St. Mary’s College of Maryland alumni formed teams across the country to give back to local communities, April 22 and 23. Groups of alumni and some current students are joining other volunteers for 12 service projects during Bay to Bay Service Days, exemplifying the principles and lessons they learned as students through the St. Mary’s Way.
The St. Mary’s Way is a concept adopted by the College community that centers on respecting one another and the world around them.
This is the second year for Bay to Bay Service Days. Last year’s inaugural event had four project locations. Dave Sushinsky, director of alumni relations for the College, said the alumni relations team is excited to have grown to 12 sites this year. He said some sites will have as many as 50 alumni and St. Mary’s College students participating.
This year’s service project sites are located in San Francisco, Calif.; Denver, Colo.; Miami, Fla.; Cape Cod, Mass.; New York, N.Y.; Washington, D.C.; and several locations in Maryland including Frederick, Baltimore, Annapolis, Charlotte Hall and St. Mary’s City.
By organizing groups to take part in service projects with fellow St. Mary’s College alumni in their local communities, they are able to connect with one another and give back at a location more convenient to them.
Sushinsky said several factors went into creating Bay to Bay Service Days.
“Many of our alums were service-oriented as students and we wanted to provide an engagement opportunity for them to stay connected with the College (and one another) now that they’ve graduated. We were also looking to reconnect with alums who are looking for something outside of the typical event or ballgame which this has proven to do,” Sushinsky said.
Connecting alumni with projects at sites across the country also provides exposure for the College, showing communities benefiting from the alumni volunteers that St. Mary’s College is globally engaged and environmentally conscious.
St. Mary’s College of Maryland, designated the Maryland state honors college in 1992, is ranked one of the best public liberal arts schools in the nation by U.S. News & World Report. Approximately 1,700 students attend the college, nestled on the St. Mary’s River in Southern Maryland.
Check out photos from last year’s Bay to Bay Service Days event here