St. Mary’s College of Maryland recently hosted an all day networking event that culminated in an awards ceremony celebrating St. Mary’s first African-American graduate, Elizabeth Barber Walker, class of ’64.
Throughout the day, multicultural alumni gave keynote speeches and facilitated discussion panels with current College students. The goal was to strengthen the minority network before and after graduating from St. Mary’s.
The theme for the day was “Connecting to the Past…Preparing for the Future.” Born and raised in racially segregated Charles County, Walker made history by becoming the first African-American student at St. Mary’s. She had strategically left parts of her freshman application blank, such as the race block, under the instruction of her mentor and teacher, Delores Fleming. This strategy, along with her excellent marks in high school, resulted in acceptance.
“This acknowledgement has been long overdue,” said Michael Freeman, dean of the College. At the awards ceremony, a plaque dedicated to Walker was unveiled. Fleming stood alongside in a packed auditorium to give Walker a standing ovation. “The family and friend support was and is outstanding. It helps me everyday, just as it did in the ’60s,” said Walker. “I’m glad I was still living to see this day. This whole day has been well planned, a lot of effort was put into this,” said Walker. “I thought the connection to Multicultural Day was very appropriate.”
One participant in the Multicultural Networking, senior David Smith, attended panels on graduate school applications and government jobs. Alum Jesse Price worked on the Clinton/Gore campaign and offered insight on available positions in the political and governmental scene of Washington, D.C. The groups consisted of 4 or 5 alumni and an equal number of student participants. The small size allowed for personal interaction. “I gained a tremendous sense of camaraderie out of participating in these workshops. Their commitment to us made me feel special. I felt like I made personal connections that day,” said Smith.
Both the alumni and Walker noticed a change in the SMCM student population. “I’d like to see increased African-American enrollment, especially on the part of the local Southern Maryland population,” said Walker. “I’ve seen a very positive change and I congratulate the College’s efforts to diversify. It takes a lot to admit that there is a situation that needs to be fixed.”
Brandon Buckner, president of the SMCM Black Student Union and co-coordinator of the day’s events, elaborated on Walker’s statement. “I’m very pleased to be part of this dedication, but this is a bigger issue than us – it’s a campus and community issue. My satisfaction that she [Walker] is getting the recognition she deserves is tempered by the fact that there is still so much work that needs to be done.”
Maggie O’Brien, president of the College, reiterated her commitment to increasing minority enrollment and creating effective support systems for those on campus. “Like Liz Walker, future students are going to need help not just getting in, but staying in,” said O’Brien. “I’m very happy that we have things available like emergency funds, so that the students who are accepted are never turned away because of financial reasons.”
One of the present support programs is the Multicultural Achievement Peer Program (MAPP). It is a peer retention program designed to maximize social
