Mulberry Tree magazine

Non-profit Org. U.S. Postage PAID Permit #10001 Leonardtown, MD

ST. MARY’S COLLEGE of Maryland

SPRING 2018

D

id you graduate in a year ending in ‘3’ or ‘8’? If so, it’s your milestone anniversary! After you’ve done the math to determine just how long it’s really been since graduation, circle June 7-10, 2018 on your calendar and start rounding up your friends for your return to the river.

Jay Fleming ’09 Has Something to Say [ PA G E 8 ]

The event schedule, housing information, and everything you need to plan your weekend can be found on the Alumni Weekend website. Register by May 20. www.smcm.edu/events/alumni-weekend

PHOTO BY JAY FLEMING

7TH ANNUAL

CHESAPEAKE

WRITERS’ CONFERENCE

June 24-30, 2018 | go.smcm.edu/cwc

Explore Your Story. Be Part of Ours.

WORKING THE WATER WITH HIS CAMERA

ST. MARY’S COLLEGE

of Maryland

SP RI NG 2 0 1 8 , VOL. X XX IX , NO . 2

www.smcm.edu/mulberrytree Editor Lee Capristo

Calendar of Events “Beyond the Sunset” conceived and directed

by Amy Steiger April 18-21@ 8:00 p.m.

April 22 @ 2:00 p.m.

Tickets: 240-895-4243 Bruce Davis Theater, Montgomery Hall The 12th Annual Twain Lecture with comedian, actor, writer Tig Notaro April 20 @ 7:30 p.m.

Tickets: www.smcm.edu/ twain-tickets Michael P. O’Brien Athletics & Recreation Center Arena

Design Jensen Design

Admissions Open House April 21 @ 9:30 a.m.

Michael P. O’Brien Athletics & Recreation Center Arena

Alumni Weekend June 7-10 Register at www.smcm.edu/events/ alumni-weekend

Bay to Bay Service Days April 21-22 Join a project site near you: www.smcm.edu/events/bay-to-bayservice-day/project-sites

SOAR: Seahawk Orientation Advising & Registration June 13, 14, 15 Register through New Student Portal

Awards Convocation April 27 @ 3:00 p.m.

Michael P. O’Brien Athletics & Recreation Center Arena Commencement May 12 @ 10:00 a.m.

Townhouse Green

River Concert Series 20th Season featuring the Chesapeake Orchestra Fridays, June 22 – July 20 @ 7:00 p.m.

Saturday, July 21 @ 7:00 p.m.

Townhouse Green

7th Annual Chesapeake Writers’ Conference June 24 – June 30 www.smcm.edu/events/ chesapeake-writers-conference St. Mary’s College campus Governor’s Cup Yacht Race August 3-4 www.smcm.edu/events/govcup Annapolis to St. Mary’s College First Day of Classes August 27

2018 CALENDAR Spring Break-a-Sweat | April 14

Photographer Bill Wood

Alumni athletes from the fall and winter sports head back to campus to reconnect with one another, meet the current student-athletes and enjoy their reunion games. Registration opens February 1.

CHESAPEAKE

Editorial Board Karen Anderson, Michael Bruckler, Lee Capristo, Kate Cumberpatch ’17, Missy Beck Lemke ’92, Nairem Moran ’99, Karen Raley ’94, Kelly Schroeder

W RtoIBay T E RService S’ CO N F| EApril REN E Bay Days 21-C 22

Publisher Office of Institutional Advancement St. Mary’s College of Maryland 47645 College Drive St. Mary’s City, Maryland 20686

Alumni have organized service projects from Annapolis workshops in fiction, poetry, toIntensive the San Francisco Bay to gather together and give back their localnonfiction communities.for Registration opens andtocreative serious writers February 15. of experience. at all levels • Get credit! Both college |and graduate credit Alumni Weekend June 7-10 available.

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 Yaocomico 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 2018 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.

PHOTO BY HOWARD KORN

Photographs and illustrations may not be reproduced without the express written consent of St. Mary’s College of Maryland.

It’s our biggest alumni celebration of the year!

• Award-winning faculty and25one-on-one meetings Whether it’s been 50 years, years, or just a year with agents and editors. since you’ve been back to St. Mary’s, we hope to see you this June.

Registration opens 15.

• Enjoy our waterfront campus

by March kayak or paddleboard, with sunsets worth writing about!

Governor’s Cup | August 3-5 Held annuallySeminar in early August, Governor’s Cup Yacht Teachers’ Race, now celebrating its 45th is the oldest • Earn two graduate credits forrunning, professional anddevelopment. longest running overnight sailboat race on the Chesapeake Bay. Registration opens on June 15.

• Connect your own writing practices with your pedagogy. | October 19-21 Hawktoberfest Come away with creative writing exercisesover and At•the College’s homecoming celebration, assignments to use in your 1,000 alumni and parents joinclassroom. the current students on campus for a full weekend of activities and entertainment.

Registration opens August 15.

Youth Workshop A fast-paced and wide-ranging literary tour to help | November Giving Tuesday young adult writers discover the literature27 which will During this 24-hour campaign, the campus community truly inspire their lives and writing. rallies together to give back to St. Mary’s on this global • Practice a wide range of genres and styles, from day of giving. Help make this the most impactful year ever! prose to poems to TV scripts.

Alumni, and friends of the College • Plus: families, games, movie night, swimming and are more! welcome to all events! Register at www.smcm.edu/alumni or (240) 895-4280 Enrollment is limited.

Applications accepted on a rolling basis.

go.smcm.edu/cwc

CONTENTS SPRING 2018

ST. MARY’S COLLEGE OF MARYLAND July 2017 — June 2018

F E AT U R E S

ALUMNI COUNCIL

BOARD OF TRUSTEES

PA G E 8

Executive Board Allan Wagaman ’06, President Alice Arcieri Bonner ’03, Exec.Vice President Ryan McQuighan ’05, Vice Pres. of Operations Angie Harvey ’83, Secretary Thomas Brewer ’05, Parliamentarian Geoff Cuneo ’10, Treasurer Kate Fritz ‘04, Vice Pres. of Chapter Activities

Chair The Honorable Sven Holmes

Elected Voting Members John Ahearn ’76 Jack Blum ’07 Kelsey Bush ’94 David Cribbs ’74 Donna Denny ’81 Kate Fritz ’04 Chris Holt ’86 Missy Beck Lemke ’92 Molly McKee-Seabrook ’10 Mary Claire McCarthy Moran ’14 Amir Reda ’11 Bobby Rudd ’13 Paul Schultheis ’98 Sara Kidd Shanklin ’11 Edward Sirianno ’82 Student Member Christian Harris ’18 Chapter Presidents Annapolis: Erin O’Connell ’91 Baltimore: Marie Snyder ’10 Black Alumni: Nick Abrams ’99 Boston: Marina Carlson ’12 D.C. Metro: Matt Schafle ’10 Denver: Alisa Ambrose ’85 New York: Christelle Niamke ’05 Philadelphia: Lisa McQuighan-Jordan ’05 San Francisco: Micah Benons ’09 Southern Maryland: Cathy Hernandez Ray ’77 TFMS Alumni: Tammy Swanson ’93 Western Maryland: Kristi Jacobs Woods ’97

Treasurer John Chambers Wobensmith ’93 Trustees Carlos Alcazar Anirban Basu John Bell ’95 Arthur “Lex” Birney, Jr. Cynthia Broyles ’76 Peter Bruns Donny Bryan ’73 John Bullock Peg Duchesne ’77 Susan Dyer Elizabeth Graves ’95 Gail Harmon The Honorable Steny Hoyer Capt. Glen Ives, usn Retired Lawrence E. Leak ’76 Danielle Troyan ’92 Allan Wagaman ’06, Alumni Council President Sharon Phillips ’18, Student Trustee Laura Cripps, hsmc

Jay Fleming ’09 has something to say and is using his camera as his voice.

PHOTO BY BILL WOOD

Vice Chair Ann L. McDaniel

Working the Water With His Camera

PA G E 1 4

[ PA G E 8 ]

Learning to Fly An interactive emerging leaders program helps students discover their leadership potential.

PA G E 1 8

Fearless!

We expect faculty to challenge our thinking and guide our development as scholars. Meet four who do that and more. [ PA G E 1 4 ]

DEPAR T MEN T S

2

President’s Letter

3

College News

20 Alumni Connection 28 From the Archives

[ PA G E 1 8 ]

C OV E R :

Sunrise at Thomas Point Light at the mouth of the South River near Jay’s home port of Annapolis.

Photo by Jay Fleming OPPOSITE:

Fisherman with pound nets.

Photo by Jay Fleming

St. Mary’s College | TH E MULB ER RY TR EE | spring 2018 | 1

A

L ET T E R

F ROM

T HE

PR E SIDE N T

WE ARE TRAILBLAZERS

“W

e specialize in the wholly impossible” is the title of a book edited Darlene Clark Hine. The subject matter of the book does not matter for my brief treatise; the title does. Just think about this institution. In 1840, legislation was approved to construct a “public, non-denominational boarding seminary... to educate girls.” The school would “offer lower tuition…have an independent board of trustees” and a diverse faculty. From what I can tell, the idea for the school was unwittingly seeded by a work of historical fiction that did not portray the citizens of the county in the best light. Three men – a physician, a lawyer, and a planter – decided to get themselves elected to the Maryland legislature to create a school as a “living monument” to George Calvert’s dream. The premise for the school was quite novel and risky, but the legislature believed in the mission, and so we came to be.

There have been several operational starts and stops over the course of more than 175 years of our existence. Yet, this educational institution has always managed to not just stay the course but to push the boundaries of what higher education should do and who should have access. In this sense, the campus community, including the trustees, the president and the executive leadership, the students, the faculty, and the staff have always managed to envision the future and to develop and implement programs that are ahead of their time. We have known no bounds when conceiving what is in the best long-term interest of the St. Mary’s College student, and through it all, we have remained true to our foundational core as a liberal arts college.

In 1992, we pushed the limits of higher education further, and legislation was passed to create the public honors college concept. When you examine our accolades, you will see that we have worn that moniker well. In the 25 years hence, we created a curriculum that was distinctive and relevant, and we hired faculty and staff who could accelerate our ascension to the upper echelons of higher education.

In Spring 2017, we worked with the Maryland General Assembly to introduce and pass legislation to enhance State support of the College. The campus community is now fully engaged in developing and implementing 21st-century programming that is both relevant and distinctive and has the potential to, once again, propel the College to a position that will push the boundaries of what is and what should be. One word to describe the St. Mary’s College of Maryland community: fearless. We are fearless. We are trailblazers.

We are St. Mary’s College of Maryland.

Tuajuanda C. Jordan, President, St. Mary’s College of Maryland

2 | St. Mary’s College | T H E M U LBERRY TREE | spring 2018

Editor’s Note

I

n “the wave: in pursuit of the Rogues, Freaks, and Giants of the Ocean” (Doubleday, 2010) author Susan Casey tracks big wave surfer Laird Hamilton in his quest to ride 100-foot walls of water.

I loved reading that book (as an armchair adventurer) and marveled at Hamilton’s fearlessness. Where did his confidence come from? What enabled him to take the risk?

How did he have the courage?

This past January, first- and second-year students in the Liftoff emerging leaders program at St. Mary’s College did visualization exercises to build their self-confidence as an early step on the leadership ladder. One student’s takeaway was that “leadership is about having strength within yourself and having conviction and heart.”

Finding the strength within yourself while having conviction and heart is what Jay Fleming ’09 has done in his booming career as a Chesapeake Bay photographer. He has a story to tell and has found a way, with his camera, to make a living doing something he is passionate about.

Living with confidence and purpose for the long haul, and mentoring the next generation of emerging leaders so that they might do the same, is a characteristic of so many members of the St. Mary’s College faculty. In this issue, José Ballesteros, Adriana Brodsky, Julie King and Jerry Gabriel are four professors who push fear aside and continue to take risks that help them grow as scholars, teachers, and mentors.

Lee Capristo, editor

COLLEGE

NEWS

CAMPUS & COMMUNITY NEWS

MLK Prayer Breakfast Featured Nandi CrosbyJordan ’91 The 14th Annual Southern Maryland Martin Luther King, Jr. Prayer Breakfast took place on Jan. 15 at SMCM. The program included remarks from College Trustees Steny Hoyer (D-Md.) and Gail Harmon, and featured a keynote address by Nandi Crosby-Jordan ’91. Crosby-Jordan, a social inequality and justice expert, is a professor of sociology at California State University, Chico. She has a master’s degree in Africana Women’s Studies and a PhD in sociology.

Gershawn Mason, a theater student of the College of Southern Maryland, gave a riveting delivery of MLK’s “I Have a Dream” speech at the prayer breakfast.

St. Mary’s College | TH E MULB ER RY TR EE | spring 2018 | 3

C O L LEG E

NEW S

BSU Launches the Elizabeth Barber Walker Lecture Series St. Mary’s College of Maryland’s Black Student Union (BSU) hosted the inaugural Elizabeth Barber Walker Lecture on Feb. 22. White House correspondent and CNN political analyst April Ryan delivered the inaugural address. The lecture series honors Walker, who was the first Black student to enter and graduate from SMCM.

CHIP DIZARD.

Members of the BSU and faculty and staff with Ryan, Walker, and President Tuajuanda C. Jordan in front center.

Honoring the Legacy of Lucille Clifton Poets Elizabeth Alexander and Aracelis Girmay were recognized and each shared their work as part of the Evening to Honor the Legacy of Lucille Clifton on March 1. In addition, Angela Draheim ’03 received the President’s Lucille Clifton Award for her contributions to creating a campus climate of service, understanding and compassion.

VOLLMER IS PBK VISITING SCHOLAR Amy Cheng Vollmer, the Isaac H. Clothier, Jr. Professor of Biology at Swarthmore College in Swarthmore, Pa., presented “Staying Well in a World of Bacteria and Viruses” on March 29 as the Phi Beta Kappa Visiting Scholar.

Awardees Elizabeth Alexander, Angela Draheim, and Aracelis Girmay

4 | St. Mary’s College | T H E M U LBERRY TREE | spring 2018

PEACE CORPS RANKS ST. MARY’S COLLEGE NO. 1 AMONG SMALL COLLEGES St. Mary’s College is ranked first among small schools in the Peace Corp’s 2018 Top Volunteer-Producing Colleges and Universities list. This is the second consecutive year St. Mary’s College has ranked among the top five small-sized schools. SMCM ranked No. 4 last year.

Thanking our Elected Officials On March 6 the SMCM community gathered to show gratitude for Maryland’s elected officials at the College’s annual Legislative Reception in Annapolis, Md., hosted by Senator Steve Waugh of Calvert and St. Mary’s counties. Several students and faculty presented their current research projects and President Jordan offered remarks during the event. More than 160 were in attendance, including this proud group of alumni (left). Ken Upton ’68 of Ken’s Creative Kitchen catered the event, organized annually by Institutional Advancement.

Working Hard to Bring in the Class of 2022 Admitted students and their families were welcomed to campus on Admitted Seahawk Days, Feb. 23 and April 6. More than 300 admitted students and their families toured campus, met with faculty, staff, and students, participated in a Seahawk fair, and enjoyed lunch in the Great Room.

Diversity in Discourse SMCM hosted journalist/author Kathleen Parker, NY Times correspondent/author David Sanger, GOP strategist Ed Gillespie, and comedian/actor/writer Tig Notaro during March and April.

Parker

Gillespie

Parker’s topic: Can’t Stand Election Suspense? Why Wait?

Sanger’s topic: Where Does America Go from Here?

Gillespie’s topic: The Political Scoop Notaro’s lecture was for the 12th Annual Mark Twain Lecture Series on American Humor & Culture.

Sanger

Notaro

St. Mary’s College | TH E MULB ER RY TR EE | spring 2018 | 5

C O L LEG E

NEW S

PRESIDENT’S NEWS

Sum Primus. Sum Exemplar.

A

s a part of her first-generation “Sum primus. Sum exemplar.” initiative, President Jordan hosted first-generation students, parents and faculty on campus on March 4. This event enabled participants to engage with the president, share their experiences, and get answers to their questions from Dr. Jordan and faculty.

On Jan. 19, President Jordan delivered her State of the College address: “Commemorate the Past.

Live in the Present. Prepare for the Future.” Read the transcript at www.smcm.edu/president.

Dr. Jordan attended the Drayden African American Schoolhouse ribbon-cutting ceremony on Feb. 6 in Drayden, Md. Sponsored by the St. Mary’s County Branch of the NAACP and the Unified Committee for Afro-American Contributions, the ceremony unveiled renovations at the historic schoolhouse.

In the Ask the President student focus group series on Feb. 19, President Jordan invited students to ask her anything they wanted – from questions about student programming to suggestions about what the College can do to better support students.

On Feb. 24, Dr. Jordan caught up with alumni in Pittsburgh, Pa., and on March 27, she met with alumni in the Indianapolis, Ind., area.

Conversations involved what the College’s present and future look like, and the events provided an opportunity for alumni to rekindle old acquaintances.

Dr. Jordan served as a volunteer on Feb. 28, visiting several Spring Ridge Middle School (Lexington Park, Md.) classrooms and sharing African American literature and poetry with students.

On March 12, Dr. Jordan participated in an invitation-only, leadership excellence celebratory event – sponsored by the Smithsonian Institution’s National Museum of African American History and Culture in Washington, D.C. – with other senior higher education leaders, foundation executives, scholars, and pathfinders.

6 | St. Mary’s College | T H E M U LBERRY TREE | spring 2018

FACULTY & STAFF NEWS Angela Johnson, professor of educational studies, is part of a National Science Foundation funded multi-institutional study of women of color students who are thriving in STEM departments at predominantly white institutions.

Sue Johnson, professor of art, is among 30 women artists whose work is featured in “Women with Vision: Masterworks from the Permanent Collection” at The Muscarelle Museum of Art located on the campus of the College of William & Mary in Williamsburg, Va. Johnson’s work is among notable recent acquisitions which include Barbara Holtz’s allegorical painting “Prospects” and Maria Larsson’s innovative digital collage.“Women with Vision: Masterworks from the Permanent Collection” is a special exhibition organized to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the first women admitted as undergraduate students to William & Mary.

Ximena Maria Postigo Guzman, assistant professor of Spanish, has organized a panel of scholars to present “Indigenous practices as strategies of empowerment and self-determination in the Andean Bolivia” at the upcoming International Congress of the Latin American Studies Association to be held in Barcelona, Spain.

Executive Director of the Center for the Study of Democracy Maija Harkonen taught a threeweek course in November 2017 at Moscow State Institute of International Relations (MGIMO University). Her 50 graduate students are studying to be diplomats or to work in international business fields. Her course topic: “U.S. Foreign Policy and Russia: Challenges and Opportunities.”

Ayse Ikizler ’07, assistant professor of psychology, is co-author of “Discrimination, Religious, and Cultural Factors, and Middle Eastern/Arab Americans’ Psychological Distress,” in the Journal of Clinical Psychology.

Visiting Associate Professor of Sociology, Andrew CognardBlack, co-authored the article “Institutional Variability in Honors Admissions Standards, Program Support Structures, and Student Characteristics, Persistence, and Program Completion” in the most recent volume of the Journal of the National Collegiate Honors Council.

Patricia J. Smith and April L. Dove were co-authors.

Professor of Sociology Louis Hicks had his recent book, “The Civilian Lives of U.S. Veterans: Issues and Identities,” (Praeger, 2016) honored by Choice Reviews as an Outstanding Academic Title of 2017. Choice Reviews is the publishing arm of the Association of College and Research Libraries.

THE ST. MARY’S WAY

of State Terrorism and Consensus: Perverse Daughters in ‘Árbol genealógico’ by Andrea Jeftanovic and ‘Pájaros en la boca’ by Samanta Schweblin.” The article examines how two short stories by a new generation of authors reframe and discuss the postdictatorship society in Argentina and Chile.

Professor of Art Carrie Patterson is writing 24 lectures for the Great Courses Lecture Series program.

Titled “How to See,” Patterson says “the lessons teach you the principles of design as the vocabulary of art – line, shape, space, texture, color, and more – and how to see and evaluate them. You learn also how the arrangement of these principles affect the quality of design and art overall.” The course will be available in summer 2019. She follows in the footsteps of Jennifer Cognard-Black, professor of English, and David Kung, professor of mathematics, who have also had offerings through the Great Courses.

Susan Goldstine and David Kung, professors of mathematics, presented during the National Museum of Mathematics’ Math Encounters, a free public presentation series celebrating the spectacular world of mathematics.

In January, Kung discussed “Mind-Bending Paradoxes & the Possibility of Changing Your

Mind.” Goldstein presented “The Fabric of Symmetry: Connecting Mathematics and Fiber Arts,” in February.

Betül Başaran, associate professor of religious studies, gave a lecture on March 13 at the Library of Congress focusing on women in the sharia court records of Istanbul during the late 18th century. The discussion allowed for an examination of the nature of Ottoman sharia law and women’s roles and rights. She highlighted the general types of legal cases women took to court or for which they were brought before the court.

Joanna Bartow, professor of Spanish, published “Herencias del terror de estado y del consenso: hijas perversas en ‘Árbol genealógico’ de Andrea Jeftanovic y ‘Pájaros en la boca’ de Samanta Schweblin,” in the Bulletin of Hispanic Studies (Liverpool, 2018).

In English the title is: “Inheritances

St. Mary’s College staff, comprised of F.J. Talley, director of the DeSousa-Brent Scholars Program; Devin Holt-Zimmerman, institutional research analyst I; and Mary F. Dorsey, coordinator of advising services, presented during the 100th Anniversary International NASPA Convention (National Association of Student Personnel Administrators) in Philadelphia, Pa., in early March.

The presentation, titled “Success for Underrepresented Students: Engaging Students Using Rigor, Challenge and Leadership,” highlighted the theoretical and practical model for the DeSousaBrent Scholars Program, St. Mary’s College’s curriculum, and impressive data-based outcomes.

Assistant Professor of Environmental Studies Cassie Gurbisz was among 14 co-authors of a new research article published in March in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. The article reports the positive impact of long-term nutrient reductions on an important and valuable ecosystem in the Chesapeake Bay. Scientists indicate the resurgence of underwater grasses supports nutrient reductions from EPA’s Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL). This, along with conservation incentives, has resulted in a healthier Chesapeake Bay. The published findings are a collaborative effort between

the following agencies: Virginia Institute of Marine Science, University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science, Environmental Protection Agency Chesapeake Bay Program, U.S. Geological Survey, National SocioEnvironmental Synthesis Center, St. Mary’s College of Maryland, Smithsonian Environmental Research Center, Maryland Department of Natural Resources, and Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi.

On March 19, Professor of Physics Charles Adler participated in an event in New York, N.Y., titled “Chasing Consciousness: Cylons, T2s and the Borg, Oh My!” The event was a moderated conversation with Anthony Bowdoin Van Riper, author of many books on science in popular culture. The moderator was Caleb Scharf, director of the Astrobiology Center at Columbia University, and the author of several books on popular science.

Instructor of Music Eliza Garth has received a positive review of her new release “Tour de Force” (March 2018, Albany Records), featuring music by American composers Sheree Clement and Perry Goldstein. Kathodik, an Italian webzine that publishes articles, interviews, and reviews of rock, pop, jazz, ethnic and contemporary music, states, “As the title of this newest release by Albany Records promises, it is a real tour de force to which the bravissima American pianist Eliza Garth is subjected.”

In comparing Garth’s handling of Clement’s and Goldstein’s compositions, “Eliza Garth moves at ease in such diverse expressive worlds, which demonstrate the vitality of contemporary music, especially American, for piano.”

St. Mary’s College | TH E MULB ER RY TR EE | spring 2018 | 7

MARIBETH GANZELL

Between the spans of the Chesapeake Bay Bridge at sunset August 2014

Working the Water WORKING THE WATER WITH HIS CAMERA JAY FLEMING ’09 HAS SOMETHING TO SAY

J

ay started young and at the age of 14 won an award

for a photograph used by the Environmental Protec-

tion Agency, a huge milestone. When he got his first car and was old enough to make his own decisions about what to do with his spare time, he wasn’t out partying – he was out shooting photographs and exploring. His photographs are a testament to the time he has spent developing his craft and exploring his subjects. He also has the successful mix of creativity and business sense, and knows what he is doing and where he is headed.

Parts of this feature are reprinted (with permission) from an interview by Patrice Drago that first appeared in ExploreAnnapolis in December 2016.

Link to original article: http://explorerannapolis.com/meet-jay-flemingfine-art-wildlife-photographer/

Buddy Sexton tagging yellow perch on the Bush River in Maryland March 2015

Working the Water I WAS STANDING IN KNEE-DEEP WATER WHILE I WAS

SHOOTING AND COULD FEEL THE SHARKS TOUCHING MY FEET. THAT WAS SORT OF SKETCHY.

Which came first – the love of the subject matter or the love of photography?

Probably my love of the outdoors. I grew up on the

water – first in Epping Forest and then St. Margaret’s (both water communities in the greater Annapolis area). After school, I would go out fishing or crabbing. But photography has been an important part of my life since the age of 13. Using it to photograph nature became a way to legitimize being out there. Taking pictures was doing something productive. I got a lot more out of what I was doing on the water when I was able to share it with other people.

Of all of the wildlife and maritime subjects you photograph, what is your favorite?

Fish! There are so many different ways to photograph fish and so many different fish. You could spend ten lifetimes photographing fish around the world. Just in the Chesapeake alone there is a huge amount of diversity in fish. But I am also interested in the human element. I always loved shooting wildlife and nature. When I combined my love for fish and the outdoors with the human element, it brought my photography to a new level.

Those photographs gained more attention because people could relate more. It was an important jump for me; I never felt comfortable shooting people until starting this project (the book), “Working the Water” (2016).

About the book: You have a wide variety of marine subjects that you photograph.

What made you choose “Working the Water” as the topic for your book?

Why do they stick with something that is so unpredictable?

They stick with it when it gets really tough because

page 9: Jay dove into a pound net to get a new

it can be very profitable when it is going well. Most

perspective on photographing fish.

people that live around here or visit regularly really

clockwise from left: Setting poles for pound netting, Reedville, Va. (2018); Maryland blue crab and a rockfish, Chesapeake Bay, 2015; Lemon shark devouring a bone fish, Bahamas, 2015

love the seafood that is from this area. So many of our businesses and restaurants rely on the strong attachment people have to not only the fish but to the story. Even though it is a tough business, there are people who are making good money and do more than just get by; they know how to go with the ups and downs.

First, of course, I love the area. The book is all about how humans interact with the Chesapeake Bay and how people have become dependent upon it. It intrigues me because there’s a delicate balance – they are dependent upon something that is completely out of their control. Some years are better than others for fishing. No matter what the conditions are, they have to work. If the weather is nasty, they still have to go out. That is an interesting way to make a living, and something a lot of us don’t have to deal with.

St. Mary’s College | THE MULB ER RY TR EE | spring 2018 | 11

MARIBETH GANZELL

The last house on Holland Island, before it succumbed to the Chesapeake Bay 2010

Your first book, “Working the Water” (2016) is nearly sold out of its second printing and your next book, “Island Life,” is scheduled to publish in 2020: what is the focus of “Island Life”?

“Island Life” was a chapter in “Working the Water” and I’m expanding on it for my next book. It’s about Smith and Tangier Islands, which are the only two inhabited islands left in the Chesapeake Bay. You were iced in on Tangier Island in the Chesapeake Bay this past January for six days. What was most memorable about that experience?

There was a bonfire on the ice that they hadn’t had in 30 or 40 years. You might never see that again.

Parts of Tangier Island are being lost to erosion at a (and on Smith Island) have been there for generations and they don’t want to leave or lose their way of life. Holland Island used to have 70 homes and now it has none. I took a picture of the last house before

PHOTO BY BILL WOOD

rate of 25 feet per year. The people who live there

it fell into the water. … Tangier and Smith Islands are going to be eroded away if there’s no erosion protection in place. … I hope this book sheds some light on the uniqueness of the people. I think that their way of life is more and more appealing to people today.

The location was ideal and being in state was important to me. I started out in biology and it wasn’t

above: Jay in his element; waist deep in water with a camera.

below: When Jay was still a student at St. Mary’s College, he got his first Mulberry Tree magazine cover. This image, of an osprey, was taken on St. George Island in 2008.

Working the Water

We kind of lose the core values that these people have. It’s hard to make a living out there.

Why SMCM and why economics?

You’ve made it your signature style to be up close and personal with the aquatic creature you photograph: tell a story about a close encounter that you’d rather not repeat.

I was in the Bahamas and the lemon sharks were feeding on bone fish. I was standing in knee-deep

going well. I sort of floundered around, getting my

required classes done. Some of my friends were in economics so I tried that and it worked out OK.

See more of Jay’s work at www.jayflemingphotography.com

What’s in your five-year plan?

I’ll keep doing workshops and I want to do more

books on the Chesapeake Bay. If I can keep doing what I’m doing, I’ll be happy. 

water while I was shooting and could feel the sharks touching my feet. That was sort of sketchy.

St. Mary’s College | THE MULB ER RY TR EE | spring 2018 | 13

LIFT OFF EMERGING LEADERS

LEARN TO FLY BOBBY AUDLEY OF “TAKE BACK COLLEGE,” A NATIONAL LEADERSHIP TRAINING PROGRAM GEARED TOWARD HIGHER EDUCATION, FACILITATED THE COLLEGE’S TWO-DAY LIFTOFF EMERGING LEADERS PROGRAM FOR FIRST- AND SECOND-YEAR STUDENTS, HELD JAN. 26-27, 2018. AUDLEY HAS WORKED WITH THOUSANDS OF STUDENTS AND PROFESSIONALS ACROSS THE COUNTRY AS A SPEAKER, TEAMBUILDING FACILITATOR, AND TRAINER.

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“Students left the two day program with a stronger sense of self worth and confidence to be a successful leader on and off campus.”

is approach is always personal and his workshops are very active. Throughout the program, he empowered students to step outside their comfort zones and explore roadblocks that might prevent them from developing as leaders. They explored the three things needed to become an influential leader: intellectual, physical, and emotional development. In his TEDTalk, “50 Cups of Cof- MARIA HAUGAARD fee” (2016), Audley provides a quick example of this triad: intellectual (I’m intellectually caElizabeth DeGrandpre (assistant director of pable of doing x); physical (I’m physically able student activities), Mary Dorsey (coordinator to do x); emotional (I’m not afraid to do x/I am of advising services), Maria Haugaard (theraafraid to do x). pist with counseling & psychological services) While the Liftoff program is not new at St. and Evelyn Hernandez ’19 (environmental studies) were the members of the task force Mary’s College, this year’s task force for the event took a different approach by outsourcing behind this year’s changed-up Liftoff program. the program to a trained professional leader- DeGrandpre explained the new focus this way: “We wanted the main focus to be for students to ship development facilitator.

Jingqi Fu in Lushui, Yunnan Province, Summer 2016.

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think about leadership interpersonally and intrapersonally and to build a foundation before jumping into specified skills… We wanted the students to understand themselves, how leadership shows up for them, and how they contribute as a leader before they focus on developing their leadership skills.”

Evelyn Hernandez ’19 (environmental studies), a leadership development fellow for the Office of Student Activities, was the sole student member of a four-person task force that revamped the program for this year’s students. A selfstarter, Hernandez says she has developed her own leadership skills by doing different workstudy assignments around campus. “I’ve had work-study assignments in Student Activities, in the Office of Alumni Relations, in the Office of Advancement; each one has given me the chance to learn how I can contribute as a

THE “ZIPPER”

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n this exercise, students in two rows faced each other with outstretched arms. One at a time, a person would run through the lane as fast as they could. Those in the rows would raise their arms up as the person came through. The movement of their arms rising was like a zipper unzipping. The exercise imparted the idea and experience of trusting in others.

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BROKEN BOARDS

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n one side of the board, students wrote what’s holding them back. On the other side, they wrote what they will do about it. By breaking the board, they physically and emotionally broke through the barrier to success.

LIFTOFF REUNION

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t their Liftoff reunion on March 20, students paired up to share what they’ve been doing in leadership since the program and what they’re doing to move forward with their leadership development. They also expressed, through art, an aspect of leadership important to them.

“ When we did the board exercise, my board said ‘I won’t let words affect me negatively’ on one side and ‘I will speak up for myself’ on the other. I broke the board with my hand: I didn’t think I’d be able to but I did it.”

EVELYN HERNANDEZ ’19 ENVIRONMENTAL STUDIES

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leader to this school and to help other students find ways to become leaders.” In addition to the task force role for Liftoff, she has an off-campus internship for the Community Development Corporation in Lexington Park, Md. As the student liaison to those who participated in Liftoff, she keeps a dialogue open with them through weekly emails and notices of upcoming leadership opportunities on and off campus. To her, the program was eye opening for how a person can give off positive or negative energy and how being aware of one’s own energy can help turn negative into positive. “When we did the board exercise, my board said ‘I won’t let words affect me negatively’ on one side and ‘I will speak up for myself’ on the other. I broke the board with my hand: I didn’t think I’d be able to but I did it.”

“Students left the two-day program with a stronger sense of self-worth and confidence to be a successful leader on and off campus,” says Haugaard. A certified art therapist, Haugaard led the experiential art activity at the March 20 Liftoff reunion: students expressed, through art, an aspect of leadership important to them.

The students responded favorably to this year’s program. Their program evaluations included these comments: “ Everything you need to be a leader is inside you; you just need to tap into that potential.” “ Leadership is about having strength within yourself and having conviction and heart.”

“ Liftoff showed how important working hard for your goals was, and one of my goals was getting better grades. More frequently now, you’ll see me late at the library instead of being distract ed in my room, and also avoiding procrastinating (another nega tive trait I put on my plywood board). Overall, I have improved my working skills to achieve overall a happier me! I actually still have my plywood in my room at home!”

EMILY PULKOWSKI ’21 BIOLOGY

“ The most memorable part was “ when we wrote down things that hold us back from being the people we want to be on wooden slabs and then we broke those boards with our hands. It was a really powerful experience just being able to feel as though it was possible to free myself of the things that stop me from being my best self.”

DAVITA FENNELL ’20 COMPUTER SCIENCE

“ As a result of participating in Lift off, I have found myself drawn to work harder for more leadership positions and responsibilities. As a result of organizing Liftoff, I’ve found a better understanding of the need for student leaders and opportunities for students to act as leaders.”

JEAN-PAUL PELLET ’18 COMPUTER SCIENCE

Maria Haugaard (therapist with counseling & psychological services), Evelyn Hernandez ’19, Bobby Audley (facilitator), Elizabeth DeGrandpre (assistant director of student activities) and Mary Dorsey (coordinator of advising services) were the members of the task force behind this year’s changed-up Liftoff program.

Liftoff taught me that self-doubt and stress are natural and okay, but what counts is the ability to pull out of negative behavior that prevents me from fulfilling my goals.” “ The energy bank and ‘cut the sandbags’ exercise opened my eyes to knowing where I’m putting my energy.” “ I learned how important your attitude and energy are as a leader.”

The Liftoff program began at SMCM in 2014.

Clint Neill, then the assistant director of student activities for SMCM, created it with the help of students working in his office as part of the Career Development Center’s professional fellowship program (PFP). The first of those students, Temi Fadeyi ’13, did the initial research and benchmarking for an emerging leaders program.

(Fadeyi has since earned her MBA from University of Miami and now works for LBrands in Columbus, Ohio as a senior financial analyst.) The second student, Derrick Fyfield ’15, helped to organize, brand and facilitate the first Liftoff program in 2014 and the second in 2015. (Fyfield is currently a software business analyst for Publishing Services in Baltimore, Md.) The goal was to provide leadership development for first-year, second-year and transfer students, since at that time, the College had leadership opportunities for juniors and seniors but not specifically for newer students. In 2015, the Liftoff program was recognized by the National Association of Campus Activities as the Outstanding Leadership Program at its Mid-Atlantic Regional Conference.

What’s next? Some of this year’s participants will be able to help with next year’s Liftoff, as a way of paying it forward. DeGrandpre says the task force is looking for funding to create a second tier leadership opportunity to focus on effective communication styles, conflict management and group dynamics. 

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Fearless!

Four Faculty Raising the Bar Jerry Gabriel

awarded the 2011 Towson Prize for Literature. His second book, “The Let Go” (Queen’s Ferry Press, 2015), garnered positive reviews on “Necessary Fiction” and “GoodReads.” His work has been short-listed for a Pushcart Prize and he has received grants and fellowships from the New York Foundation for the Arts and the Bread Loaf Writers’ Conference, and he is a 2016 recipient of an individual artist grant from the National Endowment for the Arts.

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he SlackWater journal grew out of the Southern Maryland Documentation Project, an oral history project started by former Professor of English Andrea Hammer in 1984. After a brief hiatus, the journal is back: Volume VII will be available through the campus bookstore (www. smcmbooks.com) this fall, thanks in large part to Jerry Gabriel, visiting assistant professor of English.

Reviving SlackWater was a collaboration of teaching the cultural journalism course (Gabriel) and linking that course to a “keystone” seminar taught

by Barry Muchnick, assistant professor of environmental studies. Muchnick’s seminar, which focused on food and food systems, explored the intersections of food and culture.

Gabriel’s students, informed by discussions with Muchnik’s students, formed ideas for what would become the “food issue.” In keeping with the format for the cultural journalism course, Gabriel’s students learned interviewing skills and applied them while interviewing local farmers, watermen, and restauranteurs. This all happened last year.

This spring, Gabriel’s current cultural journalism class has been busy editing the content for the food issue and writing some new content as needed to finalize it for publication. These students have also begun shaping Volume VIII, to be published in 2019, on issues of immigration in Southern Maryland.

Jerry Gabriel teaches creative writing, science writing, the novella, advanced fiction writing, and the cultural journalism course that is behind the relaunch of the SlackWater Journal. He is also the

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Adriana Brodsky

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director of the Chesapeake Writers’ Conference, now in its seventh year (see tear-off card on back cover). His first book, “Drowned Boy” (Sarabande Books, 2009), won the Mary McCarthy Prize in Short Fiction, was a Barnes and Noble “Discover Great New Writers” selection, and was

ssociate Professor of History Adriana Brodsky is the latest SMCM faculty member to be awarded a Fulbright Senior Scholar fellowship. She will spend the fall semester in Israel, conducting research at Tel Aviv University for a book she is writing, “Navigating Multiple Diasporas: Argentine Sephardi Youth at Home and in Israel, 1948-1976.” The book will study young Argentine Jews and their Zionist youth activism during that period. For many of them, self-imposed exile from Argentina in favor of Israel, was part of the movement, particularly in the 1970s.

Her book, she says, will reveal “the ways in which Sephardi Jews created concrete attachments to Argentina, while also exploring the ways in which their ethno-national attachments, in turn, impacted their sense of being Jewish and Sephardi both in Argentina and in Israel.” She will interview members of Sephardi youth groups in her native Spanish and will use her fluency in Hebrew to navigate Israeli life during her stay there.

She will be accompanied by her high-school aged daughter, Leah, who is excited about living in a different culture for four months.

How did this topic become her research interest? “My mother’s family was originally from Morocco, and as a child [in Argentina] I realized that there were significant differences between the Jews that came from Eastern Europe (Ashkenazim) and those who had been expelled

Julie King

from Spain and Portugal in 1490s,” she explains. “In Argentina, I was always aware that Ashkenazim were a majority, and that the practices and traditions of Sephardim were considered ‘other’ and exotic.”

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t. Mary’s College of Maryland Professor of Anthropology Julia A. King was named the 2018 recipient of the Society for Historical Archaeology’s most prestigious award in recognition of her decades-long scholarly contributions to the field of archaeology. King received the award in January 2018 at the society’s annual conference in New Orleans, La.

In her first book, “Sephardi, Jewish, Argentine: Community and National Identity, 1880-1960” (Indiana University Press, 2016), Brodsky traced the history of Sephardim as they arrived in Argentina, created immigrant organizations, founded synagogues and cemeteries, and built strong ties with coreligionists around the country. With Raanen Rein, she edited a collection of essays written by scholars from various countries, titled “The New Jewish Argentina” (Brill Academic Publishing, 2012). In it, scholars consider the tensions between the national and the trans-national and offer a mosaic of identities relevant to those interested in Jewish history, Argentine history and students of ethnicity and diaspora. The book won the Latin American Jewish Studies Association’s Best Book Award in 2013.

After more than 30 years in the profession, King shows no sign of slowing down. “I wake up every day excited about archaeology and discovering new things with my students,” she says. King has been successful in the pursuit of more than $1 million in grant funding, several from the National Endowment for the Humanities and the National Park Service.

She has held fellowships with Harvard University’s Dumbarton Oaks, the Virginia Historical Society, and Winterthur Museum in Delaware.

She is currently a member of the Maryland Advisory Council on Historic Preservation and from 2003-2011 served as an appointee to the U.S. President’s Advisory Council on Historic Preservation.

She teaches courses on Jewish history, Latin American history, immigration/diaspora, and gender history.

José Ballesteros

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osé Ballesteros, professor of Spanish and Steven Muller Distinguished Professor of the Arts, is on a mission. On campus, he teaches courses in Spanish, translation, early modern literature, and creative writing. Off campus, he is founder and editor of Zozobra Publishing, a bilingual press featuring poetry and prose by Latino writers. Zozobra is the only Spanish-English publishing company in the Washington region.

Last year, Zozobra published its first anthology of Latinx poetry of the Washington D.C. metropolitan area. Curated and coedited by Ballesteros, “Knocking on the Door of the White House: Latina and Latino Poets in Washington, D.C.” showcases the work of more than 20 D.C.-based poets and numerous translators that have helped establish D.C.’s vibrant poetry scene. The anthology includes the translation of Dan Vera’s poetry by alumna María Mateo ’17.

Beltway Poetry Journal placed “Knocking on the Door of the White House” on its list of the Top Four Anthologies of 2017. On campus, the College’s VOICES Reading Series presented readings by several of the anthology’s poets in April 2018.

Ballesteros is a published poet, with “Lovedust/Polvo enamorado” (Izote Press, 2014) and co-author of the Spanish literary anthology “Voces de España” (Cenage, 2004, 2013). He is also a translator of poetry, with Leslie Byers of Marcial Molina Richter’s “The Word of the Dead” (Lluvia Editores, 2012). Up next for him through Zozobra Publishing is a collection of poems by Sami Miranda, due this fall.

A prolific writer, King’s major publications include “Archaeology, Narrative, and the Politics of the Past: The View from Southern Maryland” (University of Tennessee Press, 2012), which received a book award from the American Association of State and Local History in 2013. She cowrote “Indian and European Contact in Context: The Mid-Atlantic Region” (University Press of Florida, 2004) as well as “Pathways to History: Charles County, 1658–1958,” the latter winning the Maryland Historical Trust’s Preservation Heritage Book Award in 2009.

Is it serendipitous that King spent a year at St. Mary’s College as an undergraduate but transferred to The College of William and Mary on the advice of a professor at St. Mary’s College, which, at the time did not have an anthropology program?

She teaches courses in archaeology, Native American history and culture, and historic preservation.

St. Mary’s College | THE MULB ER RY TR EE | spring 2018 | 19

ALUMNI

CONNECTION CLASS NOTES 1960s After 50 years in the healthcare field, Margaretta Fournier Dorey ’68 is retiring from her position as a clinical outcomes analyst at Beebe Healthcare in Lewes, Del., to spend more time at the beach and traveling.

She was always challenged in her career, first as a radiation therapist, then as an RN working in oncology, hospice, pain management and quality improvement. Margaretta is looking forward to life’s new adventures.

1990s Jamie Benoit ’93 has been named the CEO of FedData in Linthicum, Md. FedData specializes in mission-critical technology services, counterintelligence, adversarial threat mitigation and supply chain security. Jamie has been with FedData since 2010.

Diana Bloom Hawley ’96, a longtime school volunteer, has filed for the District 5 school board seat in Cecil County, Md. Diana, whose background is in early childhood education and early intervention, currently works as an adjunct faculty member at Cecil College. She and her husband have a sixth grader and an eighth grader, and she frequently volunteers in county schools as part of Parent Teacher Organizations and various committees, including the Textbook Review Council. In

2014, Diana was nominated by Cecil County Public Schools for the Maryland Parent Involvement Matters Award for her work at North East Elementary School.

Stacy Alleyne Darby ’97 has begun a new position as an adjunct instructor at Prince George’s Community College.

Michael Oakleaf ’98 was recently named supervisor of the Income Tax Policy Team in the Wisconsin Department of Revenue’s Division of Research and Policy. Prior to being named supervisor, Michael was a revenue economist with the department, focusing on corporate taxes. He lives in Madison, Wis., with his wife, former SMCM Librarian Joanne Juhnke, and two daughters, Lydia (16) and Miriam (13).

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Andrew Kitchenman ’98 has been the state government reporter for Alaska Public Radio Network since January 2016.

Nicolas Abrams ’99 [1] was listed in the February 2018 edition of Baltimore Magazine as a Five Star Wealth Manager.

Nicolas is president and CEO of AJW Financial Partners, LLC in Columbia, Md.

2000s Bridgette Hagerty ’00 is an associate professor of biology at York College of Pennsylvania.

She was recently honored as the 2017 recipient of the Presidential Award for Excellence in Teaching and Mentoring. After receiving the award she spoke to the York College graduates at December commencement.

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Amy Paranto ’03 earned her master of liberal arts degree from Johns Hopkins University in December 2017. Her thesis was titled “Propaganda and Martin Luther: The Reformation, National Socialism, and Germany Today.”

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Ramtin Arablouei ’05 [2] returned to campus in March 2018 to be part of the annual “Evening to Honor the Legacy of Lucille Clifton” event. Ramtin works for National Public Radio and is

producer of its popular “How I Built This” podcast series. He is also the drummer for the D.C.based band, Drop Electric.

these experiences, along with the skill set she learned from St. Mary’s College, to pursue the rest of her professional career with the National Park Service.

The SMCM Theater, Film and Media Studies Alumni Chapter launched in fall 2017 and is the first academic alumni chapter. The chapter celebrated its charter with a Happy Hour at Denizen’s Brewery in Silver Spring, Md., on November 24.

Seventeen alumni representing 27 years of SMCM graduates came to celebrate and reconnect. Membership is open to all alumni, regardless of major. The chapter will host events where SMCM graduates can network while supporting the arts and the SMCM TFMS department. Interested in connecting?

Check out the SMCM Theater, Film, & Media Studies Alumni Chapter Facebook group at www.tinyurl.com/SMCM-TFMSAlumni or reach out to Tammy Swanson (chapter president) at tammy.swanson@wolterskluwer.com.

Thomas Brewer ’05 [3] has filed to run for State Senate representing District 29, which includes all of St. Mary’s County and parts of Charles County and Calvert County. Tom looks forward to campaigning and learning as much as he can about the place he calls home and the people that live here.

Angy Kallarackal ’06 is an assistant professor of psychology at Mount St. Mary’s University in Emmitsburg, Md. She began the position in August of 2017.

Brittany Zakielarz Stafford ’07 has begun a new position as a school psychologist for Carroll County Public Schools in Westminster, Md. Jeremy Hutchinson ’09 has begun a new position as a product specialist at S&C Electric Company in Chicago, Ill.

2010s Barrett Uhler ’10 has begun a new position as library associate II at the University of Florida in Gainesville, Fla. Stephanie Klapper ’10 received the Innovation in Social Work award from University of Maryland School of Social Work Alumni Association on March 9 because of her work to launch

the Maryland Faith Health Network. The awarding narrative read as follows: “In her role as deputy director for community outreach, Stephanie is responsible for program design and operation, training and evaluation.

In many cases, she built these systems from scratch. Because of Stephanie’s vision and attention to detail, this incredibly complex network is among the first in the country to create formal, direct connections between a person’s medical team and the people in their faith communities, if they so choose.”

Thomas Montgomery ’10 will be joining Duquesne University as a professor of chemistry in the fall of 2018. He and his wife, Joanne Buchbinder ’10, MAT’11, will be moving to Pittsburgh, Pa. Diana Abells ’11 [4] returned to SMCM for an artist residency in April 2018. She works across the mediums of video, installation and drawing. Diana earned her MFA in art from The Ohio State University in 2015. Since then, she has been an adjunct professor for the art department at The Ohio State University, teaching classes on digital imaging, video art, and drawing. In 2017, Diana was a resident at the Vermont Studio Center.

Bradley Shepherd ’11 opened his own law firm, BSS Law, LLC, in January 2018 with offices in Catonsville and Columbia, Md. Shepherd earned his law degree in 2014 from the University of Baltimore School of Law. Tara Youngborg ’11 returned to SMCM to lead an artist workshop in April 2018. Tara is a web-based artist and currently works as the exhibition coordinator for the Ridderhof Martin and duPont Galleries at the University of Mary Washington in Fredericksburg, Va. Prior to that, Tara was the visual arts technician for Bowdoin College in Brunswick, Maine.

Yasmina Hussein ’13 [5] is preparing to start an MBA program in the fall. She recently completed her Peace Corps service in Morocco, where she worked with youth and community development. Yasmina credits Professor of Economics Asif Dowla and his “Economics of Developing Countries” course for helping her to embark on her current path. For her MBA, Yasmina plans to focus on social impact, social and environmental responsibility, and economic development.

Stephen Masson ’13 is pursuing his master’s degree in philosophy from American University.

He is continuing his work from his time with the philosophy department at SMCM where he wrote his thesis on “White Masculinity in the U.S.” Stephen will graduate in May 2019.

Nina Mercedes Rabin ’13 has begun a new position as an associate attorney at Lennon Murphy & Phillips, LLC in Westport, Ct. Shannon Sullivan ’15 is chief of staff for Maryland Senator Craig J. Zucker (D-District 14), a position she has held since 2016.

Prior to that role, she was district director. She also interned on the House side for Maryland Delegate Edith Patterson (DDistrict 28).

Katelyn Kean ’16 has enrolled at Johns Hopkins University where she is studying for a master’s degree in museum studies. Katelyn also began a National Council for Historic Preservation internship with the National Park Service at Harper’s Ferry in February.

This is the second National Park she has worked for (the first was Shenandoah National Park). Katelyn hopes to use

Cole Meyerhoff ’16 [6] returned to campus as artist-inresidence from Feb. 3-10, 2018.

Since graduating, he has completed an internship and installation at Franconia Sculpture Park in Shafer, Minn. Other current installations are located at Horn Point Lab at the University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science in Cambridge, Md., and at St. Mary’s College of Maryland. Cole has exhibited at Casket Arts in Minneapolis, Minn., and is currently exhibiting at Trippe-Hilderbrandt Gallery in Easton, Md. Joey Haavik ’17 is the program coordinator for events and marketing at the Ulman Cancer Fund for Young Adults in Baltimore, Md. The Ulman Cancer Fund is a local nonprofit that creates communities of support for young adults affected with cancer and their young ones.

In his role, Joey oversees the organization and implementation of all events through the year, in addition to constructing the organization’s branding and image. After riding his bicycle across the country through Ulman’s 4K for cancer program, he felt compelled to continue the work internally through the organization.

St. Mary’s College | THE MULB ER RY TR EE | spring 2018 | 21

ALUM NI

C ONNECT ION

MARRIAGES

Julie Faggio Fischer ’10 and Keith Fischer ’09 [5] were married on June 24, 2017, in Baltimore, Md. Christy Faggio Neal ’02 was the matron of honor; Janice Burns ’10,

22 | St. Mary’s College | T H E MU LBERRY TREE | spring 2018

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Krysta Wersten ’10 and James Ferrer [6] were married on Nov. 12, 2017, in Luray, Va. The matron of honor was Amanda Brown ’11 and Monika Disque ’10 was a bridesmaid.

TWO FISH PHOTOGRAPHY

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DESIREE STOVER

Christy Scaljon ’10, Samantha James ’11, and Marie Snyder ’09 were bridesmaids; Shaun Summerville ’09 and Billy Scheurer ’12 were groomsmen. There were many alumni friends who attended the wedding as well, including Andy Neal ’03, Amanda Norman Scheurer ’13, Reid Featherstone ’09, Sarah Weiss Featherstone ’09, Matt Fissel ’09, Taylor Burgdorf ’10, Julia Puzak ’10, Nick DiGiacamo ’10, Kate David Barnes ’09, Drew Barnes ’10, and Chris Chapman ’10.

Julie is a school counselor for Howard County Public Schools and Keith works for 2U, Inc. as an admissions counselor for the University of Southern California (USC). The couple currently lives with their two dogs in Catonsville, Md.

JACK ROBERTS PHOTOGRAPHY

Karen Farrell ’07 and Philip Lenzini [3] were married on March 18, 2017, in Nashville, Tenn. The matron of honor was the bride’s sister, Ellen Christino ’05. The couple met at University of Colorado - Boulder, where both earned master’s degrees in applied mathematics. The couple honeymooned in Spain. Karen is an actuary and Phil is a senior data analyst. They live in Franklin, Tenn.

Liz Lawrence ’08 and Aaron Brussat ’07 [4] were married on Sept. 23, 2017, at Camp Westwind in Otis, Ore. The couple did not have a wedding party but Mark McAllister ’06 and Ben Austin-Docampo ’08 were the two readers in the ceremony, which was held on the beach.

Ben read Lucille Clifton’s poem, “blessing the boats.”

Other alumni wedding guests were Elina Snyder ’07, Holly Gorman ’07, and Hannah Piper Burns ’06. The couple met in 2004 as members of the St. Mary’s Ultimate Team and Poetry Club. Liz is the development director for the McKenzie River Trust, a land conservation nonprofit. Aaron is a freelance beer writer. He brewed most of the ten beers served at the summer camp-themed weekend wedding. The couple lives in Eugene, Ore.

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ERIN MICHELLE PHOTOGRAPHY

Stephanie Simmons Chesney ’05 and Tanner Chesney [2] were married on Oct. 8, 2016, at the Liriodendron Mansion in Bel Air, Md. B. Grant Simmons ’09 officiated the ceremony. The couple honeymooned in Cancun, Mexico.

GEORGE DAY

Natalie Wass ’97 and Robert Ward [1] were married on April 15, 2017, at Grand Event Center in Northfield, Minn.

Bryan Strang ’97, Christopher Garber-Slaght ’97, Robbin Garber-Slaght ’97, and Darren Buck ’97 attended as wedding guests. The couple honeymooned in Costa Rica.

Natalie works in the mascot industry and in various other performance capacities including hosting the live version of Double Dare at Nickelodeon Universe in Mall of America and Rob works as a printer at Coleman’s Copy Center. The couple lives in Minneapolis, Minn.

KIRSTEN GETZ

& UNIONS

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CINDY LARK HARTMAN

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ROB JINKS

OLIVIA JACOB

MEIGAN CANFIELD

KAITLIN MORENO

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Roz Kreizenbeck ’11 and Chris Robinson ’12 [7] were married on Sept. 9, 2017 in Scientist’s Cliffs, Md. Kate Monahan ’12 was a bridesmaid; Charlie Kreizenbeck ’18, Patrick Carr ’11, and Brian VanParys ’11 were groomsmen; Darren McCutchen ’11 and Dana Savage ’12 were ushers. Roz is the education manager at Historic Newton and Chris works as a product manager at Wayfair. The couple lives in Boston, Mass.

Holly Callan ’12 and James Redman [8] were married on Dec. 9, 2017, at Woodlawn Farm in Ridge, Md. The couple was surrounded by friends including Dave Sushinsky ’02 as

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best man, Harold Lee ’95 as a groomsman, and Rachel Moraca ’11, Blair Skiba ’11, and Lydia Mark ’11 as bridesmaids.

The couple honeymooned on a Caribbean cruise.

Anna Grace Schultz ’12 and Jeff Bennett ’12 [9] were married on Nov. 9, 2017, in Annapolis, Md. Fellow alumni wedding guests included Anthony Schultz ’05, Tom Bennett ’10, Liahna GondaKing ’10, Jessie Hartman ’09, Holly Fabbri ’12, James McKitrick ’12, Phil Dickieson ’13, and Chris Rodkey ’10.

traveled to Northern California and visited Napa Valley, Muir Woods National Monument, Monterey, Carmel-by-the-Sea, and Big Sur. Amanda is a financial project manager and Billy is an eighth-grade English teacher in Baltimore County.

The couple lives in Davidsonville, Md. Alumni wedding guests included Adrienne Dink ’13, Emily Burns ’13, Colleen Simpson ’12, Jennifer Rindone ’13, Allison McFall ’13, Brendan McFall ’14, Taylor Petrisko ’13, William Dempster ’13, Patrick Simpson ’11, Christopher Chapman ’10, Michael Ott ’11, Julie Fischer ’10, Keith Fischer ’09, and Stephanie St. Aubin ’10.

Liz Frantz ’13 and Adam Goldberg ’13 [11] were married on Oct. 7, 2017, in Prince Frederick, Md. Their officiant was Kristina Schiller ’11. Liz works at the Walters Art Museum in Baltimore and Adam works at Check Point Software Technologies in Rockville. The couple lives in Baltimore, Md. Kadie Reynolds ’17 married Patrick Cox [12] in October 2017. The ceremony was held at the State House in Historic St. Mary’s City and was officiated by Viet Nguyen ’03. The wedding was well attended by family and friends. Among guests were Jim and Eileen Mitchell ’06, Jason Catterton ’06, Jamie Palumbo ’07, Carly Swaim ’07, and Jess Porter ’08. Kadie and Patrick honeymooned in Emerald Isle, N.C. and now both work for St. Mary’s County Public Schools.

Billy Scheurer ’12 and Amanda Norman ’13 [10] were married Oct. 15, 2016, at a historic manor in Knoxville, Md. For their honeymoon, the couple St. Mary’s College | THE MULB ER RY TR EE | spring 2018 | 23

C ONNECT ION

BIRTHS& ADOPTIONS

To Jessica Quast Kriss ’99 and Marc Kriss ’99, a son, Davis Augustine Kriss [1], born April 25, 2017. He joins big brother Evan Patrick, age six.

Jessica is a lead associate with Booz Allen Hamilton; Marc is a global marketing director for SAP. The family lives in Kennett Square, Pa. To Bridgette Hagerty ’00 and Chris Warner, a daughter, Nora Jane Warner [2], born on Nov. 16, 2017. Nora joins sister Abby, age seven. The family lives in York, Pa. To David Ryden ’00 and Land Caylin Ryden, a son, Wesley James Ryden [3], born on Feb. 1, 2018. He joins sisters Tenley (six) and Harper (four). David was recently appointed deputy

state’s attorney for Harford County and has filed to run for state’s attorney for Harford County in 2018. Caylin is Harford County’s heroin coordinator and intelligence analyst for the Harford County Narcotics Task Force and a self-employed photographer. The family resides in Bel Air, Md. To Meghan Vickers ’01 and Jason Vickers, a son, Joseph Henry Vickers [4], born May 10, 2017. Joseph “Joji” Henry Vickers joins big sisters Lucy, age two and a half, and Sarah, age 17. Meghan is coordinator of the Hiwan Museum, with Jefferson County Open Space, and Jason is a teacher with Colorado Children’s Theatre.

The family lives in Idaho Springs, Colo.

To Amber Wagner Gaines ’03 and Les Gaines, a daughter, Zora Jeanette Gaines [5], born on May 16, 2017. The family resides in Baltimore, Md.

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To Robert Campbell ’04 and Sarah Hunter Campbell ’07, a daughter, Lucille “Lucy” Monroe Campbell [6], born Sept. 28, 2017. She joins big sister Caroline, age two and a half. Sarah is an environmental compliance specialist for a private firm in Annapolis, Md. Rob is a manager of conservation planning at a nonprofit in Silver Spring, Md. The family lives in Chesapeake Beach, Md. To Nick Cutrufello ’04 and Rachael Cutrufello ’06, a son, Lorenzo “Enzo” Nicholas Cutrufello [7], who joins big brother Augie in all of the family’s adventures.

To David Marsich ’05 and Stephanie Reiner Marsich ’07, a daughter, Penelope Alice Reiner Marisch [8] born on Aug. 2, 2017. Penelope joins big brother Samuel, age 3. The family resides in King George, Va. To Michael Vogt ’07 and Jessica Staples ’08, a daughter, Vivian Marie Vogt [9] born Oct. 18, 2017. The family currently lives in Tall Timbers, Md.

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24 | St. Mary’s College | T H E MU LBERRY TREE | spring 2018

MEGAN RIGDON PHOTOGRAPHY

ALU M NI

To Laura Wigginton Moore ’09 and Nicholas Moore, a daughter, Maxine Vivian Moore [10], born on Dec. 29, 2017. She joins her older sibling, Peter. Her uncle, Brian Page and aunt, Jennifer Page are alumni from 1994. The family lives in Lexington Park, Md. To Erin Adams Perez ’09 and Salim Perez, a daughter, Luna Noelle Perez [11], born on Nov. 12, 2017. Erin is a senior manager for Calvert Education and Salim is senior services technician for Connections Education. The family lives in Baltimore, Md. To Caitlin Vredenburg ’09 and Collin Vrendenburg, a daughter, Calliope Alix Vredenburg [12], born at home on Oct. 14, 2017. The birth was attended by six midwives (including her mom, Nora), as well as her sister Liz, step-father Robin, and shiba inu Kitsune.

She is a happy, healthy, and talkative baby! Caitlin began her new position as a technology integration specialist this past fall after teaching third grade for the past five years

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at Christ Episcopal School in Rockville, Md. Collin is a project controller for a government contractor in Virginia.

They all enjoy living in the heart of Caitlin’s hometown of Rockville, Md. To Keba Walker ’09 and Marshaun Walker, a son, Mason A. Walker [13] born on Dec. 24, 2017. Keba is a kindergarten teacher for Anne Arundel County Public Schools and Marshaun is a Corpsman stationed at the Naval Academy. The family resides in Annapolis, Md. To Emily Walter ’09 and Sean Ross ’09, a son, Mark Connor Ross [14] born Dec. 12, 2017. The family currently resides in Bowie, Md. To Rebecca Williams ’10 and Conrad Williams, a daughter, Isobel Freya Williams [15] born Jan. 28, 2018. Rebecca is starting as a trainee solicitor at Clyde & Co in August 2018.

The family currently resides in Canterbury, England.

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LULU EDWARD PHOTOGRAPHY

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St. Mary’s College | THE MULB ER RY TR EE | spring 2018 | 25

A LU M NI

C ONNECT ION

ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT: Kate Fritz ’04 Kate Fritz ’04 is the Alumni Council’s newly elected vice president of chapter activities. Kate lives in Annapolis and is the executive director of the Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay. She was, not surprisingly, a biology major with an environmental studies concentration. While at SMCM she was an RA/RHC, member of the equestrian team and worked at the coffee shop.

When asked why she wanted to join the council she said, “I wanted to give back to the College that prepared me so well for my professional career. I also wanted to gain more of a connection to other alumni and to help current students prepare for their own careers.”

In her new position on the council, Kate is assisting the 12 regional and affinity chapter presidents in organizing events to engage alumni and build and maintain their connection with the College. She is also interested in how to continue to elevate the image of the College in order to connect with future and current students.

Kate’s favorite alumni event is the Bay to Bay Service Day. She explains, “This will be the third year we have done this event and it really embodies the service-oriented ethos that the College is working to instill in their students and their alumni. I do a lot of volunteer work myself, and that lifelong interest was started at St. Mary’s College with my work on the St. Mary’s River Project, Christmas in April, and Habitat for Humanity. In my current job, I leverage the passion and power of volunteers to help expand the impact of the work the Alliance does to help protect and restore rivers and streams in the Chesapeake Bay. I am able to connect my professional life with my personal life through Bay to Bay, and I appreciate the opportunity to bring these two together.”

Are YOU counted this fiscal year?

(July 1, 2017 - June 30, 2018)

Time is running out to make your annual donation Why is your donation important?

• U.S. News & World Report uses the number of alumni that support their college in its annual College Guide • Already we have over 1100 alumni donors. Help us reach our goal of 1500+ by June 30 • Your gifts contribute to the exceptional experience students expect of an Honors College

Make a gift: www.smcm.edu/give

Give before May 18 and have your name listed on our donor appreciation wall at alumni weekend in June.

26 | St. Mary’s College | T H E MU LBERRY TREE | spring 2018

German and Danish ships in the Baltimore Inner Harbor.

IN MEMORIAM Virginia Anne (Burnside) Cox ’49 died on Jan. 28, 2018 at age 87. Born in Washington, D.C., she was a descendant of the Civil War General Ambrose Burnside.

Ginny was creative, devoted, motivated, and passionate about a variety of causes, many of which have revolved around the St. Mary’s College of Maryland community. She graduated from St. Mary’s Female Seminary in 1949 and developed a deep passion for history, culture, and preservation. She met her husband Thomas Emory Cox at University of Maryland College Park in 1950, and the two were married in 1952 after their graduations. Ginny followed a career in entrepreneurship, beginning with an ice cream and sandwich shop called “Cup N Cone,” located on US 40 in Havre de Grace, Md., which, over the next three decades, developed into

a food concession, restaurant equipment, and catering business. The couple also restored an early 19th-century bar that had been in storage since Prohibition, and manufactured the bar into a trailer (named the Gay 90’s Bar), which later became a staple in the Maryland State Fair from 1965-1984, accompanied by an old fashioned ice cream trailer.

The ice cream business later expanded into a project called Operation Sails in 1976, when the Cox family brought hundreds of ice cream cones aboard visiting

In 1957 Ginny and Thomas moved to Baltimore and bought their first historic home restoration project, and in 1972 the couple moved to St. Mary’s County to restore Trinity Manor Woodlawn Farm, which was completed over a span of 18 years and done almost entirely by Ginny and Tom. After the restoration was complete, Woodlawn Farm received the 1990 Grand Prize Great American Home Award from the National Historic Trust. Other restoration projects included a number of African American churches in Southern Maryland and St. Michael’s Chapel. Ginny’s proudest honor was the Cross Bottony Medal for Leadership given by St. Mary’s College of Maryland in 2001 in recognition of extraordinary leadership in the cause of historic preservation. A lifelong student, Ginny’s dedication, hard work,

wit, and kindness live on through these projects and the people who were close with her through the years. She is survived by a devoted daughter and son-in-law, Patricia and Thomas Panzarella. Other known survivors are her grandson Bradford Cox, brother Waldo Burnside, and sister-in-law Jean Burnside.

Robert Clarke Thornton ’73 of Manchester, Md., died suddenly at his home on Dec. 15, 2017, at age 66. Born in Baltimore County, Md., Robert worked at State Auto Insurance for many years as a claim adjuster. He was a deeply loved member of the St. Mary’s College of Maryland Alumni network, heralded by many as the one who kept people connected to each other and to their inner child. Friends called him by his nicknames (Pops, Crunch, Thunder) and his family

called him husband, dad, grandfather, brother, and friend. Through photography, music, gardening, and teaching, Robert brought joy to all the lives he touched. He is survived by his loving wife of 40 years, Carol Ann (Hall) Thornton, as well as his children: Laura Elizabeth Hughes and husband Alan of Hampstead, Md., and Charles Ryan Thornton of Greencastle, Pa.; grandchildren: Ethan and Austin Hughes; and sisters: Diane Gelrud of Hanover, Pa., and Leta Derasse of Westminster, Md. Theresa Sullivan David ’79, of Haymarket Va., died on Feb. 21, 2018 at age 60. Born in Washington, D.C., she grew up in Hillcrest Heights, Md. She worked as a special education teaching assistant at PACE West in Gainesville, Va. Theresa is survived by her husband Richard; a son, Robert C. Flynn; two daughters, Katy Flynn and Emily Butorac; and five grandchildren: Noah, Aubree and Khloe Flynn; Jonathan and Leland Butorac.

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or more than 30 years, Professor of English Robin Bates has been sharing his cooking with his students. His whiskey cake is legendary – its recipe often requested and always denied – until now. Scores of alums may soon be headed to the kitchen to bake a cake in honor of his retirement this May. Watch Robin Bates make his famous whiskey cake: www.smcm.edu/mulberrytree

St. Mary’s College | THE MULB ER RY TR EE | spring 2018 | 27

F RO M

T H E

ARC H I V E S

GENEALOGY AND COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS

By Kent Randell, College archivist and assistant librarian

In the last issue of the Mulberry Tree, I discussed how primary sources can be used to address a difficult topic, in this instance, the institution of slavery. One of the ways to approach this and other historical research questions is by using genealogical research skills to re-frame historical questions.

Genealogy is particularly helpful when considering people who were not part of the wealthy elite, and therefore, do not leave as many physical traces.

Recently I have given talks for the St. Mary’s County Historic Preservation Commission and the St. Mary’s County Genealogical Society concerning the Susquehanna estate, which was moved, board by board, from the Cedar Point area of St. Mary’s County to Henry Ford’s Greenfield Village openair museum in Dearborn, Michigan after the December 1941 eviction of the area’s residents for the construction of Patuxent River Naval Air Station. Archaeologist and Professor of Anthropology Julia A. King was able to prove that the house which was moved was actually 150 years younger than everybody involved had believed it was.

Historians interested in Susquehanna might ask questions related to the famous 1684 murder (on Halloween) of Christopher Rousby and this event’s relationship to Maryland history. As a genealogist, I was able to show that the one famous murder and another notas-famous murder were linked more closely than previously known. Coming at questions from sometimes diverging scholarly fields adds to the sum total of the added value of historical research. It also provides an opportunity to really get to know what Maryland primary sources are out there, so that I can better assist not only researchers, but other faculty who want to use primary sources in their classes.

28 | St. Mary’s College | T H E MU LBERRY TREE | spring 2018

Genealogy provides opportunities for students, and the public, to experience the thrill and challenges of working with primary sources. To this end, some exciting genealogy workshops have been given, so that the community and students cannot only share stories, but also learn important research and citation skills. In addition to the “Introduction to Archives and Information Science” course that I teach, workshops have been given to classes at a local high school, Fairlead Academy. Working with Dr. King’s “Special Topics in Anthropology: Slavery on the St. Mary’s Landscape” class, a genealogy workshop was given where students worked alongside community members.

The archive also helps facilitate research relationships with other community partners, such as the St. Mary’s County Historical Society, which is the primary resource for county genealogy. But don’t forget to contact the St. Mary’s College of Maryland archive, too, if you have genealogy questions related to Southern Maryland or alumni of the college and the female seminary. above: Photo of the Susquehanna estate by noted architectural photographer Frances Benjamin Johnston (1864-1952), who created a systematic record of early American buildings and gardens called the Carnegie Survey of the Architecture of the South. This collection of more than 7,100 images is now housed in the Library of Congress.

ST. MARY’S COLLEGE

of Maryland

SP RI NG 2 0 1 8 , VOL. X XX IX , NO . 2

www.smcm.edu/mulberrytree Editor Lee Capristo

Calendar of Events “Beyond the Sunset” conceived and directed

by Amy Steiger April 18-21@ 8:00 p.m.

April 22 @ 2:00 p.m.

Tickets: 240-895-4243 Bruce Davis Theater, Montgomery Hall The 12th Annual Twain Lecture with comedian, actor, writer Tig Notaro April 20 @ 7:30 p.m.

Tickets: www.smcm.edu/ twain-tickets Michael P. O’Brien Athletics & Recreation Center Arena

Design Jensen Design

Admissions Open House April 21 @ 9:30 a.m.

Michael P. O’Brien Athletics & Recreation Center Arena

Alumni Weekend June 7-10 Register at www.smcm.edu/events/ alumni-weekend

Bay to Bay Service Days April 21-22 Join a project site near you: www.smcm.edu/events/bay-to-bayservice-day/project-sites

SOAR: Seahawk Orientation Advising & Registration June 13, 14, 15 Register through New Student Portal

Awards Convocation April 27 @ 3:00 p.m.

Michael P. O’Brien Athletics & Recreation Center Arena Commencement May 12 @ 10:00 a.m.

Townhouse Green

River Concert Series 20th Season featuring the Chesapeake Orchestra Fridays, June 22 – July 20 @ 7:00 p.m.

Saturday, July 21 @ 7:00 p.m.

Townhouse Green

7th Annual Chesapeake Writers’ Conference June 24 – June 30 www.smcm.edu/events/ chesapeake-writers-conference St. Mary’s College campus Governor’s Cup Yacht Race August 3-4 www.smcm.edu/events/govcup Annapolis to St. Mary’s College First Day of Classes August 27

2018 CALENDAR Spring Break-a-Sweat | April 14

Photographer Bill Wood

Alumni athletes from the fall and winter sports head back to campus to reconnect with one another, meet the current student-athletes and enjoy their reunion games. Registration opens February 1.

CHESAPEAKE

Editorial Board Karen Anderson, Michael Bruckler, Lee Capristo, Kate Cumberpatch ’17, Missy Beck Lemke ’92, Nairem Moran ’99, Karen Raley ’94, Kelly Schroeder

W RtoIBay T E RService S’ CO N F| EApril REN E Bay Days 21-C 22

Publisher Office of Institutional Advancement St. Mary’s College of Maryland 47645 College Drive St. Mary’s City, Maryland 20686

Alumni have organized service projects from Annapolis workshops in fiction, poetry, toIntensive the San Francisco Bay to gather together and give back their localnonfiction communities.for Registration opens andtocreative serious writers February 15. of experience. at all levels • Get credit! Both college |and graduate credit Alumni Weekend June 7-10 available.

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 Yaocomico 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 2018 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.

PHOTO BY HOWARD KORN

Photographs and illustrations may not be reproduced without the express written consent of St. Mary’s College of Maryland.

It’s our biggest alumni celebration of the year!

• Award-winning faculty and25one-on-one meetings Whether it’s been 50 years, years, or just a year with agents and editors. since you’ve been back to St. Mary’s, we hope to see you this June.

Registration opens 15.

• Enjoy our waterfront campus

by March kayak or paddleboard, with sunsets worth writing about!

Governor’s Cup | August 3-5 Held annuallySeminar in early August, Governor’s Cup Yacht Teachers’ Race, now celebrating its 45th is the oldest • Earn two graduate credits forrunning, professional anddevelopment. longest running overnight sailboat race on the Chesapeake Bay. Registration opens on June 15.

• Connect your own writing practices with your pedagogy. | October 19-21 Hawktoberfest Come away with creative writing exercisesover and At•the College’s homecoming celebration, assignments to use in your 1,000 alumni and parents joinclassroom. the current students on campus for a full weekend of activities and entertainment.

Registration opens August 15.

Youth Workshop A fast-paced and wide-ranging literary tour to help | November Giving Tuesday young adult writers discover the literature27 which will During this 24-hour campaign, the campus community truly inspire their lives and writing. rallies together to give back to St. Mary’s on this global • Practice a wide range of genres and styles, from day of giving. Help make this the most impactful year ever! prose to poems to TV scripts.

Alumni, and friends of the College • Plus: families, games, movie night, swimming and are more! welcome to all events! Register at www.smcm.edu/alumni or (240) 895-4280 Enrollment is limited.

Applications accepted on a rolling basis.

go.smcm.edu/cwc

Non-profit Org. U.S. Postage PAID Permit #10001 Leonardtown, MD

ST. MARY’S COLLEGE of Maryland

SPRING 2018

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id you graduate in a year ending in ‘3’ or ‘8’? If so, it’s your milestone anniversary! After you’ve done the math to determine just how long it’s really been since graduation, circle June 7-10, 2018 on your calendar and start rounding up your friends for your return to the river.

Jay Fleming ’09 Has Something to Say [ PA G E 8 ]

The event schedule, housing information, and everything you need to plan your weekend can be found on the Alumni Weekend website. Register by May 20. www.smcm.edu/events/alumni-weekend

PHOTO BY JAY FLEMING

7TH ANNUAL

CHESAPEAKE

WRITERS’ CONFERENCE

June 24-30, 2018 | go.smcm.edu/cwc

Explore Your Story. Be Part of Ours.

WORKING THE WATER WITH HIS CAMERA