CSM Renames Theater Hank Willoughby Foundation Center for the Arts

The College of Southern Maryland (CSM) Foundation renamed the CSM Fine Arts Center at the La Plata Campus to the Hank Willoughby Foundation Center for the Arts Feb. 7, 2025, to honor the significant contributions that the Hank Willoughby Foundation has made to improve student progress and completion.  

“The Hank Willoughby Foundation through its scholarship foundation with CSM has shown an unwavering commitment to the academic success of our students, and we are incredibly fortunate to have them as part of our college family,” said CSM President Dr. Yolanda Wilson at the ceremony. “Our theater has long been a space where creativity, expression, and learning come together — and now, it will carry the name of a foundation that has helped to ensure that these qualities continue to flourish for generations to come.”  

The Hank Willoughby Scholarship Foundation (HWSF) was established in 2013 by the Hank Willoughby Foundation in support of students who reside in Southern Maryland and demonstrate financial need. Fifty students received the scholarship for the 2024-2025 academic year, totaling $250,000. In total, the Hank Willoughby Scholarship Foundation (HWSF) has awarded more than $1 million scholarships to more than 200 CSM students over the past 11 years.   

“Our relationship with CSM has been seamless in helping us to meet our objective of awarding scholarships to students who meet our requirements,” said HWSF Trustee Robert Price. “Our vision for the future is to continue to provide these scholarships for students.”  

The Hank Willoughby Foundation was created by the late Clara F. Willoughby Smith in honor of her son, Hank Willoughby, who died of cancer as a senior in high school in 1964. Price said that renaming the Fine Arts Center is especially meaningful to the foundation because Hank Willoughby was an accomplished musician who played in the band for Washington, D.C.’s football team at the age of 16.  

“The arts are a vital part of our collective experience here, so now – this Hank Willoughby Foundation Center for the Arts will remain the cornerstone location where countless students, faculty, and staff can create, explore, and discover,” Wilson added. “As we dedicate this space today, we honor Clara and Henry’s love for their son, which now extends to the daughters and sons of our community.” 

Kylee Johnson, pictured left, is in her third semester in nursing school at CSM, maintains a 4.0 GPA, and is a recipient of the Hank Willoughby Foundation Scholarship.  

“The scholarship allowed me to fully immerse myself in my education, enabling me to learn everything I can to provide competent and compassionate care for my patients— both during my clinical rotations and in my future career as a healthcare professional,” she shared at the ceremony.  

“Thanks to the opportunities provided by the Hank Willoughby Foundation Scholarship, I am able to pursue my education and achieve my dream of becoming a nurse,” Johnson continued. “This scholarship has opened doors for me to meet inspiring people and to grow both personally and professionally. For this, I am forever grateful. I hope that one day, I will be able to help other students achieve their dreams of pursuing higher education, just as this scholarship has helped me.”  

While attending CSM, Llana Paco, pictured right, worked as a student assistant for the CSM Foundation. After obtaining an associate degree from CSM and a bachelor’s degree from University of Maryland College Park, she planned to take a pause before starting toward a master’s degree in Speech Language Pathology at the University of the District of Columbia (UDC).  

“To my surprise, I didn’t need to take any time off,” she said. “The Hank Willoughby Foundation saw my potential and extended their generous support of my career goals and assisted me financially at UDC. I was astounded; so was my family.”     

Now working as a speech pathologist with a large public school system, Paco works with about 50 students in two schools.  

“So, I am here today to extend my deepest gratitude to CSM and to the Hank Willoughby family and foundation,” she told those gathered for the renaming ceremony. “You helped me – just one student at CSM; and now I am helping to change the lives of 50 little students.”   

The HWSF has been an important partner in helping the CSM Foundation to achieve its goals of ensuring access and success for our students, and we are thrilled to be renaming the Fine Arts Center in their honor. It is our hope that Hank Willoughby Foundation Center for the Arts will serve as a monument to a wonderful partnership, and a powerful reminder of what we can accomplish when we work together toward a common goal. 

To view photos from the ribbon-cutting and renaming event, please visit https://csmphoto.zenfolio.com/willoughbynamingceremony.