St. Mary's College of Maryland

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St. Mary's College of Maryland
Established: 1840
Type: Public coeducational liberal arts college
Endowment: U.S. $30.3 million
President: Jane Margaret O'Brien
Faculty: 134
Undergraduates: 1950
Postgraduates: N/A
Location: St. Mary's City, Maryland, USA
Campus: Rural, 315 acres (approx. 1.3 km²)
Colors: Blue     , Gold     & White
Nickname: Seahawks
Athletics: NCAA Division III
13 Varsity Teams
Affiliations: MAISA
Website: www.smcm.edu

St. Mary's College of Maryland, established in 1840, is a public, secular liberal arts college located in St. Mary's City, Maryland. It is a member of the Council of Public Liberal Arts Colleges and designated as a Public Honors College (the only one in the state of Maryland and one of few around the U.S.). St. Mary's College is a small college, with fewer than 2,000 enrolled students. The institution offers baccalaureate degrees in 22 disciplines, of which psychology, biology, and economics are among the most popular. The college shares much of its campus with Historic St. Mary's City, the fourth site of colonization in British North America and one of the premier archaeological sites on the East Coast.

Contents

[edit] History

St. Mary’s College of Maryland came into existence (on paper only) by an act of the Maryland State Board of Higher Education in 1966. The first bachelor’s (B.A.) degrees were awarded in 1971.

The predecessor institution was St. Mary’s Seminary Junior College (1949-1968), in turn preceded by St. Mary’s Female Seminary Junior College (1927-1949). Both of these “junior colleges” actually combined the last two years of high school and the first two years of college, making it a four-year institution. After earning an associate's degree (A.A.) at St. Mary's girls would often continue studies at another university, where they would study for two more years and receive a B.A.

The original St. Mary’s Female Seminary was founded by an act of the Maryland legislature in 1840. In 1840, the word “seminary” meant only that it was an academy or a high school, not a religious institution. St. Mary’s was established by the legislature to be strictly non-denominational. It was a boarding school that included the elementary grades as well as grades 9-12, though education did not go beyond the 12th grade. Occasionally boys from the neighboring areas were allowed to take classes.

The institution was named after St. Mary's City, the colonial site of Lord Baltimore’s experiment in religious toleration. The institution was built upon land that once had been inhabited by the colonists two hundred years before.

For roughly the first 100 years (1840-1937) of its existence, the head of St.Mary's was called the “principal.” When the school received accreditation as a junior college and included within the Maryland state budget in 1937, the term “principal” was changed to "president.” The current president [1] [2]

[edit] General information

View of the St. Mary's River from the St. Mary's College of Maryland campus.
View of the St. Mary's River from the St. Mary's College of Maryland campus.

The campus borders the St. Mary's River.

St. Mary's, although a state-operated institution, is independent of the University System of Maryland; it opted out of the system in 1992 during a state-wide fiscal crisis. However, in early 2006, St. Mary's 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.[3]

St. Mary's mascot is the Seahawk, which is a nickname for the ospreys that can be found nesting in the near off-shore areas. The school colors are Navy Blue, Yellow Gold, and White. The Seahawks compete in NCAA Division III. St. Mary's athletics are recognized for the storied varsity baseball team and the nationally-ranked varsity sailing team.

[edit] Green initiatives

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 (LEED) rating of Silver. It is one of few "green" buildings in the state of Maryland.[4]

Other green initiatives include a student-supported green energy referendum, campus composting, and a geothermal system in the new River Center.

[edit] Mission statement

"Founded on the site of Maryland’s first capital, the College stands as a living legacy to the ideals of freedom and inclusiveness. Our beautiful residential campus on the banks of the St. Mary’s River inspires our work, our play, and our commitment to the environment." [5]

[edit] Student data

  • As of Fall 2006, the college had 1871 full-time students and 86 part-time.
  • The Average SAT scores of first-year students was 1226, and the average high school GPA was 3.5.
  • Thirty-five countries and 35 states are represented among the students.
  • The Student/Faculty ratio in the Fall of 2006 was 12:1.[6]

[edit] Relationship with Historic St. Mary's City

St. Mary's College of Maryland and the Historic St. Mary's City have a close relationship. Students are often hired to work within the historic site, and those who aren't working are frequently found to be walking or biking along the miles of trail throughout Historic. Current students may visit the historical site for free.[7]

The Maryland Heritage Project is an effort to bring together the College, Historic St. Mary's City, Trinity Episcopal, a church located near the St. Mary's campus, and the wider community. Two new buildings, to be used jointly by the College and Historic St. Mary’s City, are being built on campus. One of the buildings is a new interpretive center, which will showcase artifacts from St. Mary’s City history – from the colony established in 1634, to the farmlands that replaced that colony in the 18th century, to the founding of the monument school in the mid-19th century, and beyond. The second building will be an academic building that will replace Anne Arundel Hall, a current St. Mary's academic building. This building will include Historic St. Mary's City's research offices, and faculty offices and classrooms for St. Mary's College in Anthropology, Democracy Studies, History, International Languages and Cultures, and Museum Studies. It will host collection-based courses and summer institutes.[8]

[edit] Academic disciplines

[edit] Majors

[edit] Minors

Department-based minors

Cross-disciplinary minors

[edit] Nitze Scholars Program

Kathleen Kennedy Townsend, the Nitze Scholars Senior Fellow for 2007-2008
Kathleen Kennedy Townsend, the Nitze Scholars Senior Fellow for 2007-2008

St. Mary's College has a leadership cohort named after Paul H. Nitze, a former trustee of the college. The program is designed for students with histories of leadership and academic success and has an emphasis on international affairs. Members of the Nitze Scholars Program receive a $3000 per year stipend and must maintain a GPA of 3.5 or higher in order to remain in the program. Also included in the program are two leadership seminars and a study-tour linked to the second seminar.

Most students are invited to join the Nitze Scholars Program before the start of their freshman year. However, a limited number of current freshmen at St. Mary's College are also allowed to apply for admission. The application consists of an essay and a service resume. Approximately twenty students are granted admission to the program each year.[10]

[edit] Nitze Fellows

Nitze Senior Fellows visit St. Mary's College several times throughout their assigned year to give lectures and meet with Nitze Scholars and other St. Mary's College students.

Previous Nitze Fellows include: Kathleen Kennedy Townsend (2007-2008); David E. Sanger (2006-2007); Edward P. Jones (2005-2006); Diane Rehm (2004-2005); Dr. Josiah Ober (2003-2004); Norine Johnson (2002-2003); Mario Livio (2001-2002); Wole Soyinka, Henry Rosemont, Michael Ellis-Tolaydo, Lucille Clifton (Spring 2001); Judge Thomas Penfield Jackson (Fall 2000); Richard Lewontin (Spring 2000); Ben Cardin (Fall 1999).

[edit] Student life

The Garden of Remembrance, a popular spot for weddings as well as for students to study.
The Garden of Remembrance, a popular spot for weddings as well as for students to study.

More than 1600 students live on-campus in traditional-style residence halls, suites, apartments, and townhouses. Within the residences there are three living-learning centers on campus: an International Languages & Cultures (ILC) House; a Women In Science House (WISH), and an Eco-House. Furthermore, there are two Substance and Alcohol Free Environment (SAFE) suites on campus.

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.

The Student Trustee, a voting member of the Board of Trustees, is chosen from among the students to act as a direct link between the Student Body and the Board of Trustees.[11] Aside from the Student Trustee position, students also participate in numerous other committees with faculty and other members of the administration.

[edit] Eating

There are many places in which students may get food on campus. [12]

  • The Great Room, the main cafeteria on campus, offers a wide variety of foods. Within the Great Room one can choose from stir fry, sushi, vegetarian options, crepes, international cuisine, baked goods, comfort foods, and various other foods. On weekdays breakfast, lunch, and dinner are served; on weekends, there is only brunch and dinner available.
  • The Grab-and-Go, which caters to students who don't have time between classes for meals, is located in one of the residence halls, Lewis Quad. Meals are typically simple, consisting of sandwiches, salads, chips, fruits, or packaged foods.
  • The Upper Deck offers many foods, frequently grilled, such as pizza, sandwiches, subs, soups, and salads.
  • A Quizno's restaurant is located next to the Upper Deck and offers food typical of the chain.
  • The Daily Grind is the campus' coffee shop and convenience store. Here one can find general food products, as well as order smoothies, tea, or coffee.
  • The Co-Op offers vegetarian and vegan options for those who prefer alternative food options.

[edit] On-campus traditions and events

  • Students may be tossed by their friends into St. John's Pond. This practice is called "ponding," and it marks someone's birthday.[13]
    A view of the crossroads at St. Mary's and the infamous St. John's Pond, a popular spot for students to be "ponded" on their birthday.
    A view of the crossroads at St. Mary's and the infamous St. John's Pond, a popular spot for students to be "ponded" on their birthday.
  • New students attend a convocation ceremony at the State House of 1634 in Historic St. Mary's City. Afterwards students are invited to sign the President's book.
  • Hallow-Greens, which takes place on a weekend near Halloween is an annual all-student costume event.
  • The Cardboard Boat Race takes place during Homecoming/Parent's Weekend. Teams must make a boat entirely out of materials provided for them (cardboard, plastic, and balsa wood) and race it in a small loop on the St. Mary's River by the college boathouse and docks. There are cash prizes for the winners.
  • World Carnival weekend takes place late in the Spring semester. Clubs across campus are invited to participate in this event which celebrates diversity in music, food, and culture.
  • Midnight breakfast is held during finals week each semester. Admission is free, and many students participate in karaoke during the night.
  • The Black Student Union Fashion Show.
  • During the summer months the college hosts the River Concert Series, an event attended by thousands of people each year.
  • The Dance Club holds a Dance Show once per semester.
  • The Christmas in April auction is an annual fund-raiser in which students, faculty, and staff bid for humorous items such as singing telegrams or cooked dinners from the Admissions Staff.
  • Polar Bear Splash: an annual effort to raise awareness for Global Warming. More than one hundred students take a swim in the freezing St. Mary's River during this mid-winter event. [14]
  • Shoe Tree: For a lot of students, throwing a pair of shoes or flip-flops tied together into the shoe tree marks a memorable "first time" on the college campus. [15]

[edit] Off-campus events

  • Oyster Festival: The oyster-shucking contest at this annual festival is the last stop before the international championships of oyster shucking.
  • St. Mary's County Fair: A "true hometown" county fair, complete with 4-H events, prize-winning animals, food, arts and crafts, and a carnival too.
  • Point Lookout Ghost Tour: Twelve miles south of the College, Point Lookout State Park includes the remains of a Civil War prison for Confederate soldiers, many of whom died of malaria waiting for the War to end. A tour of their ghostly remains is held on Halloween.
  • Concerts at Calvert Marine Museum: Big names perform at this outdoor venue, right across the bridge in Calvert County: Bob Dylan, The Allman Brothers, Travis Tritt, Martina McBride, Eddie from Ohio.[16]

[edit] Varsity sports

There are 13 varsity sports at St. Mary's College:

Fall Sports: Field Hockey, Men’s Soccer, Women’s Soccer, and Volleyball.
Winter Sports: Men’s Swimming, Women’s Swimming, Men’s Basketball, and Women’s Basketball.
Spring Sports: Baseball, Men’s Lacrosse, Women’s Lacrosse, Sailing, Men’s Tennis, and Women’s Tennis.

[edit] Sailing

St. Mary's College has three different sailing teams on campus, as well as a sailing club, and a windsurfing club. The Varsity Sailing Team and Offshore Sailing Team both compete in intercollegiate events around the country and occasionally in international regattas held in venues such as Europe. The Keelboat Sailing Team competes in racing events held by One Design or PHRF (Handicap) organizations in the Chesapeake Bay and other East Coast locations.

The sailing fleet

Keelboats

  • 1997 Taylor 40 ML
  • 1999 Henderson 30
  • 2 Pearson Ensigns

Dinghies

  • 36 FJs
  • 6 420s
  • 2 Larks
  • 2 Techs

[edit] Student clubs

St. Mary's College hosts more than 90 student-run, SGA-sponsored clubs.[17]

[edit] Organizations

St. Mary's does not have any sororities or fraternities.

[edit] Institutions

[edit] Arts Alliance

The Arts Alliance of St. Mary's College of Maryland is one of the primary sponsors of the summer River Concert Series. In addition, it funds grants for faculty and guest artists during the year, gives annual cash award to students in the arts, furthers outreach on the college campus and within the outstanding community, and works on the development of the college's art collection.[23]

[edit] The Center for the Study of Democracy

"The Center for the Study of Democracy is a joint initiative of St. Mary's College of Maryland and Historic St. Mary's City. It explores contemporary and historical issues in democracy. As the first capital of Maryland, St. Mary's City was an early example of the stirrings of American democracy. 'Liberty of conscience' in religion, representative political practices, freedom of the press, and minority rights are a part of St. Mary's City's history. The Center focuses on an interdisciplinary understanding of early Maryland as an "emerging democracy," and applies 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 Center has until April 2008 to raise $1.5 million in private and non-federal funds to meet the matching requirements." [24]

[edit] The Slackwater Center

"The SlackWater Center at St. Mary’s College of Maryland is a consortium of students, faculty, and community members focused on the region’s changing landscapes. Our mission is to explore, document, and interpret what's happening to Chesapeake communities and their surroundings at the dawn of the 21st century. 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.[25]

[edit] Baltimore Hall Library

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.[26]

[edit] National rankings and accolades

  • Listed as "Hottest for Loving the Great Outdoors" in Newsweek's 25 Hottest Colleges[27]
  • #11 - Princeton Review's Happiest Students
  • #19 - Princeton Review's Most Beautiful Campus [28]
  • One of Princeton Review's Best Northeastern Colleges and Best Value Colleges[29] [30]
  • Ranked third among public liberal arts colleges and 87th among all liberal arts colleges by U.S. News & World Report[31][32]
  • Kiplinger placed St. Mary's in the 92% percentile for its 12:1 student/faculty ratio.[33]
  • Ranked in the top 10% of U.S. colleges by Barron's Magazine's Best Buys
  • St. Mary's is a college of distinction[34]

Sailing

  • St. Mary’s College of Maryland currently holds 13 national titles, and has produced more than 100 ICSA All-American sailors and three Olympic sailors- one of which earned a silver medal. [35]
  • The co-ed and women's teams have been ranked first in the nation by Sailing World magazine for the past two years.[36]
  • In 2004, the College won the annual Inter-Collegiate Sailing Association (ICSA)/Layline North American Team Race Championship.
  • In 2006, the women's team won the Atlantic Coast Championship, defeating many venerable schools, including Harvard, Yale, Georgetown, and the U.S. Naval Academy.

Basketball

  • In the spring of 2008, St. Mary's Men's Basketball team was ranked 24th in the nation after making an appearance at the 2007-2008 NCAA Division III Men's Basketball Tournament.[37]

[edit] Notable faculty

[edit] Notable trustees

[edit] Notable alumni

Billy Shade---The Biggest Dude Ever On Campus

Scotty Z--The Best SGA President Ever

[edit] External links

[edit] References

  1. ^ College Founding
  2. ^ College Timeline
  3. ^ Net Services
  4. ^ Goodpaster Hall: Office of Development
  5. ^ St. Mary's College Mission Statement
  6. ^ St. Mary's College Student Facts
  7. ^ Virtual Campus Tour
  8. ^ Maryland Heritage Project
  9. ^ St. Mary's College of Maryland | Academics
  10. ^ St. Mary's College of Maryland | Nitze Scholars Program
  11. ^ Student Trustee Information
  12. ^ Places to Eat
  13. ^ Fun Traditions at St. Mary's College
  14. ^ A Cool Dip for a Warming Planet
  15. ^ [1]
  16. ^ Fun Traditions at St. Mary's College
  17. ^ St. Mary's 2007-2008 SGA Club Information
  18. ^ Alpha Kappa Delta
  19. ^ Omicron Delta Epsilon
  20. ^ Phi Alpha Theta
  21. ^ Pi Sigma Alpha
  22. ^ Psi Chi
  23. ^ Arts Alliance of St. Mary's College of Maryland
  24. ^ Center for the Study of Democracy at St. Mary's College of Maryland
  25. ^ The Slackwater Center of St. Mary College of Maryland
  26. ^ St. Mary's College Library
  27. ^ Newsweek's 25 Hottest Universities
  28. ^ St. Mary's College of Maryland rankings at Princetonreview.com
  29. ^ Princeton Review's Best Northeastern College
  30. ^ Princeton Review's Best Value Colleges
  31. ^ St. Mary's College accolades
  32. ^ USNews.com America's Best Colleges 2008: St. Mary's College of Maryland profile
  33. ^ St. Mary's College accolades
  34. ^ Colleges of Distinction
  35. ^ St. Mary's Sailing
  36. ^ Sailing World Sailing Rankings
  37. ^ Seahawks Ranked 24th in Final Division III Poll
  38. ^ Faculty Laurels
  39. ^ Board of Trustees
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