The St. Mary's County Health Department Scholarship Makes It Possible for Student Athlete John Greely to Pursue His Studies in Health Education

“I decided on St. Mary’s because of the academic stature, the beautiful campus, and the soccer program,” said John Greely, a biology major from Leonardtown, Md. “Also I have known the men’s soccer head coach, Herb Gainey, for a number of years and he showed how great St. Mary’s really is.”

Students come to St. Mary’s mainly for academic reasons, yet one in seven competes on a varsity athletic team and many more participate in club, intramural, or recreational opportunities.

The primary mission of this liberal arts institution is to develop each student into a total person through a broad variety of experience. And part of this variety involves participation in sports. The hope is that these scholar-athletes will learn many lessons from their playing days which will teach them to balance many responsibilities, set high standards on and off the court, and motivate the people around them to do the same.

St. Mary’s is a member of the NCAA (National Collegiate Athletic Association) Division III where emphasis is placed on encouraging participation by the most number of students in a wide variety of athletic opportunities.

“Being involved as a student athlete at St. Mary’s prepared me well to be a team player in the business world, so I donated to the Athletics & Recreation Endowment. The great thing about the giving program at St. Mary’s is that there are many initiatives that resonate with people on all different levels. There are many programs from which to choose – scholarships, undergraduate research, international study – something that can speak to each individual donor.”

Peg Duchesne ’77
Alumni Council President

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Athletics & Recreation Endowment

Candy bars. Car washes. Magazine subscriptions. Seat cushions. Thought fundraisers like these were just for elementary schools and high school bands? Think again. These are just a few of the items that St. Mary's College of Maryland sports teams have sold over the years to raise money for travel, tournament fees, and equipment.

In order to lessen the fundraising burden on the teams, St. Mary's seeks to build an athletics and recreation endowment of $1.5 million to directly benefit the competitive athletic teams, intramural and club sports teams, and recreational programs. Just like other departments at the College, the athletics department must adhere to a tight budget to support current needs while meeting the rising costs of travel, officiating, uniforms, and meals. (Can you imagine how much these guys must eat?) Over $250,000 has been raised so far.

The ARC - the new Athletics & Recreation Center - was financed primarily by a generous grant from the state of Maryland. The facility features a 50-meter pool, 1,200-seat arena, suspended floor movement room, 23-foot-high rock climbing wall, all new fitness and weight equipment, and wireless Internet lounges.

The new pool(s) in the ARC

At St. Mary's, one in six students competes on a varsity athletic team and many more participate in club, intramural, or recreational opportunities. So instead of buying a candy bar, support the Athletics and Recreation Endowment.

Visit the Athletics Website at: http://athletics.smcm.edu

There are many different ways to give.

The St. Mary's County Health Department Scholarship Makes It Possible for Student Athlete John Greely to Pursue His Studies in Health Education

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Athletics & Recreation Endowment

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SMCM