St. Mary’s College of Maryland is pleased to announce that Maryland Governor Martin O’Malley will be the college’s 2013 Commencement speaker. The Commencement ceremony will be held on the college’s Townhouse Green on Saturday, May 11, starting at 10 a.m.
“We are honored to have Governor O’Malley address our graduating Class of 2013,” said President Joseph Urgo. “At St. Mary’s, we have prepared students with an education, in addition to independence, leadership and critical thinking skills necessary to navigate life. Governor O’Malley is a fitting symbol of a liberal arts college graduate, and his unwavering commitment to higher education serves the people of Maryland well,” said Urgo.
“I am pleased to deliver this year’s commencement address at St. Mary’s College of Maryland,” said Governor O’Malley. “If we want to be leaders in science, security, and innovation, it all comes down to how well we educate our future generations— and outstanding institutions like St. Mary’s College will help us get there. Together, we can continue our strong commitment to keeping college affordable and creating opportunities to fuel the job-creating potential of Maryland’s world class innovation economy. I look forward to celebrating this important achievement and milestone for the Class of 2013.”
Governor Martin O’Malley was first elected governor of the State of Maryland in 2006, and was re-elected with 56 percent of the vote in 2010. The Governor recently finished his second term as chair of the Democratic Governors Association. He currently serves as co-chair of the National Governors Association Special Committee on Homeland Security and Public Safety and as co-chair on President Obama’s Council of Governors. Prior to serving as governor, Martin O’Malley served as Mayor of the City of Baltimore, where he was first elected in 1999 and re-elected in 2004 with 88 percent of the vote. He received his bachelor’s degree from Catholic University and his law degree from the University of Maryland.
Under Governor O’Malley’s leadership, Maryland’s public school system has been ranked #1 in America five years in a row. Today, Maryland has done more than any other state in the nation to hold down the cost of college with the lowest increase in college tuition in the nation. Alone among the 50 states, Maryland froze in-state tuition at state colleges and universities four years in a row and has held tuition increases to the lowest in the nation for over five years.