Academic Symposium
Forty years ago Maryland embarked on a radical experiment—a public liberal arts college—that speaks to core American ideals. The accession of a new president provides the College an opportunity to recommit to that compact as it looks ahead to the next forty years.
3:00 pm Sustainability - Living Responsibly
How can the college community live gently and responsibly on the landscape and extend the ethos of responsibility to other parts of our lives—fiscal and social? Where have we been, where are we going, and how will the College be different in 2050 as a consequence?
Moderator: Ms. Chelsea Howard-Foley, '11
Panelists:
Dr. Kate Chandler
Associate Professor of English
St. Mary's College of Maryland
Kate
Chandler is an associate professor of English and coordinator of the
Environmental Studies Program. She is actively involved in many campus
environmental efforts. Her scholarship includes work on teaching
outdoors and contemporary environmental writers Linda Hogan, Barbara
Kingsolver, and Terry Tempest Williams. She is also an international
expert on naturalist and children’s book author Beatrix Potter.
Dr. Kevin A. Fletcher
Executive Director
Audubon International
Kevin A. Fletcher serves as executive director for Audubon
International, a not-for-profit 501(c)(3) environmental organization
focusing on environmental education, sustainable development,
sustainable resource management, and sustainable community engagement.
He recently served as an instructor in environmental science for
Skidmore College in Saratoga, New York, and an adjunct professor for the
Siena College Environmental Studies Program in Albany, New York.
Dr. Thomas Botzman
Vice President of Business and Finance
St. Mary's College of Maryland
Thomas J. Botzman was named vice president for business and finance at St. Mary's College of Maryland in August 2004. His areas of responsibility include business operations, facilities and maintenance, human resources, information technology, legal issues, and state government relations. He holds a Ph.D. in business administration and Master of Arts in economics from Kent State University. He also holds a Bachelor of Science of engineering in macromolecular science from Case Western Reserve University. Prior to joining St. Mary's College, he was associate dean of the college and professor of economics and business administration at Mount Union College.
4:30 pm Access and Inclusion - Threats and Possibilities
At the core of St. Mary’s College’s mission is the commitment to providing Maryland citizens a liberal arts education that historically has been available only to the privileged. What efforts will insure the College’s ability to recruit and retain students, faculty, and staff that represent the citizenry, especially in the face of economic pressures that could cause a shift in accessibility?
Moderator: Ms. Brittany Davis, '12
Panelists:
Dr. Wesley Jordan
Dean of Admissions
St. Mary's College of Maryland
Wesley P. Jordan is dean of admissions and financial aid at St. Mary’s College of Maryland. He received his Ph.D. in psychology (the neurosciences) from Dartmouth College and did post-doctoral research at the University of Oregon before joining the St. Mary’s faculty in 1982. Wes particularly enjoys working with undergraduate students in the lab studying the neural mechanisms of memory. Appointed dean in 2000, he has worked closely with partners in the college access community to encourage students from under-represented groups, such as first-generation students and those with limited financial means, to aspire to a college education.
Dr.
Lois Stover
Professor and Chair, Educational Studies, and Director of Teacher Education
St. Mary's College of Maryland
Lois T. Stover teaches courses in educational psychology, methods of teaching at the middle and secondary school level, instructional design and children’s and young adult literature. She is on the Board of Examiners for the National Council for the Accreditation of Teacher Education, and is active in the National Council of Teachers of English. Her scholarship centers on the use of multicultural literature reflective of the diversity of the U.S. and the world in the literature program and across the K-12 curriculum.
Mr. Leon Henry, '88
Director of Outreach
Big Brothers Big Sisters - Central Maryland
Leon Henry is a graduate of Baltimore City College and St. Mary's College of Maryland. He currently serves as director of outreach for Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Maryland. In addition, he is the former executive director of the Maryland Regional Practitioners Network for Fathers and Families (MRPNFF) and former director of the Maryland Children's Action Network (MD CAN). Mr. Henry brings over 20 years direct service and management experience in issue affecting urban residents and low-income families.
8:00 pm Liberal Arts - A Public Trust
The world has changed markedly since St. Mary’s opened its doors as a four-year liberal arts college 40 years ago. How has the value of a liberal arts education changed during that time? How are St. Mary’s alumni using their education in the world, and how will the liberal arts address the challenges that we can expect from the next 40 years?
Keynote Speaker:
Dr. Eduardo Ochoa
Assistant Secretary for Postsecondary Education
United States Department of Education
President Barack Obama named Eduardo M. Ochoa assistant secretary for postsecondary education on Feb. 23, 2010. He was confirmed by the U.S. Senate on June 22, 2010, and, in his post, he serves as the secretary's chief advisor on higher-education issues and administers more than 60 programs, totaling nearly $3 billion annually, that are designed to provide financial assistance to eligible students enrolled in postsecondary institutions. ED's Office of Postsecondary Education (OPE) supports higher education facilities and programs through financial support to eligible institutions, recruits and prepares disadvantaged students for successful completion of college, promotes the study of foreign languages and international affairs, and supports international educational research and exchange activities. Notable among its programs are the eight TRIO programs, institutional development programs for minority institutions, teacher development programs, and the Fund for the Improvement of Postsecondary Education. OPE runs the well-known Byrd, Fulbright, Javits and McNair programs and certifies all regional and national accreditation agencies, so they, in turn, may qualify institutions to receive federal financial aid and Pell grants.
