Mary Campanella

St. Mary’s College of Maryland ….A Parent’s View

When my daughter was applying for college I heard that St. Mary’s was rumored to be a “second home” for its students. That rumor was validated for my daughter, who is now entering her junior year. The campus, although big in area, has a tight-knit community. My daughter has found that St. Mary’s fosters student involvement, provides valuable student–teacher interaction, and offers lively classes promoted by an engaged student body.

Over the past 3 years, my daughter joined the dance club, the choir, the student investment group, and Judicial Board all while studying to be an Economics and Public Policy double major and Spanish minor.Over-achiever you may say, but I have to believe that it was the St. Mary’s culture that encouraged Camille to get involved at this level.

Camille frequently speaks highly of her professors, some of which I have personally met and all that know her by name. This school nurtures academic excellence and the small student/teacher ratio allows professors to get to know their students… well enough that they can make recommendations beyond just looking at scores. A graduate of St. Mary’s will definitely be well-educated and supported beyond college.

Camille chose to study abroad in Buenos Aires, Argentina (through a St. Mary’s Signature Program) the spring of her sophomore year. This experience was truly exceptional. Not only did she take classes under the St. Mary’s curriculum, but she had the opportunity to be completely immersed in the Argentine culture. At the end of her stay, my husband and I were fortunate enough to visit Camille in Buenos Aires. We were truly impressed with the program’s teaching style and with the level of interaction the students had with the St. Mary’s staff as well as with the Argentine people… Buenos Aires, like St. Mary’s, again became a second home to my daughter.

One of my favorite St. Mary’s events is family weekend. My husband and I love to come down to the college, spend time with our daughter, and especially watch the annual “cardboard boat races”, an event where students and college community members create boats made of cardboard and race them on the river. I find that this tradition is very representative of St. Mary’s—the community gathers to support student cooperation and creativity—and it doesn’t happen at every college.

I love the fact that students at St. Mary’s can hang out at the dock on a Friday night. As a mother, I feel comfortable knowing that my daughter and her friends can have a great time together without searching for the biggest and wildest party in town. The culture of St. Mary’s is truly commendable and can not be replicated anywhere else.

If you have any questions or concerns about the college process or St. Mary’s, please feel free to email me at mcampane@wlgore.com. I wish you and your family the best of luck in your college search and hope that your child finds his or her “second home”.

Sincerely,
Mary Campanella

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