Marking a half-century of providing comprehensive education and workforce training opportunities to the citizens of the five-county upper and mid Eastern Shore, Chesapeake College has announced a multi-year 50th anniversary celebration beginning in August 2015. Chesapeake College was chartered in December 1965.
Chesapeake’s President Dr. Barbara Viniar says the College has launched a planning initiative for the 50th anniversary that seeks feedback from alumni, community members, business leaders, government officials, faculty and students.
“This is a time of excitement and anticipation for all of us on campus and throughout the Eastern Shore as we take the next eight months to plan an inclusive and meaningful celebration kicking off with the 2015/2016 academic year,” said Viniar, Chesapeake’s fifth president who began her tenure in 2008. “So many individuals’ lives have been enriched through Chesapeake College. We want to hear their stories, uncover little known experiences and re-connect with students and family members who have achieved educational, career and personal goals at Chesapeake.”
Those interested in sharing their Chesapeake College experiences, impressions and ideas for the anniversary celebration are invited to complete a brief online survey over the next six weeks.In addition, a new Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/Chesapeakeat50 serves as a collective community bulletin board to share news of events, programs and people leading up to and during the anniversary celebration.
In addition, the College is holding focus groups with campus and community members in January in each of the five counties it serves: Caroline, Dorchester, Kent, Queen Anne’s and Talbot. A January 9 session in Easton was attended by many community leaders: Dan Bridges, owner, Aqua Pools and Spas; Paige Bethke, Executive Director, Talbot County Office of Economic Development; Laura Helkes, Senior Vice President, Talbot Bank; Mike Hiner, President, Willow Construction; Stuart Bounds, Past President, Chesapeake College; Steven Ochse, Chesapeake College Foundation Board President; Anne Ryan, Associate Professor of Nursing, Chesapeake College; Catherine Poe, Chair, Chesapeake College Board of Trustees; Al Silverstein, President & CEO, Talbot County Chamber of Commerce; Eric Lowery, President, Frederick Douglas Honor Society; Brian Gearhart, realtor, Benson & Mangold; Bruce Armistead, partner, Armistead, Griswold, Lee & Rust Attorneys at Law.
One of the outcomes of the 50th anniversary planning initiative, according to Viniar, will be a multi-platform branding campaign created by Choptank Communications that promotes Chesapeake’s identity in the region and communicates the tremendous opportunities the college affords Eastern Shore residents.
Chesapeake College Foundation is funding the planning and creation of the 50th anniversary.
“This is unique opportunity to engage the various communities that have been touched by Chesapeake College over the last 50 years while also looking forward to how we can use this important occasion to better support and enhance learning for the next generations of Chesapeake students,” said Steven Ochse, President of the Foundation.
Beginning with the unveiling of the College’s new Health Professionals and Athletics Building in August 2015, Viniar says Chesapeake 50th anniversary activities will include themed alumni and student events; public performances, lectures and panel discussions; an anniversary party; 50th anniversary scholarship; and commemorative publications and merchandise.
Chesapeake College was Maryland’s first regional community college. Following Maryland General Assembly legislation in 1965 to create a community college for the upper and mid Eastern Shore, Chesapeake College was chartered on December 22, 1965. Chesapeake’s first president assumed duties in 1966 and 170 acres of land were purchased along Route 50 in Wye Mills for the campus. Classes opened in September 1967 at Queen Anne’s County High School and in September 1968, the first classes were taught in five new buildings on the Wye Mills campus followed by the first graduation ceremonies in May 1969.
New campuses, buildings, degrees and educational opportunities were added over the next 45 years, including the College’s second campus – The Cambridge Center – in August 1978, the Performing Arts Center in 1996, the Macqueen Gibbs Willis School of Nursing at The Memorial Hospital at Easton in 1997 (now Shore Health-Memorial Hospital), the Learning Resources Building in 2002 and the addition of the Regional Higher Education Center in 2002, which offers classes toward a four-year degree from other institutions of higher learning such as Salisbury University.
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