St. Mary’s College of Maryland 47645 College Drive
St. Mary’s City, Maryland 20686 240-895-4795
The Mulberry Tree is published by St. Mary’s College of Maryland, Maryland’s public honors college for the liberal arts and sciences. It is produced for alumni, faculty, staff, trustees, the local community and friends of the College.
The magazine is named for the famous mulberry tree under which the Calvert colonists signed a treaty of friendship with the Yacocomico people and on the trunk of which public notices were posted in the mid-1600s. The tree endured long into the 19th century and was once a popular meeting spot for St. Mary’s College students. The illustration of the mulberry tree on the cover was drawn in 1972 by Earl Hofmann, artist-in-residence when St. Mary’s College President Renwick Jackson launched the magazine.
Copyright 2026
The opinions expressed in The Mulberry Tree are those of the individual authors and not necessarily those of the College. The editor reserves the right to select and edit all material. Manuscripts and letters to the editor are encouraged and may be addressed to Editor, The Mulberry Tree, St. Mary’s College of Maryland, 47645 College Drive, St. Mary’s City, MD 20686. Photographs and illustrations may not be reproduced without the express written consent of St. Mary’s College of Maryland.
ST. MARY’S COLLEGE OF MARYLAND
July 2025 — June 2026
ALUMNI COUNCIL
Executive Board
Kate Fritz ’04, president
Michele Shipley ’92, exec.vice president
Vacant, vice pres. of operations
Hans Lemke ’93, secretary
Kevin Roth ’93, parliamentarian
Morgan Lum ’96, treasurer
Ken Benjes ’11, vice pres. of chapter activities
Vacant, vice pres. of affinity networks
Elected Voting Members
Ben Casto ’10
Geoff Cuneo ’10
Serra Erbas ’15
Leslie Fields ’03
Sean Floyd ’06
Mike Greer ’01
Valerie Gregorio ’19
Jim Harvey ’83
Kevin Hill ’89
Barbara KimmelshueKearns ’63
Michael Mellinger ’18
Alexandra Minor ’24
Erin O’Connell ’91
Tae-shi Savage’24
Meg Gesner Shernisky ’17
Lindsey Siferd ’13
Nancy Yannayon ’75
Student Members
Victoria Mathis ’26
Mary Govan ’27
Student Member in Training
Regional Chapter Presidents
Annapolis:
Sara Morgan Watters ’10
Baltimore Metro:
Sophia Macek Rowe ’19
Boston Regional: Megan Erikson ’99
California Bay Area: Vacant
Chicago Regional: Vacant
Denver Regional: Vacant
New York City Regional: Vacant
Philadelphia Regional:
Colin Woods ’05
Southern Maryland:
Cathy Hernandez Ray ’78
Washington, D.C. Metro: Catherine Skinner ’11
Western Maryland:
Alex Hutt ’05
BOARD OF TRUSTEES
Chair
John J. Bell ’95
Vice Chair
Paula Collins
Treasurer
John Chambers Wobensmith ’93
Secretary
Nicolas Abrams ’99
Trustees
Susan Perkoff Bass
Anirban Basu
Peter Bruns
Donny Bryan ’73
Antoinette Coleman
Susan Dyer
Judith Fillius ’79
Kate Fritz ’04
Alumni Association
Elizabeth Graves ’95
Kristen Greenaway
Tim Heely
Talib Horne ’93
Steny H. Hoyer
Kimberly Kelley
Micheline Lopez-Estrada
Heidi Murdy-Michael
Jesse Price ’92
Melanie Rosalez ’92
Aaron Tomarchio ‘96
Danielle Troyan ’92
Raymond Wernecke
Summer LaRocco ’26
Student Trustee
PRESIDENT
Rhonda Phillips, Ph.D., FAICP
PAGE 8 ]
PAGE 14 ]
PAGE 17 ]
FEATURES
PAGE 8
The Ridge Group
They met as first-year students in Prince George Hall and have been best friends for more than 50 years. Ridge, Maryland, is part of the reason.
PAGE 14
An Interview with John J. Bell ’95
Cathy Hernandez Ray ’78 asked the first alumnus to serve as chair of the College’s Board of Trustees to share what that opportunity means.
PAGE 17
100-Day Listening Tour Report
President Phillips summarizes the findings and early actions taken as a result of her 100-Day Listening Tour. DEPARTMENTS
President’s Letter
College News
Alumni Connection 28 From the Archives
OPPOSITE: A crisp winter walk toward Schaefer and Goodpaster Halls. From the College’s collection. COVER: Photos tell stories and the Ridge Group has lots and lots of both!
In just my first six months as president of st. mary’s college of maryland, I experienced two record-breaking campus events and met thousands of people, near and far. I’m so delighted to be part of SMCM where there is such dedication and pride by our community members.
My 100-Day Listening Tour was very helpful to me in learning so much quickly about this special place and both its strengths and challenges. Thank you to all who participated in person at tour stops, in meetings and online through our feedback form.
October’s Hawktoberfest homecoming and family weekend event shattered all previous attendance records with over 2,000 registered guests enjoying our beautiful campus and gorgeous fall weather. I enjoyed meeting students and their families on the boat cruise and at the crab feast.
December’s Giving Tuesday was a record breaker too, with over $456,000 raised from 3,881 donors, surpassing our goal of 3,500 donors. What a tremendous display of working together to make a profound difference.
We are working to act on items identified during the 100-Day Listening Tour (see my summary report on page 17) with the leveraging power of vested stakeholders who serve the College and are passionate for its success. Progress reports will be posted regularly to www.smcm.edu/president.
This semester I look forward to our Center for the Study of Democracy’s Benjamin Bradlee Distinguished Lecture in Journalism on Feb. 19 featuring best-selling author, Rachel Swarns. I also look forward to seeing many of you at my inauguration on April 17 and at St. Mary’s Project Days on May 4-5, where the academic achievements of many of our accomplished students will be on display.
Rhonda G. Phillips, Ph.D., FAICP President, St. Mary’s College of Maryland
Editor’s Note
They cheer on their fellow Retrievers, Saints, or Seahawks.
Their school colors are orange and black or navy, white and gold.
They gather at Alumni Weekend to remember their days at St. Mary’s Female Seminary, St. Mary’s Seminary and Junior College, St. Mary’s College (SMC), or St. Mary’s College of Maryland (SMCM).
How is it possible that these alumni across the span of a lifetime share a common and unified affection for a place so varied? What is it that makes this ever-changing school so steadfastly special to its graduates?
Jackie Armstrong Knipp ’75, a member of the Ridge Group (see page 8), describes it like this: “Through good times and challenging times SMC people are there for each other. They show up.”
John J. Bell ’95 feels it. When Cathy Hernandez Ray ’78 interviewed him for this issue, Bell reflected that he and his fellow alumni members of the Board of Trustees “know first-hand how special St. Mary’s College is by virtue of having lived the full SMCM experience.”
During her 100-day listening tour, President Phillips says she saw it over and over again. In her report on page 17, she attests that “the College’s greatest strength remains its people.”
Mascots have changed; school colors have changed; even the institution’s name on the diploma has changed over the years. But for the alumni of this kaleidoscope place, a collective and proud heartbeat pulses unwaveringly through all things “St. Mary’s.”
Lee Capristo, editor
COLLEGE NEWS
St. Mary’s College of Maryland raised over $456,000 from 3,881 donors, surpassing a goal of 3,500, on Giving Tuesday, Dec. 2, 2025. This reflects the dedication, creativity and collaboration of our champions, students, faculty, staff and members supporting more than 90 individual activities or funds.
The Nancy R. & Norton T. Dodge Performing Arts Center welcomed its 100,000th patron just days short of the third anniversary of its grand opening on Sept. 24, 2022. Not only is the Dodge Performing Arts Center celebrated for its performances, but it has also been awarded for its outstanding design. In 2023, the Nancy R. & Norton T. Dodge Performing Arts Center was named American Institute of Architects (AIA) Maryland’s Public Building of the Year at the organization’s annual Excellence in Design Award.
The Office of Integrated Marketing & Communications received four awards in the 13th Annual Educational Digital Marketing Awards –two gold, one silver and one merit. The College received gold awards for the “Honors for All” digital video ad and the 2025 Mulberry Music Festival total digital marketing program. The College received a silver award for the 2025 Mulberry Music Festival hype video and merit recognition for the “Celebrating the Legacy of President Tuajuanda Jordan” video.
President Rhonda Phillips logged some impressive statistics in conducting her 100-Day Listening Tour, which concluded in early October. The tour provided an opportunity to learn as much as possible by meeting with those who are part of the SMCM community. In total, there were over 265 meetings conducted over the 100-day period, with 105 of those specifically for the listening
tour. Of course, the conversations for the other meetings often centered on learning. Hundreds of people attended and nearly 200 provided feedback via the online listening tour link, connected to the Office of the President webpage for which there were over 1,300 visits during the timeframe. See page 17 for an overview of the findings from the listening tour.
Professor of History Christine Adams [1] published an article in French Historical Studies, Vol. 48 (4), published by Duke University Press. The article, “Reconstructing the 1790s in Literature and Theater: The (Re)Invention of the Merveilleuses Under the Second Empire and Third Republic,” draws upon research that Adams has undertaken as she works on a larger book project, titled “The Merveilleuses and their Impact on the French Historical Imaginary, 1794-1799 and Beyond.” An abstract of the article is available at the Duke University Press website.
At a special meeting on Dec. 5, 2025, the St. Mary’s College of Maryland Board of Trustees recommended approval of a new Master of Arts program in counseling and clinical psychology. The program must be presented to the Maryland Higher Education Commission for its approval as the next step. The board also acted on an initiative to elevate and enhance the College’s athletic and recreation programs and received an update from the Housing and Campus Planning Work Group on renovation of student residences.
On Oct. 10, 2025, the board named to the Order of the Ark and Dove Trustee Emerita Gail Harmon and Professor Emeritus
Don Stabile. Created in 1972, the Order of the Ark and Dove honors those individuals who have given distinguished service to St. Mary’s College. It is the highest honor bestowed by the College.
The St. Mary’s College of Maryland Foundation (SMCM Foundation) has earned the prestigious Candid Platinum Seal of Transparency, the highest level of recognition awarded by Candid, the nation’s leading nonprofit data and research organization. This achievement places the SMCM Foundation among a select group of nonprofit organizations nationwide that demonstrate exceptional transparency, accountability and data-driven impact.
Karen Leona Anderson, professor of English [2], has been published in “Fruits of the Earth: Harvest Poems” (Penguin Random House, 2025). This anthology of poems from around the world and through the ages celebrates the harvest of gardens, fields and orchards. Anderson is the author of the poetry collections “Receipt” (Milkweed Editions) and “Punish honey” (Carolina Wren). Her work has appeared in Epiphany, Pleiades, Little Star, Alaska Quarterly Review, ZYZZYVA, The Best American Poetry, and other journals and anthologies. Her poems have been nominated for the Pushcart Prize, and she is the recipient of a Maryland State Arts Grant.
Matthew Breece ’05, assistant professor of marine science [3], has been awarded $500,000 in grant funding from NASA Biodiversity and Ecological Conservation to expand a predictive modeling tool he and others developed to predict the occurrences of Atlantic sturgeon as they traverse rivers and coastal waters so that this threatened species might be avoided by watercraft.
Barrett Emerick, professor of philosophy, wrote a paper, “Oppressive Fear,” that was included in the book “The Moral Psychology of Fear,” edited by Ami Harbin. Emerick’s paper is included in Part IV of the book, a section titled “Fear, Politics, and Violence.”
Garrey Dennie, associate professor of history, co-authored the first volume of the history of his home country, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines. Titled “Native Genocide and African Enslavement in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines to 1838,” the book was presented to the prime minister of that island nation during a ceremony this past summer.
Associate Professor of Psychology Kristina Howansky co-authored and published with several colleagues an article titled “Autonomy: An Indicator of Wellbeing in Rewilded Asian Elephants Connected to Karen Communities in Thailand” in the journal Society & Animals. Researchers found that previously captive elephants being reintegrated into the wild did better when their reintegration included autonomy and socializing with other elephants. Howansky became involved in the project during graduate school.
Professors Argelia González Hurtado (ILC) and Jeannine Ortega (English) participated in the International Conference of Hispanic Women Filmmakers (CIMCiH) at Clark University in Worcester, Massachusetts, on Oct. 24-25, 2025. The conference promotes scholarly discussion of women directors, especially those whose films are created and produced in Spanish. CIMCiH offers a platform for creators, scholars, authors and students to share research, exchange ideas and showcase their work. González Hurtado presented “From the Personal to the Political: Indigenous Women and Subjective Territories.” Ortega presented “Demystifying the Monstrous Woman: How Monica Moore Suriyage’s ‘Ciguapa Siempre’ Empowers Afro-Latine/x and Indigenous Female Experience.”
Mary Grube, assistant vice president of finance, was presented the Pacesetter Award from the Association of Physical Plant Administrators (APPA). APPA’s mission is to support educational excellence by equipping facilities professionals with leadership, knowledge and community. Grube currently serves as the president of the Eastern Regional Association of Physical Plant Administrators (ERAPPA).
Associate Professor of Marine Science Cassie Gurbisz [4] was named the Steven Muller Distinguished Professor of the Sciences for 2025-2028. Established in 2000 by the late Steven Muller, benefactor and former chair of the College’s Board of Trustees, the professorship honors a faculty member whose accomplishments are recognized as distinguished by peers in the field, and whose scholarly work informs opportunities for SMCM students. Gurbisz specializes in coastal ecosystem ecology. Much of her research takes place in the field,
and she enjoys getting students out on the water to explore and develop practical hands-on skills.
Mary Hall, adjunct professor of political science and military history [5], published a book, “From a Yankee to a Rebel Diary: The Collective Civil War Diaries of Private George Washington Hall (14th Georgia Infantry) and Private Jacob L. Elsesser (9th Pennsylvania Reserves)”. Published by Lot’s Wife Publishing of Staunton, Virginia (Oct. 2025), the book captures the voices of two privates in opposing armies who chronicled their wartime experiences in the same diary. Mary Hall is George Washington Hall’s great-granddaughter. In her book, she provides context material that highlights the intertwined lives of the two men. In addition to hundreds of diary entries, she includes narratives, song lyrics and poems from a separate journal maintained by her great-grandfather and a never-before-published unit history by Elsesser.
Professor of History Chuck Holden [6] was published on Nov. 3, 2025, in TIME’s “Made by History.” His article, “The Most Important Thing Presidents Need to Remember About Their VPs” looks at several president/vice president pairings over the past two decades and illustrates through examples how vice presidents “serve as a constant reflection of the president who chose them.” Holden’s books include “Republican Populist: Spiro Agnew and the Origins of Donald Trump’s America” (Univ. of Virginia Press, 2019), co-authored with Zach Messitte and Jerald Podair.
Associate Professor of Psychology
Ayşe Ikizler ’07 [7] co-authored a chapter and published a book on intersectionality in the text Multicultural Issues in Counseling and Therapy: Global Perspectives, along with former SMCM Visiting Professor of Psychology Maria Kalantzis and Counseling Psychology Ph.D. Student at Indiana University Bloomington Öykü Altıntaş-Atay. Additionally, she and other colleagues from the American-Arab, Middle Eastern and North African Psychological Association (AMENAPsy) published a journal article, entitled “Invisible minority: Middle Eastern and North African graduate students’ experiences in psychology programs.”
Professor of Anthropology Julia King and her crew of SMCM alumni and student archaeologists were highlighted in a Washington Post article, “Archaeologists find location of Native American villages noted by John Smith,” examining recent artifacts the crew discovered as part of an ongoing collaboration with the federally recognized Rappahannock Tribe to trace the history and development of the Tribe’s early American history. The article was syndicated worldwide. King first began studying the Rappahannock Tribe’s history in 2016 at the request of the National Park Service’s Chesapeake Bay Office, the Chesapeake Conservancy and the Rappahannock Tribe. The work was undertaken to provide interpretive support for the Captain John Smith Chesapeake National Historic Trail.
Associate Professor of Special Education Katherine Koch recently published a new book, “Case Studies in EMS: A Reflective Approach.” Koch specializes in teaching courses on special education, intellectual and learning disabilities, emotional and behavioral disorders, instructional methods and research design. Her book offers EMS providers both basic and advanced life support with realistic scenarios of a variety of emergency situations, including cardiac arrest, trauma, overdose, childbirth and much more.
Associate Professor of Neuroscience Elizabeth Leininger co-authored and published with Cynthia Harley (Metropolitan State University)
“Introducing ‘Homeostasis: The Game’ – A Game-Based Activity for Teaching Homeostasis and the Endocrine System” in The HAP Educator, the Journal of the Human Anatomy and Physiology Society. The game provides a creative, interactive way to help students understand homeostasis.
Pam Mertz, professor of chemistry and biochemistry [8], is a co-author on a publication in the Journal of Chemical Education, “Designing Biochemical Visual Literacy Assessments: Insights from Classroom Testing and Student Interviews.” The publication focuses on using student perspectives in the design of assessments that evaluate biomolecular visualization literacy.
Assistant Librarian and College Archivist Shane Moran participated in the fall 2025 State Library Resource Center Conference at the Enoch Pratt Free Library in Baltimore, Maryland on Oct. 28. Moran led a workshop titled “Compassionate Cultural Preservation: When to Let History Die,” that explored the implications of current cultural preservation practices and how to effectively build collaborative and non-extractive partnerships within communities.
Crystal Oliver, a poet, songwriter, senior lecturer in the Department of English and editor-in-chief of EcoTheo Review, presented a lecture and workshop at Princeton Theological Seminary (PTS) in Princeton, New Jersey, on Sept. 25, 2025. Her presentation, “Writing with the Land,” explored the intersection of ecology, spirituality and artistic
expression. Oliver has served on the editorial staff of EcoTheo Review, since 2018. Oliver also serves as director of the Chesapeake Writers’ Conference (www.smcm.edu/cwc), held each summer at SMCM.
Jennifer “Jo” Oliver ’99, senior graphic designer in the Office of Integrated Marketing & Communications, recently received recognition in the 62nd American Graphic Design Awards’ flagship awards competition for Graphic Design USA. Oliver’s original design for an SMCM-themed blanket, used as a top-tier “champion” gift for Giving Tuesday 2024, received the award. The blanket design showcased the “Seven Wonders” of SMCM.
Assistant Professor of Economics
Daniel Savelle ’13, with co-author Mai Savelle, published an article titled, “More than just a weighted average: Economic statistics with auto specs grading.” Their article describes a novel grading structure that utilizes automatically graded, pass/fail quizzes for a series of course modules that collectively determine a student’s final grade. This grading system allows students to learn at their own pace and provides a learning incentive for their course completion.
Professor of Psychology Libby Williams and Katya Scott ’24 have recently published an article based on Scott’s St. Mary’s Project in the Society for the Advancement of Psychotherapy’s (SAP) Psychotherapy Bulletin. “Art therapy with Ukrainian refugees: A pilot program” is featured on the SAP website and discusses how they conducted a mixed-methods outcome study of an art therapy program. Early survey results revealed reduced anxiety levels, increased resilience and improved community connection. The authors hope the findings of this initial study will help researchers and practitioners to consider additional ways to help the increasing refugee populations around the world.
Samantha Wrisley, assistant professor of Women, Gender and Sexuality Studies [9], recently published a chapter titled “It’s a Love/Hate Thing: Heteropatriarchy, Anti-Feminism, and the Indelibility of Misogyny” in the peer-reviewed volume The Routledge Handbook on Marginalized Groups in the United States and Their Challenges(Routledge, 2025). This handbook provides a comprehensive overview of the systemic forces that marginalize vulnerable communities, helping readers understand the pervasive and often harmful dynamics that sustain social inequities.
Tysheena “Ty” Denesca ’27 [10] was awarded a Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship under the U.S. Department of State to support study abroad. Denesca is spending the spring 2026 semester studying English at University College Dublin in Ireland.
above: On Dec. 6, 2025, at the Chesapeake Regional Ethics Bowl (hosted by the University of Maryland, Baltimore County), the SMCM College Ethics Bowl Team finished in a tie for second place, and won one of the three bids to the National Ethics Bowl, to be held March 7-8 in St. Louis, Missouri. SMCM won all four of its rounds, including wins against teams from Villanova and Penn State. The team progressed to the semi-final round, where they tied with Washington & Lee University. This is the fifth time in thirteen years that St. Mary’s College has qualified for the Nationals. SMCM bested 13 other teams in the field, including Tufts, Temple, Princeton and Virginia Tech. From left to right: Bechorah Aguoru ’26, Philip Eisenstein ’28, Argyrios Tasikas ’26, Mason Lipczenko ’26, Lainey Shankle ’26, Ella Skidmore ’27 and Coach Michael Taber, associate professor of philosophy. Ian Baughman ’27 joins the team in place of Ella Skidmore ’27 who is studying in Thailand during the spring semester.
Julia Thomas ’25 and Veronica Velez ’27 co-presented a project mentored by Associate Professor of Psychology and Neuroscience Torry Dennis, at the Society for Neuroscience (SfN) annual meeting at the San Diego Convention Center in November 2025. Their presentation examined how a ketogenic diet influences cocaine addiction-like behavior in rats.
Nadia Lonnberg ’25 and Evan Harrison ’27 presented a poster “Popular media usage and its impact on learning” at the Psychonomic Society 66th Annual Meeting held in Denver, Colorado, in November 2025. Assistant Professor of Psychology Nayantara Kurpad oversaw Lonnberg’s research and is currently mentoring Harrison in directed research.
We spent 12 years being knuckleheads. We were able to leave the catamarans on the beach on the Potomac and build a Tiki Bar.”
The RIDGE GROUP
BY LEE CAPRISTO, EDITOR
In 1972, St. Mary’s College of Maryland (then known as “SMC”) graduated 102 students, nearly double the number in its first four-year class of 1971. Courses in six majors (art, biology, English, history, math and social science) were taught by a 52-person faculty. The student body of 850 was grossly lopsided with 42 percent being firstyear students. All who crossed the Patuxent River to get to St. Mary’s County used the ferry at Solomons (the Thomas Johnson Bridge hadn’t begun construction yet) or crossed 25 miles north at the bridge in Benedict. A few students (including Gilbert Cubbage ’76 and John Knipp ’76) later joined the bridge construction crew as summer employment.
Student housing was provided in four residence halls, with Prince George and Caroline Halls being the newest, at just two years old.
Somerset Hall had opened as the new gym in 1969; Kent Hall (the old gym), had become the new science building in 1970. There were no townhouses, no Schaefer Hall, no Goodpaster or Glendening or Daugherty-Palmer Commons, no athletic stadium. Montgomery Hall wouldn’t appear on the landscape until 1980.
Students at SMC in the early to mid 1970s experienced the end of the draft for the Vietnam War; the final Apollo moon landing (Apollo 17); the introduction of Atari’s arcade game, Pong; and McDonald’s Egg McMuffin. Math majors might have used Hewlett-Packard’s first pocket calculator, the HP-35.
Several of the members of what would become the Ridge Group met by chance as assigned roommates in Prince George (PG) Hall. Those who lived on PG Third Center had for their resident assistant Tom Everhart (now a worldfamous artist: see everhartstudios.com).
Steve Belknap ’77 was one and remembers his first encounter with Everhart’s art. “One day I saw him in the corner study room working on a painting. It was a skeleton sitting at a desk with its skull lying on a stack of books. The books were by Socrates, Plato and the like. It was a big painting, three feet by two feet. It was incredible. I still see that thing in my head!”
Prince George Hall was renovated in 2025. The campus today may be nearly unrecognizable to the Ridge Group, but the friendships born during their time at SMC have remained strong for a span of more than 50 years across two millennia.
John Knipp ’76 describes the beginnings of the Ridge Group this way: “While working on the bridge [summer 1974], I knew I would need a place to live when school started back up in the fall. I started exploring possible homes to rent in the Ridge area and found an old boarded-up house on St. Jerome’s Creek on Airedele Road.” “I met with the owner, Earl Trossbach. He was a waterman and farmer. I told him if he paid
LEFT: Beach time on the Potomac. ABOVE: Construction of the Tiki Bar. TOP: The Ridge Group in 1990.
The Ridge Group
“
I told him if he paid for the materials, I would come to Ridge every evening and fix the old house up if he would let me live there for cheap rent: he said absolutely yes.”
for the materials, I would come to Ridge every evening and fix the old house up if he would let me live there for cheap rent: he said absolutely yes. I needed help to get it finished by the fall so I called Rick Henry ‘77, my great friend, and he was all in and together we finished up the house.”
It was while they lived there as students that Knipp and Henry founded the Bottom County Music Festival. Gilbert Cubbage canvassed county businesses for sponsorships. It was held on the front lawn of the house. See “From the Archives” on page 28 for more on that.
It also was while they lived there that Henry sailed his catamaran across the Chesapeake Bay at night, alone. With a broken rudder preventing him from turning back, he dodged big ships and continued to the Eastern Shore. There he fixed the rudder and started the 20-mile return trip, arriving just as the sun rose on St. Jerome’s Creek. What he was doing on the Bay at night by himself is another story.
“After we graduated,” Knipp continues, “I decided to keep the house and invite some of my friends to share it with me as our summer house.”
And thus, the Ridge Group was begun, with the original members being John Knipp, Rick Henry, Gilbert Cubbage’s brother Bruce and Jeff Stewart ’76. They kept their catamarans on the beach and sailed whenever they could. Late in 1979, the owners wanted the property back, so the Ridge Group sought to find a new one.
They found an 18th-century farmhouse on 160 acres off of Wynne Road, still in Ridge, fronting the Potomac River. They rented it from Charles and Luella Davis from 1980 – 1992, using it over those 12 years as their weekend retreat.
The original members of this Potomac house were John Knipp, Rick Henry, Bruce Cubbage, Steve Belknap and Tim Judson. Jeff MacDonald made the back porch his domain and helped build a geodesic dome on the beach to serve as a Tiki Bar. Steve Belknap recalls the years at the Potomac house like this: “We spent 12 years being knuckleheads. We were able to leave the catamarans on the beach on the Potomac and build a Tiki Bar. In addition to regular beach fun and all that entails we would also set the boats up at night and play chicken/ pirates. With two boats sailing at each other, the crew member would jump from one boat to the other and throw the skipper into the water and sail off. Being catamarans, we were going pretty fast. Yeah, it was not real bright, but it was fun and we never got hurt which was amazing.”
TOP: John Knipp and Rick Henry founded the Bottom County Festival and held it on the front yard of the Airedele Road house. ABOVE LEFT: Rick Henry (left) and John Knipp (right) at Knipp’s wedding. ABOVE RIGHT: Sails up on the beach at Airedele Road.
“Over the years our girlfriends turned into our wives and we had children, but we kept going there every weekend for 12 years,” says John Knipp. “Because we were there for so long and knew just about everyone in the Ridge and surrounding area, we were always known as the Ridge Group.”
“Turning the corner at Wynne Road and driving down the lane to the house on Friday nights, there was a sense of anticipation, calm and relief,” recalls Jackie Armstrong Knipp ’75. “During the weekdays the young adult Ridge Group were pursuing careers, trying to figure it all out.” Those weekends included lively conversations during group dinners or over a bushel of crabs from Tommy Courtney ’74; catamaran races; hanging out on the beach and sitting at the picnic table late at night watching the stars. “Sunday morning breakfasts at Schieble’s Restaurant became traditions,” she adds. The house, now known as the Smith Creek House, is owned by Charles and Luella Davis’ granddaughter Kim Norris and her husband Brian. It has been carefully restored and operates as a vacation rental (look up on VRBO at https://t.vrbo.io/ pOTHgzRolZb). In June 2024, the Ridge Group rented the Smith Creek House to celebrate several of them turning age 70.
Working on the Bridge
The Thomas Johnson Bridge that crosses the Patuxent River at the southern tip of Calvert County into mid-St. Mary’s County opened in December 1977.
“Working on the bridge was quite an experience,” John Knipp ’76 recalls. “We would take a tugboat across the Patuxent River and back at day’s end. One day they had us counting nuts and bolts, but these nuts and bolts were three feet wide and heavy. They also had us tying wire to rebar before they would pour concrete. The last month they gave us two chain saws and a big ax and told us to cut down the forest on the St. Mary’s side so they could build the right of way for the approach road. It was clearly the best part of the summer: We were dropping trees all over the forest - what fun! They fired us after we accidentally knocked our house partially down with a bulldozer late one night.”
After giving up the Potomac house in 1992, the Ridge Group get-togethers were less frequent. Dale Withers ’76 hosted New Year’s parties at his home in Ocean City, including an all-nighter on the beach to celebrate the new millennium. Traveling potlucks provided frequent Maryland reunions at the Solomons home of Jeff MacDonald (with an original Tom Everhart painting on the wall); in Columbia at the home of Donny Bryan ’73; in Clarksville at the home of Larry Leak ’76; in Catonsville at the home of John and Jackie Knipp. Between potlucks, get togethers expanded to include children’s graduations and weddings, retirement parties and a couples’ trip to Italy.
Reunions of The Ridge Group and their growing families have been held throughout the years. TOP: A large gathering in 1995 at Jeff McDonald’s home. BOTTOM: A recent get together in 2024. RIGHT: The Ridge Group t-shirt.
Jackie Knipp ’75 “
Through good times and challenging times SMC people are there for each other. They show up.”
LEFT: Potomac House in Ridge today. ABOVE LEFT: Cats on the beach sometime in the 1980s. ABOVE RIGHT: The Ridge Group in 1988 with their families, left to right: Jackie Knipp, Maggie Bryan, Megan Knipp, Christina Knipp, Melanie Belknap, Rick Henry, Blair Belknap, John Knipp, Holly Gibson, Jeff MacDonald, Allison Belknap, Terry MacDonald, Steve Belknap.
Who Comprised the Ridge Group?
Jackie Armstrong Knipp ’75 (art): an art major, Jackie’s first job after SMCM was teaching art at The Gilman School in Baltimore. She spent her entire working career there, teaching boys ages 5-10 for 41 years.
John Knipp ’76 (biology): worked on the Thomas Johnson bridge construction project when he first graduated. Had a long career in corporate banking and finance, serving on the boards of several multimillion-dollar companies.
Jeff MacDonald ’76 (biology): Worked in construction after graduating. Started his own concrete company in 1977, ran it for 30 years, then sold it and moved to Solomons in 2007.
Dale Withers ’76 (biology): Worked in construction as a high-end builder and land developer in Ocean City, Maryland.
Steve Belknap ’77 (social science): Worked as a radio frequency interference tester for PBS/ NPR. That led to work with GTE Telenet and the initial buildout of computer data networks. That led to designing and selling large data networks around the world as a telecommunications executive.
Rick Henry ’77 (biology): worked in Northern Virginia in largescale interior landscaping (hotels, malls) and home inspection. Now lives in Costa Rica.
What Makes This Place So Special?
What was it that made SMC so special to the Ridge Group? Jackie Knipp ’75 sums it up this way: “Being situated on the St. Mary’s River, the College was isolated from cities with bars, malls and cultural centers. Students could not rely on these facilities for entertainment. Students were each other’s entertainment, family, confidants. Through good times and challenging times SMC people are there for each other. They show up.”
Jeff MacDonald ’76 adds: “The College was to me an extraordinary first experience in my life, living with a small school population (about 1,000). Everybody knew one another. The intimacy of the school in its waterfront setting was spectacular. I could take a Laser out in between classes. We used to affectionately call it St. Mary’s Country Club.”
Steve Belknap ’77 echoes the sentiment: “The special sauce is/was the size and location of the College itself and being able to take advantage of all it offered. You just made friends with everyone and made a point to remain close friends long after graduation.”
AN INTERVIEW WITH JOHN J. BELL ’95
By Cathy Hernandez Ray ’78
John J. Bell, ’95, is the chair of the St. Mary’s College of Maryland Board of Trustees. He also has the distinction of being the first SMCM alumnus to hold the position of board chair.
With his notable background, Bell brings a unique perspective and insight to this role. In the 30 years since his graduation, he has built a successful career, supported numerous charitable causes and continued to advocate for his alma mater. Along the way, family, friends, relationships, career, service and values were important influences that shaped his journey from St. Mary’s College to serving as the board chair. We met after a recent trustee meeting to explore what makes him tick, what he has done to be successful and what inspired him to serve as a board member and now as chair.
Describe the role of the St. Mary’s College Board of Trustees and your transition into the position of board chair.
The St. Mary’s College Board of Trustees was chartered in 1992 when the College was designated as Maryland’s public honors college. As the College’s governing body, it is charged with financial, administrative and academic oversight. Board members are volunteers, 23 of whom are appointed by the Governor of Maryland with the advice and consent of the Maryland Senate, based on recommendations from the board itself. There are three additional trustees: the chair of the Historic St. Mary’s City Commission, the president of the St. Mary’s College Alumni Association and a student trustee. The board’s primary role is to work in partnership with the College’s president and stakeholders across the campus community to ensure St. Mary’s College thrives as an institution of higher learning and continues to uphold its distinction as The National Public Honors College.
Bell’s first term as board chair began on June 1, 2024. His path to this leadership role began in 2014, when he joined the St. Mary’s College of Maryland Foundation Board and served as vice president. The Foundation Board is responsible for managing and growing the College’s endowment and providing financial support for the College and its students. During his service on the Foundation Board, he was introduced to the Board of Trustees, which at the time was seeking members with strong financial expertise. This led to his nomination and appointment to the Board of Trustees on June 1, 2017, where he first served as a member before ultimately being elected by his colleagues to serve as chair.
What are the board chair’s duties?
As board chair, Bell wears many hats. “I work closely with the College president to advance the College’s strategic plan. I oversee the various board committees that focus on issues affecting faculty, staff and students. Their priorities center on making St. Mary’s College an even better place to learn, grow and prepare for further education or the start of a successful career.”
One of the board’s most significant responsibilities is hiring a new president. Bell assumed
leadership knowing this would be a central task, given the previously announced retirement of President Tuajuanda C. Jordan. For this undertaking, he chose a collaborative and highly communicative approach. He assembled a presidential search committee and remained engaged with the campus community and other stakeholders by providing timely milestone updates throughout the process. When it came time to choose from the finalists, he said, “I knew Rhonda Phillips was the right candidate. She possessed an outstanding record of academic leadership, vision, a demonstrated success in developing and leading public honors programs, and a passion and enthusiasm for St. Mary’s College.”
“The board is deeply invested in academics, student activities and athletics, and it champions the Honors College Promise. This promise guarantees every student the opportunity to participate in an internship, research, or a studyabroad program. We also review new programs recommended by the faculty. Most recently, in December 2025, the board approved the launch of a new master’s program, the Master of Arts in counseling and clinical psychology, which is the College’s second graduate degree after the Master of Arts in Teaching (MAT).”
Another initiative spearheaded by Bell is ensuring that board members remain accessible when they are on campus. “I encourage board members to engage with students, faculty and staff to gain insight into their concerns, from major issues such as buildings in need of repair or renovation to feedback on what is working well and where there are opportunities for improvement.”
How do the alumni on the board influence how the board operates?
About half of the board members are SMCM alumni. While not a requirement, this distribution achieves a balance between experience with the College and outside perspective and expertise. According to Bell, “The alumni on the board have a special connection to the College. They know first-hand how special St. Mary’s College is by virtue of having lived the full SMCM experience and want to give back to the place that gave them so much. Creating and fostering an environment that allows the students to grow and thrive comes from their deep personal connection to the College.”
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I encourage board members to engage with students, faculty and staff to gain insight into their concerns, from major issues such as buildings in need of repair or renovation to feedback on what is working well and where there are opportunities for improvement.”
The board chair sets the tone and pace for the board’s work through setting the agenda for each meeting and overseeing the various committees and working groups that inform the board’s work. When presiding over a large and diverse group, it is Bell’s responsibility to guide and keep discussions on track. Sometimes homework is assigned for projects or initiatives requiring gathering additional data for later presentation and discussion before a decision can be rendered. “I have deep admiration for my colleagues and how cohesive they are as a group. They have respect for one another and engage in thoughtful debate while sharing their perspectives. They often reach unanimous decisions, which I credit to their respectful dialogue and willingness to listen to differing viewpoints. Their common goal is to do what is in the best interest of the College. The varying perspectives add a richness to their discussions; they are able to reach agreement because they genuinely hear and understand each other.”
Describe your St. Mary’s College experience.
When Bell arrived at St. Mary’s College, his intent was to study and major in music. He played the French horn and was recruited by Professor Jeffrey Silberschlag to play in the College orchestra. Being in a liberal arts environment exposed Bell to other disciplines, and he became interested in and ultimately studied public policy, which was his declared major when he graduated in 1995. Bell describes public policy as “a great example of an interdisciplinary major at St. Mary’s,” integrating economics, sociology, political science, anthropology and government to develop skills necessary for civic engagement and positive policy design and change.
I see the value liberal arts graduates can bring as employees. They are often the best candidates for roles in finance. They have a broad world view and are well-positioned for success.” “
Professor Asif Dowla was one of his major influences, first as a mentor while he was a student, then later as an adviser during his service as a trustee and board chair. Dowla, professor of economics and the Hilda C. Landers Endowed Chair in the Liberal Arts, came to St. Mary’s College in 1991, the same year as Bell. They are close friends and have remained in contact for over 30 years.
How did your St. Mary’s College education prepare you for your chosen career?
Bell is a leader in the financial services industry as a managing director in corporate and investment banking. He holds several licenses that allow him to provide a range of financial services across global markets and banking. Developing and maintaining client relationships are key to success. It is a skill honed over the years and learned through the interdisciplinary aspects of his undergraduate public policy studies. As a seasoned professional, Bell says, “I see the value liberal arts graduates can bring as employees. They are often the best candidates for roles in finance. They have a broad world view and are well-positioned for success. They think outside the box and come at problems with differing perspectives when challenged to solve them.”
Anything about your personal life, such as where you currently live, your passions, hobbies and travels?
Bell grew up in Havre de Grace, Maryland, and was “drawn to St. Mary’s College from the summers I spent sailing with my parents and two younger brothers.” He now lives between Greenwich Village in New York City and rural Stockton, New Jersey, where he has a home with his partner of 20 years. “I am a foodie and love music, all types of shows and performances, and the diversity and vibrancy of city life. I love the balance of city and country life, and I especially love riding my bike along
the Delaware River to New Hope, Pennsylvania. I get back to Maryland every chance I get, and in 2025 spent over 50 days in Maryland, whether visiting the College, visiting friends in Baltimore or Southern Maryland, or visiting Annapolis on College business.”
He was bitten by the travel bug and Italy is his most frequent destination. On his maternal side, Bell is a descendent of Italian immigrants. He is passionate about his family. “Family is the most important aspect of my life, especially my nieces and nephew. I am studying Italian, having recently been granted Italian citizenship based on my family heritage. My ancestors came from southern Italy to the United States in the late 1800s and early 1900s in search of a better life. They came through Ellis Island and settled in what was known as the South Village (now Soho). True to my family roots, and with two of my college roommates, I ended up returning to the ‘old neighborhood’ after graduating from St. Mary’s College and have found my way back to the very neighborhood where four generations of my family were born and raised.”
St. Mary’s College taught Bell the importance of volunteerism and community outreach. In addition to his service to the College, Bell has been active on other boards, including board chair of a children’s mental health organization in San Franscisco, where he lived for nine years. “I am proud of my work with the LGBTQ+ community and was a founding sponsor of the first stand-alone LGBTQ+ history museum in the country, the GLBT History Museum in San Francisco. As a member of the LGBTQ+ community myself, I especially admire the welcoming and inclusive environment St. Mary’s College has for people of all backgrounds and identities.”
He has lifelong friends from St. Mary’s College whom he considers part of his extended family. “Two of them are among my closest friends, and I am godfather to their five children. They are a big part of my life and deeply important to me,” he says.
That sense of St. Mary’s College as an extended family also carries into his relationships with his fellow trustees. “They are an exceptional group who work well together and genuinely care for one another. It is representative of the school that we love and have the privilege of serving.”
top: As chair of the College’s Board of Trustees, John Bell congratulates graduates during their Commencement ceremony. center: Chair Bell introduced Rhonda Phillips as the newly named president at a campus event held in April 2025. bottom: Chair Bell welcomes graduates and their families at the 2025 Commencement ceremony.
Dear Community Members and Friends,
What an absolute delight it has been to join you here at St. Mary’s College of Maryland. The passion for this place is truly extraordinary, and it is an honor and privilege to serve as your president.
As you may know, I spent my first hundred days on a listening tour to learn more about the rich legacy of St. Mary’s, the perspectives and experiences of its students, staff, faculty and trustees, and the many elected officials and community members who contribute to this very special community. I believe strongly that this process is crucial to identifying not only where we are – with all of our individual and collective strengths – but also to identify our challenges and aspirations for the coming years.
Across these conversations, I have gained even greater insight and clarity about this treasured institution, and each meeting has underscored the College’s reputation for educational excellence, as well as its position as an invaluable partner and resource for so many here in Southern Maryland and beyond. I believe strongly in the value of listening and working together to achieve our goals and look forward to collaborating with each and every one of you to actualize an even brighter future for St. Mary’s College of Maryland.
The following provides a summary of the information and insights that emerged during my 100-day listening tour, categorized by major topics, and including initial actions which have been taken to address pressing issues. Now we are starting the next phase of strategic planning, in alignment with the collective feedback shared these past few months. My next steps will prioritize the enhancement and building of our community’s future, and I hope you will continue to join us in this visioning process.
I want to close by thanking everyone who participated in this listening tour once again. It has been an unparalleled experience to hear your thoughts on the opportunities and challenges we face, as well as the many stories which comprise The National Public Honors College.
In appreciation,
Rhonda G. Phillips, Ph.D., FAICP President
100-DAY LISTENING REPORT
Overarching Themes & Strengths
This tour included more than 270 meetings and events to actively listen and gather information, as well as review of hundreds of pages of information, including 200+ written comments submitted by students, staff, faculty and community members through a web portal. Several overarching themes and strengths were revealed during this process:
The Existence of a Deeply Passionate and Dedicated Network of Alumni, Faculty, Staff, Students, Trustees, Foundation Board Members and Community Members
Their affection for and commitment to our success is truly extraordinary and has made it clear to me that the College’s greatest strength remains its people.
Our Unique and Enviable Position in Maryland’s Higher Education Landscape as the State’s Designated Public Honors College
This position must be preserved and enhanced to continue providing exceptional educational opportunities and post-graduation outcomes for our high-achieving and highly motivated students.
Our Valuable, Transformative, and Differentiated Liberal Arts Experience
Defined by the Learning through Experiential and Applied Discovery (LEAD) Curriculum and Honors College Promise, the St. Mary’s Way, and our historic waterfront campus in Maryland’s first capital city, St. Mary’s College is an irreproducible academic and environmental asset.
clockwise from top: The Seahawks’ sailing program boasts 17 national championships. Dynamic faculty make this waterfront campus a creative learning environment where motivated students engage in hands-on learning and directed research.
Challenges & Opportunities
In addition to the assets identified above, I would be remiss not to identify some challenges and opportunities as we move forward. I have been impressed by the willingness of faculty, staff and students to engage in candid evaluation, and believe strongly that each of the challenges and opportunities we face are eminently resolvable through thoughtful stakeholder engagement, purposeful and creative design, and an unwavering commitment to improvement. Some of the most salient challenges identified during this tour include:
Administrative and Technological Processes
Strong consensus exists regarding the need to modernize, streamline and strengthen the systems that support our work. These include the College’s Enterprise Resource Planning system, human resources services for faculty and staff, student-facing academic and financial services, and campus communications – both internally and externally.
Academic, Residential and General Campus Infrastructure
With ongoing and generous support from the State, the campus has meaningfully reduced its deferred maintenance backlog over the past several years. While recent renovations have been transformational there is more work to be done. This is particularly the case with student residential buildings and key facilities such as the Wellness Center, Public Safety Office and academic/research laboratories.
clockwise from top: On-campus housing is guaranteed for four years in residence halls, townhouses and suites. The River Runner motorcoach shuttles students to shopping, cultural events and airports. Modern lab facilities are used by the state’s only undergraduate marine science program. A view of the historic campus from the St. Mary’s River.
Initial Actions & Next Steps
Based on my 100-day listening tour, observations around campus, and additional efforts to gather and analyze information received during this process, the following emerge as crucial next steps for the development of our next strategic plan:
Infrastructure Modernization and Operational Stabilization
My office, along with the Board of Trustees and each campus Division, are working urgently to modernize financial, human resources and student information systems as quickly as possible. A Board-level ERP Transition Team has been established, with initial work already beginning. The same is true for campus infrastructure, where a Board-level Housing and Infrastructure Committee and a Faculty & Staff Housing Task Force were established in the fall semester. At this point all options are on the table, and I look forward to sharing more updates as this work continues.
Institutional Innovation and Agility
Efforts are currently underway to strengthen shared governance, support employee morale and retention, and advance student recruitment and persistence through coordinated, campus-wide initiatives. New advisory committees and task forces – including the Leadership Council, Shared Governance Working Group, Budget Committee, Branding and Standing Advisory Group, and more – have been structured to include input from across the campus community and were established to study and identify actionable recommendations for key priorities. As conditions at the local, state and national levels continue to evolve, so too must we.
Community Engagement and Reputational Strength
The College remains deeply committed to academic excellence and ensuring that every student has an outstanding educational experience. Accordingly, continued investment in academic and co-curricular offerings, as well as strategic partnerships with alumni, community members and state/ national partners will strengthen student recruitment, retention and success while simultaneously elevating the College’s national standing.
Looking Ahead
The insights shared during the first 100 days reaffirm what makes St. Mary’s College of Maryland exceptional: a deeply committed community, a distinctive academic mission and a shared belief in the power of education to transform lives. The challenges identified are not barriers to our success—they are opportunities to strengthen our foundation, modernize our systems and ensure that SMCM continues to thrive for generations to come.
With clarity of purpose, collaborative leadership, and a renewed focus on innovation and excellence, SMCM is well positioned for its next chapter. Together, we will build on our strengths, address our challenges with intention, and elevate the College’s impact locally, nationally and globally. Guided by our values, strengthened by collaboration and united by a shared vision for excellence, we will continue to elevate St. Mary’s College of Maryland as the nation’s premier public honors college—an extraordinary place to learn, to work, to discover and to serve.
opposite page, clockwise from top: Neuroscience students in the lab. Students in Washington, D.C. for a career day at JPMorgan. Study abroad in Akita, Japan. Marine science students study a sediment tube pulled from the Patuxent River with their professor. this page, clockwise from top: Faculty take pride in mentoring their students and close personal interaction. With 23 varsity sports, SMCM is the home of the Seahawks. Skateboards and smiling students: no wonder The Princeton Review ranks SMCM #13 for friendliest students!
ALUMNI CONNECTION
CLASS NOTES
1970s
Wayne Davis ’73 wrote an article titled “‘Keep Your Eyes Open - There May Be More’: Finding Arrowheads in St. Mary’s County,” which was published in the Winter 2025 edition of The Chronicles of St. Mary’s. Wayne has been collecting arrowheads since he was a boy; his collection includes 360 specimens.
1980s
Maureen Auld Wolfe ’81 [1] has retired from the U.S Customs and Border Protection, Office of Professional Responsibility, Investigative Digital Forensics Lab, as a management and program analyst. As she reflects on her career with the agency, Maureen is especially proud of her creation of the statistical tracking method of investigations involving digital evidence and policy writing to strengthen the administrative infrastructure of the unit. Although she will miss working with such a dynamic team, Maureen looks forward to new adventures with her husband, Mike. Together, they plan to continue exploring the breathtaking beauty of national parks, especially their favorites, Yellowstone and Grand Tetons, as well as the out-of-the-way oddities on their cross-country trips.
1990s
Robin R. Peace ’93 has selfpublished her second book, “Diary of a Black GenXer: Poems 1990 - 1999,” available on Amazon and IngramSpark.
Charles “Todd” Steuart ’94 was appointed magistrate for the Circuit Court for Prince George’s County by Governor Wes Moore in August 2024. Before that, Todd spent the majority of his legal career as an assistant state’s attorney for Prince George’s County, as well as a decade working as a criminal defense attorney with his father.
Diana Hawley ’96 was sworn in as the new president of the Maryland Association of Boards of Education (MABE) on Oct. 20, 2025, in Annapolis, Maryland. In addition to her active involvement as a member of MABE, Diana has been a longtime leader and advocate for Cecil County Public Schools, serving as a member of the school board since 2018 and most recently as president of the Board of Education of Cecil County.
2000s
Meghan Efland ’03 was elected mayor of Chestertown, Maryland, in November 2025.
Meghan works as director of supply chain at PRS Guitars in Stevensville, Maryland.
Hugo Linares ’05, Tesfaye Negussie ’05 and Brian Wolcott ’05 [2] played in the Washington Wizards 3v3 Basketball Tournament under the name Seahawks Kaw.
George Connelly ’07 [3] was highlighted in a North Country (New York) Public Radio article titled “Inside the colorful world of North Country drag performers.” George has been performing as the drag queen Victoria Bohmore for more than 20 years and is quoted in the article saying: “Doing [drag] out in a small rural
community…I think is more important. It gives you the chance to have a safe space.” In addition to being highlighted in the article, George recently captured the crown and title for the 2025 Miss Gay Mid-Atlantic America Pageant in November and advanced to the Miss Gay America Competition in Little Rock, Arkansas, in January.
Rob Maddox ’07 was appointed director of admission at St. Mary’s College of Maryland. After graduating, Rob began his career at SMCM in the Office of Admission before working as director of student financial assistance. As an alumnus with deep institutional knowledge and a comprehensive understanding of the student experience, Rob is exceptionally well prepared to lead first-year recruitment, admission and enrollment efforts.
Dustin Reichard ’07 [4] was a corresponding author of the article: “Total Solar Eclipse Triggers Dawn Behavior in Birds: Insights From Acoustic Recordings and Community Science,” which was featured on the cover of “Science” magazine, one of the world’s leading research publications.
2010s
Patrick Hogan ’12 was promoted to partner at the law firm Winston & Strawn LLP in Washington, D.C. Patrick has a national practice defending clients in product liability, mass tort and related class action litigation.
Valerie Gregorio ’19 [5] represented the USA East Coast in the Miss US International pageant, which took place in Washington, D.C., this past July. Valerie used the pageant’s platform to promote her advocacy for voter participation among young women through her initiative, “It’s Not Too Late,” and took home the Commitment Planet Finalist Award. Valerie has also won the Model of the Year Award and Lifetime Ambassador Award presented by CB Modeling Associates for her work with the agency, especially advocating for
more diversity in the modeling industry. In addition to her pageantry accomplishments, Valerie recently earned the John Lancaster Award presented by the St. Mary’s County Democrats for her community engagement, advocacy and work towards social progress while facing and overcoming obstacles.
Patrick Hodge ’19 has won a Paris Film Award for directing “The House on Johnson Street,” a film about Hagerstown’s ‘Black Wall Street.’ The film depicts three hundred years of American history through the lens of an African American neighborhood. Patrick won a Silver Award in the Best Feature Documentary category. The film is currently airing on PBS stations and on Amazon.
2020s
Polycarp Ofwano Jr. ’23 graduated in the 100th recruit class for the Anne Arundel County Police Department.
Working alumni showed up in force in support of the Center for Career & Professional Development’s Career & Internship Fair on campus on Nov. 5, 2025. From left to right: Sophia Garms ’23, Tristan DeJetley ’23, Cindy Greb ’87, Kelsey Bush ’94, Amber Gieske ’25, Ezra Tapponnier ’25, Erin Lanham ’22, Thomas Brewer ’05, Darah Schillinger ’22, Patrick McGarrity ’99, Erin Nored ’99, Karen Wathen ’25, Holly Fabbri ’12, MAT ’13, Solomon, Ashlyn Conley ’25
Alumni Council Profile
By Cathy Hernandez Ray ’78
For the third consecutive year, alumni rowers reunited in Philadelphia for the Head of the Schuylkill Regatta on Oct. 25, 2025. Due in large part to the coordination between Chris Rodkey ’10, MAT ’11 and the College’s recently named head rowing coach Nik Meyer, alumni had their highest race participation yet with five alumni entries, which included the men’s and women’s fours and the men’s, women’s and mixed eights. Individual alumni also competed with various rowing clubs in different races that took place throughout the two-day regatta. With over 30 alumni in attendance to cheer on the current SMCM rowing team and fellow alumni, it was a great day of racing and camaraderie for our Seahawk rowers.
Nancy Yannayon, ’75, began her term as an elected member of the Alumni Council in June. As a member of the council’s general population, she attends council meetings, supports council initiatives by volunteering to serve on various committees, and promotes and supports campus and chapter activities. She says she joined the council because “as a seasoned alumna, I want to stay connected and represent the best and coolest decade in SMCM history.”
Nancy came to St. Mary’s College in 1970 from Prince George’s County to study and major in English. Even with life’s twists, turns and detours, she has been “living and working in The Mother County” ever since.
Her mentors were notable professors Andy Chovanes and Michael Glaser. She credits their guidance and her SMCM education with enhancing her nascent abilities to reason and question. It was here that she learned to think critically, to reason analytically and creatively, and to communicate effectively. These skills have given way to a passion for her work which in turn has rewarded her with a successful 40+ year career in avionics software testing at Naval Air Station Patuxent River.
It was only natural that the next step for Nancy would be to join the council as she has consistently been a loyal and ardent supporter of the College. She and the close knit “Good Girl Gang” (GGG), composed of 1970s alumnae, have been a fixture at Alumni Weekend. They are largely responsible for commandeering and transforming Queen Anne Hall back to that era, peace sign and all. Nancy and the GGG are also behind the campaign which helps raise funds for memorial scholarships honoring St. Mary’s College alumni from the 1970s. 5
The St. Mary’s College of Maryland Alumni Association consists of nearly 16,500 alumni who live throughout the United States and abroad. Visit the Office of Alumni Relations page of the SMCM website to learn more about the Alumni Association, the Alumni Council, upcoming events and ways to stay engaged.
Alumni Scholarships Awarded
By Sierra Brown ’27
Don Stabile Alumni Postgraduate Scholarships
Lillian Folts ’20 [1] is the 2025 recipient of the Don Stabile Alumni Doctoral Scholarship and currently resides in Denver, Colorado. She is pursuing a Ph.D. in cell biology, stem cells and development at the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus. Lillian is interested in studying the development of female reproductive biology, specifically uncovering the function of the reve ovarii. Through her research, Lillian hopes to improve treatments for infertility and other ovarian diseases. Lillian credits her experiences at SMCM as a peer health educator and communicating public health information to the campus community with shaping her passion for female reproductive biology research. Lillian also credits her mentors in neuroscience, Professors Torry Dennis and Gina Fernandez, for encouraging her love of research. With this scholarship, Lillian will attend “Frontiers in Reproduction: Molecular and Cellular Concepts and Applications,” a six-week intensive course that will provide her with exclusive professional develop-
ment and networking opportunities. Lillian hopes to improve human health through her continued research and encourage a passion for discovery in future scientists.
Lily Riesett ’24 [2] is the 2025 recipient of the Don Stabile Alumni Post-Graduate Scholarship and currently resides in Marriottsville, Maryland. She is pursuing a master’s degree in extension education, which is a program dedicated to educating farmers and students on agriculture. Lily is specifically interested in youth agricultural education. During her time at SMCM, Lily’s participation in the Kate Chandler Campus Community Farm and the leadership of Associate Professor Barry Muchnick encouraged her to pursue agricultural education and solidified her dedication to community service. Lily hopes to use her education to create interpersonal workshops to combat food insecurity in rural areas and to become a state 4-H extension officer working with rural populations.
Alumni Legacy Scholarships
Matthew Richmond ’29 is a 2025 recipient of the Alumni Legacy Scholarship and the child of Lisa Richmond ’91. Matthew was inspired to attend St. Mary’s College of Maryland by his mother and her fond memories of the campus, as well as the academics. He hopes to form similar lifelong friendships, a strong sense of self, and the ability to fight for equality during his time at SMCM, just like his mother did. Matthew hopes to pursue his professional goals through the marine science and anthropology/archeology programs. Outside of the classroom, Matthew enjoys doing theater, learning about dinosaurs and spending time with his siblings.
Oliver Wheeler ’29 is a 2025 recipient of the Alumni Legacy Scholarship and the child of Beth Wheeler ’99. Oliver was inspired to attend St. Mary’s College of Maryland by the fun stories his mother told him growing up, but the deciding factor was the great history department and the inclusive student body. He hopes to use what he learns in his courses to navigate the outside world. Outside of the classroom, Oliver loves to draw, write and study current events.
MARRIAGES & UNIONS
Lauren Tanman Voltz ’13 [1] and Richard Voltz were married on Aug. 31, 2025, in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. Alumni in attendance included Charlotte Andreasen ’13, Brianna Buckingham ’13, Katherine Huther Crum ’13, Tyler Crum ’13, Lauren Jackson ’13, Natalie Neill ’13, Lexi Williams ’13, Emily Buetow ’14, Alex Bunty ’14, Emily Rosen ’14, and Berrett Brand. The couple honeymooned in Chamonix and Nice, France, and currently reside in Durham, North Carolina.
Nathaniel Babcock ’15 and Rebecca Wenker ’15 [2] were married on Sept. 14, 2024, in Annapolis, Maryland. The maid of honor was Elizabeth Wenker ’17, and the bridesmaids
were Kristina Calacicco ’15, Elizabeth Mosher ’15, Elizabeth Scharfenberg ’15, Willow Smith ’15, Gillian Sawyer ’16 and Rylinn Sorini ’16 Benjamin Weiss ’15 was a groomsman. Alumni
in attendance included Ted Scharfenberg ’12, Conor Colgan ’15, Lauren Colgan ’15, Dakota Hinley ’15, Rickie Kalama ’15, Elizabeth McCague ’15, Anand Norby ’15, Jay Richardson ’15, Klay
Sauers ’15, Jake Schroeder ’15, Zack Tarallo ’15, Megan Gerdes ’16, Nick Conine ’17 and Nicholas Tait ’17. The couple honeymooned in Portugal and currently reside in Columbia, Maryland.
CREATE A LEGACY AT ST. MARY’S COLLEGE OF MARYLAND
Planned giving offers a unique opportunity to support future generations of students while aligning with your personal, financial and philanthropic goals. Explore these meaningful ways to give:
Bequests: Include a gift to St. Mary’s College in your will or trust.
Beneficiary Designations: Name St. Mary’s College as a beneficiary of your IRA, 401(k) or other retirement accounts.
Charitable Gift Annuities: Receive income for life while supporting the College.
IRA Charitable Rollovers: Enable annual tax-free gifts directly from your individual retirement account.
New Benefit to Alumni and Friends – St. Mary’s College has teamed up with FreeWill to offer our alumni and friends an easy, free and informative way to begin your planned giving process. To learn more visit www.smcm.edu/giving/plannedgiving/ or use the QR code.
BIRTHS& ADOPTIONS
Diana Abells Kiesewetter ’11 and Dietrich Kiesewetter ’11 [1] welcomed a daughter, Hazel Anne Kiesewetter, on Jan. 12, 2024. Hazel joins her older sister Valarie, age 3. The family resides in Columbus, Ohio.
Alice Howard ’15 [2] and Shaun Skinner welcomed a daughter, Beatrice (Bea) Sheila Skinner, on Feb. 14, 2025. The family resides in Berkley, Michigan.
Amanda Durst ’16 [3] and Jason McCoy were married on July 13, 2025, in Asheville, North Carolina. Alumni in the wedding party included maid of honor, Natalie Blumberg ’15 and brothers of the bride, Robert Durst ’21 and Andrew Durst ’23. Also in attendance to share in the couple’s happy day were alumni Rachel Buxton ’15, Lily Kern ’15, Jordan McRae ’16 and Leslie Roeser ’16. The couple honeymooned in New Orleans and currently reside in Asheville, North Carolina, where both are active professional musicians.
IN MEMORIAM
Timothy Wade Latimer ’72, died on Feb. 8, 2025, at the age of 74. After attending SMCM, Tim spent his career working at many technology companies. Throughout his life, Tim attended many music and film events, where he met and was photographed with various celebrities. Tim is remembered for being a devoted husband, father and admiring grandfather and great grandfather to his family.
Michael Robert Boston ’74, died on Jan. 9, 2025 in Bradenton, Florida. He was 74 years old. Born in Patuxent River, Maryland, Michael was known for his sense of humor, making friends wherever he went and his love for collecting all things arcane and beautiful - a life he shared with his wife, Linda, of 52 years.
Tia Overbey Simmons ’98, of Prince George’s County, Maryland, died on Sept. 15, 2025. After graduating from SMCM with a bachelor’s degree and earning a master’s degree from Grand Canyon University, Tia began her professional career in banking, but later followed her heart into education where she served as a devoted elementary school teacher and then as a member of the Technology Training Team for Prince George’s County Public Schools. In addition to her dedication to education, Tia had a heart for service and giving back to her community, especially volunteering at church and coaching both cheerleading and soccer. Tia is survived by her husband, Jason Simmons; her children, Jason and Rachel; her parents, Gilbert Jerry Overbey and Janet Smalls; her brothers John Schools and Anthony Schools; her sister Jeralonza Schools; as well as many aunts, uncles, in-laws, cousins, nieces and nephews.
FRIENDS OF THE COLLEGE
Edward T. “Ted” Lewis Jr., Ph.D., fourth president of St. Mary’s College of Maryland, died on Dec. 11, 2025, in Lewes, Delaware. He was 91. Ted Lewis served as president from 1983 until 1996. His impact on campus was nearly immediate. In 1983, he initiated a curriculum revision that emphasized the liberal arts, and in 1985 saw to the development of a new general studies curriculum. Between 1983 and 1989, he increased the mean salaries for all faculty ranks by
70 percent, moving SMCM from last to first among public colleges in Maryland. In a fiveyear period around this time, nine of the College’s 75 full-time faculty received Fulbright Fellowships (four in 1984 alone). By the end of his tenure, 97% of the full-time faculty possessed terminal degrees in their fields.
Portrait of former president Edward T. “Ted” Lewis (1983-1996), painted by his son Stephen Lewis. The oil painting hangs in the College’s Landers Library.
He was principally responsible for the Maryland General Assembly’s naming of SMCM as the state’s public honors college in 1992. His emphasis on curriculum development, faculty excellence and student recruitment led to a dramatic increase in the College’s academic reputation. One indicator of this was the College’s rise from 6th to 1st in U.S. News & World Report’s ranking of regional liberal arts colleges between 1987 and 1989.
He received his Bachelor of Arts degree from Union College in New York, a Master of Arts from Boston University and his Ph.D. in English literature (Shakespeare studies) from the University of Denver. A lifelong poet with more than 500 published works, his academic career included serving as associate dean at the Graduate School of Business and Public Administration at Cornell University. After his tenure at SMCM, he served as president and CEO of Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts from 2007 to 2009.
He is survived by his wife, Deborah DeLauro; his sons, Stephen and John Lewis; his stepson Jacob DeLauro; his
stepdaughter Jessica DeLauro, three granddaughters and two nieces.
Herbert “Herb” C. Winnik, professor emeritus of history, died Nov. 4, 2025, in Prince Frederick, Maryland. He was 87 years old. He earned his B.S. at Purdue University; his M.A. at Yale University and his Ph.D. at the University of Wisconsin. He joined the SMCM faculty in 1969 and taught history. During his tenure, he offered courses in Black History in America, American Thought, Judaism and History of Science. He retired as professor emeritus in 1999.
IS THIS YOUR VW?
Do you recognize this 1966 VW bus, with student parking tag #C-278, which is owned by SMCM staff member Jacob Zyla of Ridge, MD? If you were or knew its owner in its heyday, we’d love to hear from you. Message us on Facebook or Instagram @StMarysMD or email the Mulberry Tree editor at lwcapristo@smcm.edu.
BOTTOM COUNTY FESTIVAL
By Lee Capristo with John Knipp ’76, Jeff MacDonald ’76 and Lizzie Zoz ’26
Jeff MacDonald ’76 shared the beginnings of the student-led Bottom County Music Festival this way:
“During our College years in the early 70s, John Knipp and Rick Henry began living in a house on Airedele Road in Ridge, on the southern prong of St. Jerome’s Creek. Before we graduated, they started the Bottom County Music Festival, held every May on the property, with free beer and free music (bands). The College provided the stage and $600.00 that first year. A large contingent of the College would come, and it was subsidized by local businesses.” According to John Knipp ’76, “attendance was in the thousands.”
After graduation, John and Rick continued to rent the house and Bottom County Music Festivals continued for several more years. More recently known as Bottom County Festival or just Bottom County, the festival has lived on (with some disruption and few documented records) since its founding in Ridge. Derek Young ’02 remembers enjoying it at Chancellor’s Point in neighboring Historic St. Mary’s City when he was a student. Brooke Lamplough ’19 photographed it there when she was a student.
Dubbed “SMCM’s
Woodstock” in recent years, Bottom County Festival continues to be held at Chancellor’s Point and still features student bands (but no free beer like in the 70s). This year’s Bottom County Festival president Lizzie Zoz ’26 has designed the festival posters for the past few years and helped with expanded offerings like camping and a student makers’ market. “The date for 2026 is Saturday, April 25. It would be great to meet the founding members,” Zoz reports. “I hope they come out for it so we can connect!”
The College Archives is interested in expanding its collection of posters, photos and memorabilia from Bottom County Music Festivals. If you are interested in donating such materials, please email College Archivist Shane Moran at archives@smcm.edu.
left and above: Poster, T-shirt and photo from the 1970s Bottom County Music Festival. bottom left and below: Posters and photos from recent iterations.
BIG EVENTS AT SMCM
ELLINGTON CARTHAN
SOLD OUT
DAN TYMINSKI BAND
JEFF SILBERSCHLAG
Join us in the intimate and acoustically optimized Nancy R. and Norton T. Dodge Performing Arts Center concert hall for a world-class experience.
FULL EVENT SCHEDULE: smcm.edu/events
SMCM JAZZ ENSEMBLE
FRIDAY, FEB. 13
SATURDAY, FEB. 14
THURSD AY, FEB. 19
THURSD AY, MAR. 5
THURSDAY, MAR. 12
THURSDAY, APR. 16
FRIDAY, APR. 24
THURSDAY, APR. 30
SMCM FACULTY JAZZ COMBO | 7 P.M.
D AN TYMINSKI BAND | 7 P.M. SOLD OUT
BRADLEE LECTURE: RACHEL SWARNS | 7:30 P.M.
Author of “The 272: The Families Who Were Enslaved and Sold to Build the American Catholic Church.”
