Pat Cammarata

Dear Prospective St. Mary’s Parent,

    Welcome to St. Mary’s! It seems like just yesterday I was on pins and needles waiting for our son’s acceptance letters and hoping that he makes a wise decision.

    I fell in love with St. Mary’s before Chris did. I was so impressed by the Open House, especially the student panel. The beautiful surroundings and facilities made my husband and I wish that we were eighteen again! So I was secretly hoping that Chris would choose St. Mary’s but I knew that I could not let him know my wishes because I wanted it to be totally his decision. Chris went to Loyola High School in Towson, Maryland where he excelled in the small single-sex school environment. He was part of a close-knit swim team there and was planning to swim in college. Chris was accepted to all eight schools in which he applied and was offered scholarships from most of them. What, ultimately, swayed Chris to St. Mary’s was the wonderful experience he had on recruiting weekend with the swim team.

    Chris was not necessarily the most outgoing kid and he was prepared to take several months to a year to get adjusted to his new environment. However, in only a week he was referring to his new acquaintances as “friends” and was regretting his decision to come home on Labor Day weekend to work. St. Mary’s has truly been a second family for him. Not only did he swim for his four years there but for the past two years he was co-captain of the team.

    Chris has also been greatly stimulated academically. He majored in biochemistry and, since I also have a science background, he frequently shared with me the interesting material he was learning. He had excellent professors and advisors. He is hoping to continue his studies in graduate school studying pharmaceutical research.

    I am pleased that the students at St. Mary’s seem to appreciate the beautiful surroundings in which they live Students take advantage of the waterfront amenities like the sailboats and kayaks. One day this fall, I was talking with him on the phone and he had to hurry up to get to the waterfront to watch the sunset!

    I would be remiss if I did not mention that we are doubly blessed to have Chris’ sister, Erin, follow in her brother’s footsteps. Erin is currently enjoying her sophomore year at St. Mary’s! If I could offer one piece of advice for you during this time in your son’s or daughter’s decision making process, it would be to not let them know how much you love a particular school. If they make the decision based on what they think their parents want, and it turns out not to be a good fit for them, they might resent our involvement in the decision making process. Erin wanted to go to a larger school, initially, but the Open House impressed her even though she was already familiar with the school. She has greatly enjoyed being on the swim team with her brother and, trust me, it is the only time they see each other. I am extremely proud of her for making an independent decision to attend St. Mary’s.

    If you have any specific questions, I would be happy to talk with you. The best way to get in touch with me is by email at PatCamm@comcast.net., and then we can arrange a good time to chat. Best wishes to you and your student!

Sincerely,
Pat Cammarata

<-- Back to More Parent Letters