CSM’s 63rd Spring Commencement will be held Friday, May 13, on the AD lawn at the La Plata Campus, rain or shine. All graduates and guests will be covered by a large tent during the ceremony, should there be inclement weather. Graduates are encouraged to bring umbrellas in case they’re needed when the procession moves from the BU Building, outdoors, to the tent where the ceremony is taking place.
If severe weather forecasts require a delay or change in the event, CSM will post an announcement on the college’s homepage by 8 a.m. tomorrow morning.
432 candidates for 438 associate degrees and 136 certificates
Graduating with honors: 26 percent of candidates
Top degrees: Arts and Sciences AA, Nursing AS, Business Administration AS
Top certificates: General Studies: Transfer, Accounting: Advanced, Accounting: Basic
63 percent female, 37 percent male
Residency: 37 percent Charles County; 34 percent St. Mary’s County; 24 percent Calvert County; 5 percent outside of region
Youngest degree candidate, age 17; eldest degree candidate, age 67
Speakers
Keynote Speaker: Dr. Maureen Murphy President, College of Southern Maryland
Dr. Maureen Murphy was appointed the fifth president of the College of Southern Maryland July 1, 2017. During her five years with CSM, Dr. Murphy proved herself as a dynamic problem-solver and forward-thinker with a deep commitment to students, equity in education, and to executing the mission of community colleges.
Dr. Murphy’s career in public higher education spans more than 35 years, including 15 years as a community college president. Since her arrival, CSM has twice been recognized as among the top 150 community colleges in the country by the Aspen Institute in its Aspen Prize for Community College Excellence program. More recently, CSM joined the Achieving the Dream Network supporting the college’s commitment to equity in educational opportunities and outcomes. CSM also received top ratings in 2020 for providing students with affordable and accessible programming while maintaining good teacher-student ratios, transfer rates, and outcomes – landing CSM in the number 15 position of “best community colleges” out of 698 community colleges across the nation.
Under Dr. Murphy’s leadership, CSM’s successes have been many. CSM launched the Velocity Center, a collaboration between CSM, U.S. Navy, and local governments to increase STEM attainment in the region. She oversaw the development and current construction of CSM’s Center for Health Sciences and was instrumental in establishing the Sen. Thomas V. “Mike” Miller Jr. Center for Leadership at the Prince Frederick Campus.
Dr. Murphy was recognized in 2021 by Diverse Issues in Higher Education as one of 25 influential women in higher education. Her national presence as a community college advocate has been demonstrated on the board of directors for the American Association of Community Colleges (AACC) where she served as a commissioner on the AACC Commission for Institutional Infrastructure and Transformation (chaired), the Commission on College Readiness (chaired), and the Commission on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (three terms). She has served on the board of the American Association for Women in Community Colleges (AAWCC) and is a past president of AAWCC.
She is involved with the board for the Higher Education Research and Development Institute (current chair), and was appointed to the Presidents’ Advisory Council for the National Junior College Athletic Association. Her career has garnered her numerous honors including the Shirley B. Gordon Award of Distinction by Phi Theta Kappa, the Distinguished Corporate Leadership Award by the Greater Red Bank NAACP, the Carolyn DesJardins CEO of the Year Award by AAWCC, and the Innovator of the Year Award, League for Innovation in the Community College, for general education.
Throughout her years of dynamic leadership and well-earned accolades, Dr. Murphy has dedicated her career to interacting with learners. Whether in the classroom as a professor, participating in student activities, or just engaging one-on-one in the campus hallways, her passion lies in meeting with, listening to, and doing all she can to help students find their individual path to success.
Student Representative: Michael Vincent Locsin Chiong
College of Southern Maryland Graduate, Class of May 2022
Michael Vincent Locsin Chiong, an international student living in Waldorf, Maryland, is receiving his Associate of Science in General Engineering. Chiong began his studies at CSM in 2020 and is graduating today with high honors. In fall 2022, he will continue his studies at the University of Maryland College Park in the field of computer engineering.
Trustee Distinguished Service Award: Theodore (Ted) Harwood, II Past Chair, College of Southern Maryland Board of Trustees
Ted Harwood served with distinction on the College of Southern Maryland Board of Trustees from 2010 – 2020, serving three terms as chair of the Board of Trustees from 2017 – 2020. He served on all subcommittees of the board including chair of the audit committee and as trustee liaison to the College of Southern Maryland Foundation Board of Directors from 2010 – 2016. During his trusteeship he authored the Achieving the Dream letter of support, worked diligently to minimize cybersecurity risk, promoted excellence in board governance, and reinstated tenure for faculty.
Harwood continues his commitment to serving CSM students and ensuring affordability and access remain a priority by serving on the board of the College of Southern Maryland Foundation. His service and continuous volunteer efforts result in the collective heartfelt gratitude of the board of trustees; it is our honor to recognize Theodore Harwood as the recipient of the Trustee Distinguished Service Award.
Faculty Excellence Award: Dr. Richard Bilsker Professor, Humanities and Social Sciences Department, College of Southern Maryland
Dr. Richard Bilsker is a professor of philosophy at CSM’s La Plata Campus. He is currently serving as the director of CSM’s Honors Curriculum and is also the coordinator for history, philosophy and political science. He is the chair of the grade review committee and the tenure committee, as well as a member of the academic standards committee.
Dr. Bilsker has been active on numerous hiring committees and other ad hoc committees. Dr. Bilsker earned his Ph.D. from Florida State University before starting his career at CSM. He has presented at regional and national conferences in philosophy, sociology, and popular culture. His publications include books in philosophy, book chapters in volumes on popular culture, as well as articles and book reviews in journals for philosophy, sociology, and political science. “Studying philosophy can be described as probing into the meaning of fundamental questions and exploring the answers to those questions,” Dr. Bilsker explained. “It’s important for students to know that these questions have been pondered not just by academics or in classrooms, but rather that answers exist all around us.”
Dr. Bilsker lives in St. Mary’s County with his wife, son, and too many pets to mention.
Distinguished Alumni Award: Jehnell C. Linkins ’83 Pre-Engineering Program Coordinator, College of Southern Maryland
Jehnell C. Linkins ’83 is the pre-engineering program coordinator at CSM and an adjunct faculty member. Through her position at CSM, she advocates for increasing the number of women entering STEM careers. Her efforts include sponsoring the “Engineer Like a Girl” summer program for high school students and co-founding CSM’s Society of Women Engineers Club.
Linkins also led the effort to charter the National Society of Black Engineers chapter at CSM. Linkins demonstrates an extraordinary commitment to CSM and the community, often bridging the gap between the two. For example, she coordinated the CSM Engineering Club’s visit to the Huntingtown Fire Department where they thanked the first responders for their service by providing breakfast and donating to their Toys for Tots drive. She also worked with the CSM Engineering Club to provide activities so that Girl Scout Troop 196 of Bryans Road could earn their Robotics Badge in mechanical engineering.
Outside of CSM, Linkins’ community service efforts are far-reaching. She’s the past president of The Links, Incorporated, a group of professional women of African descent who provide scholarships and fund activities for the betterment of the community. Linkins created the nonprofit organization Crohn’s Glitter & Girls to raise awareness of the disease through education and outreach. Through this nonprofit, she established the Crohn’s Glitter & Girls Scholarship at CSM. Linkins earned an associate of arts degree from CSM and a bachelor of science from the University of Maryland College Park.
She has positively impacted CSM and the community it serves. She makes Southern Maryland a better place and we are fortunate to have her as an advocate and friend.
