Southern Maryland Lawmakers Briefed on CSM’s Innovative Projects

The College of Southern Maryland (CSM) hosted its first Power Hour briefing on May 5 at its La Plata Campus, where Southern Maryland lawmakers were briefed on several initiatives underway at the college.  

“We are delighted to welcome members of the Maryland State Delegation to this first CSM Power Hour briefing, to offer updates on the incredible role that community colleges play – particularly your team here at the College of Southern Maryland – in building a strong regional workforce and the importance of connecting the dots between education, industry, and community needs in Southern Maryland,” CSM President Dr. Yolanda Wilson told lawmakers.   

“At CSM, we are steadfast in our commitment to addressing the evolving needs of employers for an educated and skilled workforce,” Wilson continued. “We are dedicated to strengthening Southern Maryland’s labor market by building a robust pipeline of trained professionals to meet these demands. I believe our efforts here are a game changer – and I couldn’t be prouder of our CSM team and partners for making these initiatives happen.”  

Among the overviews was an update on Tri-County Council for Southern Maryland’s New Start Initiative – a program that supports justice system impacted individuals in learning to develop a business plan. Tri-County Council has collaborated with the Small Business Development Center during the pilot year of the program. CSM Vice President of Continuing Education and Workforce Development Vice President Ellen Flowers-Fields briefed participants on two initiatives: the Vertical Agriculture Workforce Program and the college's recent efforts to support federal employees  impacted by government workforce reductions. She also highlighted two upcoming events at the La Plata Campus - a tri-county regional job fair on May 14, and a community resource fair on June 20.on June 20. 

CSM's Dean of STEM and Professional Studies Dr. Bernice Brezina provided a status update on an Aviation Maintenance Technology associate degree program that the college is creating in support of the aviation maintenance workforce pipeline.  

“This program will not only provide a pathway to high-wage, high-skill careers for Marylanders but also help meet the urgent workforce needs of regional employers in aviation maintenance,” Brezina said. “Our vision is to make this program a reality and ensure students have access to hands-on training in a state-of-the-art facility.”  

Wilson also touted CSM’s successful Cybersecurity program. CSM’s Cybersecurity associate degree program ranks 10th of the 34 top programs in the United States for 2025, according to Intelligent.com. In addition, CSM’s Cybersecurity programming is designated by the Department of Homeland Security and the National Security Agency as a Center of Academic Excellence in Cyber Defense for two-year programs. And at May 9’s Commencement, CSM’s cybersecurity degree and certificate programs were the second highest in awards presented.  

“CSM remains committed to offering cutting-edge training in this high-demand field. Last year, we launched two new cyber labs, in Calvert and St. Mary’s counties,” Wilson said. “We believe that CSM’s new cyber security immersive labs, which are state-of-the-art investments in our students – will make a positive impact on Southern Maryland and our workforce,” she said.  

Two CSM students, Lillian Duckett and Micheal York, shared personal perspectives during the briefing as well.  

Duckett, who graduated May 9 with an associate degree in engineering, described the real-world engineering and research opportunities she has benefited from during her two years at CSM. "My time at CSM has been incredibly enriching. I've had the opportunity to engage in a range of engineering-focused events, clubs, and programs that have helped shape my academic and career goals. One highlight was representing CSM at the Aerospace Workforce Roundtable last October. This event brought together students and industry professionals to discuss the future of aerospace engineering at the university level. It was a powerful experience to contribute ideas about learning gaps and explore solutions that could make aerospace education more accessible." 

Also a member of the college's successful Talons Robotic Team, Duckett added, "I’ve been deeply involved with the team, previously serving as president before stepping down to focus on another incredible opportunity—the DREEM program. DREEM, which stands for Democratizing Research and Experiential Education for Microelectronics, is designed for community college students pursuing electrical engineering. It starts with an intensive two-week workshop on microelectronics, followed by a semester-long research project through the University of Maryland at either USMSM or College Park. Students then have the opportunity to publish their work and present at conferences. In the summer, students participate in internships with companies in the microelectronics field." 

York, an electrical engineering student, explained how studying engineering "has opened so many doors for me. I've had the opportunity to become president of the Engineering Club working with my fellow engineers to build the newly formed club into a place where we can help elevate current engineering students and promote the profession to new students who might not know of the opportunity here at CSM." 

He added, "The engineering professors and the guidance CSM provides have helped me grow and truly understand what it means to be an engineer helping me hone the skills needed to land my first internship this summer and giving me the confidence to take on high-level math and engineering courses." 

In conclusion, “I hope your takeaways today are that community colleges play a critical role in shaping our future-ready workforce – and that CSM has been at the forefront of this work for quite some time,” Wilson said. “We recognize that workforce development is economic development and CSM is the economic engine of the Southern Maryland region. Together, we will build a brighter, more inclusive future, where everyone has the tools, they need to succeed and thrive in this ever-changing world.”  

Among those attending the briefing were Del. Edith Patterson, who is chair of the Southern Maryland Delegation, Del. Debra Davis, who is chair of the Charles County Delegation, and Del. Jazz Lewis, who sits on the House Appropriations Committee.