Your New Home on the River
Living and learning at St. Mary’s College of Maryland is a truly unique experience. Built on the edge of the St. Mary’s River, our campus is replete with natural vistas from dawn to dusk.
Whether walking the wooded path to class, to the Great Hall dining room, or to a see a friend, our students get the daily dose of fresh air and natural surroundings they need to thrive.
How Housing Works
We provide a variety of housing options, focused on supporting developmental growth, dependent on current class and/or coursework standing and personal preference.
- First-year students generally start off in our traditional residence halls, Caroline, Dorchester, Prince George, or Queen Anne, where there is structured supervision, programming, and support available.
- As they gain course credits and living experience, students move out of traditional spaces and on to the suites, Lewis Quad or Waring Commons, where there is less staff supervision and more resident responsibility.
- Upper-class students move into the Townhouses or Waring Commons apartments where there is considerably less supervision and significantly more independence, freedom, and responsibility. Each of our buildings plays a part in promoting an excellent residential experience.
- In addition to our other housing options, we have two living learning centers, where students live with others who have similar academic interests and Substance and Alcohol-Free Environment (SAFE) Housing – for students who abstain from alcohol and other substances, as well as Open Housing – offers the freedom to choose roommates independent of gender/sex/sexual orientation.
We tend to group our housing into two areas, based in part on geography and class/credit status of the residents who live there. Read on to learn how they differ.
First Year Housing
South Campus Residence Halls
South Campus is home to our traditional residence halls which provide more staff supervision, programming, and support with first-year students and sophomores in mind.
Traditional Residence Hall Amenities
- Card reader access to entrances 24/7
- Key access to rooms
- Staff office located at main entrance lobby (second floor), generally staffed 7 days a week, from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. midnight
- Bathrooms on each floor cleaned regularly by housekeeping staff
- Kitchen located on the first floor (bottom floor/basement) for shared communal use (first come, first served)
- Vending machines with card reader capability in main entrance (second floor) lobby
- Laundry rooms located on the first floor (bottom floor/basement)
- Recreation room with TV, pool table and communal furniture
- Indoor bicycle storage area (residents must provide own lock and chains)
- Parking in adjacent lots for sophomores, juniors, and seniors (first-year students required to park in Lot T exclusively)
Caroline Hall
First year only housing. This is a coed building; gendered by floor.
- Build date: 1970
- Total Occupancy: 158
- Nickname: “Caroline”
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Dorchester Hall
Houses primarily first year and sophomore students. This is a coed building; gendered by floor.
- Build date: 1968
- Total Occupancy: 158
- Nickname: “Dorch”
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Prince George Hall
Houses primarily first year and sophomore students. This is a coed building; gendered by floor with Open And Inclusive Housing on the first floor.
- Build date: 1970
- Total Occupancy: 165
- Nickname: “PG”
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Queen Anne Hall
Houses primarily first year and sophomore students. Single-gendered residence (all-female).
- Build date: 1965
- Total Occupancy: 154
- Nickname: “QA”
Upperclassmen Housing
North Campus Residence Halls
Our North Campus residences primarily house sophomores, juniors, and seniors. They provide a more independent living style with less supervision and more responsibilities for students.
Lewis Quadrangle
Primarily sophomores, juniors, and seniors. Suite-style housing. Lewis Quadrangle is designated Open Housing.
- Build date: 2000
- Total Occupancy: 211
- Nickname: “LQ”
Lewis Quad Amenities
- Central air conditioning
- Key access to suites and bedrooms
- Centralized laundry room
- Nearby parking in Lot R and Lot T
- Access to centralized kitchen facilities
- Covered patio with outdoor fireplace
- Covered bike racks
- Bedroom furniture: standard twin bed (can be bunked or lofted) with extra-long mattress, desk, chair, dresser, and closet
- Common area furniture provided includes sofa, coffee table, upholstered chairs, trestle table and chairs
- Bathrooms cleaned twice a week by Housekeeping staff
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Waring Commons
Suites are primarily for sophomore, junior, and senior residents. Apartments are reserved for juniors and seniors. Waring Commons is designated Open Housing.
- Build date: WC1-50, 2003; WC51-63, 2007
- Total Occupancy: 336 (24 apartments and 39 suites)
- Nickname: “WC”
Waring Commons Amenities
- Suites contain three or four bedrooms, two bathrooms, and a large common area. Suite bathrooms cleaned regularly by Housekeeping.
- Apartments contain four bedrooms, one bathroom, a living room and a full kitchen, containing a full-size refrigerator, stove with self-cleaning oven, cabinets, drawers and sink. Meal plans are available but not required. Apartment residents responsible for cleaning their unit.
- Central air conditioning
- Card reader access to building
- Key access to units and individual rooms
- Centralized laundry room with OneCard-activated vending machines
- Nearby parking in Lot R and Lot T
- Nearby access to the Lewis Quad “Grab-n-Go” breakfast and lunch option
- Bedroom furniture: standard twin bed(can be bunked) with extra-long mattress, desk, chair, dresser, and closet
- Common area furniture: trestle table and chairs, couch or love seat, coffee table, and upholstered chairs
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Townhouses Overview
Primarily for junior and senior residents. Meal plans are optional. Students are responsible for cleaning their units. The Townhouses are designated Open Housing.
Townhouse Amenities
- Air conditioning
- Key access to houses
- Centralized laundry room
- Nearby parking in Lot R and Lot T
- Nearby access to the Lewis Quad “Grab-n-Go” breakfast and lunch option
- Bedroom furniture: standard twin bed (can be bunked) with extra-long mattress, desk, chair, dresser, and closet
- Common area furniture: trestle table and chairs, couch or loveseat, coffee table, and upholstered chairs
- Kitchen: full-size refrigerator, stove with self-cleaning oven, cabinets, drawers and sink
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The Greens Townhouses
The “Greens” Townhouses consist of 41 houses overlooking the St. Mary’s River.
- Build date: 1988
- Total Occupancy: ?
- Nickname: “Greens” or “Townhouse Greens”
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The Crescent Townhouses
North(NC) & South(SC)
The Crescent townhouses curve around what was previously the varisty athletic field and track. New construction will soon transform this area into the “Crescent Greens,” facing our new academic building and auditorium complex.
- Build date: 1994
- Total Occupancy: ?
- Nickname: “Crescents” or “NC/SC”
Office of Residence Life
Visit the Office of Residence Life website for more housing information, resources and policy documentation, or visit their brick and mortar location in Glendening Hall.