CSM ‘All-Star’ Night at the Ball Park, Sept. 17

Students, Faculty, Community Gather to Show School Spirit

            As the new academic year begins, students at college campuses around the country are hard at work building a network of friends—and a sense of school spirit. College of Southern Maryland students are no different.  With nearly seven out of 10 recent high school graduates from Southern Maryland counties choosing CSM to begin their academic careers and a student body of more than 10,000, there is the potential for a huge ‘friend network’ and a lot of school spirit.

            One event for students to show their college spirit is ‘CSM Night at the Ball Park’ on Sept. 17 when, along with faculty, alumni and community fans, students can unleash their enthusiasm as they watch a Southern Maryland Blue Crabs game and honor the CSM Foundation’s ‘All-Stars’ at Regency Furniture Stadium in Waldorf.

            The Blue Crabs are offering CSM students, faculty, and staff $8 reserved field box tickets on game night when they purchase tickets by showing their CSM identification card at the box office.

            “CSM Night at the Ball Park is an opportunity for students to gather together in our school colors of yellow, green and black, show their school spirit with our mascot ‘Hawk’ and make some noise cheering on the home team,” said CSM Director of Student Life and Athletics Michelle Ruble.

            With the large number of students and community members who have connections to the college, there will be a lot of noise beyond the fireworks at the end of the game.

            More than 100 free tickets to the game will be available through contests and giveaways at the college. Students joining CSM’s Facebook in the days prior to the game will be entered in drawings for a pair of tickets. Students can also receive tickets at ‘Kick-off to College’ and first-week activities.

            In its third year, CSM Night at the Ball Park gives incoming freshman and returning students an opportunity to meet, and gives CSM graduates and community supporters a reunion venue. This year’s event will also celebrate the CSM Foundation’s 40^th anniversary of providing scholarships to students and funding to college programs. 

            “We are honoring nine of the Foundation’s ‘All-Stars’ at this year’s event,” said CSM Development Director Martina Arnold. “These are people in the community who have gone above and beyond in their support of our students and programs—people who have given their time and considerable talents to Foundation efforts for 10 or more years.”

            The Foundation ‘All-Stars’ to be honored before the game’s first pitch are Charles “Rick” Bailey, Michael Besche, Donald Cox, Evelyn Hungerford, John McWilliams, Dr. John Sine. Posthumous honorees are Louis P. Jenkins Sr., John Thomas Parran and Verna Posey.

             Foundation raffle tickets for a laptop, use of a Blue Crabs stadium box next season and a $250 Target gift card will be on sale during the game with the drawing taking place during the seventh inning stretch. Proceeds from the raffle will support CSM scholarships.

            CSM staff will be available on the concourse throughout the night to answer questions on degree programs, personal enrichment and Career Starters non-credit programs, fine arts events and scholarship opportunities.

            The night will be filled with giveaways, musical performances by CSM’s Chorale and a post-game fireworks show.

            To purchase advance tickets for CSM Night at the Ball Park, visit www.somdbluecrabs.com. Enter code “csmnight” and a portion of ticket sales will be donated to the CSM Foundation.

            For information on the CSM Foundation, visit http://www.csmd.edu/Foundation/.

            To join CSM Facebook, visit http://www.facebook.com/CollegeofSouthernMaryland.