The College of Southern Maryland will celebrate its 51st spring commencement at the La Plata Campus, May 20, with the keynote address to be provided by Francine Dove Hawkins, an organization developer, life coach, trainer and education advocate.
Hawkins sees coaching, training and teaching as some of her professional gifts and sees motivating others to stir up their gifts as her spiritual mission, according to her biography.
Born in Leonardtown, Hawkins graduated from Great Mills High School in 1971 as its salutatorian. She earned a bachelor of arts in education from the University of Virginia, a master of science in speech/language pathology from Pennsylvania State University and a doctorate in communication sciences from the University of Maryland.
As the owner of Hawkins and Associates, LLC, for 26 years, Hawkins has trained hundreds of adults in the Washington, D.C. area in leadership development, interpersonal communication, and writing and presentation skills for career advancement. She also works with organizations in the areas of strategic planning, systems and process development and documentation, and preparing and implementing change management.
As an adjunct professor at Florida Institute of Technology, Hawkins teaches organizational behavior and development and management theory. She has also served as a trainer, substitute teacher, guest speaker and committee member for the St. Marys County Public Schools.
Hawkins has been a member of numerous organizations and community boards, including the St. Marys Hospital Board and Unified Committee for Afro-American Contributions. She founded the Institute for Human Growth and Development, Inc., a nonprofit organization whose mission is to empower families to thrive within a global economy, according to Hawkins. The Institute, in its seventh year, sponsors programs that incorporate character education with history and the arts.
Hawkins has received the Excellence for Minority Achievement Award from the Maryland State Department of Education and is a recipient of Marylands Top 100 Women by the Maryland Daily Record.
Spring commencement activities will begin with an Honors Convocation on May 19 at 6 p.m. on the Administration (AD) lawn. A nurses recognition program begins at 1 p.m., May 20 in the Physical Education (PE) Center, with a reception immediately following in the Center for Business and Industry (BI) Building, Room BI-113. The colleges commencement ceremony will begin at 6:30 p.m. on the AD lawn. A reception will follow the ceremony in BI-113. Rain location will be in the PE Center.
CSM, founded in 1958, is the fifth largest community college in Maryland, and has grown to be the centerpiece of Southern Maryland. An integral part of the community, it has campuses in Calvert, Charles and St. Marys counties serves nearly 23,000 credit and continuing education students annually. From a first graduating class of four in 1960, the college celebrates more than 17,000 graduates.
For information on commencement activities, call 301-934-7790 Ext. 7009, 301-934-2251 Ext. 7009 or visit http://www.csmd.edu/commencement/.
Calendar
CSM Spring Graduation Ceremony. May 20, 6:30 p.m., College of Southern Maryland, Administration Building, front lawn, 8730 Mitchell Road, La Plata. Join CSM students, faculty and staff at their 51st spring commencement ceremony. Reception to follow in the Center for Business and Industry Building, Room BI-113. Rain location, Physical Education (PE) Building. 301-934-7765 or 301-870-2309, 240-725-5499 or 443-550-6199, Ext. 7765 or www.csmd.edu/commencement/.
PSA:
The College of Southern Maryland 51st Spring Commencement
May 20, 6:30 p.m.
Administration Building, Front Lawn
Rain location, PE Building
8730 Mitchell Road, La Plata, Md.
301-934-7765 or 301-870-2309, 240-725-5499 or 443-550-6199, Ext. 7765
or www.csmd.edu/commencement/.