ST. MARY’S CITY, Md. — St. Mary’s College of Maryland has been chosen to participate in a national cohort of more than 35 colleges and universities focused on improving student outcomes through the Advancing Student Success: Strategic Prioritization for Student Success initiative.
The program is led by the John N. Gardner Institute for Excellence in Higher Education, in partnership with the Council of Public Liberal Arts Colleges (COPLAC), and supported by the Gates Foundation.
Participation grants St. Mary’s College access to a structured, evidence-based process to identify priorities, strengthen academic pathways, and enhance overall student success.
“Student success is at the heart of our mission as the National Public Honors College,” said Rhonda Phillips, president of St. Mary’s College of Maryland. “As we continue to strengthen advising, student support, and academic planning across the institution, this partnership will help us make informed decisions grounded in data and focused on helping every student thrive.”
The initiative aligns with the college’s new Compass organizational strategy, which aims to improve coordination among advising, student success services, inclusion and belonging efforts, registration and records, mentoring for advanced opportunities, and library resources. St. Mary’s is also preparing to roll out a new degree audit and pathway planning system for the 2026-27 academic year.
“The Gardner Institute’s sensemaking process will help us thoughtfully examine our data, identify opportunities to improve student success, and align our advising and support systems in ways that best serve students,” said Katy Arnett, associate provost. “This work will help us build a more integrated and sustainable student support ecosystem across the College.”
Through the program, St. Mary’s College will receive customized institutional reports, facilitated sensemaking sessions, a strategic prioritization plan, and an implementation roadmap based on the Gardner Institute’s Six Transformation Principles.
The broader initiative reflects a growing national emphasis on data-driven approaches to student retention, completion, and equity in higher education, particularly at public liberal arts institutions. COPLAC member schools like St. Mary’s are dedicated to providing high-quality, accessible liberal arts education.
This selection comes as St. Mary’s College continues its commitment to academic excellence and student-centered support as Maryland’s public honors college.
