Washington College Honored Cerino and Brown at George Washington’s Birthday Convocation

CHESTERTOWN, MD—Washington College honored two Chestertown luminaries—Mayor Chris Cerino and the Rev. Robert “Bobby” Brown—at its annual George Washington’s Birthday Convocation, conferring on both the President’s Medal.

College President Kurt Landgraf presented the awards, which recognize the accomplishments of an individual or organization that has made significant contributions to the advancement of Washington College or the regional community.

Landgraf lauded Cerino for his service to the community through both his time as mayor and as Director of Education for the Sultana Education Foundation. Specifically, he cited Cerino’s “wit, grit, and nimble thinking and action to shepherd what is unquestionably the town’s most ambitious and at times contentious capital project, the construction of the new Chestertown Marina. Poised to open this spring, the new marina will preserve the town’s maritime heritage and promote tourism by creating an iconic gateway to Kent County. It will be a major economic driver for Chestertown, and thanks to the collaborative efforts led by Mr. Mayor to develop this new front porch to our community in tandem with Washington College’s waterfront campus, it has helped cement the historic connection between the town and the College.”

Landgraf praised Brown as a bridge-builder, collaborator, and galvanizer, quoting Washington College French Professor Katherine Maynard, who has worked with Brown on the “Your Vote, Your Voice” initiative, saying “He is a community leader who builds bridges across the dividing lines that sometimes run through Kent County.” Brown, now in his tenth year as pastor of the Bethel A.M.E. Church in Chestertown, also worked with College faculty and staff to create last year’s inaugural Community Unity Day.

“His is a spiritual force that inspires the very best in all of us, always reminding us of what we are capable of,” Landgraf said. “In his actions, he shows us every day what it means to be an engaged citizen in our community and our world.”

You can watch the entire Convocation at https://www.washcoll.edu/offices/digital-media-services/live/. The President’s Medal portion runs from 1:18 to 1:25 in the video.

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Founded in 1782, Washington College is the tenth oldest college in the nation and the first chartered under the new Republic. It enrolls approximately 1,450 undergraduates from more than 39 states and territories and 25 nations. With an emphasis on hands-on, experiential learning in the arts and sciences, and more than 40 multidisciplinary areas of study, the College is home to nationally recognized academic centers in the environment, history, and writing. Learn more at washcoll.edu.