MARY’S CITY, Md. — There is something quite bucolic about strolling through this small, historic town, where the lone college campus hugs the St. Mary’s River, which is lined with picturesque rowing boats that extend far beyond what the eye can see.
But something equally magical has been happening on the campus of St. Mary’s College of Maryland over the past three years, thanks to the bold leadership of Dr. Tuajuanda C. Jordan, who took the helm as college president in 2014, with a vision to put the small, liberal arts college that enrolls about 1,700 students on the national map.
By all indications, the soft-spoken, no-nonsense biochemist has succeeded in doing just that.
In a relatively short period, she has transformed the independent, state-supported public college into a competitive institution that has been on an upward trajectory of recruiting students not only from Maryland but also from across the region and the nation.
As Jordan sees it, St. Mary’s students are getting an “elite education at a public price,” with an impressive 11-to-1 student-faculty ratio.
“This place expects all students to deal with the rigors in the classroom,” says Jordan, who notes that remedial courses are not offered. “Our faculty will push them and support them at the same time.”
In turn, she says that St. Mary’s students are beneficiaries of a true liberal arts education and are conscientious and deeply engaged in social justice and equity issues.
