HONORS forALL
Welcome to St. Mary’s College of Maryland, the National Public Honors College. Find out what this means for YOU.
We are NATIONAL because we were the first public honors college in the United States, and today we remain one of only two in the country. For you, that means being part of something truly special.
We are PUBLIC because we believe that every student deserves the opportunity to study at an honors level at a cost that’s genuinely affordable. Your background, your financial situation, your ethnicity — none of it should get in the way of your education.
We are an HONORS college because we set high expectations for everyone and we help you exceed them. At other colleges, you’ll find just an honors program. Here, it’s honors all the time. No matter your background, if you have the ambition to put in the hard work, you’re an honors student at St. Mary’s College. If this sounds like your kind of place, get to know us more. And hopefully, we’ll get to know you too. JOIN US ›
ST. MARY’S COLLEGE OF MARYLAND | The National Public Honors College | 1
ALL WALKS OF LIFE, ONE THING IN COMMON: WE HAVE EARNED OUR PLACE HERE. WE WORK HARD, DREAM BIG, AND HAVE GOALS. WE COME FROM DIVERSE BACKGROUNDS AND HAVE OUR OWN OPINIONS, BUT WE’RE COLLABORATIVE, NOT NAME: Alexander Behzadi ’22 MAJOR: Environmental Studies HOMETOWN: Clarksburg, Maryland NAME: Tae-shi Savage ’24 MAJOR: English, Performing Arts HOMETOWN: Baltimore, Maryland NAME: Raina Crew ’24 MAJOR: Psychology HOMETOWN: Baltimore, Maryland NAME: Tyler Wilson ’22 MAJOR: Biology HOMETOWN: Silver Spring, Maryland 2 | The National Public Honors College | ST. MARY’S COLLEGE OF MARYLAND
NAME:
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CUTTHROAT. WE ENCOURAGE EACH OTHER TO BETTER OURSELVES AND THE WORLD AROUND US. AS A RESULT, THE VIBE HERE IS WELCOMING AND HOPEFUL. WE’RE GOING PLACES.
MaKayla Bridges ’23 MAJOR: Biochemistry HOMETOWN: Davidsonville, Maryland NAME: Thomas Dolan ’23 MAJOR: Mathematics HOMETOWN: Millersville, Maryland
Matthew Vieke ’25 MAJOR: Physics, Mathematics HOMETOWN: Ventura, California
Gladis VanGessell ’24 MAJOR: Chemistry HOMETOWN: Delmar, Delaware ST. MARY’S COLLEGE OF MARYLAND | The National Public Honors College | 3
YOU’LL LEARN through LEAD
LEARNING THROUGH EXPERIENTIAL AND APPLIED DISCOVERY.
THAT’S OUR INITIATIVE CALLED LEAD.
It features a curriculum to give you the knowledge and skills you need to have a noticeable edge by the time you graduate.
At the heart of your St. Mary’s College experience is an initiative we call LEAD. Think of it as an all-encompassing, integrative pathway that will prepare you for whatever your next step is—research, graduate school, or the workforce. Here’s what it entails:
• From day one, you’ll take career development courses that’ll help you identify your individual strengths and interests, build your professional network, and enhance your professional skills like project management, communications, and teamwork.
• You’ll apply what you learn in real- world experiences through internships, research, or study abroad programs via the Honors College Promise.
• You’ll also have access to online tools for career exploration, résumé development, interview skills and more.
By the time you graduate, you’ll have the in-demand knowledge, experiences, and skills that employers tell us they need graduates to have.
4 | The National Public Honors College | ST. MARY’S COLLEGE OF MARYLAND FOUNDATIONAL STUDY Core Inquiry Core Knowledge & Methods Language Study Professional Pathway THE HONORS COLLEGE PROMISE We guarantee every student the opportunity for: Internships or Faculty-Guided Research or International Experiences ADVANCED STUDY Academic Major Career & Leadership Development Plan Capstone Project
Major:
Hometown: Bowie, MD
goal: Continue working in a
before beginning graduate school
RESEARCH “Working in the lab with Dr. Sherrer as a Biochemistry Directed Research Fellow gave me the opportunity to learn how to formulate protocol for biochemical techniques and practice using the high-tech biochemistry technology we have on campus.”
INTERNSHIP “I began working at Walgreens Pharmacy as a intern in March of 2021. In July I received my State of Maryland Pharmacy Technician license and became a certified immunizer against COVID-19 and the flu. This opportunity allowed me to gain experience in a retail pharmacy setting and verified my interest in becoming a pharmacist.”
CAREER PREP “Being trained in professionalism as a peer-to-peer mentor in the College’s Center for Career and Professional Development has benefited me in not only being able to confidently write my own cover letter and résumé, but also in assisting other students in their professional writings.”
EXPERTISE “For my capstone experience, I am focusing on the mutagenic activity of cadmium (a heavy metal known to cause cancer) on DNA. My research question is: Can we identify the threshold amount of cadmium to cause mutations in DNA by means of DNA polymerase chain reaction (PCR) analysis?”
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89% OF STUDENTS PARTICIPATE IN INTERNSHIPS, INTERNATIONAL EXPERIENCES, OR UNDERGRADUATE RESEARCH 350+ ALUMNI MENTORS SUPPORT STUDENT SUCCESS 92% OF STUDENTS APPLYING TO POST-GRADUATE HEALTH SCIENCES PROGRAMS ARE ADMITTED ST. MARY’S COLLEGE OF MARYLAND | The National Public Honors College | 5 GABRIELLE DE LEONIBUS ’22
Biochemistry
Her
pharmacy
Point
MIA
FAVORITE WAY
“I love grabbing a book and my hammock and spending the day reading outside.”
FACULTY RELATIONSHIPS
“One of my biggest worries coming to college was not being able to establish great relationships with my professors like I did in high school. But the professors here truly make an effort to know their students and be an advocate for them.”
PROFESSORS WHO CARE
“My freshman year I had Dr. Ayse Ikizler for my core seminar.
I remember this one meeting where we were talking about one of my papers. She showed great interest in my topic, was very thoughtful in her critiques and gave me a lot of great advice that I still follow today.”
6 | The National Public Honors College | ST. MARY’S COLLEGE OF MARYLAND TOP 25 HIDDEN GEMS FOR WOMEN IN STEM BY COLLEGERAPTOR.COM 10:1 OUR STUDENT-TO-FACULTY RATIO GETS YOU THE INDIVIDUAL ATTENTION YOU DESERVE 98% OF OUR FACULTY HOLD THE HIGHEST ATTAINABLE DEGREE IN THEIR RESPECTIVE FIELD OF STUDY
DALMA AZURIN ‘24 DeSousa-Brent Scholar Major: Psychology Hometown: Washington, D.C.
TO CHILL
YOU’LL LEARN from the EXPERTS
the board, our world-class professors agree that the reason they teach at St. Mary’s College is because of the students who choose to learn here. To guide, steer, mentor and empower those who are earnest in their desire to be great — that’s what fuels them. Tell them what fuels you and prepare for liftoff.
thing I love about my students is that they stay in touch long after they’ve graduated. Through invitation, I’ve attended PhD
ST. MARY’S COLLEGE OF MARYLAND | The National Public Honors College | 7
Across
14 NUMBER OF CURRENT FACULTY WHO ARE FULBRIGHT AWARDEES “One
dissertation defenses,
offered toasts at weddings, met new spouses and children — someday to be Seahawks themselves.”
JEFFREY BYRD, P h D, Professor of Biology
OUR 361-ACRE WATERFRONT CAMPUS LIES IN THE HEART OF THE CHESAPEAKE BAY REGION.
8 | The National Public Honors College | ST. MARY’S COLLEGE OF MARYLAND
“I chose SMCM because of the strong anthropology and history departments, its historic location and the museum studies minor, which not many schools have.”
CAITLIN HALL ‘22, anthropology/history
1634 A NEW BEGINNING FOR COLONISTS AT WHAT WOULD BECOME MARYLAND’S FIRST CAPITAL (ST. MARY’S CITY) 1840 A SCHOOL IS FOUNDED, AS A “LIVING MONUMENT” TO THOSE COLONISTS, THAT TODAY IS THE NATIONAL PUBLIC HONORS COLLEGE. 2020 THE COMMEMORATIVE TO ENSLAVED PEOPLES OF SOUTHERN MARYLAND DEDICATED TO HONOR THOSE WHO ONCE TOILED HERE. ST. MARY’S COLLEGE OF MARYLAND | The National Public Honors College | 9
BECOME a SEAHAWK Whether you love to be out on the water or scoring goals on land, there’s a varsity or club team for you here. Most important thing to note about Seahawks? Our athletes care just as much about their academic performance as they do their athletic skills, and our coaches — some of the best in the country — take pride in that. 10 | The National Public Honors College | ST. MARY’S COLLEGE OF MARYLAND 1 ) J AMES P. MULDOON RIVER CENTER AND TEDDY TURNER WATERFRONT 2 ) J AMIE L. ROBERTS STADIUM 3 ) SOMERSET TENNIS C OMPLEX 4 ) MICHAEL P . O’BRIEN ATHLETICS AND RECREATION CENTER 5 ) THE HA WK’S NEST BASEBALL STADIUM
REAVA POTTER
Director of
Track
“What impresses me the most about my student athletes is how they are able to handle being a student athlete on top of being very involved on campus. They do it very well and show up every day ready to work.”
Baseball
Basketball
QUENTIN PASTORE ’24 (left)
Major: Mathematics, Physics Hometown: Frederick, MD
“What I love most running track has to be the competition. I love the chance to work to improve myself but getting the chance to go out there to race, and prove all the hard work I’ve put in, to myself and everyone else, is one of the best feelings when it all comes together.”
Climbing
Men’s Ultimate Offshore Sailing
Rugby
Ultimate
ST. MARY’S COLLEGE OF MARYLAND | The National Public Honors College | 11
Basketball Cross Country Lacrosse Rowing Sailing (co-ed) Soccer Swimming Tennis Track & Field
Cross Country Field Hockey Lacrosse Rowing Sailing (women’s and co-ed) Soccer Swimming Tennis Track & Field Volleyball
Co-ed Soccer Equestrian Fencing Hawkettes Jiu-Jitsu Men’s Rugby
VARSITY MEN’S
SPORTS
VARSITY WOMEN’S
SPORTS CLUB SPORTS
(right)
Varsity
& Field and Cross Country programs
Sculling Track Windsurfing Women’s
Women’s
NCAA DIV III Inter-Collegiate Sailing Assoc. Mid-Atlantic Rowing Conf.
WHAT’S NEW? ← Varsity Track & Field Program Commemorative to Enslaved → Peoples of Southern Maryland Performing Arts Center with 700-seat auditorium ↓
ST. MARY’S COLLEGE OF MARYLAND With new majors in business administration & management, performing arts, neuroscience and marine science, plus a new Learning Commons with café, it’s a GREAT time to be a SEAHAWK. Still to come: new science labs, a re-imagining of our library and a renovated Montgomery Hall. 1ST UNDERGRADUATE MARINE SCIENCE MAJOR IN MARYLAND
EXTRA-CURRICULARS are not EXTRA THEY’RE ESSENTIAL. As a school that offers more than 70 student-led clubs, it’s not surprising that a majority of our students are involved in multiple activities and organizations. “Chase your curiosities, learn as much as you can and do things for the joy of doing them. Love your journey!” ALEX BEHZADI ‘22 , environmental studies 14 | The National Public Honors College | ST. MARY’S COLLEGE OF MARYLAND
ACADEMIC
Anthropology Club Art Club
Association of Computing Machinery for Women and Minorities (ACM-WAM)
Avatar (literary magazine)
Biomolecular Organization of St. Mary’s Students (BOSS)
Creative Writing Economics Club Education Club History Club Math Club
Minority Association of Pre-Medical Students (MAPS) Model UN Philosophy Club Physics Club Pre-Vet Club St. Mary’s American Chemical Society (SMACS)
CULTURAL
African Student Association (ASA) Asian Pacific American Club (APAC)
Black Student Union Catholic Seahawks Jewish Student Union Latinos Unidos
Minority Students in the Social Sciences Association (MSSSA)
Transgenda
PERFORMANCE
Burlesque Club Cultural Dance Club Dance Club Hawk Radio Hawkettes Dance Team Interchorus (co-ed a cappella)
Modern Underground Dance (MUD) SMC Men (a cappella) St. Mary’s Drum Corps Take One! Improv The Nightingale A Cappella (TNA)
White Room
SERVICE & SOCIAL CHANGE
Best Buddies
Circle K International Feminists Unite for Sexual Equality (FUSE)
Habitat for Humanity hawkTHON Intervarsity Christian Fellowship Knits for the Needy Love Your Melon Relay for Life St. Mary’s River Project St. Mary’s Triangle and Rainbow Society (STARS)
Student Environmental Action Coalition (SEAC)
SPECIAL INTEREST
Active Minds American Sign Language Animal Advocates Art Activist Club BioPUMP Chancellor’s Point Club Chess Club College Democrats College Republicans Dumbledore’s Army Flag Football Historical Swordsmanship Humans vs. Zombies Jiu-Jitsu Club
Literature Club Magic: The Club Maryland Students for Sensible Tuition National Society of Leadership and Success
Nerf Wars Club Otaku! Anime Club
Outdoor Adventure Club
Point News Publications (college paper and yearbook)
ATHLETICS
Club Sports Intramurals
Varsity
teams)
Sports (21
WE’RE ALL in this TOGETHER
Our professors are advisers, advocates, confidants and friends. Our staff is constantly in tune with the evolving needs of our students and their families. To us, personal attention, support and collaboration aren’t just buzzwords, they’re part of our promise to you. Mind, body and soul, we’ve got the resources you need to be your best.
YOU MIGHT EXPECT A COLLEGE THAT’S ENTIRELY HONORS TO BE INTIMIDATING AND COMPETITIVE — ONE GIANT FREE SOLO CLIMB. That couldn’t be further from our truth.
MENTAL HEALTH DAILY COUNSELING WALK-IN HOURS INDIVIDUAL AND GROUP THERAPY CRISIS HOTLINE CRISIS TEXT LINE FOR STUDENTS OF COLOR TREVOR PROJECT LGBTQ LIVE CHAT PHYSICAL FITNESS AQUATICS CENTER FITNESS CENTER CLIMBING WALL KAYAKS PADDLE BOARDS SAILBOATS ACADEMIC SUCCESS ADVISING PEER MENTORS TUTORING WRITING AND SPEAKING CENTER HEALTHCARE PEER HEALTH EDUCATORS DAILY HEALTH WALK-IN HOURS LAB TESTS ALLERGY SHOTS ONLINE HEALTHCARE RESOURCE YOU ST. MARY’S COLLEGE OF MARYLAND | The National Public Honors College | 17 TOP 5 WE’VE BEEN RANKED 5TH FOR “HAPPIEST STUDENTS” BY THE PRINCETON REVIEW TOP 25 ST. MARY’S COLLEGE RANKED IN THE TOP 25 HEALTHIEST COLLEGES IN THE U.S., ACCORDING TO GREATIST “I have never felt more welcomed and included than on our campus! I always tell my friends how proud I am to be a St. Mary’s student. It has truly been a beautiful place for me, I do not think I could have found a better fit for a college.” MAKAYLA BRIDGES ’23, Biochemistry
WHERE SEAHAWKS GO AFTER HERE MAYBE YOU KNOW WHAT YOU WANT TO DO, MAYBE YOU’RE NOT THERE YET. EITHER WAY, WITH THE HONORS-LEVEL LIBERAL ARTS DEGREE YOU’LL EARN HERE, YOU’LL BE PREPARED FOR MULTIPLE CAREER PATHWAYS — WITH THE SKILLS TO BE AMAZING AND THE CONNECTIONS TO GET AHEAD. OUR GRADS ARE OLYMPIC ATHLETES, AUTHORS, ATTORNEYS, PHYSICIANS, JUDGES, CEOS, BIOCHEMISTS, AND BEYOND. AND THEY’RE EVERYWHERE. TAKE A LOOK.
STEPHONDINGLE ’12 History
LES WALKER ’13 AnthropologyLorem ipsum
18 | The National Public Honors College | ST. MARY’S COLLEGE OF MARYLAND
MOUNTAIN VIEW, CALIFORNIA
“I’m self taught when it comes to code and tech, and have a B.A. in psychology, focusing on social interactions and research best practices. These two sides of my education came together when I discovered the field of UX and have led me to where I am now.”
KAIT HINES ’10, psychology
ST. MARY’S COLLEGE OF MARYLAND | The National Public Honors College | 19
READY TO EARN AN EDUCATION ON PAR WITH THE BEST PRIVATE LIBERAL ARTS COLLEGES, AT THE COST OF A PUBLIC INSTITUTION, IN A SETTING THAT’S BREATHTAKINGLY BEAUTIFUL? That’s what you’ll find here.
JOIN
US.
20 | The National Public Honors College | ST. MARY’S COLLEGE OF MARYLAND
“We want to ensure that ALL students who join our community not only have the potential and capacity to succeed but that we provide an environment where they can truly thrive.”
TUAJUANDA C. JORDAN, PHD, President
VISIT
Come for a tour. Sign up for an event. Dip your toes in the water, literally. smcm.edu/visit
APPLY
Feeling excited? Act on that impulse. Some of the best journeys begin from a single moment of spontaneity. smcm.edu/apply/
AFFORD
You’ll get the best of both: a close-knit private school experience at a public school cost. Check out these financial aid opportunities: smcm.edu/afford/
MAJORS • Anthropology - Archaeology* • Ar t • Asian Studies • Biochemistry • Biology • Business Administration & Management • Chemistry • Computer Science • Economics • English • Environmental Studies • History • International Languages & Cultures - Spanish • Marine Science • Mathematics • Neuroscience • Performing Arts - Integrated Performing Arts* - Music* - Theater, Dance & Performance Studies* • Philosophy • Physics - Applied Physics • Political Science • Psychology • Public Policy Studies • Sociology • Student-Designed MINORS • African & African Diaspora Studies • Anthropology • Ar t • Asian Studies • Biology • Business Administration • Computer Science • Creative Writing • Economics • Educational Studies • English • Environmental Studies • History • International Languages & Cultures - Chinese - French - Spanish • Materials Science • Mathematics • Museum Studies • Music • Musical Ar ts Administration • Neuroscience • Philosophy • Physics • Political Science • Sociology • Special Education • Theater Studies • Women, Gender & Sexuality Studies CROSSDISCIPLINARY • African & African Diaspora Studies • Asian Studies • Environmental Studies • Museum Studies • Neuroscience • Women, Gender & Sexuality Studies PRE-PROFESSIONAL • Pre-Dentistry • Pre-Engineering • Pre-Law • Pre-Medicine • Pre-Optometry • Pre-Pharmacy • Pre-Veterinary Science DEGREES OFFERED • Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) • Bachelor of Science (B.S.) GRADUATE PROGRAM • Master of Ar ts in Teaching (MAT) *Concentration ST. MARY’S COLLEGE OF MARYLAND WAS FOUNDED IN 1840. OUR 361-ACRE WATERFRONT CAMPUS LIES IN THE HEART OF THE CHESAPEAKE BAY REGION, ADJACENT TO HISTORIC ST. MARY’S CITY, MARYLAND — THE 4TH-OLDEST PERMANENT ENGLISH SETTLEMENT IN NORTH AMERICA. ACADEMICS • 65 academic programs • Degrees offered: Bachelor of Ar ts (B.A.), Bachelor of Science (B.S.), Master of Arts in Teaching (MAT) • 69% of St. Mary’s College students major or minor in a second academic discipline • 174 full-time faculty • 10:1 student-to-faculty ratio, one of the lowest in the nation • 25 study abroad programs • 37% completed an international experience (class of 2020) • Member of the Phi Beta Kappa Honor Society C AMPUS LIFE • #1 for best college food in Maryland (Niche.com) • 85% of students live on campus (2021-22) • 8 residential areas (co-ed and single-sex halls, suites, apartments, and townhouses) • 23 varsity athletic teams (NCAA Division III, InterCollegiate Sailing Association, Mid-Atlantic Rowing Conference) • 70+ student clubs and organizations ENROLLMENT • 1551 students (fall 2021) • 30% of students are BIPOC (fall 2021) ACADEMIC PROFILE (middle 50%) • 3.9-4.2 (weighted GPA) • 3.6-3.8 (unweighted GPA) LOCATION • Our 361-acre waterfront campus lies in the heart of the Chesapeake Bay region, adjacent to historic St. Mary’s City, Maryland. • Distance to Campus (in miles/driving time) Annapolis: 70 mi/1hr 30 min Washington, D.C.: 75 mi/1 hr 30 min Baltimore: 97 mi/2 hr Richmond: 114 mi/2 hr 10 min San Diego: 2667 mi/40 hr NYC: 279 mi/5 hr 30 min TESTING (test optional) (middle 50%) • SAT: 1260-1360 • ACT: 29-31 TUITION & FEES Tuition is frozen for the foreseeable future • Maryland: $12,116 • District of Columbia: $22,116 • Out of State: $28,129 • Fees: $3,008 • Room: $8,000 to $9,810 • Board: $5,860 to $6,340 FINANCIAL AID • 95% of students receive merit scholarships or need-based aid. LEARN MORE AT SMCM.EDU ST. MARY’S COLLEGE OF MARYLAND AT-A-GLANCE PROGRAMS OF STUDY