LEONARDTOWN, Md. — St. Mary’s College of Maryland (SMCM) launched its 2025 Bay to Bay Service Days on April 6, uniting approximately 175 alumni, students, faculty, staff, and community members for seven service projects across campus and St. Mary’s County. The annual nationwide initiative, started in 2017, engages SMCM alumni chapters in community service, fostering collaboration and civic engagement throughout April.
The kickoff featured four on-campus projects and three community efforts, showcasing the college’s commitment to the “St. Mary’s Way” of service and partnership. “As members of St. Mary’s College of Maryland, we often talk about the St. Mary’s Way, and this past weekend’s Bay to Bay Service Days kickoff was a powerful example of what that really looks like,” said Holly Fabbri ’12/MAT ’13, associate director of alumni relations. “Alumni, students, faculty, staff and community members came together in the spirit of collaboration, service and engagement to make a meaningful difference on campus and throughout Southern Maryland.”
On-campus projects included a campus cleanup led by the Sustainability Club, crafting sustainable dog chew toys from old T-shirts for the Linda L. Kelley Animal Shelter in Calvert County, preparing 50 bagged lunches for HOPE SMC via the Church of Ascension Food Pantry in Lexington Park, and performing spring maintenance at the Kate Chandler Campus Community Farm. Off-campus, volunteers tackled landscaping at Historic St. Mary’s City (HSMC), maintenance at Camp Maria Retreat Center near Leonardtown, and garden work at Lexington Manor Passive Park Community Garden in Lexington Park.
“We were thrilled to collaborate with the alumni office on this event, and it made my heart soar to see so many of our students enthusiastically participating in service projects,” said Caroline King, director of the SMCM Office of Community Outreach and Engagement. The bagged lunch project, funded by a Maryland Higher Education Commission grant, supported food-insecure residents through HOPE SMC, a nonprofit addressing hunger in Southern Maryland.
At HSMC, volunteers maintained landscapes near the visitor center. “Community is everything out here; our only neighbors are at the college and we really appreciate the neighborly spirit that they have been showing us,” said Brooke Moe, HSMC volunteer coordinator. “We’ve been working and collaborating with the college with a lot of volunteer opportunities; the students are really engaged, they really want to get out and help their community. I’m really impressed and really thankful.”
Camp Maria’s project involved landscaping, painting, and maintenance. “I am amazed at everything we got done and the terrific help we got from all of our volunteers,” said Greg Shedd, director of the retreat center. The effort was sparked by Assistant Vice President of Alumni Relations Dave Sushinsky ’02, a board member, highlighting alumni-driven connections.
At Lexington Manor, students and community members planted crops and maintained gardens alongside St. Mary’s County Community Development Corporation staff. The garden supports local food access, aligning with county efforts to promote sustainable agriculture.
Campus groups, including the Office of Community Outreach and Engagement, Center for Career and Professional Development (CCPD), Sustainability Club, and Women in Science House (WiSH), drove participation. “Sustainability Club is really passionate about empowering students on campus to make more eco-friendly changes,” said Kirby Kirby ’26, club president and cleanup coordinator. “We wanted to be part of this project so that we could inspire people to get out and clean our community. [C]ommunity work like this has a rewarding feeling for people who do it, it doesn’t just help other people but it helps yourself, too.”
CCPD extended the service spirit through “Volunteer Week” from April 7-13, supporting Trinity Church, St. Mary’s Caring Soup Kitchen, and Patuxent River Naval Air Museum. “Bay to Bay Service Days were an absolute blast! Working alongside students, faculty, staff, alumni, community members and close friends to give back to such wonderful organizations was truly inspiring,” said Cindy Greb ’87, CCPD executive director. “These initiatives, like Bay to Bay Service Days and Volunteer Week, not only foster civic responsibility but also boost students’ resumes and professional skills.”
The initiative reflects SMCM’s broader mission to cultivate leadership and service, as outlined in its strategic plan. Since 2017, Bay to Bay has grown from local efforts to a national program, with alumni chapters from California to New York hosting projects like food drives and park cleanups. A 2023 alumni survey by SMCM’s Office of Institutional Advancement found 68% of participants valued service opportunities for community impact and networking, reinforcing the program’s role in alumni engagement.
Local partnerships strengthened the kickoff’s impact. The Linda L. Kelley Animal Shelter, serving Calvert and St. Mary’s counties, relies on donations to support over 1,500 animals annually. HOPE SMC’s pantry distributes 10,000 pounds of food monthly, addressing a 12% food insecurity rate in the county. HSMC, a living history museum, benefits from 5,000 volunteer hours yearly, enhancing its educational programs.
The projects also align with Maryland’s emphasis on civic engagement in higher education. The Maryland Higher Education Commission supports service-learning through grants, noting that such programs enhance student retention and workforce readiness. SMCM’s efforts complement county initiatives, like the Community Development Corporation’s focus on equitable access to resources, which includes urban gardening to combat food deserts.
Bay to Bay Service Days will continue through April, with alumni chapters nationwide hosting additional projects. The college encourages participants to share updates on social media, amplifying the initiative’s reach. SMCM’s commitment to service underscores its role as a public honors college fostering community ties and global citizenship.
