2020 Awards Convocation

St. Mary’s College of Maryland’s Awards Convocation is a yearly event that recognizes and celebrates members of the College community who are highly accomplished and who can be considered paragons in areas that include service, leadership, teaching and academics.

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, St. Mary’s College is unable to hold its yearly Awards Convocation in person. We offer through this site our St. Mary’s College congratulations to all the recipients. We hope visitors to this page will share their pride and thank these honorees for jobs well done.

Faculty & Staff Awards

Andy Kozak Faculty Contribution to Student Life Award

Established in 2011 by Don Stabile to recognize faculty members who are active participants in the student life of the College.

Barry Muchnick

Assistant Professor of Environmental Studies Barry Muchnick helped launch the environmental studies major. His teaching and scholarship are concerned with how natural and cultural forces interact to form our ecosystems, experiences, imaginations and institutions. Following a joint psychology and philosophy degree from Emory University, certificate in wilderness management from University of Montana, MESc in conservation ecology and a PhD in environmental history from Yale University, Muchnick continues extensive research and publication in his field.

Homer L. Dodge Award for Excellence in Teaching

Established in 1985 by the late Norton T. Dodge, faculty emeritus, to recognize faculty accomplishments.

Todd Eberly

Professor of Political Science and Public Policy Studies Todd Eberly specializes in American health and welfare policy, with a focus on the policy and political legacies of the Great Society. He is the author of four books. He was named one of the most influential voices in Maryland politics by Campaigns and Elections magazine. In 2010, the St. Mary's College Student Government Association honored him with the Faculty Student Life Award.

The Norton T. Dodge Award for Scholarly and Creative Achievement by a Junior Faculty Member

Created in 2003 by Don Stabile to recognize excellence in teaching.

Troy Townsend

Assistant Professor of Chemistry Troy Townsend completed a PhD at the University of California, Davis and a National Research Council Post-doctoral fellowship at the U.S. Naval Research Laboratory where he produced and tested sprayable solar cells and modules. He has publications in high-impact journals and holds three U.S. patents and one patent application through the U.S. Navy.

Joe Carroll Memorial Staff Award

Established in 2012 by the Staff Senate through contributions from the College community to recognize nonexempt staff who dedicate themselves through exceptional integrity and service.

Barbara Cooke

Mailroom Supervisor Barbara Cook joined the St. Mary’s College of Maryland family 15 years ago, first in housekeeping and then moving to the mailroom five years later. Residing in Calvert County, she is a lifelong resident of Southern Maryland. In her free time, she enjoys spending time with her family, husband Harry, her three stepchildren and six grandchildren. She is also the current caretaker for her brother following heart valve replacement surgery. Given her busy schedule she still has time for the occasional adventure with girlfriends.

Jordan Teaching Exemplar Award

Established in 2017 to recognize members of the St. Mary’s College community who exhibit exemplary teaching within or beyond the traditional classroom of the College.

Joanna Bartow

Professor of Spanish and Department Chair Joanna Bartow teaches all levels of Spanish, including thematic advanced courses focused on modernity, postmodernity, globalization, gender and women’s writing, among other topics. A former Fulbright Scholar at the Colegio de Mexico in Mexico City, her current research examines questions of space, postdictatorship and representations of gender. She has published extensively in her field.

St. Mary's Award

Established in 2017 by President Jordan and present to an individual or group whose actions and deeds epitomize the St. Mary's Way.

Men's Basketball Coaches

Matt Howerton

Matt Howerton joined the St. Mary's College men's basketball coaching staff in 2017-18 and was named the Interim Head Coach of the St. Mary's College women's basketball team in 2020. A native of Chantilly, Virginia, Howerton graduated from IUP in 2014 with a bachelor’s degree in sport administration and a minor in business.

Chris Harney

The school's all-time winningest coach, Chris Harney '97 embarks on his 15th season at the helm of the Seahawk men's basketball program in 2019-20. Harney is one of the top coaches in Division III and has led St. Mary's College into the national spotlight during his tenure. He was promoted to Assistant Director of Athletics & Recreation for staff development in 2016. He earned a bachelor’s degree with teaching certification from SMCM in 1997.

Jeff Byrd

Jeff Byrd serves as an assistant on the women's basketball coaching staff. He also serves as the St. Mary's Faculty Athletic Representative, having held the position since 2003. An avid sports fan, Byrd is a professor of biology and has been at the College since 1990. He received his bachelor’s degree from Cook College at Rutgers University in 1983, his master’s from The Pennsylvania State University in 1985, and his PhD from the University of Maryland in 1991.

Dominic Milburn

Dominic Milburn joined the St. Mary's College coaching staff in 2017-18. Milburn is no stranger to the Capital Athletic Conference, having spent two seasons as a member of the Salisbury University men's basketball program as a player and coach. Milburn graduated from Salisbury in 2014 and then stayed on as a Sea Gull assistant coach for the 2014-15 campaign.

Dante Williamson

Dante Williamson joined the St. Mary’s College coaching staff in the 2017-18 season. Previously he spent two seasons as an assistant coach at Central Penn College. He graduated from Florida Tech in 2004 with a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering. Williamson then earned his MBA with a concentration in financial management from the Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey, California, in 2010.