' s ▁College ▁of ▁Maryland , ▁the ▁state ' s ▁public ▁hon ors ▁college . ▁The ▁school ▁was ▁established ▁with ▁Kennedy ' s ▁political ▁support ▁and ▁his ▁reputation ▁as ▁a ▁respect ed ▁Maryland ▁author , ▁as ▁the ▁state ' s ▁" L iving ▁Monument ▁to ▁religious ▁freedom ", ▁mem orial izing ▁its ▁location ▁on ▁the ▁site ▁of ▁Maryland ' s ▁first ▁col ony , ▁which ▁was ▁also ▁considered ▁to ▁be ▁the ▁birth place ▁of ▁religious ▁freedom ▁in ▁America ▁as ▁well . ▁The ▁school ▁continues ▁to ▁have ▁this ▁design ation ▁to ▁this ▁day . ▁The ▁original ▁concept ▁of ▁comm emor ating ▁religious ▁freedom ▁was ▁Kennedy ' s ▁idea . ▁ ▁Kennedy ▁was ▁the ▁primary ▁initial ▁imp et us ▁and ▁was ▁also ▁p iv otal ▁in ▁gain ing ▁early ▁state ▁recognition ▁of ▁its ▁responsibility ▁for ▁protect ing , ▁studying ▁and ▁mem orial izing ▁St . ▁Mary ' s ▁City , ▁Maryland ▁( the ▁then - ab andon ed ▁site ▁of ▁Maryland ' s ▁first ▁col ony ▁and ▁capit ol , ▁as ▁well ▁as ▁being ▁the ▁birth place ▁of ▁religious ▁freedom ▁in ▁America ), ▁as ▁a ▁key ▁state ▁historic ▁area , ▁placing ▁historical ▁research ▁and ▁pres ervation ▁mand ates ▁under ▁the ▁original ▁aus p ices ▁of ▁the ▁new ▁state - sp ons ored ▁St . ▁Mary ' s ▁Fem ale ▁Sem inary , ▁located ▁on ▁the ▁same ▁site . ▁This ▁plant ed ▁the ▁early ▁se eds ▁of ▁what ▁would ▁eventually ▁become ▁Historic ▁St . ▁Mary ' s ▁City , ▁a ▁state - run ▁ar che ological