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MSMU Launches Capital Campaign Fundraiser

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Richard D. L. Fulton

Mount Saint Mary’s University (MSMU) launched its $50 million capital campaign. “Our Mission, Our Moment, Our Mount,” geared towards financing the School of Health Professions and investing in the Science, Technology Engineering, and Math (STEM) programs and facilities.

Mount President Timothy Trainor stated, “Our mission calls us to help our students find the intersection of their passion and talents and then shape their path to leading a life of significance,” adding, “We’re evolving in ways that provide new pathways that emphasize the Mount way – ethical and creative decision-making, compassionate care, and respect for all people.”

“Together we can achieve our campaign goals that position the Mount for the next 100 years and serve our community,” he stated.

Bob Brennan, MSMU Vice President for University Advancement, stated, “We are deeply grateful for the commitment our donors have made to the Our Mount campaign to this point,“ further noting, “Alumni, federal and state government, foundations and other friends of the Mount believe in our mission, leadership and vision for the future. This campaign will build on our success and continue our growth in the coming years.”

Donna Klinger, Executive Director of Communications, reported, “A major portion has already been committed toward the $50 million goal. The campaign is among the most ambitious and impactful fundraising efforts in the university’s 215-year history.”

Regarding the School of Health Professions (which will also include a Center for Clinician Well-Being) aspect of the fundraiser, that school will be made transformational for students, the university and Frederick County by helping students answer the call to serve and helping to bring about changes to patient and provider care, according to Klinger. “The school will evolve to include master’s level nursing and other healthcare programs,” she stated. 

The Mount is partnering with the Daughters of Charity and that the Daughters have offered an “in-kind gift of a wing of St. Joseph Provincial House” for the School of Health, allowing the MSMU to “expand its footprint in Emmitsburg.’ Klinger said.  The Daughters of Charity will offer mentors and scholarships, while Care for America will teach students how to care for underserved patients.

“This element of the program dovetails with the missions of the Mount and the Daughters by seeking to graduate healthcare providers who possess the desire to provide equitable and compassionate care and the ability to thrive in difficult work environments,” the Executive Director of Communications stated.

The campaign also focuses on $20 million in improvements to the university’s STEM facilities, which the university has outgrown,” Klinger said, adding, “The Mount has experienced significant growth in science and technology programs and the funds will be used to create state-of-the-art labs and teaching spaces to meet the demands of future learners.”

The three-story, 50,100 square-foot Coad Science Building, built in 1964, serves the School of Natural Science and Mathematics. Planned facilities’ improvements will commence with a 21,000-square-foot addition to the existing space that will house neuroscience, computational, and research labs as well as collaborative learning spaces.

The second phase will build additional science labs, classrooms, and research spaces. The third phase will focus on the renovation of the existing space in Coad, she stated.

The new classroom and lab spaces will be technology-rich, multi-use, flexible, and configurable for a variety of instructional formats and class sizes. Specific goals for the building addition include a design that promotes circulation and spontaneous interaction; is flexible and adaptable; and provides natural light where STEM students and faculty in action can see and be seen.

The additional space will also allow for increased programs with local STEM industry partners.

A third focus of the campaign addresses the recent growth and success of the Mount’s athletic programs. The university has doubled the number of athletes in its NCAA Division-I program in just six years and netted 17 conference titles and nine NCAA tournament appearances in that same period.

MSMU To Receive $4 Million In STEM Funds

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Richard D. L. Fulton

Photo Courtesy of MSMU

Proposed addition (left) to the university’s Coad Science Building.

Mount Saint Mary’s University (MSMU) will be receiving $4 million in federal workforce development STEM funds to help meet the region’s increased demand for growth in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics.

STEM is an acronym for science, technology, engineering, and mathematics.

According to Donna Klinger, MSMU executive director of communications, the funds will be used to help complete the 21,000 square-foot addition and renovation of the university’s Coad Science Building, noting that, “The Mount has experienced significant growth in science and technology programs and the funds will be used to create state-of-the-art labs and teaching spaces to meet the demands of future learners.”

Klinger reported that the scope of work for the Coad Science Building includes three phases that will begin in March, with the addition of neuroscience, computational, and microscopy research labs, as well as collaborative learning spaces. The second phase will contain the second and third levels of the addition with science labs, classrooms, and experiential research spaces. The third phase will renovate the existing space in the Coad Science Building, according to the communications executive director.

The appropriation, she said, was secured by U.S. senators Ben Cardin and Chris Van Hollen and Representative David Trone, “who support the expansion of the Coad Science Building and work-based training in rural Maryland,” adding, “The members of Congress expressed support for the Mount’s efforts to build educator-industry partnerships and strengthen cross-disciplinary STEM courses, especially in computer science, cybersecurity and the physical sciences.”

The federal funds stem from federal congressionally directed spending from the Fiscal Year 2023 Omnibus Appropriations Bill, signed into law on December 29, 2022. Congressionally directed spending allows members of Congress to recommend important projects in their state or district for consideration by the Senate and house appropriations committees.

MSMU President Timothy Trainor stated, “We are grateful to Congressman Trone and senators Cardin and Van Hollen for their support of the university’s expansion and renovation of our STEM research facilities to support American competitiveness in high-demand fields such as computer science, data science, cybersecurity, neuroscience and biological, environmental, and physical sciences, as well as contribute to a highly trained STEM workforce for the state of Maryland.”

Senator Cardin stated, “Maryland’s future economy is a STEM economy, and our workforce must be trained and equipped to thrive in these fields. This new, $4 million investment in Mount Saint Mary’s Coad Science Building will ensure that its students who are seeking expertise in the STEM fields have a first-class learning facility to prepare them.”

Senator Van Hollen, a member of the Appropriations Committee, emphasized that STEM skills are more in demand than ever, and teaching students in these fields will help prepare them for well-paying jobs while strengthening Maryland’s workforce, adding, “That’s why we fought to deliver this direct federal funding for Mount St. Mary’s.”

“Providing every Marylander an opportunity to succeed, especially in high-skill, sought-after trades like STEM, is a win-win for all of us. Not only will these programs help develop our country’s future leaders, but they will also create and fill jobs down the line in our state,” Congressman Trone stated.

Built in 1964, Coad is a three-story 50,100 square-foot building serving the School of Natural Science and Mathematics, which has outgrown the existing space and needs to be renovated for modern STEM pedagogical practices. The new classroom and lab spaces will be technology-rich, multi-use, flexible, and configurable for a variety of instructional formats and class sizes.

The $20 million Coad expansion and renovation project is also being funded by a $2 million grant from the State of Maryland, in conjunction with donations made in support of the project through the “Forward! Together as One Campaign.”  A lead donation from George B. Delaplaine, Jr. will provide the collaborative space, to be called the Delaplaine Family Academic Commons. 

Other top-level donors contributing to the expansion project are the Page Family Foundation; Trish and D.J. Monagle; Paula and Fred Neuer; and Christina Lee and Mark Sobus, J.D.

Mother Seton School Receives Gift of Technology Through Mount St. Mary’s Partnership

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The strong bond between Mount St. Mary’s and the Daughters of Charity has endured for over two centuries, ever since the foundress of the order, St. Elizabeth Ann Seton, resided at The Mount and taught local children in the adjoining Grotto. It’s only natural that the relationship should extend to Mother Seton School (MSS), a sponsored work of the Daughters and direct descendant of the first Catholic elementary school founded in the United States in 1810 by St. Elizabeth Ann Seton. The thriving partnership between America’s second oldest Catholic university and the oldest Catholic elementary school was recently highlighted through the donation of ten laptops, which had been converted to Chromebooks, to Mother Seton School’s technology program.

Working with Professor Athar Rafiq, students majoring in computer science, cybersecurity, and math completed a service learning project to retrofit electronically and physically clean and test the laptop computers, which had been replaced after being in use at the Mount for three years. The Mount students who devoted the most effort to this initiative are Chandler Bankos, Vu Do, Eric Fierro, Christian Hill, Danny Stanley, J’Dan Vaughn, and Sergio Villafane.

“We are grateful to Dr. Rafiq and his students for providing us these tools,” said Sister Brenda Monahan, D.C., principal of Mother Seton School. “They help move us toward our goal of providing 1:1 computing devices to our students for use in small group instruction and STEM experiences.”

Not only do Mount students receive valuable technical and, more importantly, service-oriented learning experience, but MSS students and teachers benefit in their teaching and learning initiatives from these laptops, which the Mount students converted to Chromebooks. The sustainability initiative also avoids the cost of piling these laptops in landfills, which complements the Green School status of MSS.

“STEAM” Night at Sabillasville Elementary

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Theresa Dardanell

The floor of the Sabillasville Elementary gym became the Atlantic Ocean—gymnastic mats were transformed into the Titanic, and ordinary physical education equipment turned into icebergs, lifeboats, and gear to get the students (passengers) to safety. That was only one of the exciting activities during STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Math) Night on May 5, 2017.

Twenty-five families attended the event, which began with a welcome by teacher Melinda Bentz and a pizza dinner served by Principal Kate Krietz and other staff members. Students had the opportunity to visit two of the five stations set up throughout the school. Physical Education teacher Michael Pritt said that the Titanic Challenge gave the students the opportunity to create an engineering strategy and work as a team.
In the Imagination challenge, students used Legos to build a car powered by a balloon. Teachers Tonya Wantz and Shari Austin worked with students to design their cars. One outstanding car traveled 101 inches!

Art teacher Heidi Hench said that the Transportation Creation challenge combined art and math; students used geometric shapes to create and draw different means of transportation.

The computer lab was the location of the Information Station, where Media Specialist Renee Bennett showed students, and their parents, how to use a database to learn more about the Titanic and then use that information to create a fun bookmark.

Thurmont Library staff members Jeannie Read and Shelba Bollinger set up the Engineering Challenge station, where students could design and build structures using everyday items like clothespins, blocks, plastic cups, rulers, and paint sticks. Educational door prizes like Lego, art, and building sets were given out during the evening. One excited student jumped up and cheered as soon as his name was called as a prize winner.

Students were challenged to build the tallest structure during STEAM Night at Sabillasville Elementary School, while parent Kellie Bytella (far right) cheered them on: (back row) Cale Tyeryar and Blair Carpenter; (front row) Brynn Eyler and Giana Bytella.