Washington College is located in the historic and beautiful town of Chestertown on the Eastern Shore of Maryland.
Our location—and close proximity to the nation’s capital and the cities of Philadelphia, Annapolis, and Baltimore—is an important part of what makes the Washington experience truly unique within higher education.
The Washington
College Campus
Our beautiful main campus sits on 112 acres nestled in a neighborhood only a short walk from downtown. Along the town’s waterfront, you will find the Washington College Hodson Boathouse, and the Semans-Griswold Environmental Hall. Completed in 2019, Semans-Griswold is home to the nationally recognized Washington College Center for Environment and Society and was designed to meet the Living Building Challenge standards, which are the most rigorous for sustainability within architecture.
A short ride from the main campus sits the 5,000-acre River and Field Campus (RAFC). This living laboratory incorporates 2.5 miles of Chester River waterfront, meadows, untouched hardwood forests, ponds, grasslands, marshes, and riverine habitat. RAFC offers students an unparalleled opportunity to explore thousands of acres of forests and agricultural fields, experimental grasslands, an active wildlife conservation program, and the Washington College Foreman’s Branch Bird Observatory.
"My biggest takeaway from the Spring Lobby Weekend in Washington, D.C., was the power of grassroots advocacy. Seeing so many passionate individuals come together, share their stories, and push for meaningful change was incredibly inspiring. One of the most memorable moments was when we had the opportunity to meet directly with our representatives. It was eye-opening to witness the impact we could have by sharing our experiences and urging them to support important legislation. That sense of collective purpose and determination was truly motivating and reinforced my belief in the importance of civic engagement."
- Ashna Symes '28
Connected
Washington College sits within 90 miles of Washington, D.C., Philadelphia, and Baltimore, and is only one hour from Maryland’s capital, Annapolis. This opens a world of opportunities for our students to network, find valuable internships, enjoy cultural events, and connect with both state and national politics. A number of majors take advantage of our location to bring speakers to campus and take trips to these cities to expand the learning experience.
Engaged Citizenship
The Maryland Eastern Shore is a rich and vibrant working community. In farming, fishing, and small businesses, residents of the Eastern Shore display the collaborative, entrepreneurial spirit you find in many rural areas. The close-knit community affords unique opportunities for Washington students to work closely with local organizations to make a real difference in the lives of those in the region. It also plays a significant role in meeting our mission to “inspire engaged citizen leaders” by providing opportunities to understand what it means to be an active citizen and to build healthy, sustainable communities. Washington offers a range of civic engagement opportunities, and the College is committed to engaging as many students and community members as possible in meaningful collaboration.
An Active Commitment to Sustainability
Washington College is deeply tied to and committed to sustainability. Our location on the low-lying Eastern Shore of the Chesapeake Bay is among one of those most vulnerable areas to climate change and provides a unique setting to study the effects we are having on the world around us. Washington is vigorously pursuing our environmental goals as expressed in the recommendations of the College’s sustainability task force. We view our impact on the natural world around us through the lens of environmental sustainability.
Washington College is recognized as a U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Green Power Partner thanks to our use of solar energy. Our Semans-Griswold Environmental Hall also achieved Living Building Challenge certification by producing more energy than it uses through innovative design and materials.
Our commitment to sustainability is seen every day on campus. We promote refillable water bottle stations, electric vehicle charging, and implement stormwater catchment practices. A student garden, featuring an apiary and demonstration composting site, underscores our Tree Campus and Bee Campus USA certifications.
At Washington, we know the sustainability of our environment grows from nurturing healthy, sustainable communities. Our holistic approach to education includes combining environmental efforts, civic engagement, and service to create and maintain sustainability for our students, our campus, and our communities.
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