{"id":1866,"date":"2026-06-05T17:28:10","date_gmt":"2026-06-05T17:28:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.smcm.edu\/president\/?page_id=1866"},"modified":"2026-06-11T15:11:41","modified_gmt":"2026-06-11T15:11:41","slug":"media-resources","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.smcm.edu\/president\/media-resources\/","title":{"rendered":"President Rhonda Phillips: Scholarship, Leadership & Engagement"},"content":{"rendered":"
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This page serves as a central source for information about President Phillips and St. Mary\u2019s College of Maryland. Journalists, media professionals, and external partners can find biographical information, official photography, key facts about the College, and other resources to support coverage and media inquiries.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>

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President Rhonda Phillips<\/strong><\/h2><\/div><\/div>
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President Rhonda Phillips, Ph.D., FAICP Biography<\/strong><\/h3>\n

President Phillips is a passionate advocate for the vital roles of honors learning; the liberal arts, sciences, fine arts, and athletics; and interdisciplinary teaching and research within academies of higher education. She is a dedicated advocate for the vital contribution of higher education to the personal growth and career development of her students\u2014as well as the social, economic, and environmental progress of our communities. She seeks to exemplify those values within her own teaching, research, and academic leadership as President of St. Mary\u2019s College of Maryland.<\/p>\n

President Rhonda Phillips earned her bachelor\u2019s degree of geography and her master\u2019s degree of economic development at the University of Southern Mississippi. She applied those degrees to her first professional positions with the City of Birmingham, Alabama, then at the Atlanta Chamber of Commerce and the International Development Research Council. She earned a M.S. Economics degree and a Ph.D. in City and Regional Planning from the Georgia Institute of Technology\u2014the first woman to earn that doctorate.<\/p>\n

Dr. Phillips returned to the University of Southern Mississippi for her first academic professional position, as Director of the Community Planning Program in the Department of Geography and Economic Development. She gained further academic experience at Arizona State University, then as founding Dean of the John Martinson Honors College at Purdue University as well as Professor of Agricultural Economics. As President of Chatham University in Pittsburgh, Dr. Phillips helped stabilize the future of that historic institution.<\/p>\n

During her academic career President Phillips was named a three-time Fulbright recipient including as a UK Ulster Policy Fellow in Northern Ireland; a Fellow of the American Institute of Certified Planners; and a Fellow of the American Council on Education.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>

Download President Phillips Headshot<\/a><\/div><\/div><\/div>
Presidential Photography Collection<\/i><\/a><\/div><\/div><\/div>
Inauguration Week Photos<\/i><\/a><\/div><\/div><\/div>
Office of the President<\/a><\/div><\/div><\/div>
100 Day Listening Tour Summary<\/i><\/a><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>
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Scholarship & Thought Leadership<\/strong><\/h2><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>
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Newly Published: 3rd Edition of An Introduction to Community Development<\/h3>\n

Edited by Rhonda Phillips and Robert H. Pittman, An Introduction to Community Development offers comprehensive and practical approaches to enhance development processes and outcomes for communities. Now in its third edition, the book is based on the authors\u2019 years of teaching, practice and research along with training they have provided for practicing community and economic development professionals, policymakers, community leaders and planners. This newly revised and updated edition also includes increased coverage of other important issues such as connectedness and placemaking, quality of life, community well-being, sustainability, marketing, and community enterprise.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>

Learn More about \"An Introduction to Community Development\"<\/i><\/a><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>
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The National Public Honors College<\/strong><\/h2><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>
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At St. Mary\u2019s College of Maryland, honors is not a separate track available to a select group of students. Rather, the College is built around the belief that every student should have access to the kinds of high-impact experiences traditionally associated with honors education.<\/p>\n

St. Mary\u2019s College is a model for how public institutions can combine academic rigor, close faculty mentorship, experiential learning, and student access in a way that prepares graduates to lead meaningful and impactful lives.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>

Academic Excellence<\/strong><\/h2><\/div><\/div>
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Public Honors College for all<\/h3>\n

St. Mary\u2019s College of Maryland is officially designated as Maryland\u2019s Public Honors College, the first standalone public honors college in the nation. The state General Assembly designated the school Maryland\u2019s public honors college in 1992; the state also granted the College an institutional status designed to assure stable public funding.<\/p>\n

Honors College Promise<\/h3>\n

St. Mary\u2019s College promises that every student has the opportunity to engage in a research, internship, or international experience. Combine that with the rest of your St. Mary\u2019s College experience and you\u2019ll be well on your way to a rewarding career.<\/p>\n

LEAD<\/h3>\n

Learning Through Experiential and Applied Discovery( LEAD) is St. Mary\u2019s College\u2019s signature 21st century initiative that integrates credit bearing professional career development and the Honors College Promise with the innovative teaching and excellence of our academic programs. LEAD is an all-encompassing, integrative pathway that prepares students for whatever their next step is \u2014 research, graduate school, or the workforce.<\/p>\n

St. Mary’s Projects<\/h3>\n

St. Mary\u2019s Projects\u2013 or SMPs\u2013 are independent, 8-credit projects, mentored by a faculty member and like any capstone, presented in a public forum. Many St. Mary\u2019s students find the SMP to be one of the most rewarding experiences of their college career. Students who take on an SMP define the focus and scope of their projects, often conducting research on topics and questions that have emerged from their past coursework. SMPs may be a traditional research project or the culmination of creative work at the College: students have used their SMPs to draft novels, create art installations, and prepare for recitals.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div><\/div>

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Academics by the numbers<\/h2>\n