Mission & Values

Founded on the site of Maryland’s first capital, the College stands as a living legacy to the ideals of freedom and inclusiveness. Our beautiful residential campus on the banks of the St. Mary’s River inspires our work, our play, and our commitment to the environment.

Mission

St. Mary’s College of Maryland is Maryland’s honors college, a selective, public liberal arts college-a vibrant community of scholars and learners. We foster a rigorous and innovative curriculum; experiential learning; scholarship and creativity; close mentoring relationships; and a community dedicated to honesty, civility, and integrity. We are committed to diversity, access, and affordability. Our students, faculty and staff serve local, national, and global communities and cultivate and promote social responsibility.

Vision

St. Mary’s College of Maryland will increasingly serve as the liberal arts college of choice for intellectually ambitious students, faculty, and staff from diverse backgrounds, attracted by a rigorous, innovative, and distinctive curriculum that integrates theory and practice; a talented, professionally engaged, and student­ centered faculty and staff; and a strong infrastructure. Students will be part of a collaborative learning community that embraces intellectual curiosity and innovation, the power of diversity, and the College’s unique environment. Our graduates will thrive as responsible and thoughtful global citizens and leaders.

Core Values

• Advancement of the College mission and vision
• Intellectual, creative, and scholarly exploration
• Innovation in academic and administrative enterprises
• Clear and effective communication
• Integration of theory and practice
• The power of a diverse community
• Local, national, and global engagement
• Access and affordability
• Environmental stewardship
• Student-centered ethos
• Social responsibility and civic-mindedness
• Civility and respect for self, others, and the environment

Goals (Pillars of The Rising Tide)

1. Create an innovative, distinctive and competitive academic identity that attracts and retains talented students, faculty and staff.
2. Empower all students for success.
3. Build a sustainable, vibrant and diverse student body that exemplifies an inclusive institution.
4. Become a sought-after regional resource and develop opportunities for student educational engagement with communities that are mutually beneficial.