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St. Mary's College of Maryland (SMCM) is a public liberal arts college in St. Mary's City, Maryland. The campus and the rest of St. Mary's City combined are considered to be one of the premier archaeological sites in the United States. and is considered to be the birthplace of religious freedom in America.

Colonial St. Mary's City was actually only a town, and at its peak had between 500 and 600 residents. However, as the colony quickly expanded and settlements spread throughout what is now eastern Maryland, the town remained the capital. Representatives would travel from all over the colony to participate in the Maryland General Assembly, the colony's first legislative body.

The Colony was founded under a mandate by the colonial proprietor, Cecil Calvert, 2nd Baron Baltimore, that the settlers follow religious tolerance of each other. The first settlers were Protestants and Catholics during a time of persecution of the latter, one of only two such colleges in the United States. As such, it maintains a core honors-level curriculum that all of its students, regardless of major, must complete.

The college underwent its first ever large-scale program review or program prioritization process in February 2021, resulting in the discontinuation of several majors and minors.

It has an 81% overall graduation rate (including longer than four years). 69% of students pursue dual concurrent degrees or dual minors, which may take longer than four years, in some cases. 10% of students transfer from St. Mary's College to other institutions The commission reported in 2014 that the cost of obtaining a degree at St. Mary's College is $30,000 less when compared to the average costs of the elite private colleges that it competes with.

Administration

St. Mary's College's current president, Rhonda Phillips, was appointed in 2025.

The school has 150 full-time faculty,

Music

The Fiske Guide to Colleges ranked St. Mary's College as one of the best small universities/colleges in the U.S. for music study since 2003, and was the only public liberal arts college listed. St. Mary's College removed the music major in 2021, however, and added a new Performing Arts major.

Fulbright program

St. Mary's College has had many students and faculty win Fulbright awards. In the 2009–2010 academic year, the college had the second highest number of student Fulbright winners of any public liberal arts college in the nation. interpreting and memorializing Maryland history at the site of Maryland's first colony and capitol, also runs the Historical Archaeology Field School

The James P. Muldoon River Center

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

The Slackwater Center

The Slackwater Center studies the current events, culture and history of St. Mary's County and other rural Chesapeake Bay and Southern Maryland communities. Its focus is interdisciplinary and it studies the region from both an historical and contemporary point of view.

The center studies, records and documents as well as interprets and reports on current and historical life in Chesapeake Bay communities. of living residents.

The commission and its grounds are considered to be is a major center for colonial archaeological research and historical research in the United States.

The Maryland Heritage Project

The Maryland Heritage Project is also a collaboration between St. Mary's College of Maryland and Historic St. Mary's City. It hosts collection-based courses, beginner to advanced level archaeological field training and also summer institutes. The school is attended by students from all over the United States and other countries as well.

The New Leadership for the Chesapeake program trains students' in environmental leadership and advocacy as it relates to the Chesapeake Bay. In addition to leadership and advocacy training, classes and field work also focus on the biological and resource management issues affecting the Bay. The program leads to a certificate.

A summer program that brings together notable authors, writers and educators to foster writers of novels, poetry and other venues. Workshops in writing, classes, lectures, mentoring by notable authors and faculty; creative nonfiction, fiction and poetry are offered.

Starting in 2014 the Boyden Gallery and the St. Mary's College of Maryland Masters in Teaching program entered into a partnership with St. Mary's County schools to foster and display works by promising local students. The program involved St. Mary's College of Maryland faculty and students in working with local young artists. The program also sponsored a professionally juried competition and a special yearly exhibitions. <!-- The first Maryland General Assembly (the Maryland colony's first legislative body) met here,

Between 2006 and 2020, at least 48% of Seahawk student-athletes were named to the Capital Athletic Conference's All-Academic team.

St. Mary's College's mascot is the Seahawk, which is a nickname for the osprey. The St. Mary's College Seahawk mascot is named Solomon.

Student life

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|+ style="font-size:90%" |Undergraduate demographics as of Fall 2023

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| Black

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| Hispanic

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| Two or more races

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| Asian

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| Unknown

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! colspan="4" data-sort-type=number |Economic diversity

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| Low-income

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| Affluent

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Housing

Approximately 1,600 students live on campus and in traditional-style residence halls, and about 300 students commute.

On campus living includes dorms, suites, apartments, and townhouses. Within the residences there are four living-learning centers on campus: an International Languages & Cultures (ILC) House; a Women In Science House (WISH). Furthermore, there are Substance and Alcohol Free Environment (SAFE) suites and apartments on campus, as well as part of a residence hall.

The majority of the on-campus student population lives in traditional college dormitories, group suite apartments and townhouses; 85% of students live on campus.

St. Mary's College does not have any social sororities or fraternities. Instead, part of its student residences run on a house system. Each house has its own educational theme, so residents may form community around shared interests.

Campus residence houses include:

  • Women In Science House (WISH)
  • Furthermore, there are Substance and Alcohol-Free Environment (SAFE) suites and apartments on campus, as well as part of a residence hall.
  • Open Housing, for transgender and nonbinary students, and other students not wishing to live in same-sex or same-gender dorm housing.

Student participation in governance

St. Mary's College of Maryland has an active Student Government Association (SGA). The SGA charters clubs, promotes campus events and activities, works closely with the administration to help guide student-related policy, and works to promote student engagement in campus life through representation and programming. Senators, elected by the student body, represent constituents divided by housing (or commuters). The executive board (president, vice president, treasurer, etc.) are also elected by the student body.

The student trustee, a voting member of the board of trustees and an ex officio member of the SGA, is chosen from among the students to act as a direct link between the student body and the board of trustees. Aside from the student trustee position, students also participate in numerous other committees with faculty and other members of the administration.

Honors organizations

  • Alpha Kappa Delta (sociology)
  • Beta Beta Beta (biology)
  • Omicron Delta Epsilon (economics)
  • Omicron Delta Kappa
  • Phi Alpha Theta (history)
  • Phi Beta Kappa (national)
  • Pi Sigma Alpha (political science)
  • Psi Chi (psychology)
  • Sigma Pi Sigma (physics)
  • Sigma Tau Delta (English)

Seven Wonders

thumb|220px|The Garden of Remembrance, one of the campus "Seven Wonders" and a popular spot for weddings

The Seven Wonders are seven notable campus landmarks. New students are inducted into the traditions of SMCM by orientation leaders in a tour of the Seven Wonders during orientation.

The seven "wonders" are:

  1. The Shoe Tree
  2. The Bell Tower
  3. A clearing on St. John's Pond on the Side of Queen Ann (see above)
  4. Maryland Freedom of Conscience Statue on Route 5 (a.k.a. The Naked Man)
  5. Garden of Remembrance Fountain
  6. "Hidden" Grave
  7. Church Point

Sustainability

thumb|220px|[[Rudbeckia hirta|Black-eyed Susans, the state flower of Maryland. Seed packets of black eyed Susans are given out at some St. Mary's College ceremonies and students are encouraged to plant them around the campus.]]

The college runs a composting system to handle the majority of its biodegradable waste. and is one of few "green" buildings in the state of Maryland.

St. Mary's College's groundskeeping crews implement sustainable practices, including protecting the St. Mary's River by developing green buffer areas, creating green spaces and wildlife habitat, using integrated pest management and minimizing synthetic fertilizers.

  • Alan Bean, astronaut and artist, took art classes at SMCM while attending the U.S. Naval Test Pilot School
  • Emily Clayton Bishop 1900, sculptor
  • Maria Briscoe Croker 1891, first poet laureate of Maryland
  • E-Dubble, 2005, Rap/hip-hop artist
  • Dan Engelstad, head coach Mount St. Mary's Mountaineers men's basketball
  • Tom Everhart, artist
  • Jay Fleming, photographer
  • David Fraser-Hidalgo 1992, Maryland House of Delegates, District 15, Montgomery County
  • Rosewell Hobart Graves 1853, Medical and Christian Missionary
  • Ryan Grim, journalist
  • Quentin Hillsman, head women's college basketball coach for the Syracuse Orange
  • Jesse Kirkland, Olympic Men's Sailing 49er representing Bermuda in 2012
  • Bruce Merritt 1984, Olympic sprint canoeist
  • Scott Steele 1981, Olympic silver medal winner, windsurfing