President Jordan Discusses Long-Haul Implications of COVID-19 on Education During Leadership Southern Maryland’s Executive Program Michael Bruckler December 09, 2021 - 2:02 pm December 09, 2021 On December 2, St. Mary’s College of Maryland President Tuajuanda C. Jordan participated in the Leadership Southern Maryland (LSM) Class of 2022’s fourth of nine educational sessions for the LSM Executive Program held at St. Charles High School in Waldorf, Maryland. President Jordan participated in a panel discussion on the long-haul implications of COVID-19 on education. Participants also included the superintendents from Calvert, Charles, and St. Mary’s counties, as well as the president of College of Southern Maryland and the executive director of University System of Maryland at Southern Maryland. The discussion included critical topics such as school funding, teacher retention, and how community members can better support education.  LSM is an independent, educational leadership development organization designed to broaden the knowledge base of current and emerging leaders about the critical issues, challenges, and opportunities facing the region. Its flagship Executive Program is a nine-month, tuition-based program that educates and inspires a diverse group of mid- to upper-level executive leaders creating opportunities for collaborations and partnerships impacting the community needs of Calvert, Charles, and St. Mary’s counties ensuring a cross-section of the region including diversity of geographic location, profession, ethnicity, and gender.   

President Tuajuanda C. Jordan Published in Social Innovations Journal Michael Bruckler December 03, 2021 - 2:02 pm December 03, 2021 President Tuajuanda C. Jordan has published an article titled, “Can We Be Better Allies and Advocates? A Roadmap for Institutions to Challenge Systemic Racism” in the most recent issue of the Social Innovations Journal (SIJ). President Jordan’s article explores the difference between ally-ship and advocacy, defines systemic racism through the lens of institutions of higher education, and offers a roadmap for social impact sector organizations of all kinds to address the challenges for people of color, women and students. According to the website, SIJ is dedicated to social innovators and entrepreneurs who work at the cross section between the private sector, government, and not-for-profits and aligns them toward collective social impact goals and public policy. SIJ chronicles social innovations and enterprises addressing the world’s most challenging issues surrounding social policy, leadership, human capital, and systems. In collaboration with government, philanthropy, not-for-profits and universities, the Journal bridges formal research and real-life experience. SIJ has published more than 1,000 articles written by practitioners over the past 10 years. President Jordan’s article can be accessed online.

President Jordan Featured on Black News Channel’s “AMplified with Aisha Mills” Nov. 30, 7 p.m. Michael Bruckler November 29, 2021 - 10:22 am November 29, 2021 St. Mary’s College of Maryland President Tuajuanda C. Jordan is a featured guest on “AMplified with Aisha Mills,” discussing the Commemorative to Enslaved Peoples of Southern Maryland during the episode which looks back at the last year of controversies and discussions of Confederate monuments and memorials, and how the country can reckon with the history of slavery and the Confederacy. The episode featuring President Jordan will air on Tuesday, November 30 from 7 – 8 p.m. on Black News Channel, which is available to view on most major cable and satellite providers: https://bnc.tv/how-to-watch/ Hosted by political strategist and social impact advocate Aisha Mills, “AMplified” shines a spotlight on the personal side of politics and the policies impacting Black and Brown America.

The Sacred Journey: Re-Making Our World Anew Observes the One-Year Anniversary of the Dedication of the Commemorative to Enslaved Peoples of Southern Maryland Michael Bruckler November 15, 2021 - 4:53 pm November 15, 2021 On Saturday, November 13, St. Mary’s College of Maryland presented The Sacred Journey: Re-Making Our World Anew in observation of the first anniversary of the dedication of the Commemorative to Enslaved Peoples of Southern Maryland.   The two-part program began at 1:30 p.m. in Auerbach Auditorium of St. Mary’s Hall with a Panel of Remembrance and Reverence that focused on the experiences of the enslaved and their descendants. The panel began with a welcome from Regina Faden, executive director, Historic St. Mary’s City. The keynote address was by Maya Davis, historian, archivist, activist and director of Riversdale House Museum in Prince George County, Maryland.   “I’ve been fortunate for 20 years to dedicate my life’s work to researching, documenting, and interpreting human bondage in the 18th and 19th Century and bringing to light the individual stories of people whose soul and humanity are buried deep in the bottomless chasms of the Chesapeake Region,” said Davis. Other panelists included Julia King, professor of anthropology at St. Mary’s College; Travis Parno, director of research and collections, Historic St. Mary’s City; and Gwen Bankins and Angela Wilson from the Sotterley Descendant Community. The Panel of Remembrance and Reverence was made possible in part by a major grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities: Democracy demands wisdom. Following the panel, Father John Ball of Trinity Episcopal Church offered a blessing in the Trinity churchyard. St. Mary’s College President Tuajuanda C. Jordan then led the Procession of Dignity, traversing the campus to the Commemorative to Enslaved Peoples of Southern Maryland, where she spoke briefly. “Around this time last year, virtually we dedicated this sacred structure before us—the Commemorative to Enslaved Peoples of Southern Maryland.  Today we honor its spirit in person –an immersive tribute to the resilience, persistence and creative problem solving that defined the lives of the people who were enslaved throughout Southern Maryland,” said President Jordan.   Following President Jordan, William “BJ” Hall, president of St. Mary’s County NAACP, also gave remarks, followed by a performance by the St. Mary’s College of Maryland Chamber Singers and members of the Southern Maryland Community Gospel Choir directed by Larry Vote, professor of music, and accompanied by Sherri Fenwick and alumna Rie Moore ’19. The procession then continued to the water’s edge that was so crucial in the lives of the enslaved. Along the way, the procession honored those who resisted at the first documented site of such resistance. At the River Center beach along the St. Mary’s River, the lives of those enslaved were honored with a reading of their names, candle lighting, celebration, libation, remembrance and reflection. The Reception of Reflection followed the Waterfront Ceremony where participants in the walk reflected on the Sacred Journey. Walking the Procession of Dignity was an opportunity to walk the roads that the enslaved walked, to contemplate the lives that they lived, and to give value to the idea of the unbroken chain that links the present and the past. The procession served to proclaim the unity of our community, our commitment to treating one another with dignity, and our shared responsibility to preserving the history of the enslaved persons who had inhabited our ground. It was a public sacrament to restore and reaffirm the dignity and humanity of the enslaved. The event was overseen by the Sacred Journey Steering Committee consisting of (Chair) Garrey Dennie, associate professor of history; Kelsey Bush, chief diversity officer; Julia King, professor of anthropology; Ellen Kohl, assistant professor of environmental studies; and Erin Peters, director of Boyden Gallery and Collection and lecturer for museum studies.   For more information, visit www.smcm.edu/sacredjourney.   

President Jordan Delivers Keynote at Benjamin Hance Marker Unveiling Gretchen Phillips November 03, 2021 - 8:59 am November 03, 2021 St. Mary's College of Maryland was proud to take part in A Celebration of Justice & Equity, Benjamin Hance Marker Unveiling on Monday at the Leonardtown Jail Museum.  The marker commemorates Benjamin Hance, a young Black man from Leonardtown who is the only documented lynching victim in St. Mary's County in 1887.President Tuajuanda Jordan gave the keynote address entitled "Enlighten. Educate. Empower. - The Age of the Awakening." In her address, President Jordan said in part, "Benjamin Hance and thousands of others were murdered without due process just for being Black in America. Let us be their purveyors of truth and justice.  Every act to memorialize the atrocities of our history, serves to enlighten, educate, empower we the people, and prevent history from repeating itself. Every act to honestly and truthfully tell the history of our nation and uplift the oppressed propels this country one step closer to living up to its creed."

The Sacred Journey: Re-Making Our World Anew to Observe the One-Year Anniversary of the Dedication of the Commemorative to Enslaved Peoples of Southern Maryland - Nov. 13 Michael Bruckler October 14, 2021 - 2:03 pm October 14, 2021 The Sacred Journey: Re-Making Our World Anew observes the first anniversary of the dedication of the Commemorative to Enslaved Peoples of Southern Maryland. The event takes place rain or shine on the St. Mary’s College of Maryland campus on Saturday, November 13. “St. Mary’s College, Trinity Episcopal Church and Historic St. Mary’s City are located on grounds hallowed by the lives and bodies of the enslaved of Southern Maryland who made an immeasurable contribution to the world we inhabit today,” said Tuajuanda C. Jordan, president of St. Mary’s College. “The Sacred Journey is our public genuflection to the principle that on this ground we are called upon to be special custodians of the history of pain and suffering, love and loss, exploitation and degradation, and of course slavery that haunts this historic landscape.” The two-part program begins at 1:30 p.m. in Auerbach Auditorium of St. Mary’s Hall with a Panel of Remembrance and Reverence that focuses on the experiences of the enslaved and their descendants. The panel will feature a keynote speaker to be announced; Julia King, professor of anthropology at St. Mary’s College; and guest speakers from Historic St. Mary’s City and Sotterley Plantation. The Panel of Remembrance and Reverence has been made possible in part by a major grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities: Democracy demands wisdom. Following the panel, Father John Ball of Trinity Episcopal Church will offer a blessing at a presumed burial site of enslaved people. St. Mary’s College President Jordan will then lead the Procession of Dignity, traversing the campus to the Commemorative to Enslaved Peoples of Southern Maryland beginning at approximately 3:05 p.m.  The procession will pause to reflect at the Commemorative site and hear the spoken word poetry that sides the Commemorative before processing to the water’s edge that was so crucial in the lives of the enslaved. Along the way, the procession will honor those who resisted at the first documented site of such resistance. At the River Center beach along the St. Mary’s River, the lives of those enslaved will be honored with a reading of the enslaved names, celebration, libation, remembrance and reflection. The Reception of Reflection follows the Waterfront Ceremony and will have refreshments for participants in the walk as well as reflections on the Sacred Journey. Walking the Procession of Dignity is an opportunity to walk the roads that the enslaved walked, to contemplate the lives that they lived, and to give value to the idea of the unbroken chain that links the present and the past. The procession also serves to proclaim the unity of our community, our commitment to treating one another with dignity, and our shared responsibility to preserving the history of the enslaved persons who had inhabited our ground. It is a public sacrament that restores and reaffirms the dignity and humanity of the enslaved. The Procession of Dignity is a two-mile walk on paved and bricked walkways, with varying elevations. For those who cannot walk the route, a limited number of people movers will be available. For those who wish to drive to the Commemorative and to the waterfront, limited parking will be available near both sites. The event has been overseen by the Sacred Journey Steering Committee consisting of (Chair) Garrey Dennie, associate professor of history; Kelsey Bush, chief diversity officer; Julia King, professor of anthropology; Ellen Kohl, assistant professor of environmental studies; and Erin Peters, director of Boyden Gallery and Collection and lecturer for museum studies. To participate in either the Panel of Remembrance and Reverence or the Procession of Dignity, reservations are required. To make reservations or for more information, visit www.smcm.edu/sacredjourney.    Any views, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in The Panel of Remembrance and Reverence do not necessarily represent those of the National Endowment for the Humanities.  

St. Mary’s College of Maryland Presents Playwright, Actor and Professor Anna Deavere Smith - Nov. 10 Michael Bruckler September 28, 2021 - 2:30 pm September 28, 2021 The Office of the President presents playwright, actor and educator Anna Deavere Smith on Wednesday, November 10 at 7 p.m. in the Michael P. O’Brien Athletic and Recreation Center, 19050 Hill Commons Drive, on the St. Mary’s College of Maryland campus. Part of the Presidential Lecture Series, the event is free of charge and open to the public but reservations are required: www.smcm.edu/presidentlecture. Playwright, actor, and educator Anna Deavere Smith uses her singular brand of theater to explore issues of community, character and diversity in America. The MacArthur Foundation honored Smith with the “Genius” Fellowship for creating “a new form of theater — a blend of theatrical art, social commentary, journalism, and intimate reverie.” Best known for crafting more than 15 one-woman shows drawn from hundreds of interviews, Smith turns these conversations into scripts and transforms herself onstage into a number of characters. In her speaking events, Smith discusses the many “complex identities of America,” and interweaves her discussions with portrayals of people she has interviewed to illustrate the diversity of emotions and points of view on controversial issues. Her most recent play, “Notes from the Field,” looks at the school-to-prison pipeline and injustice and inequality in low-income communities. Winner of an Obie Award and the 2017 Nortel Award for Outstanding Solo Show, “Notes from the Field” was named one of the Top 10 Plays of the year by Time magazine. There is a film adaptation available through HBO and a paperback adaption. In 2012, Smith was awarded the National Humanities Medal, presented by President Obama and in 2015, she was named the Jefferson Lecturer, the nation’s highest honor in the humanities. She also is the recipient of the prestigious Dorothy and Lillian Gish Prize, a Guggenheim Fellowship, and most recently, the 2017 Ridenhour Courage Prize and the George Polk Career Award for authentic journalism. Smith’s breakthrough plays, “Fires in the Mirror,” a runner-up for the Pulitzer Prize, and the Tony-nominated “Twilight: Los Angeles,” tackle issues of race and social inequality that have become touchstones of her work. Her portrayals of patients and medical professionals in “Let Me Down Easy” delivered a vivid look at healthcare in the United States. The show aired on PBS’ “Great Performances.” Currently, Smith appears on the ABC’s series “Black-ish” and the ABC legal drama “For the People.” She is probably most recognizable as the hospital administrator on Showtime’s “Nurse Jackie” and the national security adviser on NBC’s “The West Wing.” Her films include “The American President,” “Rachel Getting Married,” and “Philadelphia.” Smith is the founding director of the Institute on the Arts and Civic Dialogue, which was launched at Harvard University and is now housed at New York University, where she is a Professor at Tisch School of the Arts. Her books include “Letters to a Young Artist” and “Talk to Me: Listening Between the Lines.” She has been an Artist-in-Residence at MTV Networks, the Ford Foundation, and Grace Cathedral in San Francisco. Smith was appointed to Bloomberg Philanthropies’ 2017 U.S. Mayors Challenge Committee, a nationwide competition urging innovative solutions for the toughest issues confronting U.S. cities. She holds honorary degrees from Yale, the University of Pennsylvania and Julliard, among others. Campus visitors must be fully vaccinated for COVID-19 and be able to present proof of vaccination upon request by College officials. If campus visitors are not vaccinated or cannot show proof of vaccination, they must present proof of a negative COVID-19 test taken within 72 hours of arrival to campus. Face coverings must be worn indoors at all times.   

Governor Hogan Appoints St. Mary’s College President Tuajuanda Jordan to the Historic St. Mary’s City Fort to 400 Commission Michael Bruckler September 24, 2021 - 3:34 pm September 24, 2021 Governor Larry Hogan today announced that he has appointed St. Mary’s College of Maryland President Tuajuanda C. Jordan, along with five other members, to the Historic St. Mary’s City Fort to 400 Commission, which is responsible for planning and conducting observances in 2034 commemorating the 400th anniversary of Maryland’s founding. The commission was established earlier this year. “I am honored to be appointed to this commission with the charge to help tell a richer, more complex and diverse history of the founding of the nation and the birth of democracy from the perspective of not just the colonizers but the indigenous peoples and the enslaved peoples as well,” said Jordan. In March 2021, Historic St. Mary’s City announced the discovery of ruins of Maryland’s earliest colonial site, a 386-year-old fort, after searching for its location for nearly 90 years. A team used ground-penetrating radar to identify the outlines of the defensive outpost which served as the first permanent European settlement in Maryland and the fourth in British North America. HSMC’s announcement came after the November 2020 dedication of the Commemorative to Enslaved Peoples of Southern Maryland, located on the St. Mary’s College campus. While conducting an archaeological investigation prior to construction of the Jamie L. Roberts Stadium, the archaeological team uncovered artifacts determined to be from mid-18th and early 19th-century slave quarters. As a way to honor those enslaved who once lived on College grounds, and to educate students about the legacy of slavery, the Commemorative was constructed. Both St. Mary’s College and HSMC are chartered to preserve, interpret and educate the public about their unique history.   The governor also appointed Michael R. Alderson Jr., Mary Anne Harms, Barbara A. Ives, Julian Blacklock Wills III, and designated Brian K. Norris as chair of the commission. The appointments take effect October 1, 2021.

St. Mary’s College of Maryland Initiates Land Acknowledgment and Pledge Michael Bruckler August 19, 2021 - 11:47 am August 19, 2021 St. Mary’s College of Maryland recently launched an initiative to acknowledge the land on which the College sits and its historic links to Indigenous Peoples and their territories.   According to Argelia González Hurtado, assistant professor of Spanish, there was a shared desire from several members of the St. Mary’s College community to honor historical links between Indigenous Peoples and the College. This materialized with the 2020 Margaret Brent Award and Lecture – an imprimatur of the College that is officially bestowed by the College president and organized by the Women, Gender & Sexuality Studies program – which featured Sarah Deer who is a professor at the University of Kansas and an activist for Indigenous women. Another factor was the unique educational mission of the College as The National Public Honors College which centers on, among other things, being accessible and diverse.  Thus, the College community will endeavor to continue to unearth and understand historic realities so that they inform the work of everyone on campus. This, in turn, enhances the College’s ability to become more accessible, inclusive and equitable, especially for those populations most affected by societal inequities.   As a result, members of the Women, Gender & Sexuality Studies program, in consultation with José Ballesteros, professor of Spanish and director of equity programing for The Division of Inclusive Diversity, Equity, Access and Accountability (IDEAA); Julia King, professor of anthropology; and members of the Piscataway Conoy Tribe, collaborated on the land acknowledgment pledge. The pledge, which will be featured in permanent plaque installations across campus, included in faculty syllabi, and read at the beginning of events on campus, states the following: We acknowledge that the land on which we are learning, working and gathering today is the ancestral home of the Yacocomico and Piscataway Peoples. We also acknowledge that St. Mary’s City was partly built and sustained by enslaved people of African descent. Through this acknowledgment, we recognize these communities and all those who have been displaced and enslaved through colonization.  “We also adopted the Piscataways’ preferred spelling of Yacocomico,” said King. The goal of the land acknowledgment pledge is not only to respect and honor the contributions of Indigenous Peoples and enslaved people of African descent, but to support and learn from all diverse communities in order to build a more sustainable future.    

St. Mary’s College of Maryland Welcomes Two New Trustees to Board Michael Bruckler June 25, 2021 - 2:10 pm June 25, 2021 St. Mary’s College of Maryland welcomes two new trustees in June: Melanie L. Hilley ’92 and Jesse Price ’92. Both will serve six-year terms of service on the College’s Board of Trustees. “I am excited that St. Mary’s College is adding two new Trustees with such important and relevant experience. The fact that both are St. Mary’s College alumni who can share a critical perspective on aspects of the SMCM student experience and what students need to become productive and successful after they graduate is an added bonus. Our Board is student-focused and moderately progressive, taking great strides in solidifying our standing as the National Public Honors College and in its support of initiatives such as LEAD and the recent program prioritization. The new trustees enhance both the diversity of perspectives and student centrism,” said Tuajuanda C. Jordan, president of St. Mary’s College. “On behalf of the entire Board of Trustees, we welcome our newest members and look forward to continuing St. Mary’s College’s important role as a premier liberal arts and sciences institution,” said Susan L. Dyer, Board of Trustees chair. Alumna Melanie L. Hilley ’92 has spent the majority of her professional life as a litigation and compliance attorney, culminating as a principal/owner of PricewaterhouseCoopers US, a “Big Four” accounting firm and member of a global network of trust and consulting firms. She serves as a principal responsible for ethics, compliance and business integrity for the United States and Mexico, and oversight of related international compliance areas. Among her duties are to foster a speak-up culture of ethics and compliance, and to implement key compliance programs focused on financial, market, data and employment integrity. These programs leverage governance structures, comprehensive risk assessments and compliance monitoring, training and awareness assets, and technology automation and offshore resourcing. Previously, she held senior positions at Booz Allen Hamilton Inc., Accenture LLP, FINRA (Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, f/k/a NASD), and BearingPoint Inc. (f/k/a KPMG Consulting Inc.), among others. She received her Juris Doctor (cum laude) from the University of Baltimore School of Law and a Master of Business Administration from the University of Baltimore Merrick School of Business, both in 1995. She graduated with a Bachelor of Arts from St. Mary’s College of Maryland in 1992, with a double major in economics and political science and a minor in Spanish. She was also a member of the sailing team, receiving the following honors: Inter-Collegiate Sailing Association All-American Crew, 1991; Inter-Collegiate Sailing Association All-American Crew, 1992; and St. Mary’s College Athletic Hall of Fame inductee, 2000. Her volunteer and charity work includes support of humane societies and pro bono legal counsel. Alumnus Jesse Price ’92 is a lifelong strategist, advocate and coalition builder with decades of experience connecting people and public policy. Currently serving in the U.S. Public Policy division of TikTok, Price is responsible for promoting and supporting related business priorities within government entities and grassroots partnerships as well as technology-focused advocacy organizations. Price’s duties include executing strategies for engaging with policymakers in support of TikTok’s diverse community of content creators and the platform’s continuing operational capability development.  Before joining TikTok, Price served for more than a decade as senior director at Eli Lilly and Company. Price represented Lilly and its interests before Congress, the Executive Branch, and federal regulatory agencies and was responsible for developing and executing legislative and political engagement strategy on a broad range of bio-pharmaceutical, corporate tax and federal healthcare policy issues. Price’s duties also included overseeing the management of the LillyPAC political action committee and employee grassroots education and advocacy programs.  Prior to joining Lilly, Price spent a career in public policy and political advocacy and organization – culminating in a near decade-long tenure on the Capitol Hill legislative staff of U.S. Representative Melvin L. Watt.  Price serves on the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation Corporate Advisory Council and on the Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute Board of Directors. He is also Chairman Emeritus of the Greater Washington Urban League Board of Directors. Price received a Bachelor of Arts from St. Mary’s College in 1992, with a double major in sociology and anthropology.