunities in archaeological excavations,
museums A museum ( ; plural museums or, rarely, musea) is a building or institution that cares for and displays a collection of artifacts and other objects of artistic, cultural, historical, or scientific importance. Many public museums make these ...
, and historic interpretation work."Interpreters help visitors bring Historic St. Mary's City back to life", Bay Journal, Lara Lutz on October 1, 2006, http://www.bayjournal.com/article/interpreters_help_visitors_bring_historic_st_marys_city_back_to_life The commission and its grounds are considered to be is a major center for colonial
archaeological Archaeology or archeology is the scientific study of human activity through the recovery and analysis of material culture. The archaeological record consists of artifacts, architecture, biofacts or ecofacts, sites, and cultural landscap ...
research and historical research in the United States. There have been over 200 archaeological digs in St. Mary's City worked on by the school over the last 30 years. All St. Mary's Students may also attend St. Mary's City's public access historical sites and all of its museums for free, year round.


The Maryland Heritage Project

The Maryland Heritage Project is also a collaboration between St. Mary's College of Maryland and Historic St. Mary's City. It focuses on the
reconstruction Reconstruction may refer to: Politics, history, and sociology * Reconstruction (law), the transfer of a company's (or several companies') business to a new company *''Perestroika'' (Russian for "reconstruction"), a late 20th century Soviet Unio ...
of
colonial Colonial or The Colonial may refer to: * Colonial, of, relating to, or characteristic of a colony or colony (biology) Architecture * American colonial architecture * French Colonial * Spanish Colonial architecture Automobiles * Colonial (1920 au ...
buildings in the Historic St. Mary's City living history area, ongoing development of St. Mary's museum exhibits, and also indoor and outdoor historic interpretation. This involves ongoing projects in archaeological research (including working on active archaeological excavations), historical research as well as management, preservation and analysis and interpretation of period artifacts and documents. The project also provides hands-on as well as classroom studies in
archaeology Archaeology or archeology is the scientific study of human activity through the recovery and analysis of material culture. The archaeological record consists of artifacts, architecture, biofacts or ecofacts, sites, and cultural landsc ...
,
anthropology Anthropology is the scientific study of humanity, concerned with human behavior, human biology, cultures, societies, and linguistics, in both the present and past, including past human species. Social anthropology studies patterns of be ...
, democracy studies, history, international languages and cultures, and museum studies.


The Historical Archaeology Field School

St. Mary's College of Maryland and Historic St. Mary's Commission also jointly run the Historical Archaeology Field School every summer. It hosts collection-based courses, beginner to advanced level archaeological field training and also summer institutes. The school is attended by students from all over the United States and other countries as well. Many of its graduates now hold prominent positions in the field. The students not only study, but also work in many of the active archaeological dig sites in St. Mary's City. Providing extensive hands-on experience, the school teaches all aspects of professional archaeological work, including working in real archaeological digs, analyzing and conserving artifacts, as well as cataloging, archiving, and related historical research. The school has been in existence for more than 40 years.


St. Mary's College Archives

*Southern Maryland Collection: The St. Mary's archives maintains the largest photographic print and audiovisual collection on the history and folk life of the Southern Maryland region. *History of St. Mary's City Collection: It also maintains an extensive collection on the history of St. Mary's City, Maryland, the first colony of Maryland, and the birthplace of
religious freedom Freedom of religion or religious liberty is a principle that supports the freedom of an individual or community, in public or private, to manifest religion or belief in teaching, practice, worship, and observance. It also includes the freedo ...
. Includes materials on St. Mary's City's precolonial (Native American),
colonial Colonial or The Colonial may refer to: * Colonial, of, relating to, or characteristic of a colony or colony (biology) Architecture * American colonial architecture * French Colonial * Spanish Colonial architecture Automobiles * Colonial (1920 au ...
,
antebellum Antebellum, Latin for "before war", may refer to: United States history * Antebellum South, the pre-American Civil War period in the Southern United States ** Antebellum Georgia ** Antebellum South Carolina ** Antebellum Virginia * Antebellum ar ...
(
slavery Slavery and enslavement are both the state and the condition of being a slave—someone forbidden to quit one's service for an enslaver, and who is treated by the enslaver as property. Slavery typically involves slaves being made to perf ...
era),
American Civil War The American Civil War (April 12, 1861 – May 26, 1865; also known by Names of the American Civil War, other names) was a civil war in the United States. It was fought between the Union (American Civil War), Union ("the North") and t ...
and 20th century history.


Other institutions

St. Mary's Baltimore Hall Library subscribes to 1,000 periodicals in print and has access to around 20,000 in electronic format. Furthermore, the school participates in the consortium of Maryland public colleges and universities (USMAI), through which library materials from 15 other institutes in the University of Maryland System are accessible. The New Leadership for the Chesapeake program trains students' in environmental leadership and advocacy as it relates to the Chesapeake Bay. In addition to leadership and advocacy training, classes and field work also focus on the biological and resource management issues affecting the Bay. The program leads to a certificate. A summer program that brings together notable authors, writers and educators to foster writers of novels, poetry and other venues.Ted Pugh, Southern Maryland Newspapers Online, "Chesapeake Writers' Conference held in St. Mary's County St. Mary's College of Maryland hosts workshops on the 'meaningful art'", July 10, 2013, http://www.somdnews.com/article/20130710/NEWS/130719825/1115/chesapeake-writers-x2019-conference-held-in-st-mary-x2019-s-county&template=southernMaryland Workshops in writing, classes, lectures, mentoring by notable authors and faculty; creative nonfiction, fiction and poetry are offered. The ''Rising Tide'' is the journal of educational studies written by student interns and faculty of the Master of Education program at St. Mary's College of Maryland, named after the adage "A rising tide lifts all boats."


Arts & culture and the Boyden Gallery

St. Mary's College students receive training in curation, planning and design of gallery exhibitions and special programs at the Boyden Gallery. Starting in 2014 the Boyden Gallery and the St. Mary's College of Maryland Masters in Teaching program entered into a partnership with St. Mary's County schools to foster and display works by promising local students."SMCM Offers Young Artists Venue to Display Work", Southern Maryland Online, May 19, 2014, http://somd.com/news/headlines/2014/18218.shtml The program involved St. Mary's College of Maryland faculty and students in working with talented local young artists. The program also sponsored a professionally juried competition and a special yearly exhibitions.


Athletics

St. Mary's College teams participate as a member of the
National Collegiate Athletic Association The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) is a nonprofit organization that regulates student athletics among about 1,100 schools in the United States, Canada, and Puerto Rico. It also organizes the athletic programs of colleges ...
's Division III. The Seahawks are a member of the United East Conference. Prior to July 2021, the Seahawks belonged to the
Coast to Coast Athletic Conference The Coast to Coast Athletic Conference (C2C; officially stylized as Coast-to-Coast Athletic Conference), formerly named Capital Athletic Conference (CAC), is an intercollegiate athletic conference affiliated with the NCAA's Division III. Member ...
. Between 2006 and 2020, at least 48% of Seahawk student-athletes were named to the
Capital Athletic Conference The Coast to Coast Athletic Conference (C2C; officially stylized as Coast-to-Coast Athletic Conference), formerly named Capital Athletic Conference (CAC), is an intercollegiate athletic conference affiliated with the NCAA's Division III. Member ...
's All-Academic team. St. Mary's College's mascot is the Seahawk, which is a nickname for the
osprey The osprey (''Pandion haliaetus''), , also called sea hawk, river hawk, and fish hawk, is a diurnal, fish-eating bird of prey with a cosmopolitan range. It is a large raptor reaching more than in length and across the wings. It is brown o ...
. These birds are native to St. Mary's City and are often seen diving from great heights into St. John's Pond, in order to catch fish. The St. Mary's College Seahawk mascot is named Solomon.


Student life

The student:faculty ratio is 9 to 1; this is one of the lowest student faculty ratios for a public college in the United States, and among the lowest when compared to private colleges.


Housing

Approximately 1,600 students live on campus and in traditional-style residence halls, and about 300 students commute. On campus living includes dorms, suites, apartments, and townhouses. Within the residences there are four living-learning centers on campus: an International Languages & Cultures (ILC) House; a Women In Science House (WISH); a Women, Gender and Sexuality Studies (WGSX) House and an Eco-House. Furthermore, there are Substance and Alcohol Free Environment (SAFE) suites and apartments on campus, as well as part of a residence hall. Other students join the IBA. The majority of the on-campus student population lives in traditional college dormitories, group suite apartments and townhouses; 85% of students live on campus. St. Mary's College does not have any social
sororities Fraternities and sororities are social organizations at colleges and universities in North America. Generally, membership in a fraternity or sorority is obtained as an undergraduate student, but continues thereafter for life. Some accept gradua ...
or
fraternities A fraternity (from Latin ''frater'': "brother"; whence, " brotherhood") or fraternal organization is an organization, society, club or fraternal order traditionally of men associated together for various religious or secular aims. Fraternity ...
. Instead, part of its student residences run on a
house system The house system is a traditional feature of schools in the United Kingdom. The practice has since spread to Commonwealth countries and the United States. The school is divided into subunits called "houses" and each student is allocated to on ...
. Each house has its own educational theme, so residents may form community around shared interests. Campus residence houses include: *International Languages & Cultures (ILC) House *Women In Science House (WISH) *Women, Gender and Sexuality Studies (WGSX) House *Eco-House * Furthermore, there are ''Substance and Alcohol-Free Environment (SAFE) suites and apartments'' on campus, as well as part of a residence hall. *Open Housing, for transgender and nonbinary students, and other students not wishing to live in same-sex or same-gender dorm housing.


Student participation in governance

St. Mary's College of Maryland has an active Student Government Association (SGA). The SGA charters clubs, promotes campus events and activities, works closely with the administration to help guide student-related policy, and works to promote student engagement in campus life through representation and programming. Senators, elected by the student body, represent constituents divided by housing (or commuters). The executive board (President, Vice President, Treasurer, etc.) are also elected by the student body. The Student Trustee, a voting member of the board of trustees, and an ex officio member of the SGA, is chosen from among the students to act as a direct link between the student body and the board of trustees. Aside from the Student Trustee position, students also participate in numerous other committees with faculty and other members of the administration.


Honors organizations

*
Alpha Kappa Delta Alpha Kappa Delta () is an international honor society of sociology. Alpha Kappa Delta is a non-secret, democratic organization founded in 1920 by Dr. Emory S. Bogardus. Alpha Kappa Delta has over 80,000 members and more than 490 chapters est ...
(sociology) * Beta Beta Beta (biology) *
Omicron Delta Epsilon Omicron Delta Epsilon ( or ODE) is an international honor society in the field of economics, formed from the merger of Omicron Delta Gamma and Omicron Chi Epsilon, in 1963. Its board of trustees includes well-known economists such as Robert Luc ...
(economics) *
Omicron Delta Kappa Omicron Delta Kappa (), also known as The Circle and ODK, is one of the most prestigious honor societies in the United States with chapters at more than 300 college campuses. It was founded December 3, 1914, at Washington and Lee University i ...
*
Phi Alpha Theta Phi Alpha Theta () is an American honor society for undergraduate and graduate students and professors of history. It has more than 400,000 members, with new members numbering about 9,000 a year through its 970 chapters. Founding Phi Alpha The ...
(history) *
Phi Beta Kappa The Phi Beta Kappa Society () is the oldest academic honor society in the United States, and the most prestigious, due in part to its long history and academic selectivity. Phi Beta Kappa aims to promote and advocate excellence in the liberal ...
(national)"Chapter Directory", section "S", The Phi Beta Kappa Society, http://www.pbk.org/home/chapterdirectory.aspx?z=S * Pi Sigma Alpha (political science) *
Psi Chi Psi Chi () is a college student honor society in psychology with international outreach founded in 1929 at the University of Kansas in the United States. Psi Chi is one of the largest honor societies in the United States, with more than 1,150 cha ...
(psychology) * Sigma Pi Sigma (physics) * Sigma Tau Delta (English)


Student clubs

St. Mary's College hosts more than 100 student-run, SGA-sponsored clubs. * Academic clubs Asian Studies Club, Economics Club, History Club,
Math Mathematics is an area of knowledge that includes the topics of numbers, formulas and related structures, shapes and the spaces in which they are contained, and quantities and their changes. These topics are represented in modern mathematics ...
Club, Philosophy Club,
Physics Physics is the natural science that studies matter, its fundamental constituents, its motion and behavior through space and time, and the related entities of energy and force. "Physical science is that department of knowledge which ...
Club,
Sign Language Sign languages (also known as signed languages) are languages that use the visual-manual modality to convey meaning, instead of spoken words. Sign languages are expressed through manual articulation in combination with non-manual markers. Sign ...
Club, Sociology/
Anthropology Anthropology is the scientific study of humanity, concerned with human behavior, human biology, cultures, societies, and linguistics, in both the present and past, including past human species. Social anthropology studies patterns of be ...
Club * Activity clubs Academic Team,
Billiards Cue sports are a wide variety of games of skill played with a cue, which is used to strike billiard balls and thereby cause them to move around a cloth-covered table bounded by elastic bumpers known as . There are three major subdivisions ...
Club,
Cheerleading Cheerleading is an activity in which the participants (called cheerleaders) cheer for their team as a form of encouragement. It can range from chanting slogans to intense physical activity. It can be performed to motivate sports teams, to ente ...
Club (aka Hawkettes), Dance Club,
Heroscape ''Heroscape'' (stylized as "heroScape" or "HeroScape") is an expandable turn-based miniature wargaming system originally manufactured by Hasbro subsidiaries from 2004 until its discontinuation in November 2010. Geared towards younger players, th ...
Club, Take One Improv,
Whitewater Whitewater forms in a rapid context, in particular, when a river's gradient changes enough to generate so much turbulence that air is trapped within the water. This forms an unstable current that froths, making the water appear opaque and ...
Club * Advisory clubs Pre-Law Advisory Network (PLAN), Student Education Association, St. Mary's Advising Students in Health * Interest clubs
Anime is Traditional animation, hand-drawn and computer animation, computer-generated animation originating from Japan. Outside of Japan and in English, ''anime'' refers specifically to animation produced in Japan. However, in Japan and in Japane ...
Club, Camera Club,
Community Garden A community garden is a piece of land gardened or cultivated by a group of people individually or collectively. Normally in community gardens, the land is divided into individual plots. Each individual gardener is responsible for their own plo ...
Club, Computer/
Linux Linux ( or ) is a family of open-source Unix-like operating systems based on the Linux kernel, an operating system kernel first released on September 17, 1991, by Linus Torvalds. Linux is typically packaged as a Linux distribution, whi ...
Club,
Fine Arts In European academic traditions, fine art is developed primarily for aesthetics or creative expression, distinguishing it from decorative art or applied art, which also has to serve some practical function, such as pottery or most metalwor ...
Club,
Gaming Gaming may refer to: Games and sports The act of playing games, as in: * Legalized gambling, playing games of chance for money, often referred to in law as "gaming" * Playing a role-playing game, in which players assume fictional roles * Playing ...
Club, Global Justice League, International Club, Magic: The Gathering,
Meditation Meditation is a practice in which an individual uses a technique – such as mindfulness, or focusing the mind on a particular object, thought, or activity – to train attention and awareness, and achieve a mentally clear and emotionally calm ...
Club, Outdoor Adventure Club, Out of State Club, Parking Club, SafeRide, Student Environmental Action Coalition, St. Mary's American
Chemical A chemical substance is a form of matter having constant chemical composition and characteristic properties. Some references add that chemical substance cannot be separated into its constituent elements by physical separation methods, i.e., w ...
Society, Tolkien Society, We Love the
Co-Op A cooperative (also known as co-operative, co-op, or coop) is "an autonomous association of persons united voluntarily to meet their common economic, social and cultural needs and aspirations through a jointly owned and democratically-control ...
,
World of Warcraft ''World of Warcraft'' (''WoW'') is a massively multiplayer online role-playing game (MMORPG) released in 2004 by Blizzard Entertainment. Set in the '' Warcraft'' fantasy universe, ''World of Warcraft'' takes place within the world of Azer ...
, Women in Science House Club, Youth Alliance for the Revival of
Needlework Needlework is decorative sewing and textile arts handicrafts. Anything that uses a needle for construction can be called needlework. Needlework may include related textile crafts such as crochet, worked with a hook, or tatting, worked wi ...
* Musical clubs Crazy Pianos, Gospel Choir, Interchorus (all-gender
a cappella ''A cappella'' (, also , ; ) music is a performance by a singer or a singing group without instrumental accompaniment, or a piece intended to be performed in this way. The term ''a cappella'' was originally intended to differentiate between Ren ...
), SMC-men (men's a cappella), The Nightingales - "TNA" (women's a cappella), Sextets (women's a cappella) * Political clubs College Democrats, College Republicans * Publications ''Avatar'' (
literary magazine A literary magazine is a periodical devoted to literature in a broad sense. Literary magazines usually publish short stories, poetry, and essays, along with literary criticism, book reviews, biographical profiles of authors, interviews and lett ...
), ''The Dove'' (
yearbook A yearbook, also known as an annual, is a type of a book published annually. One use is to record, highlight, and commemorate the past year of a school. The term also refers to a book of statistics or facts published annually. A yearbook often ...
) * Religious clubs Hillel,
InterVarsity Christian Fellowship InterVarsity Christian Fellowship/USA is an inter-denominational, evangelical Christian campus ministry founded in 1941, working with students and faculty on U.S. college and university campuses. InterVarsity is a charter member of the Internat ...
, Newman Society, Quaker Society * Service clubs
Circle K Circle K Stores, Inc. is a Canadian chain of convenience stores headquartered in Laval, Quebec, Canada. It is owned by the multinational company Couche-Tard. Founded in 1951 in El Paso, Texas, the company filed for bankruptcy protection in ...
, For Goodness Sake,
Habitat for Humanity Habitat for Humanity International (HFHI), generally referred to as Habitat for Humanity or Habitat, is a US non-governmental, and nonprofit organization which was founded in 1976 by couple Millard and Linda Fuller. Habitat for Humanity is a C ...
, Relay For Life,
Rotaract Rotaract originally began as a Rotary International Rotary International is one of the largest service organizations in the world. Its stated mission is to "provide service to others, promote integrity, and advance world understanding, goo ...
, Sister to Sister, Global Justice League,
Amnesty International Amnesty International (also referred to as Amnesty or AI) is an international non-governmental organization focused on human rights, with its headquarters in the United Kingdom. The organization says it has more than ten million members and s ...
club * Sports clubs Club Soccer, Crew Club, Cross Country &
Track Track or Tracks may refer to: Routes or imprints * Ancient trackway, any track or trail whose origin is lost in antiquity * Animal track, imprints left on surfaces that an animal walks across * Desire path, a line worn by people taking the shorte ...
,
Dodgeball Dodgeball is a team sport in which players on two teams try to throw balls and hit opponents, while avoiding being hit themselves. The objective of each team is to eliminate all members of the opposing team by hitting them with thrown balls, cat ...
Club,
Equestrian The word equestrian is a reference to equestrianism, or horseback riding, derived from Latin ' and ', "horse". Horseback riding (or Riding in British English) Examples of this are: *Equestrian sports *Equestrian order, one of the upper classes in ...
Club,
Fencing Fencing is a group of three related combat sports. The three disciplines in modern fencing are the foil, the épée, and the sabre (also ''saber''); winning points are made through the weapon's contact with an opponent. A fourth discipline, ...
Club, Longboarding Club, Men's
Rugby Rugby may refer to: Sport * Rugby football in many forms: ** Rugby league: 13 players per side *** Masters Rugby League *** Mod league *** Rugby league nines *** Rugby league sevens *** Touch (sport) *** Wheelchair rugby league ** Rugby union: 1 ...
, Rockclimbing Club,
Sailing Sailing employs the wind—acting on sails, wingsails or kites—to propel a craft on the surface of the ''water'' (sailing ship, sailboat, raft, windsurfer, or kitesurfer), on ''ice'' (iceboat) or on ''land'' ( land yacht) over a chose ...
Club,
Softball Softball is a game similar to baseball played with a larger ball on a smaller field. Softball is played competitively at club levels, the college level, and the professional level. The game was first created in 1887 in Chicago by George Hanc ...
Club,
Water Polo Water polo is a competitive team sport played in water between two teams of seven players each. The game consists of four quarters in which the teams attempt to score goals by throwing the ball into the opposing team's goal. The team with th ...
Club,
Windsurfing Windsurfing is a wind propelled water sport that is a combination of sailing and surfing. It is also referred to as "sailboarding" and "boardsailing", and emerged in the late 1960s from the aerospace and surf culture of California. Windsurfing ga ...
Club, Women's Rugby, Women's St. Mary's Ultimate (Frisbee) Team * Social Engagement Clubs Black Student Union (BSU), Feminists United for Sexual Equality (FUSE), National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), Raices Hispanas, St. Mary's Triangle and Rainbow Society (S.T.A.R.S.) * Media Board The HAWK Radi

radio) and ''The Point News'' (
college newspaper A student publication is a media outlet such as a newspaper, magazine, television show, or radio station produced by students at an educational institution. These publications typically cover local and school-related news, but they may also repor ...
)


Campus traditions


Seven Wonders

The Seven Wonders are seven notable campus landmarks. New students are inducted into the traditions of SMCM by orientation leaders in a tour of the Seven Wonders during orientation and it is a graduation tradition for the departing class to tour the seven wonders and recount stories the evening before graduation. Thus a student's time at SMCM begins and ends with tours of the Seven Wonders. The seven "wonders" are: # The Shoe Tree (see above) # The Bell Tower # A clearing on St. John's Pond on the Side of Queen Ann (see above) # Maryland Freedom of Conscience Statue on Route 5 (a.k.a. The Naked Man) # Garden of Remembrance Fountain # "Hidden" Grave # Church Point


Sustainability

The college runs a composting system to handle the majority of its biodegradable waste. St. Mary's College is transitioning to 100% environmentally responsible Green Seal certified cleaning products. Goodpaster Hall, an academic building devoted to chemistry, psychology, and educational studies that opened in January 2008, was built to a
Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) is a green building certification program used worldwide. Developed by the non-profit U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), it includes a set of rating systems for the design, constructio ...
(LEED) rating of Silver,State of Maryland Higher Education Commission, "St. Mary's College of Maryland – Green Initiatives" http://mhec.maryland.gov/highered/green/smcmgreen.asp and is one of few "
green Green is the color between cyan and yellow on the visible spectrum. It is evoked by light which has a dominant wavelength of roughly 495570 nm. In subtractive color systems, used in painting and color printing, it is created by a combin ...
" buildings in the state of Maryland. St. Mary's College's
groundskeeping Groundskeeping is the activity of tending an area of land for aesthetic or functional purposes, typically in an institutional setting. It includes mowing grass, trimming hedges, pulling weeds, planting flowers, etc. The U.S. Department of Labor e ...
crews implement sustainable practices, including protecting the St. Mary's River by developing green buffer areas, creating green spaces and wildlife habitat, using integrated pest management and minimizing synthetic fertilizers. SMCM has applied to the Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary Program. St. Mary's College is expanding its recycling and composting programs. Student volunteers have been collecting recyclable and compostable material from the residences. Compostable bins will soon be available all across campus.


Energy conservation

By upgrading fixtures, adjusting campus facilities operations and raising the campus community awareness about wasteful energy usage, St. Mary's College is making progress in using energy more efficiently, containing energy expenditures and reducing its impact on the environment. St. Mary's College students voted to create a Green Energy Fund by raising student fees $25 per year. The purpose of the Green Energy Fund is to purchase Renewable Energy Credits to offset 100% of the college's electricity use and fund renewable energy projects on campus. St. Mary's College received the 2008 EPA Green Power Leadership Club award for their efforts.


Notable alumni

*
Kay Aldridge Katharine ("Kay") Gratten Aldridge (July 9, 1917 – January 12, 1995) was an American actress and model, best known for playing feisty and imperiled heroines in black-and-white serials during the 1940s. Life and work Aldridge was born on July ...
1934, actor and modelhttp://s22544.pcdn.co/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/12202016-StMarysPre1940alumni.pdf
Ramtin Arablouei
co-host/co-producer of the
NPR National Public Radio (NPR, stylized in all lowercase) is an American privately and state funded nonprofit media organization headquartered in Washington, D.C., with its NPR West headquarters in Culver City, California. It differs from other ...
podcast
Throughline
' *
Alan Bean Alan LaVern Bean (March 15, 1932 – May 26, 2018) was an American naval officer and aviator, aeronautical engineer, test pilot, NASA astronaut and painter; he was the fourth person to walk on the Moon. He was selected to become an astron ...
, astronaut and artist, took art classes at SMCM while attending the U.S. Naval Test Pilot School * Emily Clayton Bishop 1900, sculptor *Brian Boyle 2010, triathlete and motivational speaker * Maria Briscoe Croker 1891, first poet laureate of Maryland *
Julie Croteau Julie Croteau (born December 4, 1970) is an American former college and professional baseball player. She is recognized as the first woman to regularly play men's National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) baseball, as well as the first wom ...
1993, first woman to play and coach men's NCAA baseball *Lettie Marshall Dent Gough 1911, first female superintendent of schools in Maryland * E-Dubble, 2005, Rap/hip-hop artist * Dan Engelstad, head coach
Mount St. Mary's Mountaineers men's basketball The Mount St. Mary's Mountaineers men's basketball team represents Mount St. Mary's University in Emmitsburg, Maryland, United States. The team's current head coach is Dan Engelstad, it competed in the Northeast Conference from 1989 until July 1, ...
* Tom Everhart, artist *
David Fraser-Hidalgo David V. Fraser-Hidalgo (born November 25, 1969) is an Ecuadorian-born American politician and a member of the Maryland House of Delegates representing District 15 in Montgomery County, Maryland. He was appointed to complete the term of Delegat ...
1992,
Maryland House of Delegates The Maryland House of Delegates is the lower house of the legislature of the State of Maryland. It consists of 141 delegates elected from 47 districts. The House of Delegates Chamber is in the Maryland State House on State Circle in Annapolis, ...
, District 15, Montgomery County *Jean Tenney Gray 1934 (JC), Women's National Archery Champion 1937 and 1938, member of American Archer Hall of Fame *
Ryan Grim Ryan W. Grim (born March 23, 1978) is an American author and journalist. Grim was Washington, D.C. bureau chief for ''HuffPost'' and is the Washington, D.C. bureau chief for ''The Intercept.'' He is also a political commentator for '' Breaking P ...
, journalist *Cora B. Key 1906, psychology researcher and scholar *
Quentin Hillsman Quentin Jerome Hillsman (born October 16, 1970) was the head women's college basketball coach for the Syracuse Orange. He held that position from 2006 to 2021 and is only the fourth coach in the 40-year history of the program. Early life Hillsman ...
, head women's college basketball coach for the
Syracuse Orange The Syracuse Orange are the athletic teams that represent Syracuse University. The school is a member of NCAA Division I and the Atlantic Coast Conference. Until 2013, Syracuse was a member of the Big East Conference. The school's mascot is Ott ...

Neil Irwin
senior economics correspondent for
The New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''the Times'', ''NYT'', or the Gray Lady) is a daily newspaper based in New York City with a worldwide readership reported in 2020 to comprise a declining 840,000 paid print subscribers, and a growing 6 million paid ...
* Jesse Kirkland, Olympic Men's Sailing 49er representing Bermuda in 2012 *
Bruce Merritt Bruce Merritt (born 1958) is an American sprint canoeist who competed as a member of the US National Team from 1978 to 1988. Competing in two Summer Olympics, 1984 and 1988, he earned his best Olympic finish of seventh in the C-1 1000 m event at ...
1984, Olympic sprint canoeist *Lenny Rudow, 1990, journalist, author, and mid-Atlantic fishing expert *
Brandon Scott Brandon Maurice Scott (born April 8, 1984) is an American politician serving as the mayor of Baltimore, Maryland since 2020. The city of Baltimore uses a strong mayor-council structure for their government, meaning Scott holds strong mayoral po ...
, 2006, Mayor of
Baltimore Baltimore ( , locally: or ) is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Maryland, fourth most populous city in the Mid-Atlantic, and the 30th most populous city in the United States with a population of 585,708 in 2020. Baltimore was ...
* John F. Slade III 1967, Associate Judge, 4th District Court of Maryland;
Maryland House of Delegates The Maryland House of Delegates is the lower house of the legislature of the State of Maryland. It consists of 141 delegates elected from 47 districts. The House of Delegates Chamber is in the Maryland State House on State Circle in Annapolis, ...
District 29C, St. Mary's and Calvert Counties, elected in 1982. *
Paul Reed Smith Paul Reed Smith (born February 18, 1956) is an American luthier and the founder and owner of PRS Guitars, a high-end guitar maker. Early life Smith graduated from Bowie High School in 1974. He also attended St. Mary's College of Maryland wh ...
, luthier, founder of
PRS Guitars Paul Reed Smith Guitars, also known as PRS Guitars, is an American guitar and amplifier manufacturer located in Stevensville, Maryland. The company was founded in 1985 in Annapolis, Maryland by Paul Reed Smith. Products manufactured by PRS inc ...
*
Scott Steele Randall Scott Steele (born February 26, 1958) is an American competitive sailor, World Champion (Windsurfer) and Olympic Silver Medalist (Yachting/Sailing/ Windglider) Career At the 1984 Summer Olympics, Steele finished in 2nd place in the men's ...
1981, Olympic silver medal winner, windsurfing * Ashani Weeraratna, cancer researcher * Robert White (Washington, D.C., politician), 2004, at-large member of the
Council of the District of Columbia The Council of the District of Columbia is the legislative branch of the local government of the District of Columbia, the capital of the United States. As permitted in the United States Constitution, the district is not part of any U.S. state ...
, candidate for
Mayor of the District of Columbia The mayor of the District of Columbia is the head of the executive branch of the government of the District of Columbia, in the United States. The mayor has the duty to enforce district laws, and the power to either approve or veto bills passed ...
in the 2022 Washington, D.C., mayoral election


References


External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Saint Mary's College Of Maryland Liberal arts colleges in Maryland 1840 establishments in Maryland Educational institutions established in 1840 Freedom of religion in the United States Universities and colleges in St. Mary's County, Maryland Former women's universities and colleges in Maryland Province of Maryland School buildings on the National Register of Historic Places in Maryland University museums in Maryland St. Mary's County, Maryland St. Mary's City, Maryland Education in St. Mary's County, Maryland Public honors colleges Historic districts on the National Register of Historic Places in Maryland Public universities and colleges in Maryland