Oil & Water Jennifer Cognard-Black the Artist House
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SPRING 2020 OIL & WATER Will Hemsley Works in Both Mediums [ PAGE 8 ] JENNIFER COGNARD-BLACK 2020 Cherry Award for Great Teaching [ PAGE 12 ] THE ARTIST HOUSE Built for Fostering Creativity [ PAGE 18 ] St. Mary’s College | THE MULBERRY TREE | spring 2020 | i ST. MARY’S COLLEGE CONTENTS of Maryland SPRING 2020 ST. MARY’S COLLEGE OF MARYLAND July 2019 — June 2020 FEATURES ALUMNI COUNCIL BOARD OF TRUSTEES PAGE 8 Executive Board Chair SPRING 2020, VOL. XLI, NO.2 Allan Wagaman ’06, President Arthur “Lex” Birney Jr. Oil & Water Alice Arcieri Bonner ’03, www.smcm.edu/mulberrytree Exec.Vice President Vice Chair Will Hemsley ’05 mixes oil painting Bobby Rudd ’13, Susan Dyer and waterman’s work to create an Editor Vice Pres. of Operations Treasurer Lee Capristo Angie Harvey ’83, Secretary unconventional career. One might say John Chambers Thomas Brewer ’05, Wobensmith ’93 Design Parliamentarian it’s in his DNA. Jensen Design Geoff Cuneo ’10, Treasurer Secretary Kate Fritz ‘04, Photographer Lawrence PAGE 12 Bill Wood Vice Pres. of Chapter Activities “Larry” E. Leak ’76 [ PAGE 8 ] Editorial Board Elected Voting Members Trustees Jennifer Cognard-Black Karen Anderson, Michael Bruckler, John Ahearn ’76 Carlos Alcazar Lee Capristo, Molly McKee-Seabrook ’10, Jack Blum ’07 Anirban Basu What is it about English Professor Kelsey Bush ’94 Gus Mohlhenrich, Karen Raley ’94, John Bell ’95 Jennifer Cognard-Black that makes Kelly Schroeder Hans Lemke ’93 Peter Bruns Molly McKee-Seabrook ’10 Donny Bryan ’73 her a great teacher and how does Publisher Ryan McQuighan ’05 Paula Collins Office of Institutional Advancement Lauren Payne ’09 Peg Duchesne ’77 Shakespeare play a role? St. Mary’s College of Maryland Amir Reda ’11 Judith Fillius ’79 47645 College Drive Kevin Roth ’93 Elizabeth Graves ’95 St. Mary’s City, Maryland 20686 Paul Schultheis ’98 Gail Harmon, Esq. PAGE 18 Sara Kidd Shanklin ’11 The Honorable Sven Michelle Shipley ’92 Holmes The Artist House Edward Sirianno ’82 The Mulberry Tree is published by St. Mary’s The Honorable Steny Hoyer College of Maryland, Maryland’s public hon- Student Member Capt. Glen Ives, This tucked-away spot a stone’s throw usn Retired ors college for the liberal arts and sciences. It is Halle Fogle ’20 from campus has been a creative produced for alumni, faculty, staff, trustees, the William Seale local community, and friends of the College. Chapter Presidents Danielle Troyan ’92 getaway for visiting artists of all kinds Raymond Wernecke [ PAGE 12 ] The magazine is named for the famous Annapolis: Erin O’Connell ’91 since its doors opened in 2003. mulberry tree under which the Calvert colonists Allan Wagaman ’06, Baltimore: signed a treaty of friendship with the Yaocomico Alumni Council President Marie Snyder ’10 people and on the trunk of which public notices Jasmine Long ’21, DEPARTMENTS Black Alumni: were posted in the mid-1600s. The tree endured Student Trustee Nick Abrams ’99 long into the 19th century and was once a popular Mike Dougherty, hsmc Boston: 2 President’s Letter meeting spot for St. Mary’s College students. Eunice Akins-Afful ’96 The illustration of the mulberry tree on the PRESIDENT D.C. Metro: 3 College News cover was drawn in 1972 by Earl Hofmann, artist- Rosa Trembour ’11 in-residence when St. Mary’s College President Tuajuanda C. Jordan, PhD 21 Alumni Connection Denver: Renwick Jackson launched the magazine. Alisa Ambrose ’85 28 From the Archives Copyright 2020 New York: The opinions expressed in The Mulberry Tree John Haltiwanger ’10 are those of the individual authors and not Philadelphia: COVER:“Storm off Bloody Point” oil painting by necessarily those of the College. The editor Ian Murphy ’08 Will Hemsley ’05, embodies his two passions, reserves the right to select and edit all material. San Francisco: painting and the Chesapeake Bay. Manuscripts and letters to the editor are en- Megan Brown Vilson ’07 Southern Maryland: couraged and may be addressed to Editor, The [ PAGE 18 ] Mulberry Tree, St. Mary’s College of Maryland, Cathy Hernandez Ray ’77 47645 College Drive, St. Mary’s City, MD 20686. TFMS Alumni: Tammy Swanson ’93 Photographs and illustrations may not be Western Maryland: reproduced without the express written consent Kristi Jacobs Woods ’97 of St. Mary’s College of Maryland. OPPOSITE & INSIDE BACK COVER: Photos from the College’s collection ii | St. Mary’s College | THE MULBERRY TREE | spring 2020 St. Mary’s College | THE MULBERRY TREE | spring 2020 | 1 A LETTER FROM THE PRESIDENT COLLEGE NEWS n academia, we measure time in semesters – each semester has 16 weeks. Editor’s Note CAMPUS & COMMUNITY NEWS We count hours for course credits and teacher-student interactions. To this regulated rhythm of the academic year, we insert events to punctuate milestone ecently i remembered something I from 20 years ago. When spring celebrations like Awards Convocation and Commencement. With the COVID-19 Rwas in peak bloom, I would drive pandemic, our measure of time and our rhythm abruptly and completely changed. over to the old Flattops neighborhood in Lex- ington Park, Maryland. Along its perimeter, We have milestone events that need to happen but no firm calendar to pin them to. the delicate beauty of the flowering cherry trees and dogwoods was achingly beauti- The same is true for classes – they must happen but cannot happen the way they ful contrasted to the derelict Flattops. The did just last semester. I applaud the perseverance and resourcefulness of our campus human aspect of that scene was somber; the natural aspect of that scene, delirious with community for finishing this semester in a meaningful way. This 2020 summer session the joy of spring renewal. will be fully online, unlike any previous summer session. What the fall semester will This year humans are distracted, concerned look like we do not know. by the COVID-19 crisis, yet spring burst forth wholeheartedly. Birds, flowers, trees When this pandemic eases, we won’t return to normal; we’ll be in a new condition cannot curb their enthusiasm. If only their positive intensity could be our latest conta- which is neither the old nor the current; it will evolve into a new normal. We will gious disease. welcome the perceived comfort that a built-out calendar suggests but we will be in the Positive intensity is this issue’s common midst of evolving to a place that requires creativity, innovation, and patience; all the thread in uncommon circumstances. Will Hemsley ’05, applies a waterman’s while maintaining our humanity. Otherwise, who and what are we? discipline to the thousands of hours he has put into refining his work as a painter and We must persevere and persist in this new normal. We must continue to prepare sculptor. His advice to young artists is that students for lives of leadership and service, just as we have yet likely differently from how this level of effort is necessary “to get to the we have done here for 180 years. In the same way that we know that we can depend on essence of why you chose this pursuit to begin with.” the rhythm of the tide in the St. Mary’s River and the cycle of the moon over our heads, Professor of English Jennifer Cognard- I know that we will weather this COVID-19 crisis and emerge on the other side stronger, Black, winner of the $250,000 Robert more vibrant and relevant. Though when that day may come is unknown, know that it Foster Cherry Award for Great Teaching, is deservedly our College celebrity these days. will come and that we will be ready for whatever it presents. Her teaching career has been one of positive intensity (read the comments by her former students on page 14), refueled on a regular basis, she insists, by becoming a student he Board of Trustees a Board of Trustees Task Force, herself. In order for teaching to remain both The Board of Trustees of St. Mary’s College of Maryland approved a vibrant and vital, she says, “it must make approved a new test formed in 2019 at the request of optional admissions policy President Tuajuanda C. Jordan. proposal to develop and implement new varsity men’s and women’s track the teacher a bit insecure, unsure of how T and field programs. The decision was made after a review of recom- things will go, of whether this approach or on February 1. This means first- The Task Force studied how the Tuajuanda C. Jordan, PhD mendations from a Board of Trustees Task Force, formed in 2019 at the exercise or discussion or assignment will year applicants seeking admission College, as a public institution President, St. Mary’s College of Maryland request of President Tuajuanda C. Jordan. Modifications to the current work well or be a failure.” to the College beginning in the that is focused on providing fall of 2021 may choose whether or an outstanding education, track begin this summer to make the surface compliant with NCAA When asked for words of wisdom that not to provide standardized testing could ensure greater access to regulations. The track is expected to be ready for varsity competition to their professor offers, students of Jennifer (SAT or ACT scores) as part of the students. The effect of a one-year begin fall 2020. The varsity field programs will roll out at a later date. A Cognard-Black share several things, but one admission application process. The freeze is significant, resulting in $400,000 gift to the College’s Foundation by William Seale is being used stands out above the others for its poignancy for the track renovations. Seale is a member of the St.