St. Mary's College of Maryland The National Public Honors College

Each student's journey starts at the Admission Welcome Center. Visitors to the College will know they are in the right place when they see our charming building overlooking the beautiful St. Mary’s River.

The aptly named sunroom is where Admission staff give information session presentations to visitors.

Visitors are invited to make themselves at home in the Lobby of the Admission Welcome Center. Feel free to relax on our patio and take in some fresh air!

Watching the sun setting over the river is one thing St. Mary's College alumni miss the most!

Schaefer Hall houses the biology, biochemistry, computer science, marine science, math, and physics departments.

The Campus Center is the hub of student life at SMCM. This is a great place to catch a movie, attend a lecture or take advantage of one of the many events organized by the Office of Student Activities. On the first floor of the Campus Center is the campus store and daily grind, our campus cafe and convenience store. Also on the first floor is the package center, student mailboxes, and Cole Cinema, a 156 seat theater.

The Great Room is the main dining hall on campus. Students have ranked the food at SMCM number one college food in Maryland!

The lounges, located in the Campus Center, are a good place to study, relax, and socialize between classes.

Students "smashing pumpkins for cancer" as a Relay for Life fundraiser on the campus center patio.

Glendening Hall is our one stop shop for everything business related on campus.

Through courses, coaching and connections, the Center for Career & Professional Development empowers St. Mary’s College of Maryland students and alumni to navigate and succeed in their professional journeys. Career and professional development is integrated throughout St. Mary's College's LEAD curriculum. LEAD is learning through experiential and applied discovery.

Our Office of Student Financial Assistance (OSFA) and the Business Office, are committed to helping our students create a personalized plan to manage their finances effectively and minimize debt. Whether it’s through financial aid counseling, exploring scholarship opportunities, or offering flexible payment options, we’re here to support them every step of the way.

The outside of the Wellness Center.

The wellness center's inviting lobby.

St. Mary's College offers a 10:1 student to faculty ratio. Small classes are the norm here. The lecture halls only accomodate about 70 students max.

Daugherty Palmer Commons is a multipurpose space for the campus community. It serves as an event space and also has laundry facilities for those who live in the townhouses.

Caroline, Dorchester, and Prince George are co-ed first year residence halls.

The highly sought after townhouse greens are occupied by mostly seniors. The 'greens' have scenic views of the St .Mary's River.

Students with senior and junior credit standing may live in the north or south 'crescents.'

The crescent townhouses have a vast green area for lawn games like cornhole and tables for ping pong.

The townhouses are identical in layout. On the first floor, there is a furnished dining area, living room, and kitchen.

The living room in a townhouse.

Kitchens in the townhouses have a range, double sink, full size refrigerator and plenty of cabinets.

The dining room will come furnished with a table and chairs for four.

On the second there are two bedrooms for a total of four people per townhouse. The rooms are furnished with two XL twin beds, closets, chairs, desks, and dressers.

The upstairs bathroom has a double vanity, shower, and toilet.

The townhouses have back patios to which students may add their own personal touches.

Students with junior and sophomore credit standing may choose to live in Waring Commons or Lewis Quadrangle. These are apartment-style suites that house between six and fourteen people depending on the location.

Campus Tour

Feel like a cook-out? The Waring Commons fire pit and grill, the Lewis Quad patio fireplace, the South Crescents outdoor fireplace and the outdoor grills located near residence halls are great places to kick back with some hotdogs and s’mores and enjoy the company of good friends on those cool autumn evenings.

Take advantage of the solar charging station and work on your assignments outside.

Our Office of Student Success Services (OS3) team will partner with students to achieve their personal goals through academic coaching, tutoring, excellent advising, programs, referrals, and support to make sure that they become an independent learner that thrives, persists and graduates on time!

The ARC is also home to the only Rock Climbing Wall in southern Maryland. The 1500 square footwall is frequently reset by climbers. All skill levels are welcome.

St. Mary's College offers several unique classes which include learning to scuba dive and become certified or how to sail.

The building located between the two fields provides two men's and two women's locker rooms, referee's locker room, training room, restrooms, concessions, VIP boxes, two press boxes, and a hospitality suite.

Anne Arundel Hall houses the anthropology, museum studies, asian studies, and international languages and cultures departments. The Office of International Education is also located in Anne Arundel Hall as well as the Center for the Study of Democracy.

St. Mary's College offers opportunities for international education in all disciplines, on almost every continent! Study abroad for a whole semester or experience an abbreviated study tour which lasts between one and three weeks.

The departments of business, economics, environmental studies, history, political science, public policy and sociology are located in Kent Hall. Fun fact: Kent Hall was once the College's gymnasium!

The Garden of Remembrance is a beautiful place to sit, contemplate, and gaze at the St. Mary’s River. The Garden was built and dedicated in 1934 as a showpiece for the Tercentenary celebration marking the 300th anniversary of St. Mary’s City’s founding.

Tiffany Dioko '25, an intern at the Kate Chandler Campus Community Farm in 2023, worked under Barry Muchnick, an associate professor of environmental studies. Her duties included donating eggs and produce, caring for chickens, tending to plants, and assisting with various farm tasks. The partnership with Farming 4 Hunger brought her a new sense of fulfillment and community connection.

Solomon's Kitchen is one dining options on campus. Students may use their meal plan swipes during the week for breakfast and lunch for things like sandwiches and snacks. When that late-night hunger strikes, Solomon's Kitchen has you covered with pub-style fare! Solomon's Kitchen also hosts fun events like trivia, karaoke, cooking classes, and paint-nights for students.

The classes at St. Mary's College are the taught by the true experts in their fields. They'll get to know you by name and aspirations. They'll be your mentors, advisors, and perhaps even your friends in the future.

Goodpaster Hall is an academic building that houses our chemistry and psychology departments. Psychology is the most popular major at St. Mary's College. Other popular programs include biology, computer science, English, environmental studies and political science. The courtyard of Goodpaster Hall provides a tranquil water feature with outdoor seating perfect for a study break.

Goodpaster Lecture Hall

Dedicated in 2022, the Nancy R. & Norton T. Dodge Performing Arts Center is a vital part of the St. Mary’s College of Maryland campus, and serves as a focal point for the performing arts not only for the college, but for the community as a whole.

The Nancy R. & Norton T. Dodge Performing Arts Center features a 700-seat concert hall, which will host a full schedule of performances in the arts for the benefit of the entire campus and greater community, a 125-seat recital hall and adjacent rehearsal studios, classroom and office space for the Music Department.

The Learning Commons is the home of the Educational Studies Department, with many rooms for self or group-study available for students of all majors. The Learning Commons feature Office and classroom space for educational studies, special education, and the Master of Arts in Teaching (MAT) programs.

In need of a boost or little treat? Brew'd Awakening, located on the first floor of the Learning Commons, serves coffee and other beverages and light snacks. Students may use their flex dollars or pay with cash or card. Open to all students, faculty, staff and visitors to the campus.

Also located on the first floor of the Learning Commons is, the study commons features reservable study rooms and spaces designed for collaboration.

Montgomery Hall, known to most as "Monty", is the home to art, English, dance, and theater. It features the Bruce Davis Theater, Dance Studio, White Room, and Boyden Gallery. These spaces are used to display student work and serve as performance and practice spaces. Montgomory Hall will be renovated beginning the 2024-2025 academic year.

Residence Halls are fully furnished with a twin XL bed, desk, chair, set of drawers, and either a closet or armoire.

Each of the first year residence halls has free laundry available on the first floor. Just bring your own detergent!

Each of the first year residence halls has indoor bicycle storage on the first floor.

Each of the first year residence halls has a shared kitchen for students who want to cook.

The James P. Muldoon River Center is the home base for the national championship sailing team and the club crew team. In combination with the Rowing Center, the complex measures 13,700-square feet and is for the entire campus community to enjoy. The multi-purpose room upstairs is a great place to relax or study. Just off the multi-purpose room is the beautiful upper deck known as "The Captains Walk."

“Where people contribute to a spirit of caring and an ethic of service.” – The St. Mary’s Way. Each day the chickens produce about 100 eggs which means thousands of eggs are donated to the local food bank for families in need. That bus "CHXNBUS" is their coop!

Nothing compares to seeing St. Mary’s College in person, and we hope you schedule a visit! We offer tours throughout the week and several events throughout the academic year.

The student panel during the Open House provides an opportunity to hear from current SMCM students about their unique experiences.

The Open House's Academic and Student Resource Fair provides an additional opportunity to learn more about SMCM from the campus community.

The DeSousa-Brent Scholars program invites students from communities that have been historically underrepresented in higher education to be part of a supportive community of gifted individuals.

Sum primus is Latin for “I am First.” The Sum primus program offers students who are the first in their families to attend college a network of support from a community of first-generation faculty, staff and peer mentors.

Below “The Captains Walk” is the lower deck and the monitor station. There is a classroom facility for sailing classes and other teaching functions as well as a conference room complete with a nautical library upstairs. Any St. Mary's student, faculty or staff can learn to sail free of charge and gain access to one of the College boats.

Monument Scholars are students who have demonstrated exceptional academic achievement, personal qualities and promise to continue this important legacy. Students recognized as Monument Scholars will participate in cohort-based activities each semester and receive enhanced academic advising and mentoring in support of their goals. Based on their individual interests, Monument Scholars will also receive direct guidance from the Center for Career and Professional Development, the Health Sciences Advisory Committee and support from the director of national fellowships and awards to support their preparation for postgraduate opportunities. Monument Scholars will be well-positioned to earn future accolades or awards at the College and beyond.

The Landers Scholars Program provides fully funded four-year scholarships (tuition, fees, meals and housing) to students that are from low-income backgrounds and the first in their family to attend college or are underrepresented in higher education.. The highly-selective Landers Scholars Program also offers first-year mentoring and community service opportunities and has been generously funded by the Arthur E. Landers, Jr. and Hilda C. Landers Charitable Trust since 2018.

Our students' health and well-being is our priority. We support both their mental and physical health and offer comprehensive wellness programs and accessible resources that will empower them to prioritize their self-care and cultivate a balanced lifestyle. Students may visit the Wellness Center which provides both health services and counseling free of charge to all students. Students may stop by the Wellness Center between 8:00 am and 5:00 pm weekdays to access self-care supplies. They offer over-the-counter medications and some personal care supplies at no cost to students.

Since 1999, the River Concert Series, under the musical direction of Jeffery Silberschlag, has delivered high-quality, world-class performances in a wide spectrum of musical stylings to over 250,000 enthusiastic audience members. Over the years, the concerts have grown in size and prestige with outstanding contributions from many distinguished musical artists, as well as the exceptional performances from the River Concert Series resident ensemble, the Chesapeake Orchestra.

St. Mary's College students look forward to World Carnival each spring. Programs Board, an organization that plans fun events on campus, works hard to make sure there is something to do foreveryone year round.

Waterfront next to campus with a marina and boats

Church Point, located a few minutes walk past the River Center, provides almost 360° views of the St. Mary's River. It is a great place to go fishing or have a bonfire. S'mores anyone?

St. Mary’s College prides itself on having one of the finest college waterfront facilities in the country. Students have free daily access to kayaks, stand-up paddle boards, windsurfing equipment, and FJ sailboats for their own recreational use.

In Historic St. Mary’s City (or (HSMC), 17th-century America comes to life through exhibits, reconstructed buildings, and staff interpretations. For St. Mary’s students, this collaboration represents a rare opportunity to explore the American past as students receive complimentary admission tickets to all exhibit areas.

St. Mary's students have the unique opportunity to participate in archeological digs on campus and in the local area. A number of students attend the HSMC’s annual summer Field School

The College provides HSMC 40% of the building to house its archaeology labs, offices and curation facilities in Anne Arundel Hall. HSMC is a partner in the College’s Center for the Study of Democracy and Museum Studies Program.

While conducting an archaeological investigation prior to construction of the Jamie L. Roberts Stadium, the archaeological team, led by Dr. Julia A. King, professor of anthropology at St. Mary’s College, uncovered artifacts consistent with mid-18th and early 19th-century slave quarters. This discovery eventually led to creation of the Commemorative for Enslaved Peoples of Southern Maryland is an immersive art experience that honors the story of resilience, persistence, and creative problem-solving that defined the lives of the enslaved individuals that once lived in St. Mary's City.

We acknowledge that the land on which we are learning, working and gathering today is the ancestral home of the Yacocomico and Piscataway Peoples. We also acknowledge that St. Mary’s City was partly built and sustained by enslaved people of African descent. Through this acknowledgment, we recognize these communities and all those who have been displaced and enslaved through colonization. Given the unique importance of the land on which we sit and given the unique educational mission of St. Mary’s College of Maryland as The National Public Honors College, we pledge to continue to unearth and understand these historic realities so that they inform all of our work. We also pledge to work tirelessly in making our institution more accessible, inclusive and equitable, especially for those populations most affected by societal inequities. We do this with the understanding that by supporting and learning from all of our diverse communities, we build a more sustainable future for all.

Faculty and graduating students walk through the greens to their seats for commencement.

After commencement, graduates meet up with their families and friends to celebrate their achievement!

The facility was created to provide our men’s and women’s lacrosse, soccer, track and field, and our women’s field hockey teams with a turf and grass competition and practice fields. In total there are 23 varsity sports at St. Mary’s College.

The state-of-the-art stadium completed in fall 2019, named in memory of tri-sport athlete Jamie L. Roberts ‘11, consists of a grass athletic field, an artificial turf field surrounded by a running track, stands for 800 spectators per field, and a two-story stadium building.

The Arena includes seating for 1,200 fans and a hardwood maple court named after St. Mary's Hall of Fame coach, Ed Cole.

The ARC three areas outfitted with a variety of state-of-the-art fitness and weight training equipment.

The 300-seat natatorium features an Olympic-size swimming pool with the state-of-the-art design demanded for major competitions. The planning was entrusted to Counsilman/Hunsaker, the internationally recognized consulting firm that has overseen pool construction for two Olympic Games. The pool can be divided by bulkheads when necessary into smaller sections, such as the standard 25-yard lap used in collegiate meets. It has several features meant to minimize wave action, including specially designed gutters, and a state-of-the-art heat-recovery and dehumidification unit to cut down on humidity.

On April 12 the Office of Student Activities held their annual concert called Riverstock, which featured Lookout! an student band as the opener, and the headliner, Del Water Gap in the Rec Courts. In a recent previous year, Yung Gravy performed at SMCM!

The Center for Career and Professional Development host over 80 employers for a career and internship fair each semester. Students are encouraged to network and practice the professional development they're learning during this event.

The Asian & Pacific-Islander American Club (APAC) sponsors a SMCM Holi Celebration in the spring. Also known as the Festival of Colors, Holi is a celebration of spring in India / South Asia that involves food, dancing, and the playful use of colored powder to show love and appreciation. Our students will be introducing the campus community to the history and customs of Holi as we indeed celebrate with music, samosas, tea, dancing and a color throw!

The tree-lined baseball field, known as the Hawk's Nest, is a thing of man-made beauty surrounded by natural splendor. The outfield is the same hybrid bluegrass used at Camden Yards, the infield the same mix of clay material and additives designed to keep it soft but resilient. Hawk’s Nest is a fitting name considering it’s surrounded by woods on three sides and sits just up a slope from Fisher’s Creek with the rustic-looking wooden dugouts seemingly blending into the surroundings. The near-major league dimensions are 320 feet down the leftfield line, 400 to dead center, and 330 to right. The scoreboard is one of the largest in Division III. Even the backstop has a major-league look. It’s made of salt-water netting — thinner and easier to see through than chain-link or nylon fencing — and from the same supplier as Camden Yards.

The Office of Public Safety at St. Mary’s College of Maryland is located on Old Statehouse Road near Anne Arundel and Kent Hall. They are dedicated to serving the campus community 24/7.

You can work and play in our library. Check out a book, browse a periodical and enjoy the social spaces and group study rooms it offers.

Our students are able to take advantage of the same resources other state schools have available to them. Online research databases, ejournals, and ebooks are available to SMCM students, faculty and staff from anywhere in the world 24/7.

The Michael P. O'Brien Athletics & Recreation Center Arena is home to the men's and women's basketball teams as well as the Seahawk volleyball squad.

empty

Campus Tour