A Welcome from Dr. DeRionne Pollard
Welcome to the Montgomery College Milestone Moments web chronology. Here you are invited to view a few of the many major, institutional developments since 2010. Be sure to check the links and take a closer look to see where, when, and how you have helped to contribute to the mutual success of our institution and work to create a successful and relevant learning environment for students and our community.
Montgomery College’s Principles on Building for Student Success
These icons represent the principles of our Building for Student Success. Use these icons to identify the milestones that support each principle.
You may also filter the timeline for each principle.
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June 2019
Montgomery College Annual Report 2019
Read the Montgomery College Annual Report 2019.
Read more about the Board of Trustees.
June 2019
The Board approved the plan on June 17, 2019
Montgomery College shares the Academic Master Plan for 2020–2025, entitled MC 2025, which identifies top priorities for students, the institution, and the community. The plan reflects academic and administrative goals as the College continues looking for ways to serve its diverse student population, county residents, and businesses, while observing fiscal responsibility. Faculty, staff, administrators, and College governance contributed to the plan’s development through focus groups, steering committee and sub groups, forums, a four-day think tank, and feedback sessions.
Read more about MC 2025.
May 2019
Highlights of the 2018–2019 academic year include a focus on new relationships with fiscal sustainability, equity, and successful student outcomes. The College implemented the compensation realignment plan and worked on building new relationships with county leadership and businesses while expanding academic programs and initiatives that are showing signs of making a difference in student experiences and completion. A new strategic plan, MC 2025, announced institutional goals going forward.
April 2019
MC welcomes “Stan” the T Rex to permanent residence in the Science Center atrium on the Rockville Campus. The life-size replica (20-foot high, 35-foot long) was made possible by support from Discovery Communications. MC is currently the only community college in the nation with a T. Rex.
March 2019
The College’s youngest and northernmost campus celebrates its 40th anniversary by hosting Community Day at Germantown. The event recaps campus history and articulates the vision for the future. Senator Nancy J. King presents an official citation on behalf of Montgomery County Delegation with the Maryland General Assembly. Community members hear from past provosts, students, and employees, as well as current industry partners and elected officials.
Read more about the Germantown Campus Anniversary.
February 2019
Dialogues with Dr. Pollard and her guests focus on the politics of radical inclusion, attracting speakers from a wide variety of fields. Author Dave Zirin discussed his book, Things that Make White People Uncomfortable, about the history of race in professional sports. Political commentator Neera Tanden, president and CEP of the Center for American Progress, sparked conversation about politics, democracy, and equality. Former US Secretary of Education Arne Duncan discussed his book, How Schools Work, and the inequalities of the US education system. Former County Executive Isiah Leggett shared thoughts on radically inclusive leadership.
October 2018
The Maryland Department of Commerce approves a Regional Institution Strategic Enterprise Zone, or RISE Zone, for the Germantown Campus. The designation aims to spur economic development and job creation by allowing commercial and industrial businesses that move into or expand significantly within the zones to benefit from real property and income tax credits. In celebration of this milestone, Montgomery County Executive Isiah Leggett, Sen. Nancy King, and the PIC MC Foundation Board of Directors hold a ribbon-cutting ceremony (November event).
September 2018
This year, 2,500 ACES students receive academic coaching at 14 county high schools; 900 ACES students are enrolled at MC. Their course pass rates and retention rates surpass their nonACES counterparts.
September 2018
Early College/Dual Enrollment Expansion
The Early College program offers two new degrees this fall on the Rockville Campus: associate of arts in teaching mathematics and associate of science with a mathematics track. The program provides an opportunity for MCPS students to graduate from high school with both their high school diploma and an associate’s degree from MC. Nine more degrees are planned to start in FY 2020, and expansion to Germantown and Takoma Park/Silver Spring campuses.
September 2018
Montgomery County residents gather to celebrate County Executive Ike Leggett and his wife Catherine’s years of outstanding service and commitment to higher education. The evening at the Music Center at Strathmore also highlighted the couple’s legacy gift: the Ike and Catherine Leggett Scholarship. The scholarship benefits historically underrepresented students in higher education through the Achieving Collegiate Excellence and Success (ACES) program. The event successfully raises $1.7 million.
June 2018
Montgomery College Annual Report 2018
Read the Montgomery College Annual Report 2018.
Read more about the Board of Trustees.
July 2018
The College’s athletic program becomes a Division I and Division II (team-specific) scholarship-offering program. MC competes in Division I for men’s and women’s soccer, men’s and women’s outdoor track and field, women’s outdoor track and field, and in Division II for volleyball, baseball, softball, and men’s and women’s basketball.
Read more about Montgomery College Athletics NJCAA Division I and II.
June 2018
The Middle States Commission on Higher Education reaffirms MC’s accreditation for another eight years. The commission commended the College for the quality of the self-study, a credit to the MC team that led the year-long process. The accreditation process includes annual institutional updates, a mid-point report at the four-year mark, a self-study report, and a compliance report at the eight-year mark to show compliance with Middle States standards and with key federal laws pertaining to higher education.
May 2018
Social justice dominated College conversations, perspectives, and activities in 2017–2018. Students marched in Washington D.C. against gun violence and met with legislators in Annapolis to ask for support of College funding and support for Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA). During its first full year of Mobile Markets, the College distributed 125,000 pounds of food to more than 3,300 people on all three campuses. The Early College program launched, with the qualifying high school juniors and seniors attending MC full time beginning in fall 2018. Achieving the Promise Academy (ATPA) enrollment nearly doubled the number of students active in one on one coaching in the spring (259 students). In workforce development, MC introduced a bioinformatics degree, the first in Maryland and new certificates in data science and cloud computing.
February 2018
This year’s series, entitled Defining America, is dedicated to exploring identity and ideals in our nation. Dr. Pollard’s conversations with her guests explore the question of how we define “Americans” and how dissent from majority opinion impacts national identity. Experts whose work relates directly to these questions contribute perspectives on what lies at the root of American democracy. Guests include: Pat McGuire, president of Trinity University in Washington, DC; Seth Goldman, cofounder, Honest Tea and Fair Trade business leader; and Robert Green, director of Montgomery County Department of Correction and Rehabilitation.
September 2017
The Carnegie Corporation of New York names Dr. DeRionne Pollard as a recipient of its Academic Leadership Award. Dr. Pollard is only the second community college recipient of this award. The honor consists of $500,000 in support for each winner’s academic initiatives. She earmarks the award funds for two MC programs: Achieving Collegiate Excellence and Success (ACES) and the Montgomery College Foundation’s Innovation Fund.
July 2017
New Student Services Center Groundbreaking
Thursday, June 29, Montgomery College holds a groundbreaking ceremony on the Rockville Campus, marking the start of construction for the new Student Services Center. The 130,000-square-foot building will provide a centralized location for all student services at the campus.
The building will be configured to provide easy access to the most frequently visited student service functions, including admissions, counseling, registration, financial aid, assessment, disability support services, veterans’ services, the career transfer center, and student life, among others. The lobby will provide seating and gathering space for the expanded MBI Café—a student-run coffee service—as well as receptions and presentations.
June 2017
Board of Trustees 2017 Annual Report
In the Board of Trustees 2017 Annual Report, the Board reflects on the College and its work during the year. In looking back, the Board also considers important dynamics and issues in the College’s future.
Read the Board of Trustees 2017 Annual Report.
Read more about the Board of Trustees.
June 2017
MC Breaks Ground on Student Services Building (Rockville Campus)
Construction begins on the new Student Services Building, Rockville Campus; it will house admissions, counseling, registration, financial aid, assessment, disability support services, veterans’ services, the Career Transfer Center, and student life. The lobby will provide seating and gathering space for an expanded MBI Café. Also inside will be the Office of Student Affairs deans, the School of Education (instruction and administrative space), instructional space (open lab plus five class labs), Rockville Campus Safety and Security Office, the Office of the Vice President and Provost, and the Rockville Facilities Office.
May 2017
Highlights of the 2016-2017 academic year include accolades for the national semifinalist MBI Enactus team and the NASA Virtual Swarmathon Robotics Champions, athletic achievement in women’s volleyball, soccer, and basketball and men’s basketball and baseball, the opening of the Rockville Campus Parking Garage and Science West Center, a $1.1 million grant for the TRIO program, a visit from Governor Larry Hogan, and the 70th anniversary celebration.
February 2017
On February 16, 2017, the College reopens the Science Center West on the Rockville Campus. The 68,300-square-foot building includes computer labs, a 100-seat, tiered lecture hall, a math emporium, eight classrooms, and 10 math labs. It also includes open study/group study areas, informal gathering/study spaces scattered throughout the building. The building includes the Dr. Judy E. Ackerman STEM learning center, named and dedicated for the former vice president and provost of the Rockville Campus.
Read More:
Science East & Science West Renovation Timeline
County Exec. Leggett, Elected Officials Join MC Community Thursday for Science Center West Ribbon Cutting Ceremony
February 2017
In the wake of a year marked by public incivility in politics, strained relationships in law enforcement, and violence that has planted suspicion across difference, more than ever our communities need to build bridges of understanding. Montgomery College President DeRionne Pollard hosts a series of dialogues with experts to provoke dialogue that is inclusive, intelligent, and civil. Dialogues include Pastors Chris and Dennis Wiley of the Covenant Baptist United Church of Christ, Montgomery County Department of Police Chief Tom Manger, Ambassador Connie Morella, and Executive Director at Asian American LEAD Neel Saxena and Muslim Chaplin at Georgetown University Imam Yahya Hendi.
Read more: Presidential Dialogue Series website
February 2017
Central Services Building Opening
On February 27, the first group of Montgomery College employees, 36 staff members from Central Facilities and Public Safety and Emergency Management begin work in the new Central Services Building (CT). The 115,000-square-foot, four-story building, located at 9221 Corporate Boulevard in Rockville, provides modern and efficient space for 440 employees in information technology, advancement and community engagement, academic affairs, student affairs, and other administrative functions. By consolidating these services into one location, the College eliminated costly leases at 40 West Gude Drive and 7362 Calhoun Place. The consolidation is projected to save the College approximately $40 million over 20 years. In addition, the Mannakee Building will be repurposed to serve students and faculty by adding significantly more instruction and counseling space. These cost savings afford us the opportunity to support Montgomery College 2020 plan initiatives and the College’s student success goals.
Read more: Central Services Move Will Save Montgomery College $40 Million Over 20 Years, Create More Space on Campus for Students.
January 2017
On the first day of the spring semester (January 23), Montgomery College officially opens its newest parking facility on the Rockville Campus, a 918-space, seven-level garage located adjacent to the Physical Education Center. The North Garage (NG on collegewide maps) features include 59 security cameras, 20 electric charging stations, two elevators, and nearly 700 newly-designated parking spaces for students.
Read More:
North Campus Parking Garage Opens as Montgomery College Students and Faculty Kick Off Spring Semester 2017
New Parking Facility Opens on Rockville Campus
January 2017
Academic Master Plan for 2016-2021 Published
Montgomery College shares the Academic Master Plan for 2016-2021. This document reflects both MC2020 and Academic Affairs Division goals, and leads the institution forward. Many (faculty, staff, administrators, governance, etc.) participated in the development process through focus groups, steering committee and sub groups, spring forums, a four-day think tank, and feedback sessions.
Read More:
Academic Master Plan
College Unveils Academic Master Plan for 2016-2021
September 2016
On September 16, 2016, Montgomery College marks 70 years of enriching lives in Montgomery County with celebrations on all three campuses.
On September 16, 1946, the first Montgomery Junior College classes were held in the evenings at Bethesda-Chevy Chase High School with a student body of 186 men and women. Two years later, the first commencement ceremony was held with 25 graduates receiving associate of arts degrees.
Seventy years later, Montgomery College is a multi campus institution with numerous satellite locations serving nearly 60,000 students a year from more than 160 countries through both credit and noncredit programs, in more than 130 areas of study.
Read More:
County Council Celebrates Montgomery College’s 70th Anniversary
College Fosters a ‘College Town’ Atmosphere on Its Campuses
Montgomery College Celebrates 70th Anniversary with Series of Events
August 2016
Central Services Building Purchase
Montgomery College, through a partnership with the Montgomery College Foundation and the Montgomery County Government, successfully purchased a building within the county to house the College’s central services. The 115,000-square-foot, four-story building, located at 9221 Corporate Blvd. in Rockville, was purchased for $12.65 million.
Read More:
A New Space, A New Place, Still Central Services
Montgomery College Purchases Building for Its Central Services Areas Through Partnership with County Government and Montgomery College Foundation
July 2016
The College launches the first phase of our newly redesigned website and re-engineered branding effort, “Make Your Move,” along with a new College logo.
New data show that high school juniors and seniors rank a prospective college’s website as more influential than magazine ratings, printed mailings/brochures, or anything else when choosing where to apply.
The website has a new navigation system to better reflect the way our most important audiences—students and prospective students—use it. The redesign includes a new homepage and several specially created pages designed to address the questions most asked by students and their families who are considering their choices for higher education.
Read more: MC Launches New, Modern Brand and Logo
June 2016
Board of Trustees 2016 Annual Report
In the Board of Trustees 2016 Annual Report, the Board reflects on the College and its work during the year. In looking back, the Board also considers important dynamics and issues in the College’s future.
Read the Board of Trustees 2016 Annual Report.
Read more about the Board of Trustees.
May 2016
Highlights of 2015-2016 include student academic awards and prominent recognition for Catalyst, a team of architectural and construction technology students who created the Outbox Workspace, athletic achievement in women’s volleyball, men’s soccer, baseball, softball, the opening of the Center for Women Veterans, and Sen. Barbara Mikulski’s announcement of a $1 million grant for first-year students.
April 2016
AACC Partnership Award with Holy Cross Health
The American Association of Community Colleges (AACC) honors Montgomery College and Holy Cross Germantown Hospital with the prestigious award of excellence in the Outstanding College/Corporate Partnership category on April 11, 2016.
Montgomery College and Holy Cross Health established the first new hospital in the county in 35 years, serving a million residents in a rapidly growing region of the state. In 2014, Montgomery College became the first community college in the nation to host a hospital on site when Holy Cross Germantown Hospital opened on the college’s Germantown Campus.
Read more about the award.
February 2016
The Montgomery College Board of Trustees approves a new name for the Hercules Pinkney Life Sciences Park on the Germantown Campus. The park will now be called the Pinkney Innovation Complex for Science and Technology at Montgomery College (PIC MC). The new name is more relevant to today’s economic environment and to the business sectors that partner with the academic programs represented at the park. It focuses on programs such as biotechnology, cybersecurity, information technology, and engineering.
Read More:
Board Approves New Name of Pinkney Innovation Complex
Hercules Pinkney Life Sciences Park Renamed to Pinkney Innovation Complex for Science and Technology at Montgomery College (PIC MC)
Watch a Video:
Pinkney Innovation Complex for Science & Technology at Montgomery College
January 2016
Effective January 1, 2016, in response to recommendations included in the student services organizational assessment and a report by third-party consultants, as well as feedback from division staff and other College constituencies, the Student Services Division was realigned to increase further efficiencies in our programs and services.
In conjunction with the realignment, the Student Services Division is now rebranded as the Student Affairs Division. This change is representative of both the student development and student services professionals in the division as nationally recognized by leading Student Affairs organizations and associations, such as NASPA–Student Affairs Administrators in Higher Education and ACPA–College Student Educators International.
January 2016
MC Becomes an Achieving the Dream School
Montgomery College is selected to participate in the Achieving the Dream (ATD) initiative. ATD is a national reform movement committed to systemic change in the nation’s community colleges, with the ultimate objective of increasing student success and completion, especially among disadvantaged students.
Read more in MC News.
August 2015
Dr. Pollard Reflects on the College’s Challenges and Achievements of 2010-2015
Hear this personal account of Montgomery College’s challenges and achievements from the unique perspective of the president’s office.
June 2015
Board Perspectives is an annual publication of the Montgomery College Board of Trustees. In Perspectives, the Board reflects on the College and its work during the year. In looking back, the Board also considers important dynamics and issues in the College’s future.
Read the June 2015 Board Perspectives: Achieving the Promise.
Read more about the Board of Trustees.
June 2015
Silver Spring/East County Community Engagement Center
The College’s second community engagement center opens in the Briggs Chaney Community Center.
Read more at the Office of Community Engagement.
June 2015
Kenyatta Rogers was named the 2014 Maryland Professor of the Year by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching and the Council for Advancement and Support of Education (CASE).
Montgomery College and Montgomery County Corrections partnership was honored by the National Association of Counties; the honorees included Ed Palaszynski, senior program director for Montgomery College’s Information Technology Institute; Joel Levine, professor of business and information sciences; David Sears, senior vice president for advancement and community engagement; and Clarice Somersall, associate senior vice president for academic affairs.
Nancy Nuell, director of grants and sponsored programs, has been appointed to serve a three-year term on the board of directors for the Council for Resource Development.
Brenda Williams, director of employee relations diversity and inclusion, was invited to serve as a member on the Executive Board of Women in Maryland Higher Education (WIMHE).
Montgomery College School of Nursing has been honored with the Spring into Action award for their stellar achievements in community health for the Spring 2015 semester by the Maryland Association of Nursing Students.
Angie Lawver was named president-elect of the Developmental Education Association of Maryland.
For more accolades view the 2015 year in review video.
May 2015
Highlights of 2014-2015 include student academic awards and prominent recognition for the Nursing Club, Model United Nations Security Council Team, athletic achievement in men’s soccer, baseball, and men’s and women’s track and field, the opening of the Bioscience Education Center at the Germantown Campus, the ribbon-cutting of the first Community Engagement Center at the Gaithersburg Library, and announcement of the TAACCCT grant.
May 2015
Dr. Pollard announces the beginning of the academic master planning process at the spring 2015 closing meeting. The Academic Master Plan will be the College’s roadmap for the future and will help to align our energy and resources with programs and practices that foster success. The Academic Master Plan will chart the College’s course for the next 10 years of academic programming—five years in some detail, and the next five more broadly.
Watch the 2015 spring closing meeting.
April 2015
The College releases its first Student Success Score Card. The Score Card is a set of indicators that tracks student achievement. It provides actionable information to help the College assess and improve its programs focused on achievement and success for every student.
Watch Dr. Pollard discuss the Score Card at the April 2015 State of the College address.
February 2015
The College publishes Montgomery College: The Workforce Development Anchor. The publication highlights the College’s role in matching skilled workers to in-demand jobs in the county and covers programs in the following areas: information technology and cybersecurity; biotechnology, life sciences, and health care; building, professional, and human services; communication, education, arts, and culture; and business and hospitality. The report also highlights the business partnerships the College has with government, industry, and community organizations to facilitate career training.
February 2015
Gaithersburg Community Engagement Center
The College’s first community engagement center opens in the Gaithersburg Library.
Read more at the Office of Community Engagement.
January 2015
President Obama reveals his plan for “America’s College Promise” during his state of the union speech. Dr. Pollard comments in national media about the president’s plan to provide two years of free community college to responsible students.
Read the January 20, 2015, op-ed article in The Baltimore Sun.
Inside Obama’s Proposal to Make Community College Free and Universal.
October 2014
Holy Cross Germantown Hospital
Holy Cross Germantown Hospital opens on the Germantown Campus of Montgomery College. The hospital, which serves as the anchor for the Hercules Pinkney Life Sciences Park at the Montgomery College Germantown Campus, is a valuable resource for aspiring health care workers and provides students with hands-on learning, state-of-the-art instructional space and exposure to the most advanced medical technology.
Holy Cross Germantown Hospital is the first hospital in the nation located on a community college campus with an educational partnership to help train the next generation of health care professionals.
October 2014
The Departments of Labor and Education award Montgomery College nearly $5 million to provide increased education and training for industries relating to cybersecurity. The College receives the award to lead a consortium of Maryland community colleges in the nearly $15 million award for the state. The funding is part of the Trade Adjustment Assistance Community College and Career Training (TAACCCT) competitive grant program, which provides nearly $540 million in job-driven training grants to nearly 270 community colleges across the country. In December, the College hosted Labor Secretary Tom Perez, Commerce Secretary Penny Pritzker, and industry representatives from Lockheed Martin and other companies for a panel discussion on cybersecurity jobs and careers.
September 2014
The College celebrates the opening of the Bioscience Education Center on the Germantown Campus. As the academic cornerstone of the life sciences park, the building houses classrooms, recitation rooms, wet laboratories, a detached greenhouse complex, a meeting/conference area, the science learning center, and faculty offices. The biotechnology laboratories include dedicated space for teaching cell culture, biomanufacturing, and genetic diagnostics.
August 2014
The College offers a shuttle service pilot program between the Rockville and Takoma Park/Silver Spring campuses. The service later expands to provide transportation between the Rockville and Germantown campuses.
August 2014
Administrative and Fiscal Services Restructuring
The Administrative and Fiscal Services division is restructured to aid in the College’s work of fulfilling the business services visions of the MC 2020 plan.
Visit the Administrative and Fiscal Services website.
July 2014
The College celebrates the re-opening of the Science East building. The renovation follows construction of the Rockville Campus Science Center building, which opened in 2012. The renovation was the second of three phases of creating one large science complex on the Rockville Campus. The final phase will be complete when the Science West building renovation is completed in 2016.
July 2014
Dr. Pollard approves an academic restructuring plan in March 2014 that would take effect in July 2014. The plan was crafted by nearly 200 faculty and staff representatives, chosen by their governance groups and the academic deans, who collaborated to restructure Montgomery College’s academic units into a model that will enhance collegewide consistency and cooperation, and better support student success.
Read the Academic Restructuring 100-Day Report, published in October 2014.
Hear Dr. Pollard comment on the academic restructuring at the spring 2015 closing meeting.
June 2014
Board Perspectives is an annual publication of the Montgomery College Board of Trustees. In Perspectives, the Board reflects on the College and its work during the year. In looking back, the Board also considers important dynamics and issues in the College’s future.
Read the June 2014 Board Perspectives: Student Success.
Read more about the Board of Trustees.
June 2014
Greg Wahl was named the 2013 Maryland Professor of the Year by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching and the Council for Advancement and Support of Education (CASE).
Corinne Smith, coordinator of the health information technology program, was elected president of the DC Health Information Management Association board of directors.
Debra Bright Harris was named president of the Montgomery County Commission for Women.
For more accolades view the 2014 year in review video.
May 2014
Highlights of 2013-2014 include the unveiling of the Raptor mascot, faculty recognition, college honors, and numerous activities, accolades, and athletic accomplishments. Some of the myriad student achievement and awards honored construction management students, the Cyberwatch Club, and Applied Technology and Math Teams.
January 2014
The Office of Community Engagement
The College creates the Office of Community Engagement to take Montgomery College beyond the campus and into the community through community engagement centers, partnerships with nonprofits, community events, regular communication, and grass roots community outreach. The office’s primary job is to help under-served and under-represented communities connect with Montgomery College. The office’s specialists speak multiple languages, providing access for people who speak English, Spanish, Amharic, French, or Swahili.
Visit the Office of Community Engagement.
December 2013
Closing the Achievement Gap Report
The fall 2013 opening meeting features the announcement that work will begin for a plan and a committee will be formed to address the achievement gap at the College. Subsequently, the task force’s final report is published in December 2013.
Read the final report.
November 2013
Montgomery College reveals its new mascot, the Raptor.
September 2013
College and Career Readiness and College Completion Act
The College implements the requirements of the College and Career Readiness and College Completion Act (CCRCCA), which, through a series of measures and efforts, aims to increase college completion in Maryland.
Read more about the College and Career Readiness and College Completion Act of 2013.
Read a report from the Maryland Association of Community Colleges about the College and Career Readiness and College Completion Act of 2013.
September 2013
The College acquires the Starfish retention system to create an online student success environment and facilitate access to counseling and advising services. Students are able to use the Starfish system to view service availability and schedule appointments online to meet with a counselor in person.
Watch a video about Starfish.
August 2013
The College releases an updated diversity plan after a three-year, committee-based process. The new plan aligns with the MC 2020 strategic plan.
Read the 2014-2020 Montgomery College Diversity Multi-Year Action Plan.
View previous plans at the Diversity Plan website.
August 2013
The College establishes welcome centers at each campus to facilitate student services information. They are the first stop for any student planning to attend the College. The centers assist with information about admissions, registration, textbooks and pricing, placement tests, financial aid, and payment information.
June 2013
Board Perspectives is an annual publication of the Montgomery College Board of Trustees. In Perspectives, the Board reflects on the College and its work during the year. In looking back, the Board also considers important dynamics and issues in the College’s future.
Read the June 2013 Board Perspectives: New Beginnings.
Read more about the Board of Trustees.
June 2013
John Hamman was named the 2012 Maryland Professor of the Year by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancmenet of Teaching and the Council for Advancement and Support of Education (CASE).
Karla Nabors, program director of developmental education and workforce access for the College’s Workforce Development & Continuing Education (WD&CE) division, received a leadership award from Montgomery County Inter-Act Developmental Disabilities.
Men’s Soccer Coach Pedro Braz was named NJCAA 2013 Junior College Men’s D3-North Coach of the Year.
Jason Rivera, talent management coordinator and administrative associate in the Office of Human Resources, Development, and Engagement, received the American Association of Hispanics in Higher Education (AAHHE)/Ford Multidisciplinary Graduate Student Fellowship.
For more accolades view the 2013 year in review video.
May 2013
Highlights of 2012-2013 include the announcement of the ACES partnership, the Hillman Entrepreneurs Program, and the Maryland DREAM Act passing, plus accolades such as the MC Digital Forensics Team taking first place at the Maryland Forensics Investigation Challenge.
April 2013
The College receives a $1 million donation to the Montgomery College Foundation from Professor Emerita Catherine F. Scott. As a result, the College, for the first time in its history, names one of its buildings in honor of a faculty member by renaming the Commons Building at the Takoma Park/Silver Spring Campus the Catherine F. Scott Commons.
Scott became a faculty member in 1958 at the then-Takoma Park Campus, where she taught secretarial studies and served as chair of what was then known as the Department of Office Education. She became the driving force behind the creation of several important academic programs at MC, including the legal secretarial curriculum, the medical assistant curriculum, and the legal assistant/paralegal curriculum. She retired in 1986.
Funds from Scott’s gift were allocated to the Achieving Collegiate Excellence and Success program and the Macklin Business Institute honors program.
Read more in Inside MC.
September 2012
Office of Advancement and Community Engagement
The College creates the Office of Advancement and Community Engagement. The vision of OACE is to create effective branding and build strong relationships in the Montgomery County community to reflect the College as an outstanding learning opportunity, cultural arts resource, economic development resource, and intellectual center that is of high value to the future of the County and to its residents.
The focus areas of Advancement are Media Relations/Writing, Creative Services, Marketing, Photography, Development (annual and major gifts), Alumni Association and Annual Giving, Grants, Special Events, and Montgomery College Television.
The Office of Advancement and Community Engagement is also home to the Montgomery College Foundation, which raises more than $4 million in gifts annually for scholarships, programs, and facility needs of the College.
July 2012
Montgomery College, Montgomery County Public Schools, and the Universities at Shady Grove launch the Achieving Collegiate Excellence and Success (ACES) program to support students and provide a seamless path to a bachelor’s degree.
Read more about the ACES program.
July 2012
In compliance with National Junior College Athletics Association (NJCAA) and Title IX, the College implements a new athletics structure in which the College becomes a single, multicampus NJCAA member with only one College team for each sport. The Germantown Campus becomes home to men’s baseball and women’s volleyball. The Rockville Campus becomes home to women’s basketball and softball, men’s and women’s track, and men’s and women’s soccer. The Takoma Park/Silver Spring Campus becomes home to men’s basketball, and men’s and women’s tennis.
July 2012
To advance its mission of student success, creating a common student experience across campuses, and developing opportunities for increased student retention and completion, the College re-establishes a student services division and hires a senior vice president for student services. A primary focus of the office is to reorganize student services around three major areas: access, success, and engagement.
Read more about the Student Services division.
June 2012
Board Perspectives is an annual publication of the Montgomery College Board of Trustees. In Perspectives, the Board reflects on the College and its work during the year. In looking back, the Board also considers important dynamics and issues in the College’s future.
Read the June 2012 Board Perspectives: Pivoting to the Future.
Read more about the Board of Trustees.
June 2012
The Montgomery College Board of Trustees adopts the MC 2020 plan, a multiyear strategic plan that will guide the College’s actions for the remainder of the decade.
Read more about and view the plan at the Office of the President.
June 2012
Dawn Avery was named the 2011 Maryland Professor of the Year by the Council for Advancement and Support of Education (CASE).
Joe O’Hare, job opportunity coordinator at the Takoma Park/Silver Spring Campus, received the annual John Willig Leadership Award from the Board of Directors of Dignity/Washington.
Kristina Schramm, capital budget analyst in the Office of Central Facilities, was elected for a third time to serve a two-year term as treasurer of the Maryland Community College Facilities Planners Group.
Service Learning Coordinator Kris Borcherding received the Friends of HOC Award from the Housing Opportunities Commission (HOC).
Kenneth Nelson, director of WD&CE’s Business and Community Outreach, was reappointed to the Wheaton Urban Advisory Committee (WUDAC).
Amy Gumaer, manager of grants and sponsored programs, received the 2013 Career and Technology Education Outstanding Postsecondary Change Agent Award of Excellence from the Maryland State Department of Education.
For more accolades view the 2012 year in review video.
May 2012
Highlights of 2011-2012 include the announcement of new College colors of purple, black, silver, and white; adoption of a new mission, vision, and values statement; Dr. Pollard’s first State of the College Address; the Making it Better statement of hope and anti-bullying; and the dedication of the Science Center at Rockville.
April 2012
Participatory Governance System
In a January 20, 2011, memo to the college community, Dr. Pollard announces her intent to revisit the College’s system of governance in order to bring it into compliance with the Board Governance Policy (11004). To facilitate the creation of a governance system in which students, staff, faculty, and administrators engage in collaborative and respectful dialog, Dr. Pollard calls for an internal Blue Ribbon Task Force on Governance, comprised of representation from all constituencies. The Blue Ribbon Task Force issues its initial report on April 29, 2011, and its final report in August 2011. Both the College’s governance policy and the Blue Ribbon Task Force on Governance final report puts in motion plans at the College to create a participatory governance system.
The system created is based on the participatory model and composed of four broad council areas: a college council, four councils representing constituent groups, four councils representing functional areas, and four councils representing campuses.
The Montgomery College participatory governance system provides all members of the college community with the opportunity to express their opinions and make recommendations about how the institution should function. It also provides structures through which these opinions and recommendations will be given due consideration when important decisions are made.
Over the course of the 2011-2012 academic year, a task force worked to create the infrastructure of the governance system including the constitution, bylaws, handbook, website, nomination and election system, and assessment tools.
The first elections were held during the spring 2012 semester with 159 students, faculty, staff, and administrators beginning their service in the participatory governance system during the fall 2012 semester.
Read more about Montgomery College Governance.
December 2011
A major milestone occurs for the Life Sciences Park when the groundbreaking ceremony for the future Holy Cross Germantown Hospital takes place December 8 at the Germantown Campus of Montgomery College. Now known as the Hercules Pinkney Life Sciences Park, the park is an integrated academic, business, and research campus that is currently being developed to accommodate life sciences, cybersecurity, and other technology companies.
Read more at the Life Sciences Park website.
October 2011
The College creates the Office of Compliance, which encourages and promotes ethical conduct and commitment to compliance with the law at the county, state, and federal levels, as well as monitors the implementation of adequate internal controls and quality assurance processes. The office also hosts an annual Compliance Awareness Fair (pictured here). Montgomery College is a leader in advancing compliance at the community college level.
Read more about the Office of Compliance.
September 2011
Rockville Campus Science Center
The College dedicates the new building that brings much needed lab space to the campus for an increasing number of students studying science, engineering, and mathematics. Montgomery College has the largest engineering program of any community college in the United States. The facility ensures both engineering and science students have greater access to enhanced learning environments and 21st-century labs. The building’s 29 new laboratories include 14 biology labs, nine chemistry labs, and six physics/engineering labs.
Read more about the Science Center at the Rockville Campus.
June 2011
Board Perspectives is an annual publication of the Montgomery College Board of Trustees. In Perspectives, the Board reflects on the College and its work during the year. In looking back, the Board also considers important dynamics and issues in the College’s future.
Read the June 2011 Board Perspectives: Strategic Thinking and Strategic Planning.
Read more about the Board of Trustees.
June 2011
New Mission, Vision, and Core Values
The Board of Trustees adopts the newly crafted statements that reflect, in an inspiring way, what Montgomery College is as an institution and why it is so dedicated to its students and their success.
Read more about our Mission, Vision, and Values.
June 2011
Deborah Stearns was named the 2010 Professor of the Year by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching and the Council for Advancement and Support of Education (CASE).
Safety and Security Officers Jeff Wilson and Yasmel Rodriguez received the American Heart Association’s Heartsaver Hero Award.
Michael Mills, director of Distance Education and Learning Technologies, and Dr. Buddy Muse, associate director, have been elected to the board of the Maryland Distance Learning Association (MDLA).
For more accolades view the 2011 year in review video.
May 2011
Highlights of 2010-2011 include Dr. Pollard’s inauguration, Macklin Business Institute students ringing the closing bell at the NASDAQ Stock Exchange, the Maryland Professor of the Year Award, and two Jack Kent Cooke Foundation scholarship winners.
December 2010
The Board of Trustees approves the College’s first Governance Policy on December 13, 2010. In doing so, the Board authorizes the president to develop procedures to implement the policy.
The Board of Trustees has the responsibility for governing Montgomery College. The Board is committed to the collegial principle of governance that serves as the means and actions by which the Board and the College as a collective entity engage in a participatory decision-making process to decide matters of policy, oversight, operations, and strategy. The Board is the ultimate authority in regard to an accountable, inclusive, and effective governance system.
Read the Governance Policy.
Read the Record of Resolution of the Board of Trustees’ Governance Policy.
October 2010
Dr. DeRionne Pollard announces the creation of the Innovation Fund, an investment in College faculty and staff to encourage the proposal of intentional, sustainable, and systemic improvements for the enhancement of student education and services. The fund is a resource that supports cutting edge ideas and helps make them a reality for the benefit of students.
Read more about Innovation Works, including a list of projects and the Innovation Journal.
September 2010
The Middle States Commission on Higher Education approves the accreditation of the Montgomery College Germantown Campus, Montgomery College Rockville Campus, and Montgomery College Takoma Park/Silver Spring Campus as a single institution, Montgomery College, with three campuses.
View the Middle States accreditation letter.
May 2010
Montgomery College’s Ninth President
The Montgomery College Board of Trustees names Dr. DeRionne P. Pollard as the ninth president of the College and introduces Dr. Pollard to students, faculty, and staff. The College inaugurates Dr. Pollard as its new president in October 2010. At 39, she is one of the youngest community college presidents in the nation.
Watch the inauguration of Dr. Pollard.