2025 Annual Report
Caroline King Director of Community Outreach & Engagement
Kelsey Bush Community Affairs Liaison
OUR MISSION
“CONNECTING CAMPUS WITH COMMUNITY”
The St. Mary’s College of Maryland (SMCM) Office of Community Outreach and Engagement (OCOE) enriches campus and community life by advancing meaningful, mutually beneficial partnerships that support community-based learning and contribute to building a more equitable, thriving and resilient Southern Maryland.
OCOE fosters collaboration between SMCM students, faculty and staff and the community beyond our campus borders. We provide a space for the creation and exchange of knowledge and resources by:
Developing and maintaining partnerships with community organizations, institutions and businesses
Assessing community needs and opportunities for engagement
Providing information to community members about campus events, programs and resources
Connecting students with volunteer opportunities that align with their academic and personal interests and contribute to their sense of social responsibility
Working with faculty, staff and community partners to develop community-engaged curriculum and co-curricular learning experiences
Promoting civic engagement and the St. Mary’s Way through participation in democratic processes and public policymaking
Providing information and opportunities for students, faculty and staff to participate in community life
A Year in Review
WHERE WE ARE NOW
OCOE, located in Daugherty-Palmer Commons (DPC), opened its doors in August 2024. Staff have focused their efforts during the first year on 1) strategic planning, organization and structure within the office; 2) conducting outreach to the campus community and the greater Southern Maryland community to build awareness of the office and seek input/feedback on the office’s priorities and activities; and 3) beginning to institutionalize community engagement by developing key partnerships and programming.
STRUCTURE
Established Community Engagement Council composed of faculty, students, and community members
Established OCOE Student Council
Hired and mentored Community Engagement Interns
Developed informational materials
Created tracking systems for partnerships, projects, volunteer opportunities/impact and events
OUTREACH
Presented to 13 internal groups
Performed direct outreach to 75 external organizations
Developed content for two websites, three social media platforms and email newsletter
Tabled at seven community events
Developed Community Engagement Survey
Held monthly “Coffee with Community Engagement” events
Attended community meetings, ceremonies and receptions
PROGRAMMING
Hosted Volunteerism Day event welcoming 30 nonprofits to campus
Planned student trip to Leonardtown aboard the River Runner
Co-sponsored two panel discussions on civil rights issues
Hosted Career Week event on “Making
Connections through Community Service”
Collaborated on MLK Day of Service and Bay to Bay Service Day/Volunteer Week
Co-hosted Community Health Conversation
Established Civic Engagement Team to promote voter registration/voting, host events and plan trip to Annapolis
Worked with faculty to develop two new community-based learning courses
Established annual Community Engagement Awards for students, faculty/staff and community partners
OUR PARTNERS
Thank you to the many SMCM departments and community organizations that partnered with us this past year
And thank you to the dedicated members of our Community Engagement Council:
Marcia Greenberg, chair
Barry Muchnick, PhD, co-chair
Mahree Annan
Michael Bellis
Cynthia Brown
Nell Elder
Kellie Hinkle
Rev. Charity Humm
Hafiz Jaffer
Kathy Koch, PhD
Gretchen Phillips
Brandon Russell
Jen Stotler
Bill Roberts, PhD
Joanna Bartow, PhD
Grant funds awarded from MD Higher Education Commission for a Hunger-Free Campus $17,404
Community service hours recorded by students, faculty, and staff: #SeahawksServe 3,193
Participants in OCOE-sponsored programs 482
29
Partnerships with community organizations
5
Panelists at OCOE-sponsored programs 19 Honorees at inaugural Community Engagement Awards
Throughout the year, OCOE coordinated SMCM participation in Southern Maryland events and activities, and invited community members onto campus to enjoy the College’s many resources.
The Year Ahead
WHERE WE ARE GOING
In the coming year, OCOE will expand its outreach and continue building and enhancing community partnerships. The office will work with its Community Engagement Council to assess current community engagement efforts at the College; develop an action plan for the future; and begin the process to apply for Carnegie Classification as a Community Engaged College.
OCOE will continue to encourage and support community service, and will work to institutionalize three distinct periods of service: 1) projects during new student orientation in the fall; 2) the MLK Day of Service in January; and 3) Volunteer Week as part of Bay to Bay Service Days in April.
The office will also offer professional development for faculty and staff on community engagement practices, and promote community-based curricular and cocurricular activities.
Programming will include more intergenerational initiatives, including campus participation in the One Maryland One Book program in the fall and a series of Campus Community Conversations throughout the year.
Finally, OCOE will continue working with the Civic Engagement Team to promote voter registration, voting and involvement in our democracy.
If you’d like to provide input or feedback to our office about our community engagement efforts, please reach out. Community members may also take our community engagement survey here. Students, faculty/staff and alumni may take the survey found here.
We truly appreciate your support and look forward to another year of community and connection!
