{"id":1180,"date":"2025-09-24T17:34:39","date_gmt":"2025-09-24T17:34:39","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.smcm.edu\/about\/?page_id=1180"},"modified":"2026-04-21T21:09:22","modified_gmt":"2026-04-21T21:09:22","slug":"about","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.smcm.edu\/about\/","title":{"rendered":"About"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"pl-1180\"  class=\"panel-layout\" ><div id=\"pg-1180-0\"  class=\"panel-grid panel-no-style\" ><div id=\"pgc-1180-0-0\"  class=\"panel-grid-cell\" ><div id=\"panel-1180-0-0-0\" class=\"so-panel widget widget_sow-editor panel-first-child panel-last-child\" data-index=\"0\" ><div class=\"smcm-intro-section panel-widget-style panel-widget-style-for-1180-0-0-0\" ><div\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tclass=\"so-widget-sow-editor so-widget-sow-editor-base\"\n\t\t\t\n\t\t>\n<div class=\"siteorigin-widget-tinymce textwidget\">\n\t<h2>Who we are<\/h2>\n<p>St. Mary\u2019s College of Maryland (SMCM), the National Public Honors College, is a diverse and engaged community of scholars providing an accessible, transformative and experiential liberal arts and sciences education, setting the unrivaled standard in excellence, integrity and social responsibility.<\/p>\n<p>SMCM enrolls some 1,600 students on a 361-acre residential campus. Students choose from more than <a href=\"https:\/\/www.smcm.edu\/academics\/majors-minors-concentrations\/\">60 undergraduate programs<\/a> and participate in over 70 club activities. A member of NCAA Division III, the Mid-Atlantic Rowing Conference and the Intercollegiate Sailing Association, SMCM fields <a href=\"https:\/\/smcmathletics.com\/\">23 varsity men\u2019s and women\u2019s athletic teams.<\/a> The College has won the United East Conference's Presidents' Trophy for highest athletic performance for three years in a row, and has produced 17 national sailing championships and more than 150 sailing All-Americans.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><div id=\"pgc-1180-0-1\"  class=\"panel-grid-cell\" ><div id=\"panel-1180-0-1-0\" class=\"widget_text so-panel widget widget_custom_html panel-first-child panel-last-child\" data-index=\"1\" ><div class=\"textwidget custom-html-widget\"><div class=\"vstack\">\n\t<iframe loading=\"lazy\" width=\"560\" height=\"315\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/mifx-E2KIV8?si=yxrVTKUSxLtBsDhD\" title=\"YouTube video player\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><div id=\"pg-1180-1\"  class=\"panel-grid panel-no-style\" ><div id=\"pgc-1180-1-0\"  class=\"panel-grid-cell\" ><div id=\"panel-1180-1-0-0\" class=\"so-panel widget widget_smcm-gold-buttons panel-first-child panel-last-child\" data-index=\"2\" ><div\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tclass=\"so-widget-smcm-gold-buttons so-widget-smcm-gold-buttons-default-d75171398898-1180\"\n\t\t\t\n\t\t><nav class=\"smcm-gold-buttons\"><ul><li><div class=\"smcm-gb-item\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.smcm.edu\/about\/key-facts\/\"><div class=\"smcm-gb-label-wrapper\"><i class=\"fa-solid fa-star\"><\/i>Key Facts<\/div><div class=\"smcm-gb-icon-wrapper\"><i class=\"fa-solid fa-angles-right smcm-gb-linktype\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><\/i><\/div><\/a><\/div><div class=\"smcm-gb-item\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.smcm.edu\/about\/college-rankings\/\"><div class=\"smcm-gb-label-wrapper\"><i class=\"fa-solid fa-ranking-star\"><\/i>College Rankings<\/div><div class=\"smcm-gb-icon-wrapper\"><i class=\"fa-solid fa-angles-right smcm-gb-linktype\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><\/i><\/div><\/a><\/div><div class=\"smcm-gb-item\"><a href=\"#location\"><div class=\"smcm-gb-label-wrapper\"><i class=\"fa-solid fa-location-arrow\"><\/i>Our Location<\/div><div class=\"smcm-gb-icon-wrapper\"><i class=\"fa-solid fa-angles-down smcm-gb-linktype\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><\/i><\/div><\/a><\/div><\/li><li><div class=\"smcm-gb-item\"><a href=\"#history\"><div class=\"smcm-gb-label-wrapper\"><i class=\"fa-solid fa-clock\"><\/i>Our History<\/div><div class=\"smcm-gb-icon-wrapper\"><i class=\"fa-solid fa-angles-down smcm-gb-linktype\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><\/i><\/div><\/a><\/div><div class=\"smcm-gb-item\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.smcm.edu\/about\/mission\/\"><div class=\"smcm-gb-label-wrapper\"><i class=\"fa-solid fa-rectangles-mixed\"><\/i>Mission &amp; Values<\/div><div class=\"smcm-gb-icon-wrapper\"><i class=\"fa-solid fa-angles-right smcm-gb-linktype\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><\/i><\/div><\/a><\/div><div class=\"smcm-gb-item\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.smcm.edu\/president\/\"><div class=\"smcm-gb-label-wrapper\"><i class=\"fa-solid fa-podium\"><\/i>Meet our President<\/div><div class=\"smcm-gb-icon-wrapper\"><i class=\"fa-solid fa-angles-right smcm-gb-linktype\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><\/i><\/div><\/a><\/div><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><div id=\"pg-1180-2\"  class=\"panel-grid panel-has-style\" ><div id=\"location\" class=\"panel-row-style panel-row-style-for-1180-2\" ><div id=\"pgc-1180-2-0\"  class=\"panel-grid-cell\" ><div id=\"panel-1180-2-0-0\" class=\"so-panel widget widget_sow-image panel-first-child panel-last-child\" data-index=\"3\" ><div\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tclass=\"so-widget-sow-image so-widget-sow-image-default-c67d20f9f743-1180\"\n\t\t\t\n\t\t>\n<div class=\"sow-image-container\">\n\t\t<img \n\tsrc=\"https:\/\/www.smcm.edu\/app\/uploads\/sites\/34\/2025\/09\/54410227728_975f00e825_c-e1770663184839.jpg\" width=\"485\" height=\"450\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.smcm.edu\/app\/uploads\/sites\/34\/2025\/09\/54410227728_975f00e825_c-e1770663184839.jpg 485w, https:\/\/www.smcm.edu\/app\/uploads\/sites\/34\/2025\/09\/54410227728_975f00e825_c-e1770663184839-300x278.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 485px) 100vw, 485px\" title=\"54410227728_975f00e825_c\" alt=\"Brick arch with a bell stands in a shaded park area near a paved walkway, trees, benches, and a lamppost, with a river and sunlight in the background.\" \t\tclass=\"so-widget-image\"\/>\n\t<\/div>\n\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><div id=\"pgc-1180-2-1\"  class=\"panel-grid-cell\" ><div id=\"panel-1180-2-1-0\" class=\"so-panel widget widget_smcm-title panel-first-child\" data-index=\"4\" ><div\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tclass=\"so-widget-smcm-title so-widget-smcm-title-base\"\n\t\t\t\n\t\t><h2 class=\"smcm-section-title navy\" style=\"\"><strong>Location<\/strong><\/h2><\/div><\/div><div id=\"panel-1180-2-1-1\" class=\"so-panel widget widget_sow-editor\" data-index=\"5\" ><div\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tclass=\"so-widget-sow-editor so-widget-sow-editor-base\"\n\t\t\t\n\t\t>\n<div class=\"siteorigin-widget-tinymce textwidget\">\n\t<p>Founded in 1840 as a monument to the establishment of the state of Maryland, the College is located on the banks of the St. Mary\u2019s River at the site of Maryland\u2019s first capital at <a href=\"https:\/\/www.smcm.edu\/about\/our-partnership-with-historic-st-marys-city\/\">Historic St. Mary\u2019s City<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>Our ethos \u2013 the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.smcm.edu\/stmarysway\/\">St. Mary\u2019s Way<\/a> \u2013 is inherently linked to the spirit of tolerance and sense of place that is St. Mary\u2019s City. Our community believes in sustaining our natural environment that feeds the Chesapeake Bay; cultivates a culture of tolerance and respect for others; and fosters a spirit of lifelong learning, caring and service.<\/p>\n<p>Located just minutes from Naval Air Station Patuxent River, St. Mary\u2019s College of Maryland connects students to one of the region\u2019s most important employers through partnerships with Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division and The Patuxent Partnership. Students gain access to internships, research opportunities, and career pathways in STEM, business, and national defense.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><div id=\"panel-1180-2-1-2\" class=\"so-panel widget widget_smcm-button\" data-index=\"6\" ><div\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tclass=\"so-widget-smcm-button so-widget-smcm-button-base\"\n\t\t\t\n\t\t><div class=\"smcm-cta-container\"><a class=\"smcm-cta-button navy\" style=\"max-width: 100%; width: 100%;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.smcm.edu\/about\/connecting-to-local-career-paths\/\">Learn More about our Navy Partnership<\/a><\/div><\/div><\/div><div id=\"panel-1180-2-1-3\" class=\"so-panel widget widget_smcm-button\" data-index=\"7\" ><div\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tclass=\"so-widget-smcm-button so-widget-smcm-button-base\"\n\t\t\t\n\t\t><div class=\"smcm-cta-container\"><a class=\"smcm-cta-button navy\" style=\"max-width: 100%; width: 100%;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.smcm.edu\/about\/location\/\">Learn More About Our Location<\/a><\/div><\/div><\/div><div id=\"panel-1180-2-1-4\" class=\"so-panel widget widget_smcm-button panel-last-child\" data-index=\"8\" ><div\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tclass=\"so-widget-smcm-button so-widget-smcm-button-base\"\n\t\t\t\n\t\t><div class=\"smcm-cta-container\"><a class=\"smcm-cta-button navy\" style=\"max-width: 100%; width: 100%;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.smcm.edu\/about\/location\/seven-wonders\/\">Seven Wonders of SMCM<\/a><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><div id=\"pg-1180-3\"  class=\"panel-grid panel-has-style\" ><div id=\"history\" class=\"panel-row-style panel-row-style-for-1180-3\" ><div id=\"pgc-1180-3-0\"  class=\"panel-grid-cell\" ><div id=\"panel-1180-3-0-0\" class=\"so-panel widget widget_smcm-title panel-first-child\" data-index=\"9\" ><div\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tclass=\"so-widget-smcm-title so-widget-smcm-title-base\"\n\t\t\t\n\t\t><h2 class=\"smcm-section-title navy\" style=\"\"><strong>History<\/strong> of The College<\/h2><\/div><\/div><div id=\"panel-1180-3-0-1\" class=\"so-panel widget widget_sow-editor\" data-index=\"10\" ><div\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tclass=\"so-widget-sow-editor so-widget-sow-editor-base\"\n\t\t\t\n\t\t>\n<div class=\"siteorigin-widget-tinymce textwidget\">\n\t<p>St. Mary\u2019s College of Maryland rests on land deeply rooted in Maryland\u2019s early colonial and Indigenous history. The campus lies along a bend of the St. Mary\u2019s River\u2014territory once home to the Yaocomaco people\u2014and near where English colonists arrived with the Ark and Dove in 1634 and established St. Mary\u2019s City, the original colonial capital of Maryland.<\/p>\n<p>Over the centuries, the institution evolved from a seminary and female academy into a public honors college. In 1927, it became Maryland\u2019s first junior college; by the mid-20th century it transitioned into a fully coeducational four-year institution, and in 1992 the General Assembly designated it as Maryland's public honors college \u2014\u00a0the first standalone public honors college in the US.<\/p>\n<p>You can learn more about its full history, land acknowledgment, and remembrance efforts below:<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><div id=\"panel-1180-3-0-2\" class=\"so-panel widget widget_smcm-button\" data-index=\"11\" ><div\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tclass=\"so-widget-smcm-button so-widget-smcm-button-base\"\n\t\t\t\n\t\t><div class=\"smcm-cta-container\"><a class=\"smcm-cta-button navy\" style=\"max-width: 100%; width: 100%;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.smcm.edu\/about\/history-of-the-college\/\">History of the College<\/a><\/div><\/div><\/div><div id=\"panel-1180-3-0-3\" class=\"so-panel widget widget_smcm-button\" data-index=\"12\" ><div\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tclass=\"so-widget-smcm-button so-widget-smcm-button-base\"\n\t\t\t\n\t\t><div class=\"smcm-cta-container\"><a class=\"smcm-cta-button navy\" style=\"max-width: 100%; width: 100%;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.smcm.edu\/about\/location\/remembering-our-past\/\">Remembering our past<\/a><\/div><\/div><\/div><div id=\"panel-1180-3-0-4\" class=\"so-panel widget widget_smcm-button\" data-index=\"13\" ><div\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tclass=\"so-widget-smcm-button so-widget-smcm-button-base\"\n\t\t\t\n\t\t><div class=\"smcm-cta-container\"><a class=\"smcm-cta-button navy\" style=\"max-width: 100%; width: 100%;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.smcm.edu\/about\/land-acknowledgment-and-pledge\/\">Land Acknowledgment and Pledge<\/a><\/div><\/div><\/div><div id=\"panel-1180-3-0-5\" class=\"so-panel widget widget_smcm-button panel-last-child\" data-index=\"14\" ><div\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tclass=\"so-widget-smcm-button so-widget-smcm-button-base\"\n\t\t\t\n\t\t><div class=\"smcm-cta-container\"><a class=\"smcm-cta-button navy\" style=\"max-width: 100%; width: 100%;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.smcm.edu\/about\/our-partnership-with-historic-st-marys-city\/\">Our Partnership with Historic St. Mary\u2019s City<\/a><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><div id=\"pgc-1180-3-1\"  class=\"panel-grid-cell\" ><div id=\"panel-1180-3-1-0\" class=\"so-panel widget widget_sow-image panel-first-child\" data-index=\"15\" ><div\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tclass=\"so-widget-sow-image so-widget-sow-image-default-8b5b6f678277-1180\"\n\t\t\t\n\t\t>\n<div class=\"sow-image-container\">\n\t\t<img \n\tsrc=\"https:\/\/www.smcm.edu\/app\/uploads\/sites\/34\/2025\/09\/54410359435_fb84aa3f4b_c.jpg\" width=\"800\" height=\"450\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.smcm.edu\/app\/uploads\/sites\/34\/2025\/09\/54410359435_fb84aa3f4b_c.jpg 800w, https:\/\/www.smcm.edu\/app\/uploads\/sites\/34\/2025\/09\/54410359435_fb84aa3f4b_c-300x169.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.smcm.edu\/app\/uploads\/sites\/34\/2025\/09\/54410359435_fb84aa3f4b_c-768x432.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" alt=\"\" \t\tclass=\"so-widget-image\"\/>\n\t<\/div>\n\n<\/div><\/div><div id=\"panel-1180-3-1-1\" class=\"so-panel widget widget_sow-image panel-last-child\" data-index=\"16\" ><div\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tclass=\"so-widget-sow-image so-widget-sow-image-default-8b5b6f678277-1180\"\n\t\t\t\n\t\t>\n<div class=\"sow-image-container\">\n\t\t<img \n\tsrc=\"https:\/\/www.smcm.edu\/app\/uploads\/sites\/34\/2025\/09\/54409981276_3d9610d5a6_c.jpg\" width=\"800\" height=\"450\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.smcm.edu\/app\/uploads\/sites\/34\/2025\/09\/54409981276_3d9610d5a6_c.jpg 800w, https:\/\/www.smcm.edu\/app\/uploads\/sites\/34\/2025\/09\/54409981276_3d9610d5a6_c-300x169.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.smcm.edu\/app\/uploads\/sites\/34\/2025\/09\/54409981276_3d9610d5a6_c-768x432.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" alt=\"A historic brick building with a red-tiled roof and symmetrical chimneys, labeled as the 1676 State House\" \t\tclass=\"so-widget-image\"\/>\n\t<\/div>\n\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Who we are St. Mary\u2019s College of Maryland (SMCM), the National Public Honors College, is a diverse and engaged community of scholars providing an accessible, transformative and experiential liberal arts and sciences education, setting the unrivaled standard in excellence, integrity and social responsibility. SMCM enrolls some 1,600 students on a 361-acre residential campus. Students choose [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":245,"featured_media":1198,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_genesis_hide_title":false,"_genesis_hide_breadcrumbs":false,"_genesis_hide_singular_image":false,"_genesis_hide_footer_widgets":false,"_genesis_custom_body_class":"","_genesis_custom_post_class":"","_genesis_layout":"full-width-content","footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-1180","page","type-page","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","entry"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.smcm.edu\/about\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/1180","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.smcm.edu\/about\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.smcm.edu\/about\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.smcm.edu\/about\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/245"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.smcm.edu\/about\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1180"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/www.smcm.edu\/about\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/1180\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1279,"href":"https:\/\/www.smcm.edu\/about\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/1180\/revisions\/1279"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.smcm.edu\/about\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1198"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.smcm.edu\/about\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1180"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}