‘When you give, you get it back tenfold’
Recipient of CSM’s first alumni award serves students and community
As Jehnell Linkins begins each work day at the College of Southern Maryland, she makes a conscious choice to put her own problems behind her and focus on service.
“I leave anything I’m struggling with in the car,” Linkins said, “because our students need me to be there for them.”
The 1983 CSM alumna and longtime employee was recently honored for her tireless work on behalf of students and the community with the college’s inaugural Distinguished Alumni Award at the college’s 63rd commencement ceremony May 13.
“Jehnell truly has been a terrific advocate for CSM and for our students, and that’s what community college is all about,” CSM Assistant Director of Alumni and Annual Giving Michael Bellis said. “She has given her amazing talents back to the college and is a passionate advocate for our learners.”
The award is a new way for the college to honor alumni who have distinguished themselves through professional achievements, service to the community, or service to CSM. A life-long resident of Bryans Road, Linkins first arrived on the CSM campus more than 40 years ago.
While attending Henry E. Lackey High School, she had dreamed of attending the University of Maryland College Park, but was discouraged from applying by her guidance counselor because of her race.
But at CSM, she found the support she needed and after earning her associates degree at CSM she made it to College Park where she graduated with a bachelors of science in human ecology in 1987.
Her husband and children have all attended CSM and University of Maryland, College Park as well.
When Linkins made her way back to CSM as an employee 18 years ago, she was determined to give back the same kind of support she had received while she was on campus.
“I wanted to be the person I had helping me when I was a student,” she said, adding that her own CSM advisor at the time, now-Del. Edith J. Patterson (D-Charles), helped her realize that she could achieve her goals.
She is the pre-engineering program coordinator and an adjunct faculty member but her title is only a tip of the iceberg. Linkins, who is known to buy groceries for hungry students, takes great pride that she and CSM Chief of Staff Larisa Pfeiffer established the Hawk Feeder program more than five years ago to help students experiencing food insecurities. It has since grown to become a full-service food pantry on all three campuses.
“Larisa and I used to offer free food to our students out of our offices,” Linkins said. “It is how we came to realize just how many students were coming to classes, really hungry.” Linkins also helps students find appropriate clothing for interviews, helps students and their families fill out college transfer applications and has even hosted impromptu etiquette lessons to teach students about behavior during business dinners.
“She has been so instrumental in so many lives,” Bellis said, “that it can be a challenge for her to walk from her car to her office without being stopped by a grateful student.”
Linkins has an especially strong interest in increasing the number of underrepresented populations entering STEM careers and has sponsored the Engineer Like a Girl summer program for high school students at the Leonardtown campus and co-founded CSM’s Society of Women Engineers Club. She also led the effort to charter the National Society of Black Engineers chapter at CSM in 2021.
CSM Donor Relations and Special Events Manager Toni Kruszka, who nominated Linkins for the award, said her colleague “makes Southern Maryland a better place and CSM is fortunate to have her as an advocate and employee.”
Linkins also coordinated the CSM Engineering
Club’s visit to various sheriff and fire departments.
“It is important that our students learn to give back to their communities and the importance of networking,” Linkins said. “When you give, you get it back tenfold.”
Outside of CSM, Linkins created the nonprofit Crohn’s Glitter and Girls, Inc. to raise awareness
for the disease, which she suffers from, through education and outreach and recently established a scholarship program through the organization.
When she was presented with the award, Linkins paused for an extended period before stating that “for the first time in my life, something has rendered me speechless.”