Retiring President Gottfried to Give Keynote

Dr. Bradley Gottfried will give his last graduation speech as president of the College of Southern Maryland on May 18, 2017, and will be the keynote speaker for the occasion.

Dr. Gottfried is retiring at the end of June, and has spent 11 years in his position. He was appointed the college’s fourth president in 2006, and his impact on the college has been significant. He led the college’s efforts to expand with a Regional Hughesville Campus, increased the college’s partnerships and articulations, and kept higher education affordable and accessible.

Dr. Gottfried has been recognized by the college’s Board of Trustees for his passion to provide high-quality education that is accessible, flexible, and affordable for all students and the surrounding community.

“Much of CSM’s success can be attributed to Dr. Gottfried’s passion for lifelong learning and his embrace of the college’s role within the community,” CSM Board of Trustees Chair Dorothea Holt Smith said.

“Through his leadership, he promotes an inclusive culture where everyone is encouraged to have a role in the college’s success. Dr. Gottfried’s leadership has resulted in many beneficial partnership opportunities, from articulations with four-year institutions, to collaborations with local and national agencies, to increased advocacy with local, state, and federal elected officials.”

While the Regional Hughesville Campus is the biggest physical proof of his commitment to making education accessible, he also has led the way to expand dual enrollment programs for high school students and to pursue partnerships with other universities and colleges. Under his leadership, the college has seen a record number of graduates because of CSM’s focus on student success, in addition to more than 50 guaranteed articulation agreements with other institutions to make transferring to the next step in education easier. He has garnered partnerships with the public schools in Southern Maryland to serve students of all ages.

Dr. Gottfried has worked with businesses in the region to help address their needs and help with their shortages. The college has launched new programs in nuclear engineering technology, cybersecurity, robotics, digital media production, medical laboratory technology, and the trades.

The college has grown on all three of the existing campuses. The Leonardtown Campus now has a wellness and aquatics center, a second building was built at the Prince Frederick Campus and renovations expanded the facilities in La Plata, including the Community Education Building and Business Building.

In the community, Dr. Gottfried created initiatives like the Nonprofit Institute, the Diversity Institute of Charles County, and the Entrepreneur and Innovation Institute.

Upon Gottfried’s arrival to CSM, the college had its first major gifts campaign, exceeding its goal and raising $7.7 million. He and his wife, Linda, invest in both an annual and an endowed scholarship fund at CSM every year, and now as part of the college’s $10-million Impact Campaign, they have made a leadership gift of $110,000 in cash and a deferred gift to the CSM Foundation that reflects their passion for education. Of their gift, $10,000 is directed to their annual scholarship with the remainder to be directed to the Bradley and Linda Gottfried Endowment Fund as part of their Living Trust to the CSM Foundation.

The college’s commencement ceremony will begin at 6 pm May 18 on the Administration Building lawn. A reception will follow the ceremony in BI Building, Room BI-113/113E. Rain location for commencement is the PE Building and tickets are required. Students have been provided tickets for guests to use in the event of inclement weather. Should the event occur indoors, overflow seating will be available in the Fine Arts Center (FA) where guests may watch the ceremony via broadcast in the Fine Arts Theatre.

The safety of CSM students, guests and employees is of utmost importance. CSM will conduct bag checks at commencement, and all individuals may be subject to a bag check before entry. CSM Public Safety officials encourage guests to leave large secondary bags, diaper bags, and backpacks in their vehicles or at home as these will be subject to the bag check process.

For information on commencement, email [email protected] or visit the CSM website.

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