March 28, 2024

CSM Student Receives President’s Cup

President's Cup
College of Southern Maryland student Camille Joie De Jesus, left, was recognized by CSM President Dr. Maureen Murphy as the recipient of the President’s Cup during the Student Government Association awards May 22. De Jesus, who was also recognized for her work with the La Plata Campus Club of Women In STEM, graduated with an associate degree in arts and sciences during the college’s Spring Commencement May 24.

Camille Joie De Jesus, 19, of Bryans Road is a particularly recognizable person at the College of Southern Maryland’s La Plata Campus. She is all over campus, all the time. Her involvement in so many aspects of college life has landed her the President’s Cup.

Ms. De Jesus has not just been a full-time student, graduating in May with an associate degree in arts and sciences. She was also a student assistant in the CSM Development Department, helping with multiple events and fundraisers. Plus, anyone passing through the Campus Center Building can’t help but notice a smiling, life-size image of Ms. De Jesus on the wall, alongside images of all the other officers in the La Plata Campus student association. Ms. De Jesus was the group’s treasurer.

As she was about to graduate in May 2018, Ms. De Jesus was recognized by CSM President Dr. Maureen Murphy with the President’s Cup during the Student Government Association awards May 22, and was also recognized for her work with the La Plata Campus Club of Women In STEM.

Because of all this involvement, Ms. De Jesus is well known, showing that she has made the most of her time at CSM. She has successfully balanced two jobs every day (she works at a local doughnut business as well as the student assistant job) while being a full-time student.

“Camille quickly became an invaluable part of our team,” said CSM Director of Development Chelsea Brown, Ms. De Jesus’ supervisor at her student assistant job. “She is an intelligent and hard-working individual who is dedicated to her studies as well as helping others. One of her greatest strengths is her ability to motivate her fellow students to get involved in campus events. She also has a wonderful demeanor that makes it easy for her to be around.”

Ms. De Jesus received the Greater Waldorf Jaycees CSM Foundation Scholarship, which helped her through all four of her semesters at CSM. She said receiving a scholarship has turned her into a philanthropist herself; she donated what she could to other scholarship funds during the college’s annual #GivingTuesday event last November.

“As a scholarship recipient myself, I wanted to return the kindness given to me back to scholarships for other students,” she said. “Even if I did not donate a lot of money, I wanted to at least give something to show how thankful I am for having so many scholarship opportunities here. … I appreciate the great effort that the CSM Foundation puts forward for the students.”

“The scholarships that I have received mean a lot to me because it allowed me to see that there are opportunities for me to get help with my tuition,” said Ms. De Jesus. “Both of my parents work full time. My father works two jobs as a nurse in a hospital and nursing home, so I would go days without seeing him. My mother works in the afternoon and evenings, so my mother would come home when I would be already sleeping. My parents work hard for my family, so I want to help them in return by achieving great grades and earning scholarships so that they would not have to worry about my tuition.”

Ms. De Jesus said that starting her higher education at CSM was a good fit for her. “I am more than glad that I chose CSM because I met so many wonderful people and role models throughout my adventure.”

Ms. De Jesus is taking her eclectic experiences at CSM to the next step in her education, as she transfers to University of Maryland College Park to continue studying computer science. Her career goal is to become a software engineer.

Although she is moving on, Ms. De Jesus has become so entrenched in the CSM culture that it is hard for her to go. “If I could stay at CSM longer, I would,” she said. She expects that she will return for more education at CSM in the future, where she can earn certificates.

“I have no doubt that she will be successful in the next chapter of her academic career at the University of Maryland and beyond,” Ms. Brown said.

For more about the College of Southern Maryland, visit its Leader member page.

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