The College of Southern Maryland presented awards of excellence to faculty, alumni and supporters during its 67th Commencement, recognizing their significant contributions to the college and the Southern Maryland community.
Each year, CSM honors individuals with the Faculty Excellence Award, Adjunct Faculty Excellence Award, Distinguished Alumni Award and the Trustees Distinguished Service Award. This year’s recipients were celebrated for their dedication to student success, program growth and community impact across Charles, St. Mary’s and Calvert counties.
Digital Media Production Professor Olaniyi Areke received the Faculty Excellence Award. Areke has led the DMP program for ten years and has been instrumental in transforming the curriculum to promote career readiness. Under his leadership, several articulation agreements were established with four-year institutions, and dual enrollment courses were created for regional high school students. The DMP program was ranked among the 2026 Best Colleges with Digital Communication and Media Degrees in Maryland by Niche, the only community college to earn the recognition.
Faculty Senate President Professor George Bedell said, “Under his stewardship, the program has grown significantly and has been recognized for its excellence. He is always dedicated to advocating for his program and his students.”
The Adjunct Faculty Excellence Award was presented to music instructor Dr. Mary Whitmore. In her three years at CSM, Dr. Whitmore assisted in revising the music curriculum, which led to the creation of associate degrees in music and theater. She also serves as faculty advisor to the New Music at CSM student club, which has performed shows both on and off campus. In addition, she has performed in the CSM pit orchestra for more than twenty years and continues to be an active member of the CSM Latin Ensemble and Solid Brass jazz band.
Music Professor Dr. Stephen Johnson recognized her expertise and impact, noting that she sets an example both in the classroom and on stage. “She has been a model for our students who perform with her both on and off campus,” Johnson said. “She is an excellent collaborator in CSM’s music program mission.”
The Distinguished Alumni Award was presented to Tiffany Barber ’00, executive director of Poiema Movement, a nonprofit organization dedicated to helping women rebuild their lives after addiction, domestic violence, homelessness and incarceration. Barber enrolled at CSM as a single mother of four children. After earning her nursing degree in 2000, she built a successful nursing career caring for patients across Southern Maryland before taking on her current role. Under her leadership, Poiema Movement has expanded outreach and community support through El Roi House, which provides safe housing and support services for women and children. Barber continues to engage with CSM through the Nonprofit Institute.
CSM Foundation Board Chair Samantha Stratchko said Barber’s story is a testament to the life-changing impact of a CSM education. “She exemplifies the values we strive to instill in all of our students: leadership, service, and excellence,” Stratchko said.
The Trustees Distinguished Service Award, the Board of Trustees’ highest honor, was presented to Lorraine Diana ’79 and Robert Guite, and Congressman Steny Hoyer.
Diana, a proud alumna of CSM’s first nursing graduating class in 1979, and Guite made the largest donation in CSM history in 2025, establishing the Lorraine Diana ’79 and Robert Guite Pathways to Possibility Fund. The gift supports students in nursing, engineering and robotics programs, provides scholarships for students facing financial hardship, and invests in initiatives that promote social, economic and environmental sustainability. Diana also played a key role in building a lasting relationship between the Maryland Academy of Advanced Practice Clinicians and CSM, leading to the Future Nightingales Endowed Scholarship.
Congressman Hoyer was honored for more than two decades of dedicated support and advocacy for CSM. He has helped secure over $1 million in direct federal funding for college initiatives, including the Center for Health Sciences and the Partnership for the Advancement of Construction and Transportation Training programs. He also supported STEM and workforce development efforts to strengthen career pathways and K-12 outreach. Hoyer received an honorary degree from CSM in 2011.
Board of Trustees Chair Sonja Cox said the awardees have made a lifelong impact on the CSM community. “Some legacies are built through accomplishments, others are built through service,” Cox said. “Robert and Lorraine have chosen to do both.”
The awards highlight CSM’s role as a vital educational and economic driver in Southern Maryland. The college serves students from Charles, St. Mary’s and Calvert counties, providing workforce training, transfer pathways and community programs that support regional growth in healthcare, engineering, digital media and the arts.
