Hit the road with CSM this year
The richness of Southern Maryland will be on display as the College of Southern Maryland recently unveiled a number of experience-based Personal Enrichment classes that will allow students to encounter the history and culture of our region and beyond.
“People that are looking for new things to do that they may not be able to do on their own,” CSM Director of Personal Enrichment Shaunda Holt said in a news release. “We are making it easy for them to experience amazing things.”
The experiences will stretch the limits of what most people imagine when they register for a class. Students won’t be passively listening to lectures and completing assignments but instead will be immersed in the subject they are studying and doing everything from spreading sauce on an authentic Italian pizza to climbing to the top of a lighthouse to gaze across the water.
The experiences will also far exceed what community members would be capable of planning on their own. In several cases, such as the At Home With History class, students will be granted access to areas that are normally closed to the public. And with a qualified instructor guiding participants, the experience will be much richer.
“Everything comes alive when you have someone that is passionate about what they do guiding your experience,” Holt said. “I have found some amazing people who want to share their knowledge with the community to lead these classes.”
A class on the assassination of President Abraham Lincoln this June will be led by historian Bob Bowser, who has been a tour guide at the Dr. Samuel A. Mudd House for the past 13 years. The class will include both a classroom component and a visit to the Samuel Mudd House and will trace the role of Southern Maryland in Booth’s plot.
“People don’t realize how deep the history in our area is,” Holt said.
Mike Callahan, a living history interpreter for Friends of Chapman State Park and other historical sites, will also be leading classes that highlight the history of our area. His At Home with History class takes students into private homes in the area to learn about their historical and cultural significance. He also developed a day trip to visit the area’s lighthouses based on feedback from students, which will be offered later this month.
“This is living history; it’s bringing history alive,” Callahan said in the release. “I have always believed that if you can experience something, you are going to remember it a lot better. I hope people come away from the experiences I am leading with a deeper appreciation and our local history and an understanding of what it takes to be a steward of these properties.”
The experiences will also take students out of the area to explore places they may not have discovered on their own. Italian Day, which is led by instructor Simonetta Baldassari, will take students to Washington, D.C. for a guided tour of the Casa Italiana Sociocultural Center for a guided tour. After the tour, participants will head to Georgetown for authentic pizza, and even can help prepare it. The college has even arranged access and transportation to reach each destination, taking the stress out of an ambitious day trip.
Other experiences include everything from introduction to fly fishing, to dog training, and Holt said that new experiences are being planned for future sessions based on instructor and student interest.
“Everybody can find something that interests them when they look at our schedule,” she said.
For more information, go to www.csmd.edu/programs-courses/non-credit/personal-enrichment.