Speeches & Presentations

Comments Delivered at the Nancy R. and Norton T. Dodge Performing Arts Center on the Campus of St. Mary’s College of Maryland on May 1, 2024 for “Accessing the Diverse History of Southern Maryland,” hosted by the Southern Maryland Equity in History Coalition. Dr. King’s unwavering belief in the possibility of a Beloved Community, free Find out more »

For those who were unable to attend President Tuajuanda C. Jordan’s State of the College The Tide is Rising address that took place on February 23, 2024, the full presentation document now be found by clicking the link above.

For those who were unable to attend President Tuajuanda C. Jordan’s State of the College “The Rising Tide” address that took place on September 22, 2023, a recording of it can now be found here. 

I want to thank the organizers of this event, specifically Regina Faden, for inviting me to provide some remarks on this auspicious occasion, “the day in 1903 the State Board of Education designated as a day to be devoted to the study of Maryland history.”[1]  What is Maryland Day about? Until I was invited to Find out more »

At the “Keep Up the Momentum” event on September 9, 2022, President Jordan shared a sampling of student, faculty and staff highlights from 2021-22. She charged all to “keep up the momentum” with this quote: “The great momentum we had at St. Mary’s College last fall allowed us to rebound from the pandemic and emerge Find out more »

St. Mary’s College of Maryland President Tuajuanda Jordan was one of the principal invited speakers at Historic Sotterley’s “Day of Unity and Healing” on Saturday, August 20, 2022. Good afternoon.  I want to begin by thanking Ms. Bankins for inviting me to speak at this important event. I appreciate her passion and commitment to this Find out more »

For those who were unable to attend President Tuajuanda C. Jordan’s State of the College “Our Truth is Marching On” address that took place on February 25, 2022, a recording of it can now be found here.

On Nov. 30, 2021, BNC News Aisha Mills talked with Dr. Jordan about how she faced head-on America’s and her own institution’s painful history with slavery.

For those who were unable to attend President Tuajuanda C. Jordan’s Great Momentum State of the College address that took place on Thursday, Sept. 2, a recording of it can now be found here.

“What Matters Most to Me” Tuajuanda C. Jordan MLK Prayer Breakfast Remarks Presented on January 18, 2021 “Let us continue to let all that is good in humanity prevail.”  With these words I concluded a campus-wide email after a racist incident sparked pain, anger, and denial on our campus community a few years ago.  These Find out more »

“Premier Education. Access and Affordability. With a Commitment to Diversity,” State of the College, Fall 2020 Presented on September 24, 2020 This is probably the most challenging State of the College address I’ve had to prepare. What should I speak on besides the pandemic? After all, it has consumed 75% of the work being done Find out more »

President Tuajuanda C. Jordan delivered the State of the College Address on January 25, 2019. The focus of her address was “Dismantling the Ivory Tower and Building Something Greater.

Dr. Tuajuanda Jordan, president of St. Mary’s College of Maryland, delivers the Fall 2018 State of the College address. With the theme, “LEADing the Way,” President Jordan discusses the College’s new branding initiative as the National Public Honors College.

President Tuajuanda C. Jordan State of the College Address January 25, 2019 Today’s presentation will follow a slightly different format from what it has in the past. This change is borne out of several meetings and discussions over the course of the last eight months or so, where I have come to realize that the Find out more »

State of the College – Fall 2018 September 7, 2018 “Leading the Way” Welcome to the start of the 178th year of this space known as St. Mary’s! St. Mary’s College. A place known as a hidden gem when I arrived. Today? We are an institution on the move!  In 2015, the campus community came Find out more »

“Liberal Arts Education: A Staple of the Past, Present, and Future” A Talk Given at Fudan University June 1, 2018 Nĭ hăo. Thank you for the warm welcome. I am Tuajuanda Jordan, president of St. Mary’s College of Maryland. I am so pleased to be in your beautiful country with my colleagues. I ask if Find out more »

Dr. Tuajuanda Jordan, President of St. Mary’s College of Maryland, delivers the Spring 2018 State of the College address. The theme of her address is “Commemorate the Past, Live in the Present, and Prepare for the Future”. Dr. Jordan provides an overview of the progress made over the past year as well as recognizing employees for years Find out more »

State of the College – Spring 2018 January 19, 2018 “Commemorate the Past. Live in the Present. Prepare for the Future.” The very beginning of a new year finds most of us reflecting on the events that transpired in the past and looking forward to a better future. On Monday, January 15, 2018, we had Find out more »

Women in Maryland Higher Education (WIMHE) Fall Luncheon Baltimore, Maryland November 10, 2017 What is the purpose of education? Has the purpose changed over time? Here are a few definitions from over the years:[1] 1934:  “The purpose of education has always been to everyone, in essence, the same – to give the young the things Find out more »

  Good morning, everyone. I am honored to be here today. Thank you for the invitation to speak. The Career and Technology Education (CTE) Project Lead the Way Counselor’s Conference serves a much-needed purpose within the State of Maryland and the broader community.  For many of you, this work is a labor of love. Thank Find out more »

State of the College – Fall Semester 2017 September 7, 2017 “Now Is the Time” Good afternoon! Welcome to the Fall 2017 semester. I trust that you had a relaxing and rejuvenating summer. I am pleased that you have joined us for this important conversation to celebrate our successes and look forward to our future. Find out more »

Tuajuanda C. Jordan, President Sotterley Plantation Slave Cabin Restoration Celebration April 21, 2017 “Sotterley is the only tidewater plantation in Maryland open to the public that is a testament to all those who lived, died, labored, and resisted here.” Many people really relish the opportunity to visit plantations and experience the grandeur of a bygone Find out more »

Tuajuanda C. Jordan, President NAVAIR, Patuxent River, MD April 20, 2017 Good morning!  I would like to thank all of you for what you do to protect our service people world-wide and to keep us all safe.  I especially want to thank Admiral Zarkowski for extending the invitation for an encore performance as a follow Find out more »

Tuajuanda C. Jordan, President Project Kaleidoscope Conference, Baltimore, MD April 14, 2017 Good morning!  I am Tuajuanda Jordan, President of St. Mary’s College of Maryland.  I am pleased to be a part of this year’s PKAL Conference. The conference theme – “Leadership and Collaborations across Boundaries” – really struck a chord with me.  The title Find out more »

Tuajuanda C. Jordan, President Phi Beta Kappa, St. Mary’s College of Maryland April 7, 2017 “Love of Learning is the Guide of Life.” This is the motto of Phi Beta Kappa.  In principle, we understand that this motto represents advocacy for liberal arts and sciences.  Our motto focuses on the importance of these disciplines because Find out more »

Tuajuanda C. Jordan LBRN 15th Annual Conference Baton Rouge, Louisiana January 21, 2017  Leadership – The Journey Is More Important Than the Destination “Every now and then I guess we all think realistically about that day when we will be victimized with what is life’s final common denominator—that something that we call death. We all Find out more »

State of the College – Spring Semester 2017 January 17, 2017 “A bonis ad meliora”  Good afternoon.  Welcome to the start of the Spring 2017 semester!  I trust that you have returned from the holiday rested, rejuvenated, and ready to tackle another term.  Over the holiday break, I thought of our community at St. Mary’s Find out more »

“A Dream Reimagined”  Tuajuanda C. Jordan Keynote delivered to NAVAIR Lexington Park, Maryland January 12, 2017 “I see in the future a crisis approaching that unnerves me and cause(s) me to tremble for safety of my country; corporations have been enthroned, an era of High Places will follow, and the money power of the country Find out more »

Dr. Jordan served on a panel with lawmakers and other executives at this report release event at the National Press Club.  The panelists focused on the evaluation of policy proposals designed to provide long-term, sustainable finance models for higher education in the United States.  There was a specific focus on reaching low-income and minority students. Find out more »

MD Commission on African American History and Culture Lexington Park, MD We Have Been Here Before. Complacency Is Not The Answer. In his poem “Nocturne at Bethesda,” African American Harlem Renaissance poet, Arna Bontemps, speaks to the lost and the found: I thought I saw an angel flying low, I thought I saw the flicker Find out more »

Tuajuanda C. Jordan, Ph.D. “Tomorrow Belongs to Those Who Prepare for It Today,” Keynote MABE Annual Conference October 6, 2016 Ocean City, MD  Malcolm X said, “Tomorrow belongs to those who prepare for it today.” I want to begin by telling you a little bit about St. Mary’s College of Maryland, a place commonly referred Find out more »

“Seek the Light” — State of the College Fall 2016 Tuajuanda C. Jordan, President St. Mary’s College of Maryland A quote: i am accused of tending to the past as if i made it, as if i sculpted it with my own hands. i did not. this past was waiting for me when i came, Find out more »

Tuajuanda C. Jordan, President St. Mary’s College of Maryland Meyerhoff Graduate Fellow Retreat, Shepherdstown, WV August 5, 2016 Good evening, everyone.  I am pleased and honored to be your invited speaker tonight.  Mike, Justine, and I have been long-time colleagues.  I have always admired the impact of the Meyerhoff program and, given that my daughter was a Find out more »

Tuajuanda C. Jordan President, St. Mary’s College of Maryland National Society of Black Engineers May 12, 2016 Elks Lodge – California, MD Engineering Change Good evening. It is an honor to be here and to witness the up-and-comers who are sure to make a positive impact in the community.  Thank you, Mr. Patterson and the Find out more »

Baltimore Marriott Inner Harbor at Camden Yards March 30-31, 2016 Welcome Address March 30, 2016 at 8:45 a.m. Dr. Tuajuanda Jordan, President St. Mary’s College of Maryland To quote Baltimore Mayor Robert McLane after the Great Baltimore fire of 1904, “To suppose that the spirit of our people [of Baltimore] will not rise to the occasion is to Find out more »

Tuajuanda C. Jordan President St. Mary’s College of Maryland February 29, 2016 Black History Month keynote address given at the St. Mary’s County Black History Coalition Celebration Mechanicsville, Maryland The Road to Freedom “Education is the key to unlock the golden door to freedom.” This is a quote from George Washington Carver. What do these Find out more »

Tuajuanda C. Jordan President St. Mary’s College of Maryland State Senate 25th District Rising Stars Celebration February 29, 2016 Annapolis, Maryland Rising Stars: Believing, Shining, Humble “In order to succeed, we must first believe we can.” How simplistically profound! This quote is credited to Nikos Kazantzakis . At the end of the day, isn’t “believing” Find out more »

Dr. Tuajuanda Jordan, President of St. Mary’s College of Maryland, delivers the Spring 2016 State of the College address. “What a Difference a Year Makes,” the theme of her address, was adopted from the title of a presentation she recently attended by Governor Larry Hogan. Dr. Jordan provides an overview of the progress made over the past year, Find out more »

Tuajuanda C. Jordan, President St. Mary’s College of Maryland January 28, 2016 State of the College: “What a Difference a Year Makes I was attending an event for Governor Hogan in Annapolis last week and the banner across the back of the stage read “What a Difference a Year Makes.”  The governor then took the Find out more »

The Annual Member Meeting St. Mary’s River Watershed Association September 19, 2015 (PDF Transcript) Thank you for that wonderful introduction. I also thank my hosts for providing me the opportunity to share some remarks with you. The River is a Part of Us This is an intriguing title. It was suggested to me as the Find out more »

Dr. Tuajuanda Jordan, President of St. Mary’s College of Maryland, delivers the Fall 2015 State of the College address. Her keynote, “Celebrating the Past, Forging the Future,” lays out the significant milestones reached by the College and outlines future plans to move the institution forward. The completion of the Strategic Plan is the priority for the fall 2015 Find out more »

Women’s Equality Day event Patuxent Air Naval Station August 25, 2015 Women and Leadership – How Do We Get There? One of my favorite quotes was by Yoda in The Empire Strikes Back of the Star Wars series. He said, “Do, or do not. There is no try.”1 As I contemplate my life to this Find out more »

UCAA Juneteenth Celebration June 20, 2015 Proclamation Reclamation “That on the first day of January, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and sixtythree, all persons held as slaves within any State or designated part of a State, the people whereof shall then be in rebellion against the United States, shall be Find out more »

Masters of Arts in Teaching Commencement St Mary’s College June 6, 2015 CHANGE AGENTS Good morning distinguished guests, family and friends, and members of the Masters of Arts in Teaching 2015 graduating class of St. Mary’s College. It is an honor to be here today to make remarks on this auspicious occasion. Download full keynote Find out more »

St. Mary’s County Commission for Women Women’s History Banquet March 19, 2015 The Power of X “Weaving the Story of Women’s Lives”… What a wonderful theme! The vision it evokes is one of complexity, strength, and beauty. Is that not what womanhood is about? I believe complexity, strength, and beauty are attributes of womanhood. From Find out more »

January 30, 2015 Download the Slide Presentation (PDF)

Tuajuanda C. Jordan President, St. Mary’s College of Maryland Keynote Address: Lest We Forget Sotterley Plantation Middle Passage Marker Ceremony Saturday, November 1, 2014 Thank you: Nancy Easterling Jeanne Pirtle Michael Whitson The Planning Committee Good morning. It is a pleasure being here today. I am honored to have been invited to make the keynote address Find out more »

Tuajuanda C. Jordan President, St. Mary’s College of Maryland Keynote Address: Coming Together to Work Together St. Mary’s County Human Relations Commission Saturday, November 1, 2014 Introduction Good morning everyone! I am honored to be your keynote speaker for the annual Human Relations Commission’s volunteer awards breakfast. Thank you, Joshua Brewster, for your kind introduction. Find out more »

St. Mary’s College October 18, 2014 Making the Invisible Visible “Once I saw a prizefighter boxing a yokel. The fighter was swift and amazingly scientific. His body was one violent flow of rapid rhythmic action. He hit the yokel a hundred times while the yokel held up his arms in stunned surprise. But suddenly the Find out more »

In her inaugural Fall 2014 State of the College address, Dr. Tuajuanda Jordan, President of St. Mary’ College of Maryland, notes that community and inclusiveness are high on her agenda, as each member of the campus community contributes to success. As the newly-appointed leader, Dr. Jordan plans to enable greater stability and progress in terms of enrollment, diversity, Find out more »

Incoming St. Mary’s College of Maryland president Dr. Tuajuanda Jordan responds to three questions regarding her decision to join the Honors College, liberal arts, and plans for the future. Dr. Jordan’s commitment to education, community, and leadership will enable her to build upon the institution’s successes and forge new paths for a promising future.