St. Mary's College of Maryland
Encyclopedia
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 about 2,000 enrolled students. The institution offers baccalaureate degrees in 22 disciplines, of which psychology, biology, and economics are among the most popular. The institution also offers one postgraduate degree, a Masters of Arts in Teaching. 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.
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” 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 tolerance. 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 is Dr. Joseph Urgo.
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. 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.
St. Mary's mascot is the Seahawk, which is a nickname for the osprey
s 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.
(LEED) rating of Silver. It is one of few "green
" buildings in the state of Maryland.
Other green initiatives include a student-supported green energy referendum, campus composting, and a geothermal system in the new River Center.
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.
Department-based minors
Cross-disciplinary minors
The current Nitze Fellow is the Senior Editor at The New Yorker
magazine, a contributing editor for Bloomberg Television
, and the author of The Hawk and the Dove: Paul Nitze
, George Kennan
, and the History of the Cold War
, Nicholas Thompson
(2010-2011).
Previous Nitze Fellows include: John Prendergast
(2009–2010), T.R. Reid
(2008–2009), 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).
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 nine Substance and Alcohol Free Environment (SAFE) suites and apartments on campus, as well as floor of a residence hall. Other students join the IBA.
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. Aside from the Student Trustee position, students also participate in numerous other committees with faculty and other members of the administration.
SEVEN WONDERS
The Seven Wonders are distinct commemorative sites on campus that play roles in grounding life on campus. New students are inducted into the traditions of SMCM by orientation leaders on opening weekend as well as it has become a graduation tradition for the departing class during senior week to walk the seven wonders and recount stories. The "wonders" are:
Fall Sports: Field Hockey, Men’s Soccer, Women’s Soccer, Men's Cross Country, Women's Cross Country 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.
or PHRF (Handicap)
organizations in the Chesapeake Bay
and other East Coast locations.
The sailing fleet
Keelboats
Dinghies
St. Mary's does not have any sororities or fraternities.
Sailing
Basketball
Liberal arts college
A liberal arts college is one with a primary emphasis on undergraduate study in the liberal arts and sciences.Students in the liberal arts generally major in a particular discipline while receiving exposure to a wide range of academic subjects, including sciences as well as the traditional...
located in St. Mary's City, Maryland
St. Mary's City, Maryland
St. Mary's City, in St. Mary's County, Maryland, is a small unincorporated community near the southernmost end of the state on the western shore of the Chesapeake Bay. It is located on the eastern shore of the St. Mary's River, a tributary of the Potomac. St. Mary's City is the fourth oldest...
. It is a member of the Council of Public Liberal Arts Colleges
Council of Public Liberal Arts Colleges
The Council of Public Liberal Arts Colleges or COPLAC is a consortium of 26 public colleges and universities in 24 states and one Canadian province...
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 about 2,000 enrolled students. The institution offers baccalaureate degrees in 22 disciplines, of which psychology, biology, and economics are among the most popular. The institution also offers one postgraduate degree, a Masters of Arts in Teaching. The college shares much of its campus with Historic St. Mary's City, the fourth site of colonization in British North America
British North America
British North America is a historical term. It consisted of the colonies and territories of the British Empire in continental North America after the end of the American Revolutionary War and the recognition of American independence in 1783.At the start of the Revolutionary War in 1775 the British...
and one of the premier archaeological sites on the East Coast.
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” 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.)
Associate's degree
An associate degree is an undergraduate academic degree awarded by community colleges, junior colleges, technical colleges, and bachelor's degree-granting colleges and universities upon completion of a course of study usually lasting two years...
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.
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
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
Cæcilius Calvert, 2nd Baron Baltimore
Cecilius Calvert, 2nd Baron Baltimore, 1st Proprietor and 1st Proprietary Governor of Maryland, 9th Proprietary Governor of Newfoundland , was an English peer who was the first proprietor of the Province of Maryland. He received the proprietorship after the death of his father, George Calvert, the...
’s experiment in religious tolerance. 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 is Dr. Joseph Urgo.
General information
St. Marys River (Maryland)
The St. Marys River is a river in southern Maryland in the United States. It rises in southern St. Mary's County, and flows to the southeast through Great Mills, widening into a tidal estuary near St. Marys City, approximately wide at its mouth on the Potomac River, near the Chesapeake...
.
St. Mary's, although a state-operated institution, is independent of the University System of Maryland
University System of Maryland
The University System of Maryland is a public corporation and charter school system comprising 12 Maryland institutions of higher education. It is the 12th-largest university system in the United States, with over 125,000 undergraduate, 43,000 graduate and roughly 13,000 combined full-time and...
; it opted out of the system in 1992. 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
Internet2
Internet2 is an advanced not-for-profit US networking consortium led by members from the research and education communities, industry, and government....
networks.
St. Mary's mascot is the Seahawk, which is a nickname for the osprey
Osprey
The Osprey , sometimes known as the sea hawk or fish eagle, is a diurnal, fish-eating bird of prey. It is a large raptor, reaching more than in length and across the wings...
s 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
Baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
team and the nationally-ranked varsity sailing
Sailing
Sailing is the propulsion of a vehicle and the control of its movement with large foils called sails. By changing the rigging, rudder, and sometimes the keel or centre board, a sailor manages the force of the wind on the sails in order to move the boat relative to its surrounding medium and...
team.
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 DesignLeadership in Energy and Environmental Design
Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design consists of a suite of rating systems for the design, construction and operation of high performance green buildings, homes and neighborhoods....
(LEED) rating of Silver. It is one of few "green
Green politics
Green politics is a political ideology that aims for the creation of an ecologically sustainable society rooted in environmentalism, social liberalism, and grassroots democracy...
" buildings in the state of Maryland.
Other green initiatives include a student-supported green energy referendum, campus composting, and a geothermal system in the new River Center.
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."Student data
- As of Fall 2008, the college had 2035 students.
- 57% of students are female, 43% male.
- 17% of students are from out of state.
- 96.36% of students attend full-time.
- 76.36% of students are CaucasianCaucasian raceThe term Caucasian race has been used to denote the general physical type of some or all of the populations of Europe, North Africa, the Horn of Africa, Western Asia , Central Asia and South Asia...
, 8.11% are African-American, 4.47% are HispanicHispanicHispanic is a term that originally denoted a relationship to Hispania, which is to say the Iberian Peninsula: Andorra, Gibraltar, Portugal and Spain. During the Modern Era, Hispanic sometimes takes on a more limited meaning, particularly in the United States, where the term means a person of ...
, 3.88% are AsianAsian peopleAsian people or Asiatic people is a term with multiple meanings that refers to people who descend from a portion of Asia's population.- Central Asia :...
, 0.69% are American IndianNative Americans in the United StatesNative Americans in the United States are the indigenous peoples in North America within the boundaries of the present-day continental United States, parts of Alaska, and the island state of Hawaii. They are composed of numerous, distinct tribes, states, and ethnic groups, many of which survive as...
or Alaskan Native, 4.32% have undetermined ethnicity, and 2.16% are international. - Thirty-seven countries are represented among the students.
- The Student:Faculty ratio in the Fall of 2008 was 11.66:1.
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.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.
Majors
St. Mary's College of Maryland Academic Majors- Anthropology
- Art and Art History
- Asian Studies (available beginning Fall 2009)
- Biochemistry
- Biology
- Chemistry
- Computer Science
- Economics
- English
- History
- Human Studies
- International Languages and Cultures
- Chinese
- French
- German
- Latin American Studies
- Spanish
- Mathematics
- Music
- Natural Science
- Philosophy
- Physics
- Political Science
- Psychology
- Public Policy Studies
- Religious Studies
- Sociology
- Student-Designed
- Theater, Film, and Media Studies
Minors
St. Mary's College of Maryland Academic MinorsDepartment-based minors
- Art History
- Art Studio
- Biology
- Computer Science
- Economics
- Educational Studies
- Film and Media Studies
- History
- International Languages and Cultures
- Chinese
- French
- German
- Latin American Studies
- Spanish
- Mathematics
- Music
- Philosophy
- Political Science
- Religious Studies
- Theater Studies
Cross-disciplinary minors
- African and African Diaspora Studies
- Asian Studies
- Democracy Studies
- Environmental Studies
- Museum Studies
- Neurosciences
- Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies
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.The current Nitze Fellow is the Senior Editor at The New Yorker
The New Yorker
The New Yorker is an American magazine of reportage, commentary, criticism, essays, fiction, satire, cartoons and poetry published by Condé Nast...
magazine, a contributing editor for Bloomberg Television
Bloomberg Television
Bloomberg Television is a 24-hour global network broadcasting business and financial news. It is distributed globally, reaching over 200 million homes worldwide. It is owned and operated by Bloomberg L.P...
, and the author of The Hawk and the Dove: Paul Nitze
Paul Nitze
Paul Henry Nitze was a high-ranking United States government official who helped shape Cold War defense policy over the course of numerous presidential administrations.-Early life, education, and family:...
, George Kennan
George Kennan
George Kennan may refer to:* George Kennan * George F. Kennan , diplomat and historian; the explorer's great-nephew and architect of the U.S. containment over confrontation policy during the Cold War....
, and the History of the Cold War
Cold War
The Cold War was the continuing state from roughly 1946 to 1991 of political conflict, military tension, proxy wars, and economic competition between the Communist World—primarily the Soviet Union and its satellite states and allies—and the powers of the Western world, primarily the United States...
, Nicholas Thompson
Nicholas Thompson (editor)
Nicholas ThompsonNicholas Thompson is a journalist and currently a Senior Editor at The New Yorker magazine, a contributing editor for Bloomberg Television, and the author of The Hawk and the Dove: Paul Nitze, George Kennan, and the History of the Cold War...
(2010-2011).
Previous Nitze Fellows include: John Prendergast
John Prendergast
John Prendergast is an American human rights activist, author, and former Director for African Affairs at the National Security Council. He is the co-founder of the Enough Project, a non profit human rights organization affiliated with the Center for American Progress...
(2009–2010), T.R. Reid
T.R. Reid
T. R. Reid is an American reporter, documentary film correspondent, and author. He is also a frequent guest on National Public Radio 's Morning Edition. He is married to attorney Margaret M. McMahon, with whom he has three children...
(2008–2009), Kathleen Kennedy Townsend
Kathleen Kennedy Townsend
Kathleen Hartington Kennedy Townsend , is an American attorney who was the Lieutenant Governor of Maryland from 1995 to 2003. She ran unsuccessfully for Governor of Maryland in 2002. In 2010 she became the chair of the non-profit American Bridge, an organization that will raise funds for Democratic...
(2007–2008); David E. Sanger
David E. Sanger
David E. Sanger is the Chief Washington Correspondent for The New York Times. A 1982 graduate of Harvard College, Sanger has been writing for the Times for over 26 years covering foreign policy, globalization, nuclear proliferation, and the presidency...
(2006–2007); Edward P. Jones
Edward P. Jones
Edward Paul Jones is an American novelist and short story writer. His 2003 novel The Known World received the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction.-Biography:...
(2005–2006); Diane Rehm
Diane Rehm
Diane Rehm is an American public radio talk show host. Her program, The Diane Rehm Show, is distributed nationally and internationally by National Public Radio. It is produced at WAMU, which is licensed to American University in Washington, D.C....
(2004–2005); Dr. Josiah Ober (2003–2004); Norine Johnson (2002–2003); Mario Livio
Mario Livio
Mario Livio is an astrophysicist and an author of works that popularize science and mathematics. He is currently an astronomer and head of public outreach at the Space Telescope Science Institute, which operates the Hubble Space Telescope...
(2001–2002); Wole Soyinka
Wole Soyinka
Akinwande Oluwole "Wole" Soyinka is a Nigerian writer, poet and playwright. He was awarded the 1986 Nobel Prize in Literature, where he was recognised as a man "who in a wide cultural perspective and with poetic overtones fashions the drama of existence", and became the first African in Africa and...
, Henry Rosemont, Michael Ellis-Tolaydo, Lucille Clifton
Lucille Clifton
Lucille Clifton was an American writer and educator from Buffalo, New York. From 1979–1985 she was Poet Laureate of Maryland...
(Spring 2001); Judge Thomas Penfield Jackson
Thomas Penfield Jackson
Thomas Penfield Jackson is a former United States District Court Judge for the District of Columbia....
(Fall 2000); Richard Lewontin
Richard Lewontin
Richard Charles "Dick" Lewontin is an American evolutionary biologist, geneticist and social commentator. A leader in developing the mathematical basis of population genetics and evolutionary theory, he pioneered the notion of using techniques from molecular biology such as gel electrophoresis to...
(Spring 2000); Ben Cardin
Ben Cardin
Benjamin Louis "Ben" Cardin is the junior United States Senator from Maryland and a member of the Democratic Party. Before his election to the Senate, Cardin was a member of the United States House of Representatives, representing from 1987 to 2007.Cardin was elected to succeed Paul Sarbanes in...
(Fall 1999).
Student life
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. Aside from the Student Trustee position, students also participate in numerous other committees with faculty and other members of the administration.
Dining on campus
There are many places in which students may get food on campus.- The J. Frank RaleyJ. Frank RaleyJ. Frank Raley, Jr. is a former Democrat State Senator from Maryland, United States.-Background:Raley is from Saint Mary's County, Maryland and grew up in a family of politicians to include his father, grandfather, and great-grandfather...
Jr. Great Room, the main cafeteria on campus, offers a wide variety of foods. Within the Great Room one can choose from stir fry, sushiSushiis a Japanese food consisting of cooked vinegared rice combined with other ingredients . Neta and forms of sushi presentation vary, but the ingredient which all sushi have in common is shari...
, vegetarian options, crepeCrêpeA crêpe or crepe , is a type of very thin pancake, usually made from wheat flour or buckwheat flour . The word is of French origin, deriving from the Latin crispa, meaning "curled". While crêpes originate from Brittany, a region in the northwest of France, their consumption is widespread in France...
s, international cuisine, baked goods, 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 such as pizza, sandwiches, Quizno's subs, soups, burritos, and salads.
- 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.
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.
- 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 Great Bamboo Boat Race takes place during Homecoming/Parent's Weekend. Teams must make a boat entirely out of materials provided for them (bamboo, sheet plastic, twine, and duct tape) 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.
- Frisbee golf, Dorchester Open held in the Spring.
- Midnight breakfastMidnight breakfastMidnight breakfast is a generic term for a communal meal served at some American colleges and universities. Menu items that are generally considered breakfast foods are served in the school's dining hall late at night as a study break before or during final exams, or as a traditional...
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 WarmingGlobal warmingGlobal warming refers to the rising average temperature of Earth's atmosphere and oceans and its projected continuation. In the last 100 years, Earth's average surface temperature increased by about with about two thirds of the increase occurring over just the last three decades...
. More than one hundred students take a swim in the freezing St. Mary's River during this mid-winter event. - 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—i.e. losing one's virginity.
- On Easter, the upperclassmen prepare the Natty Boh Hunt by buying large quantities of National Bohemian and spray painting them and hiding them all around campus for the freshmen to find. An Occasional 40 will be bought and spray painted gold, known as a Golden 40.
- On May 1 (May Day) students streak through campus on bicycles. This represents freedom, especially for seniors. Clothed students stand on the sidelines and offer support.
- Every April the SMCM Rock Climbing Club sponsors a huge Bouldering (rock climbing) competition called "Friction Fest" which is free and open to both students, staff, faculty, community and the local Navy Base members.
SEVEN WONDERS
The Seven Wonders are distinct commemorative sites on campus that play roles in grounding life on campus. New students are inducted into the traditions of SMCM by orientation leaders on opening weekend as well as it has become a graduation tradition for the departing class during senior week to walk the seven wonders and recount stories. The "wonders" are:
- 1. The Shoe Tree
- 2. The Bell Tower
- 3. St. John's Pond
- 4. Maryland Freedom of Conscience Statue on Route 5 (i.e. The Naked Man)
- 5. Garden of Remembrance Fountain
- 6. 'Hidden' Grave
- 7. Church Point
Off-campus events (non-school sponsored)
- 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, livestock showLivestock showA livestock show is an event where livestock are exhibited and judged on certain phenotypical breed traits as specified by their respective breed standard. Species of livestock that may be shown include pigs, cattle, sheep, goats, horses, llamas and alpacas. Poultry such as chickens, geese, ducks,...
s, 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 WarAmerican Civil WarThe American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
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 DylanBob DylanBob Dylan is an American singer-songwriter, musician, poet, film director and painter. He has been a major and profoundly influential figure in popular music and culture for five decades. Much of his most celebrated work dates from the 1960s when he was an informal chronicler and a seemingly...
, The Allman Brothers, Travis TrittTravis TrittJames Travis Tritt is an American country music singer from Marietta, Georgia. He signed to Warner Bros. Records in 1989, releasing seven studio albums and a greatest hits package for the label between then and 1999. In the 2000s, he released two albums on Columbia Records and one for the defunct...
, Martina McBrideMartina McBrideMartina McBride is an American country music singer and songwriter. McBride has been called the "Céline Dion of Country Music" for her big-voiced ballads and soprano range....
, Eddie from OhioEddie From OhioEddie from Ohio is an American folk band.Formed in 1991 in Northern Virginia, the band has achieved considerable local success, winning four Wammies Eddie from Ohio (or often just EFO) is an American folk band.Formed in 1991 in Northern Virginia, the band has achieved considerable local success,...
.
- 100 Days, Seniors and Faculty have a celebration counting down 100 days until graduation. It's held at the Green Door in Park Hall, MD. Custom Pint glasses are made to commemorate the occasion.
Varsity sports
There are 15 varsity sports at St. Mary's College:Fall Sports: Field Hockey, Men’s Soccer, Women’s Soccer, Men's Cross Country, Women's Cross Country 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.
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 DesignOne-design
One-Design is a racing method where all vehicles or boats have identical or very similar designs or models. It is also known as Spec series. It is heavily used in sailboat racing. All competitors in a race are then judged based on a single start time...
or PHRF (Handicap)
PHRF
Performance Handicap Racing Fleet is a handicapping system used for yacht racing in North America. It allows dissimilar classes of sailboats to be raced against each other...
organizations in the Chesapeake Bay
Chesapeake Bay
The Chesapeake Bay is the largest estuary in the United States. It lies off the Atlantic Ocean, surrounded by Maryland and Virginia. The Chesapeake Bay's drainage basin covers in the District of Columbia and parts of six states: New York, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, and West...
and other East Coast locations.
The sailing fleet
Keelboats
- 1997 Taylor 40 ML
- B-25
- * 2 Pearson Ensigns
Dinghies
- 36 Flying JuniorFlying Juniorthumb|Coen Gulcher helming one of the first Flying Juniors The International Flying Junior or FJ is a sailing dinghy which was originally designed in 1955 in the Netherlands by renowned boat designer Van Essen and Olympic sailor Conrad Gülcher. The FJ was built to serve as a training boat for the...
s - 18 420s420 (dinghy)The International 420 Class Dinghy is a double-handed monohull planing dinghy with centreboard, bermuda rig and centre sheeting. The name describes the overall length of the boat in centimetres . The hull is fibreglass with internal buoyancy tanks. The 420 is equipped with spinnaker and optional...
- 2 LarksLark (dinghy)The Lark is a two-person, non-trapeze sailing dinghy, designed in 1966 by Michael Jackson . All Larks are made of glass-reinforced plastic . The Lark is a one-design class which leads to very close racing.The boat is very popular in the UK with a new builder signed up in 2010...
Student clubs
St. Mary's College hosts more than 90 student-run, SGA-sponsored clubs.- Academic clubs: Asian StudiesAsiaAsia is the world's largest and most populous continent, located primarily in the eastern and northern hemispheres. It covers 8.7% of the Earth's total surface area and with approximately 3.879 billion people, it hosts 60% of the world's current human population...
Club, EconomicsEconomicsEconomics is the social science that analyzes the production, distribution, and consumption of goods and services. The term economics comes from the Ancient Greek from + , hence "rules of the house"...
Club, EnglishEnglish studiesEnglish studies is an academic discipline that includes the study of literatures written in the English language , English linguistics English studies is an academic discipline that includes the study of literatures written in the English language (including literatures from the U.K., U.S.,...
Club, HistoryHistoryHistory is the discovery, collection, organization, and presentation of information about past events. History can also mean the period of time after writing was invented. Scholars who write about history are called historians...
Club, Math Club, PhilosophyPhilosophyPhilosophy is the study of general and fundamental problems, such as those connected with existence, knowledge, values, reason, mind, and language. Philosophy is distinguished from other ways of addressing such problems by its critical, generally systematic approach and its reliance on rational...
Club, PhysicsPhysicsPhysics is a natural science that involves the study of matter and its motion through spacetime, along with related concepts such as energy and force. More broadly, it is the general analysis of nature, conducted in order to understand how the universe behaves.Physics is one of the oldest academic...
Club, Sign LanguageSign languageA sign language is a language which, instead of acoustically conveyed sound patterns, uses visually transmitted sign patterns to convey meaning—simultaneously combining hand shapes, orientation and movement of the hands, arms or body, and facial expressions to fluidly express a speaker's...
Club, SociologySociologySociology is the study of society. It is a social science—a term with which it is sometimes synonymous—which uses various methods of empirical investigation and critical analysis to develop a body of knowledge about human social activity...
/AnthropologyAnthropologyAnthropology is the study of humanity. It has origins in the humanities, the natural sciences, and the social sciences. The term "anthropology" is from the Greek anthrōpos , "man", understood to mean mankind or humanity, and -logia , "discourse" or "study", and was first used in 1501 by German...
Club. - Activity clubs: Academic Team, BilliardsBilliardsCue sports , also known as billiard sports, are a wide variety of games of skill generally played with a cue stick which is used to strike billiard balls, moving them around a cloth-covered billiards table bounded by rubber .Historically, the umbrella term was billiards...
Club, CheerleadingCheerleadingCheerleading is a physical activity, sometimes a competitive sport, based on organized routines, usually ranging from one to three minutes, which contain the components of tumbling, dance, jumps, cheers, and stunting to direct spectators of events to cheer on sports teams at games or to participate...
Club, CyclingCyclingCycling, also called bicycling or biking, is the use of bicycles for transport, recreation, or for sport. Persons engaged in cycling are cyclists or bicyclists...
Club, DanceDanceDance is an art form that generally refers to movement of the body, usually rhythmic and to music, used as a form of expression, social interaction or presented in a spiritual or performance setting....
Club, FishingFishingFishing is the activity of trying to catch wild fish. Fish are normally caught in the wild. Techniques for catching fish include hand gathering, spearing, netting, angling and trapping....
Club, HeroscapeHeroscapeHeroscape is an expandable turn-based miniature wargaming system originally manufactured by Milton Bradley Company, then shifted to Wizards of the Coast, both subsidiaries of Hasbro, Inc., and discontinued by Hasbro in November 2010...
Club, PaintballPaintballPaintball is a sport in which players compete, in teams or individually, to eliminate opponents by tagging them with capsules containing water soluble dye and gelatin shell outside propelled from a device called a paintball marker . Paintballs have a non-toxic, biodegradable, water soluble...
Club, Seahawk Recreational ShootingShootingShooting is the act or process of firing rifles, shotguns or other projectile weapons such as bows or crossbows. Even the firing of artillery, rockets and missiles can be called shooting. A person who specializes in shooting is a marksman...
Club, St. Mary's Recreational Clay Shooting Club, Take One ImprovImprovisationImprovisation is the practice of acting, singing, talking and reacting, of making and creating, in the moment and in response to the stimulus of one's immediate environment and inner feelings. This can result in the invention of new thought patterns, new practices, new structures or symbols, and/or...
, WhitewaterWhitewaterWhitewater is formed in a rapid, when a river's gradient increases enough to disturb its laminar flow and create turbulence, i.e. form a bubbly, or aerated and unstable current; the frothy water appears white...
Club. - Advisory clubs: Pre-Law Advisory Network (PLAN), Student Education Association, St. Mary's Advising Students in HealthHealthHealth is the level of functional or metabolic efficiency of a living being. In humans, it is the general condition of a person's mind, body and spirit, usually meaning to be free from illness, injury or pain...
. - Interest clubs: AnimeAnimeis the Japanese abbreviated pronunciation of "animation". The definition sometimes changes depending on the context. In English-speaking countries, the term most commonly refers to Japanese animated cartoons....
Club, CameraCameraA camera is a device that records and stores images. These images may be still photographs or moving images such as videos or movies. The term camera comes from the camera obscura , an early mechanism for projecting images...
Club, Community Garden Club, ComputerComputerA computer is a programmable machine designed to sequentially and automatically carry out a sequence of arithmetic or logical operations. The particular sequence of operations can be changed readily, allowing the computer to solve more than one kind of problem...
/LinuxLinuxLinux is a Unix-like computer operating system assembled under the model of free and open source software development and distribution. The defining component of any Linux system is the Linux kernel, an operating system kernel first released October 5, 1991 by Linus Torvalds...
Club, Fine Arts Club, GamingGameA game is structured playing, usually undertaken for enjoyment and sometimes used as an educational tool. Games are distinct from work, which is usually carried out for remuneration, and from art, which is more often an expression of aesthetic or ideological elements...
Club, Global Justice League, International Club, Jane AustenJane AustenJane Austen was an English novelist whose works of romantic fiction, set among the landed gentry, earned her a place as one of the most widely read writers in English literature, her realism and biting social commentary cementing her historical importance among scholars and critics.Austen lived...
Society, Magic: The Gathering, MeditationMeditationMeditation is any form of a family of practices in which practitioners train their minds or self-induce a mode of consciousness to realize some benefit....
Club, Outdoor Adventure Club, Out of State Club, Parking Club, SafeRide, Student Environmental Action Coalition, St. Mary's American Chemical Society, Tolkien Society, We Love the Co-OpCooperativeA cooperative is a business organization owned and operated by a group of individuals for their mutual benefit...
, World of WarcraftWorld of WarcraftWorld of Warcraft is a massively multiplayer online role-playing game by Blizzard Entertainment. It is the fourth released game set in the fantasy Warcraft universe, which was first introduced by Warcraft: Orcs & Humans in 1994...
, Women in Science House Club, Youth Alliance for the Revival of NeedleworkNeedleworkNeedlework is a broad term for the handicrafts of decorative sewing and textile arts. Anything that uses a needle for construction can be called needlework...
. - Musical clubs: Crazy PianoPianoThe piano is a musical instrument played by means of a keyboard. It is one of the most popular instruments in the world. Widely used in classical and jazz music for solo performances, ensemble use, chamber music and accompaniment, the piano is also very popular as an aid to composing and rehearsal...
s, Gospel ChoirGospel musicGospel music is music that is written to express either personal, spiritual or a communal belief regarding Christian life, as well as to give a Christian alternative to mainstream secular music....
, Interchorus (co-ed a cappellaA cappellaA cappella music is specifically solo or group singing without instrumental sound, or a piece intended to be performed in this way. It is the opposite of cantata, which is accompanied singing. A cappella was originally intended to differentiate between Renaissance polyphony and Baroque concertato...
), SMC-men (men's a cappella), The Nightingales (women's a cappella). - Political clubs: College DemocratsDemocratic Party (United States)The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
, College Others, College RepublicansRepublican Party (United States)The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
. - Publications: Avatar (literary magazineLiterary magazineA 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 letters...
), The Dove (yearbookYearbookA yearbook, also known as an annual, is a book to record, highlight, and commemorate the past year of a school or a book published annually. Virtually all American, Australian and Canadian high schools, most colleges and many elementary and middle schools publish yearbooks...
). - Religious clubs: HillelHillel: The Foundation for Jewish Campus LifeHillel: The Foundation for Jewish Campus Life is the largest Jewish campus organization in the world, working with thousands of college students globally...
, InterVarsity Christian FellowshipInterVarsity Christian FellowshipInterVarsity Christian Fellowship/USA is an inter-denominational, evangelical Christian, student-led ministry which for the past 70 years has been dedicated to establishing witnessing communities on U.S. college and university campuses...
, Newman SocietyOxford University Newman SocietyFor Newman Centers around North America see Newman Centre.The Oxford University Newman Society is Oxford University's oldest Roman Catholic organisation, named as a tribute to Cardinal Newman, who advanced the cause of Catholicism at Oxford both as an Anglican striving to recover Anglicanism's...
, Quaker Society, - Service clubs: Circle K, For Goodness Sake, Habitat for Humanity, RotaractRotaractRotaract originally began as a Rotary International youth programme in 1968 and has now grown into a major Rotary-sponsored organisation of over 8,700 clubs spread around the world and 200,000 + members. It is a service, leadership and community service organisation for young men and women between...
, Sister to Sister, Global Justice League. - Sports clubs: Club Soccer, CrewCrewA crew is a body or a class of people who work at a common activity, generally in a structured or hierarchical organization. A location in which a crew works is called a crewyard or a workyard...
Club, Cross CountryCross country runningCross country running is a sport in which people run a race on open-air courses over natural terrain. The course, typically long, may include surfaces of grass and earth, pass through woodlands and open country, and include hills, flat ground and sometimes gravel road...
& TrackTrack and fieldTrack and field is a sport comprising various competitive athletic contests based around the activities of running, jumping and throwing. The name of the sport derives from the venue for the competitions: a stadium which features an oval running track surrounding a grassy area...
, DodgeballDodgeballDodgeball is any of a variety of games in which players try to hit other players on the opposing team with balls while avoiding being hit themselves. This article is about a well-known form of team sport with modified rules that is often played in physical education classes and has been featured...
Club, EquestrianEquestrianismEquestrianism more often known as riding, horseback riding or horse riding refers to the skill of riding, driving, or vaulting with horses...
Club, FencingFencingFencing, which is also known as modern fencing to distinguish it from historical fencing, is a family of combat sports using bladed weapons.Fencing is one of four sports which have been featured at every one of the modern Olympic Games...
Club, LongboardLongboardA longboard generally designates a longer board variant in various board sports.* Longboard * Longboard...
ing Club, Men's RugbyRugby unionRugby union, often simply referred to as rugby, is a full contact team sport which originated in England in the early 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand...
, Rockclimbing Club, SailingSailingSailing is the propulsion of a vehicle and the control of its movement with large foils called sails. By changing the rigging, rudder, and sometimes the keel or centre board, a sailor manages the force of the wind on the sails in order to move the boat relative to its surrounding medium and...
Club, SoftballSoftballSoftball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of 10 to 14 players. It is a direct descendant of baseball although there are some key differences: softballs are larger than baseballs, and the pitches are thrown underhand rather than overhand...
Club, Water PoloWater poloWater polo is a team water sport. The playing team consists of six field players and one goalkeeper. The winner of the game is the team that scores more goals. Game play involves swimming, treading water , players passing the ball while being defended by opponents, and scoring by throwing into a...
Club, WindsurfingWindsurfingWindsurfing or sailboarding is a surface water sport that combines elements of surfing and sailing. It consists of a board usually two to four metres long, powered by the orthogonal effect of the wind on a sail. The rig is connected to the board by a free-rotating universal joint and comprises a...
Club, Women's Rugby, Women's St. Mary's Ultimate (Frisbee) Team. - Tolerance clubs: Black Student Union, FUSE, National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI)National Alliance on Mental IllnessThe National Alliance on Mental Illness was founded in 1979 as the National Alliance for the Mentally Ill. NAMI is a nation-wide American advocacy group, representing families and people affected by mental illness as a non-profit grass roots organization and has affiliates in every American state...
, Raices Hispanas, St. Mary's Triangle and RainbowLGBT symbolsLesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Genderqueer communities have adopted certain symbols and symbolates for which they are identified and by which they demonstrate unity, pride, shared values, and allegiance to one another. LGBTQ symbols also communicate ideas, concepts and identity both...
Society (S.T.A.R.S.). - Media Board: The HAWK Radio http://www.seahawkradio.com(radioRadioRadio is the transmission of signals through free space by modulation of electromagnetic waves with frequencies below those of visible light. Electromagnetic radiation travels by means of oscillating electromagnetic fields that pass through the air and the vacuum of space...
) and Point News (college newspaper).
Organizations
- Alpha Kappa DeltaAlpha Kappa DeltaAlpha Kappa Delta is an international sociology honor society.Founded in 1920 by Emory S. Bogardus, of the University of Southern California sociology department, the name is derived from the Greek anthrôpos meaning mankind, katamanthanô, meaning to examine closely or acquire knowledge, and...
(Sociology) - Beta Beta Beta (Biology)
- Omicron Delta EpsilonOmicron Delta EpsilonOmicron Delta Epsilon is an international honor society in the field of economics. Resulting from the merger of Omicron Delta Gamma and Omicron Chi Epsilon, ODE was founded in 1963 . Its board of trustees includes well-known economists such as Robert Lucas, Kenneth Arrow, and Robert Solow...
(Economics) - Omicron Delta KappaOmicron Delta KappaOmicron Delta Kappa, or ΟΔΚ, also known as The Circle, or more commonly ODK, is a national leadership honor society. It was founded December 3, 1914, at Washington & Lee University in Lexington, Virginia, by 15 student and faculty leaders. Chapters, known as Circles, are located on over 300...
(Leadership): an organization of students, faculty, and staff which recognizes superior scholarship, leadership and exemplary character. Membership in OΔK is a mark of highest distinction and honor. The Society recognizes achievement in scholarship; athletics; campus or community service, social and religious activities, campus government; journalism, speech and the mass media; and the creative and performing arts. - Iota Beta Alpha (Ethno-Pharmacological Research) Local Chapter
- Phi Alpha ThetaPhi Alpha ThetaPhi Alpha Theta is an American honor society for undergraduate and graduate students and professors of history.The society is a charter member of the Association of College Honor Societies and has over 350,000 members, with about 9,500 new members joining each year through 860 local chapters.-...
(History) - Phi Beta Kappa (National)
- Pi Sigma AlphaPi sigma alphaPi Sigma Alpha , the National Political Science Honor Society, is the only honor society for college and university students of political science in the United States. Its purpose is to recognize and promote high academic achievement in the field of political science...
(Political Science) - Psi ChiPsi ChiPsi Chi is the International Honor Society in Psychology, founded in 1929 for the purposes of encouraging, stimulating, and maintaining excellence in scholarship, and advancing the science of psychology. With over 1,050 chapters, Psi Chi is one of the largest honor societies in the United States...
(Psychology) - Sigma Pi SigmaSigma Pi SigmaSigma Pi Sigma is the National Physics Honor Society. It strives to promote physics at all stages, to promote fraternity between those who excel at physics, and to promote service among its members. It is closely associated with the Society of Physics Students .- External links :*...
(Physics) - Sigma Tau DeltaSigma Tau DeltaSigma Tau Delta is an international collegiate honor society for students of English. It presently has over 800 active chapters located in Europe, the Caribbean, the United States, and 1 chapter in the Middle East , with more than 1,000 faculty sponsors...
(English)
St. Mary's does not have any sororities or fraternities.
2011 Mold Issues
During Fall 2011 semester, two underclassman dorm buildings were evacuated due to health concerns over a structural mold infestation. After being moved to 3 hotels (Sleep Inn, La Quinta, and Holiday Inn), the college decided to rent a mid-size cruise ship (the Sea Voyager) and use it as a temporary dorm environment.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.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."
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.
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.National rankings and accolades
- Listed as "Hottest for Loving the Great Outdoors" in NewsweekNewsweekNewsweek is an American weekly news magazine published in New York City. It is distributed throughout the United States and internationally. It is the second-largest news weekly magazine in the U.S., having trailed Time in circulation and advertising revenue for most of its existence...
's 25 Hottest Colleges. - #2 - Environmental Protection AgencyUnited States Environmental Protection AgencyThe U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is an agency of the federal government of the United States charged with protecting human health and the environment, by writing and enforcing regulations based on laws passed by Congress...
's College and University Green Power Challenge (The college bought 15 million kWh of power during the year-long challenge). - #7 - Princeton Review's "Most Race/Class Interaction".
- #10 - Princeton Review's "Best Value Public Colleges".
- #17 - Princeton Review's "Gay Community Accepted".
- #18 - Princeton Review's "Happiest. Students"
- #87 - U.S. News & World ReportU.S. News & World ReportU.S. News & World Report is an American news magazine published from Washington, D.C. Along with Time and Newsweek it was for many years a leading news weekly, focusing more than its counterparts on political, economic, health and education stories...
's "Top Liberal Arts Colleges". - #93 ForbesForbesForbes is an American publishing and media company. Its flagship publication, the Forbes magazine, is published biweekly. Its primary competitors in the national business magazine category are Fortune, which is also published biweekly, and Business Week...
' America's Best CollegesForbes Magazine's List of America's Best CollegesIn 2009 Forbes Magazine, along with The Center for College Affordability and Productivity, compiled a list of America's Best Colleges based on "the quality of the education they provide, the experience of the students and how much they achieve".- 2009 List :...
. - The campus newspaper, The Point News, was named the "Most Outstanding College Newspaper" and ranked "First Place with Special Merit" by the American Scholastic Press Association. (ASPA)
- KiplingerKiplingerKiplinger is a Washington, D.C.-based publisher of business forecasts and personal finance advice, available in print, online, audio, video and software products ....
placed St. Mary's in the 92% percentile for its 12:1 student/faculty ratio. - Ranked in the top 10% of U.S. colleges by Barron's MagazineBarron's MagazineBarron's is an American weekly newspaper covering U.S. financial information, market developments, and relevant statistics. Each issue provides a wrap-up of the previous week's market activity, news reports, and an informative outlook on the week to come....
's Best Buys.
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.
- The co-ed and women's teams have been ranked first in the nation by Sailing World magazine for the past two years.
- 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 HarvardHarvard UniversityHarvard University is a private Ivy League university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States, established in 1636 by the Massachusetts legislature. Harvard is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States and the first corporation chartered in the country...
, YaleYale UniversityYale University is a private, Ivy League university located in New Haven, Connecticut, United States. Founded in 1701 in the Colony of Connecticut, the university is the third-oldest institution of higher education in the United States...
, GeorgetownGeorgetown UniversityGeorgetown University is a private, Jesuit, research university whose main campus is in the Georgetown neighborhood of Washington, D.C. Founded in 1789, it is the oldest Catholic university in the United States...
, 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.
Notable faculty
- Jane Margaret O'BrienJane Margaret O'BrienJane Margaret O'Brien is a professor of chemistry and president emerita of St. Mary's College of Maryland. She served as president from 1996-2009. "Maggie", as she is called by students at St. Mary's, received her B.S. in biochemistry at Vassar College in 1975, and her Ph.D. in Chemistry at the...
, SMCM's first female president (served 1996-2009). - Jeffrey J. ByrdJeffrey J. ByrdJeffrey J. Byrd is one of the contributing writers for The Complete Idiot's Guide to Microbiology. He was a commissioner for the Middle States Commission on Higher Education and is the editor-in-chief of the Journal of Microbiology and Biology Education, formerly called Microbiology Education and...
, author of The Complete Idiot's Guide to Microbiology. - Lucille CliftonLucille CliftonLucille Clifton was an American writer and educator from Buffalo, New York. From 1979–1985 she was Poet Laureate of Maryland...
, former poet laureate of Maryland and two-time finalist for a Pulitzer Prize. - Michael GlaserMichael Glaser (poet)Michael S. Glaser served as Poet Laureate of Maryland, from August 2004 through August 2009.He graduated from Denison University with a B.A. and from Kent State University with a M.A. and Ph.D. He began teaching at St. Mary's College of Maryland in 1970, retired and became a Professor Emeritus in...
, past poet laureatePoet LaureateA poet laureate is a poet officially appointed by a government and is often expected to compose poems for state occasions and other government events...
of Maryland. - Katherine Socha, winner of the 2008 Alder Award from the Mathematical Association of America.
Notable trustees
- Benjamin Bradlee, Vice President at Large, The Washington PostThe Washington PostThe Washington Post is Washington, D.C.'s largest newspaper and its oldest still-existing paper, founded in 1877. Located in the capital of the United States, The Post has a particular emphasis on national politics. D.C., Maryland, and Virginia editions are printed for daily circulation...
. - Steny HoyerSteny HoyerSteny Hamilton Hoyer is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 1981. The district includes a large swath of rural and suburban territory southeast of Washington, D.C.. He is a member of the Democratic Party....
, U.S. Representative, House Majority Leader of the United States House of RepresentativesUnited States House of RepresentativesThe United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...
. - Thomas Penfield JacksonThomas Penfield JacksonThomas Penfield Jackson is a former United States District Court Judge for the District of Columbia....
, the presiding judge in the United States v. MicrosoftUnited States v. MicrosoftUnited States v. Microsoft was a set of civil actions filed against Microsoft Corporation pursuant to the Sherman Antitrust Act of 1890 Section 1 and 2 on May 8, 1998 by the United States Department of Justice and 20 U.S. states. Joel I. Klein was the lead prosecutor...
case. - Gary JobsonGary JobsonGary Jobson is a decorated sailor, television commentator, sailing lecturer, and author based in Annapolis, Maryland. He has recorded many achievements in his sailing career, having won multiple championships in one-design classes, the America's Cup with Ted Turner in 1977, the Fastnet Race, and...
, professional sailor. - Anthony K. LakeAnthony LakeWilliam Anthony Kirsopp Lake, best known as Tony Lake, is the Executive Director of the United Nations Children's Fund , author, academic, and former American diplomat, Foreign Service Officer, and political advisor. He has been a foreign policy advisor to many Democratic U.S...
, National Security AdvisorNational Security Advisor (United States)The Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs, commonly referred to as the National Security Advisor , serves as the chief advisor to the President of the United States on national security issues...
under U.S. President Bill ClintonBill ClintonWilliam Jefferson "Bill" Clinton is an American politician who served as the 42nd President of the United States from 1993 to 2001. Inaugurated at age 46, he was the third-youngest president. He took office at the end of the Cold War, and was the first president of the baby boomer generation...
from 1993-1997. - Steven MullerSteven MullerSteven Muller was the president of the Johns Hopkins University, serving from 1972 to 1990.He came to the United States in 1940, and he has been a naturalized citizen of the U.S. since 1949....
, president of Johns Hopkins UniversityJohns Hopkins UniversityThe Johns Hopkins University, commonly referred to as Johns Hopkins, JHU, or simply Hopkins, is a private research university based in Baltimore, Maryland, United States...
from 1972-1990. - William Donald SchaeferWilliam Donald SchaeferWilliam Donald Schaefer was an American politician who served in public office for 50 years at both the state and local level in Maryland. A Democrat, he was mayor of Baltimore from 1971 to 1987, the 58th Governor of Maryland from January 21, 1987 to January 18, 1995, and the Comptroller of...
, former Governor (1987–1995) and Comptroller of Maryland (1999–2007).
Notable alumni
- Scott HallScott HallScott Hall is an American professional wrestler. He is best known for his tenure with the World Wrestling Federation in the early and mid 1990s under the ring name Razor Ramon, as well as for his period in the mid 1990s and early 2000s with World Championship Wrestling under his real name...
, Professional Wrestler. - Julie CroteauJulie CroteauJulie Croteau is recognized as the first woman to play men’s NCAA baseball, as well as the first woman to coach men’s NCAA Division I baseball. She is one of two women to ever play in an Major League Baseball-sanctioned winter league, and her baseball glove and photo are on permanent display at the...
, women's baseball pioneer. - Michael McMahonMichael McMahonMichael E. "Mike" McMahon is the former U.S. Representative for , serving from 2009 until 2011. He is a member of the Democratic Party. He was previously a member of the New York City Council....
, environmental attorney. - John F. Slade IIIJohn F. Slade III-Background:John F. Slade III is an Associate Judge with the 4th District Court of Maryland. Prior to that, he was originally elected to the Maryland House of Delegates in 1982 to represent District 29C, which represented St. Mary's and Calvert Counties. He ran unopposed in that election.Judge...
, member of Maryland House of DelegatesMaryland House of DelegatesThe Maryland House of Delegates is the lower house of the General Assembly, the state legislature of the U.S. state of Maryland, and is composed of 141 Delegates elected from 47 districts. The House chamber is located in the state capitol building on State Circle in Annapolis...
, 1964. - Paul Reed SmithPaul Reed SmithPaul Reed Smith , is a luthier and the founder and owner of PRS Guitars.Smith is originally from Bowie, Maryland. He made his first guitar while at St. Mary's College of Maryland, and continued to build guitars after he finished college, making them one at a time, one a month...
, renowned luthierLuthierA luthier is someone who makes or repairs lutes and other string instruments. In the United States, the term is used interchangeably with a term for the specialty of each maker, such as violinmaker, guitar maker, lute maker, etc...
, founder of PRS Guitars - David BowerDavid BowerDavid Bower is a Welsh actor, best known for his role as David in the hit romantic comedy Four Weddings and a Funeral. Born in Wrexham, North Wales, he is deaf and took his degree in the Theatre of the Deaf. After university he joined what became the Signdance Collective working as sign dancer...
, aquaculture pioneer, 1982. - Scott SteeleScott SteeleRandall Scott Steele is a former American competitive sailor and Olympic silver medalist.-Career:At the 1984 Summer Olympics, Steele finished in 2nd place in the men's windsurfing competition....
, Olympic silver medalist in sailboarding, 1981.