Per Montgomery College:
Montgomery College (MC) President Jermaine F. Williams, Montgomery County Executive Marc Elrich, County Council President Gabe Albornoz, together with state and community leaders announced this morning a planned Fall 2023 opening of the College’s East County Education Center (ECEC). The 55,193-square-foot space will feature classrooms, training labs, and student advising space, while offering both credit and non-credit courses. The new center is the first step in MC’s expansion into East County and expects to serve more than 1,000 students in the first year.
“Montgomery College has had a presence in the East County since 2015, when we established a community engagement center inside the East County Regional Service Center on Briggs Chaney Road,” said MC President Williams. “[Since 2015] the College has served thousands of people seeking training and job skills. These individuals have been empowered to take advantage of classes and learning opportunities –many of them free, such as English classes and computer trainings—that have improved their earning potential. Now it’s time to expand those opportunities and we can do so with the help of everyone here today.”
Montgomery College currently has three campuses (Germantown, Rockville, Takoma Park/Silver Spring) and two training centers in Gaithersburg and Wheaton. The ECEC will be the largest of the College’s three centers and nearly four times larger than the Gaithersburg site.
Montgomery County Executive Marc Elrich said that soon after becoming County Executive, he asked Montgomery College to look into the possibility of opening a campus in the East County, which has a high minority population, as part of his racial equity efforts.
“Their feasibility study concluded that this could be done, and today we are seeing the fruits of this joint effort with the announcement of a 55,000 square foot academic building,” Elrich said. “I appreciate the support of the County Council in recognizing the importance of this deferred dream. Starting with a blank canvas at this site provides opportunity for programs that focus on the needs of our county’s emerging industries – life sciences, IT and hospitality. This campus will provide enable high school students in the east county to access Montgomery College’s programs as students elsewhere in the county have been able to access MC’s other campuses. Along with our recent progress of moving economic development forward in the East County, this addition is great for residents in the East County and for the county as a whole.”
“The Montgomery College Educational Center is an important marker in the county and state investment in East County,” said Delegate Jheanelle Wilkins (District 20). “This partnership and commitment ensures access for the bright and talented residents in this area and throughout Montgomery County. I’m proud of the state partnership and investment to help make this happen.”
The credit and noncredit classes offered at the ECEC are in fields of interest to prospective students and community members, targeting skill gaps in key industry sectors such as healthcare and IT.
“Matching employers with the talent and training they need to expand their impact on the region is a long-term investment in place and in community,” said Dr. Frieda Lacey, first vice-chair of the College’s Board of Trustees. “Residents live and work in their home communities when they trust that they can advance there. There are employers right in this neighborhood with job openings in informational technology, healthcare, hospitality and more.”
Nneka Ndubisi, a second-generation Nigerian-American, and a second semester nursing student at Montgomery College, talked about the ways an increased presence in East County will benefit MC students.
“As a Nursing student, we receive hands-on training and education in clinicals at local area hospitals and medical centers,” Ndubisi said. “Adventist Health Care in White Oak is just down the street – so I can say with confidence that the ease for future students, who will be able to transition from classroom to clinical setting, will have a very positive impact on their studies.”
Programmatic highlights and services include small business/entrepreneurship, cybersecurity, allied healthcare, early childhood education and English for speakers of other languages (ESL).
“This is yet another prime example of MC making sure that our entire region is pointed toward success,” said Gabe Albornoz, Montgomery County Council president. “Montgomery County succeeds when Montgomery College succeeds. The road to get us here has been important. The disciplines that have been chosen to be here, small business administration, cybersecurity, healthcare, early childhood education, IT… what a perfect complement of disciplines. They can all lead to jobs upon graduation, and they are all needed. It makes economic sense.”
The ECEC will also host courses in General Education (credit courses) and house a Raptor Central office, MC’s student support services “one-stop shop” for admissions and enrollment.
“By nurturing a pervasive college-going culture throughout Montgomery County, we can open doors to opportunity, increase achievement, and enhance the economic mobility of everyone,” Dr. Williams said. “That means progress for our students. That’s progress for our businesses, our public school system, and our neighborhoods. This is the type of progress that leads to transformation.”
Other leaders, from both the public and private sectors, delivered remarks at the event including:
- Craig Rice, Chair of the County Council’s Education and Culture Committee
- Nancy Navarro, Chair of the Government Operations and Fiscal Policy Committee
- Andrew Friedson, Montgomery County Councilmember
- Will Jawando, Lead for Libraries on the Education and Culture Committee
- Dr. Afie Mirshah-Nayar, Principal, Paint Branch High School
- Dr. Anthony Stahl, President, Adventist Health Care White Oak Medical Center
- Peter Myo Khin, Chair of East County Citizens Advisory Board
Per the Montgomery College Instagram:
According to his nominators, Professor Jenkins is a committed educator who serves as a full-time philosophy instructor. “His passion as an educator and scholar, his commitment to excellence, professionalism, . . and his total dedication to his students,” is what earned him this honor. Professor Jenkins has been teaching philosophy at the College since 2009 and is tireless in his commitment to making philosophy “accessible to students so that they can become better critical thinkers who can effectively address problems in their personal and professional lives.”
Philosophy is a tool for life, in Professor Jenkins’ view, and he strives to share it with students: he organizes the Humanities Day Ethics Essay Contest, hosts the Jefferson Cafe, and is coach of the MC Ethics Bowl Team. This team was awarded 1st place in the Maryland Regional Community College Ethics Bowl in both 2011 & 2012 under Professor Jenkins’ tutelage. He recently partnered with colleagues in science, engineering and technology to develop a modern application of ethics to these fields. The result was special sessions of the “Introduction to Ethics” course aimed at the specific needs of students in engineering, computer science, and cybersecurity, who may face philosophical questions about topics like autonomous technologies in their future professional work.
Professor Jenkins’ impact on students is his greatest joy. Enrollment in his classes is consistently high and students describe him as an empathetic, encouraging, and challenging teacher. His students praise his continued encouragement and credit him for pushing them to recognize their own potential, even years after they were enrolled in his classes. One of his former students, who had struggled academically and is now working on a master’s degree, wrote, “Professor Jenkins met me at my needs and because of that, I am the person that I am today. I am fierce, strong, resilient, and independent.”
https://www.instagram.com/p/Cd8RMNOsbLG/
Per Montgomery College:
Montgomery College has been awarded a $350,000 National Science Foundation (NSF) grant for its project, New to ATE: Improving Biopharmaceutical Technician Education with Cell and Gene Therapy Credentials (NSF 2155187), that begins July 1, 2022.
The Biopharmaceutical Technician Education project will address the rapidly-growing demand in the Montgomery College service area for biotechnology technicians, especially in cell and gene therapy. The principal investigators will work closely with industry partners to develop a cell and gene therapy course, a cell and gene therapy certificate program, and two micro-credentials that document specific cell and gene therapy skills. The course and certificate program will produce workforce-ready cell and gene therapy technicians, and the micro-credentials will establish a baseline skillset for entry-level employment.
The NSF Advanced Technological Education (ATE) program is the premiere source of funding focused on community colleges by NSF. The project goal is to increase the number of work-ready biopharmaceutical technicians, especially in the emerging field of cell and gene therapy. The project has three objectives:
1. Create a four-credit course, Principles of Cell and Gene Therapy Technology and corresponding lab, leading to a novel Cell and Gene Therapy certificate.
2. Collaborate with industry to develop two micro-credentials, representing a standardized recognition for a high degree of proficiency for a specific skill. We will target two in-demand entry-level skills that are required of biotechnicians: micropipetting and aseptic technique for mammalian cell culture.
3. Increase enrollment of local high school students, nontraditional students, and underrepresented and underserved students in the Biotechnology, Biomanufacturing, and Cell and Gene Therapy credit and certificate programs, with a focus on the new Cell and Gene Therapy certificate.
Dr. Jermaine F. Williams, president of Montgomery College, lauded the award, noting that, “This generous NSF award to Montgomery College represents a milestone in biotechnology education and workforce development: ATE will expand opportunities for local residents to gain entry to in-demand jobs in biopharmaceuticals. The program’s outreach to underserved populations, and its focus on developing new curricula and certifications, will strengthen students’ readiness for employment and enhance their potential career pathways.”
The project principal investigator (PI) is Dr. Collins Jones, Co-PIs are Professor Padmavathi Tangirala, Dr. Lori Kelman, all professors in Montgomery College’s Biotechnology program, and Dr. James Sniezek, Instructional Dean of Chemical and Biological Sciences.
Dr. Jones, principal investigator, has initiated numerous curricular innovations, and has adapted the College’s program to be responsive to employer/industry needs. Professor Tangirala, co-principal investigator, acquired significant industry experience before joining the MC faculty. Dr. Kelman, co-principal investigator, has substantial teaching experience, and is editor of BIOS, the journal of the Beta Beta Beta Biological Society, and works closely with Montgomery County Public Schools through her participation in the Montgomery County Collaboration Board Program Advisory Council for Biotechnology.
The program will focus on recruiting students in the East County area, and also will provide a 10-week biotechnology boot camp for MCPS high school counselors and science faculty.
Typically, NSF awards grants to about 25% of applicants in the Division of Education and Human Resources each year, meaning that applicants often apply more than once. The College’s BTE proposal was approved on first submission.
The proposal was developed as part of MC’s participation in the Mentor-Connect program (NSF 184085). The team that developed the proposal included the project leadership and Dr. Patricia Maloney, Manager of Grants and Sponsored Programs.
For further information, see the NSF project abstractor contact Dr. Jones at [email protected].
About Montgomery College
Montgomery College is a public, open admissions community college with campuses in Germantown, Rockville, and Takoma Park/Silver Spring, plus workforce development/continuing education centers and off-site programs throughout Montgomery County, Md. The College serves nearly 54,000 students a year, through both credit and noncredit programs, in more than 100 areas of study.
About The National Science Foundation
The National Science Foundation (NSF) is an independent federal agency created by Congress in 1950 “to promote the progress of science; to advance the national health, prosperity, and welfare; to secure the national defense…” NSF is vital because we support basic research and people to create knowledge that transforms the future.
The Jack Kent Cooke Foundation has (JKCF) recently announced the semifinalists for its highly competitive Cooke Undergraduate Transfer Scholarship. Of the 440 semifinalists nationwide, 10 are current Montgomery College students. This year’s semifinalists were chosen from a pool of more than 1,200 applicants attending 180 community colleges in 35 states. The Undergraduate Transfer Scholarship recipients will be announced by early May.
Per Montgomery College:
Through this award, the Foundation supports high-achieving community college students with financial need seeking to complete their bachelor’s degrees at selective four-year institutions.
Montgomery College’s 10 JKCF semifinalists are:
Alexzander Baetsen
Jessica Beitler
Andrea Campos
Anna Chacon
Eve Elias Stowell
Patrick Ibanez
Marthe Medalebem Sandjol
Isabela Paz
Amanda Pereira Baloneque
Fatihah Ullah
View the list of this year’s Cooke Transfer Scholar semifinalists, their community colleges, and their hometowns on the JKCF website.
Since its inception, the Cooke Foundation has selected Transfer Scholars from over 337 community colleges and has awarded more than $54 million in transfer scholarships. While national college enrollments have been on the decline in the midst of the pandemic, recent National Student Clearinghouse data finds that transfers are on the rise among community college students who have stayed enrolled in the first year of the pandemic. For the Cooke Undergraduate Transfer Scholarship, this was a highly competitive year.
“The past year has been particularly difficult as students continued to navigate the complexities of hybrid learning, the demands of family care, and disrupted work schedules,” said Seppy Basili, executive director of the Jack Kent Cooke Foundation. “We are so proud of these semifinalists for their perseverance and achievements at their community colleges.”
The Undergraduate Scholarship offers unmatched support to community college students seeking to complete their education at top four-year institutions. In addition to financial support, selected Cooke Transfer Scholars will receive comprehensive educational advising from the Foundation to guide them through the process of transitioning to a four-year school and preparing for their careers. Undergraduate Transfer Scholars will additionally receive opportunities for internships, study abroad, and graduate school funding, as well as connection to a thriving network of nearly 3,000 fellow Cooke Scholars and Alumni.
Cooke Transfer Scholars are selected based on their exceptional academic ability and achievement, financial need, persistence, service, and leadership. Students must be currently enrolled in community college or recent alumni.
Learn more about the Undergraduate Transfer Scholarship here.
Commercial real estate industry veteran, Michael J. Smith, has been named executive director of the Pinkney Innovation Complex for Science and Technology at Montgomery College (PIC MC) where he will oversee development of a 40-acre innovative science and technology hub in collaboration with academic, corporate and government partners.
Smith has more than 30 years of experience in creating and leading high-profile, transformative, mixed-use real estate development projects throughout the Metropolitan Washington, DC region. Most recently, as EVP of Development for Lantian Development Company, Smith re-entitled a 32-acre, obsolete ‘80s vintage office park in Rockville with plans for a 2.5 million square foot mixed-use community.
“With extensive experience in real estate project development in Montgomery County and his familiarity with companies and economic development in the county, Mike Smith is especially qualified to help the PIC MC Foundation and Montgomery College successfully attract corporate partners into new facilities on the College’s Germantown Campus and enhance the educational opportunities of our students,” said John Compton, chair of the Pinkney Innovation Complex for Science and Technology at Montgomery College. “The PIC MC Board and I welcome Mike as executive director and look forward to working with him to complete current projects, as well as having his insights as we develop new projects to realize our vision for the campus.”
Prior to Lantian, Smith was a development advisor to former Montgomery County Executive Isiah Leggett, where he led a group of 12 public and private property owners to create a master plan vision for Amazon’s HQ2 on approximately 50 acres of land in North Bethesda. He also led a team that influenced Marriott International to locate its new 700,000 square-foot global headquarters and a co-located 238-room hotel in downtown Bethesda.
Smith was also senior vice president of Development for LCOR Inc., where he and his colleagues were the initial visionaries behind the urban transformation of the White Flint/North Bethesda sub-market developing 1.1 million square feet of corporate headquarters, retail, and apartment space on the property.
Smith earned a master’s degree in real estate development from MIT and a master’s degree in public administration and undergraduate degree in political science from Northeastern University. He is the former chair and current board member of the Maryland/DC Chapter of NAIOP.
Many questions remain unanswered after a teen suddenly died while walking at Montgomery College’s Rockville Campus Sunday night.
Around 10:30PM Sunday Night, members of the Rockville Volunteer Fire Department, Montgomery County Fire and Rescue Service, and Montgomery County Police responded to Montgomery College’s Rockville Campus (51 Mannakee Street). Responders found 1 teen critically injured and 1 EMS Provider was also injured on scene.
Electric crews were on the scene Sunday night, though it was not clear if electric shock played a role in the teen’s death and the EMS provider’s injury. The teen’s cause of death will be determined by the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner (OCME).
In 2017, Montgomery College installed new “Gateway Signage” around the Rockville Campus’ Mannakee Street entrance. This project incorporated several elements of lighting and electronic digital display signage. Sunday’s incident occurred immediately around the Mannakee Street entrance, though it is not yet known what role the electronic components played in the teen’s injury.
In 2018, a 6-year-old girl was critically injured when she was shocked by malfunctioning handrail lighting at MGM National Harbor. There, a Security Guard was also shocked by the same handrail while responding to the girl’s injury.
Per Montgomery County:
For Immediate Release: Friday 17 December
I want to congratulate Dr. Jermaine Williams on being selected as the new Montgomery College president and welcome him to Montgomery County. Dr. Williams brings to Montgomery College a sterling reputation in higher education, most recently as the president of Nassau Community College on Long Island – an institution with a similarly diverse student body as Montgomery College. I look forward to meeting and working with Dr. Williams on our shared goals of ensuring that higher education is obtainable, affordable, and most importantly, equitable to the residents of Montgomery County.
The robust growth in educational opportunities and rigor over recent years has established Montgomery College with a national reputation as an institution of academic excellence that transforms the lives of its students. Dr. Williams is following in the footsteps of Dr. DeRionne Pollard’s decade-long leadership as the College’s president. Dr. Pollard established a legacy of engagement and compassion not only for the College, but as a leader throughout our County.
Dr. Pollard left big shoes to fill and high expectations, but I am confident that Dr. Williams’ background gives him the foundation to take Montgomery College to new heights. I want to thank Montgomery College’s Board of Trustees on their process to find such a qualified educator to lead Montgomery College. I also want to express my appreciation to Dr. Charlene Dukes for her leadership as the interim president throughout this year.
Congratulations to Dr. Williams and Montgomery College on this exciting announcement.
Montgomery College’s Board of Trustees announced Dr. Jermaine Williams as the new president of Montgomery College at an event earlier today at the college’s Rockville campus.
Dr. Williams currently serves as the president of Nassau Community College in New York.
Former Montgomery College president DeRionne Pollard left Montgomery College earlier this year to become president of Nevada State College after serving over ten years as president. Dr. Charlene Mickens Dukes has served as the interim president of Montgomery College since Pollard’s departure and will continue in the position until Williams officially becomes president in the first quarter of 2022.
Dr. Jermaine Williams has been named as the next president of Montgomery College, a community college located in Montgomery County, Maryland. The College’s Board of Trustees made the announcement today in a communication to students, faculty, and staff. Dr. Williams will be introduced to the College community in the Theatre Arts Arena on the Rockville Campus this afternoon.Dr. Jermaine Williams will become Montgomery College’s 11th President.Dr. Williams brings nearly 20 years of higher education experience, including 17 years working at diverse multi-campus institutions, and currently serves as president of Nassau Community College in Garden City, New York.
“Throughout the search process, Dr. Williams impressed both the Board of Trustees and the Presidential Search Advisory Committee with his passion for educational excellence and the shared mission of community colleges,” said Michael J. Knapp, chair of the College’s Board of Trustees. “Dr. Williams’ work in higher education has focused his energies on improving access for students, as well as retention and graduation. He has paid special attention to mitigating social inequities for historically underrepresented people. His impressive track record of leadership and achievement drew the Board to him as a leader who would fit the needs of the College in this critical moment.”
Dr. Charlene Dukes will continue to serve as interim president of the College and will work closely with Dr. Williams and College leadership to help ensure a smooth transition. Dr. Williams will officially begin his role as president of the College in the first quarter of 2022.
“Montgomery College has long been a leader among community colleges nationally and I am excited to be joining the ranks at this time of change and great urgency,” Dr. Williams said.
Dr. Williams has served as the president of SUNY Nassau Community College (NCC), a Hispanic Serving Institution, since 2019. NCC is the largest single-campus community college among the 30 community colleges in the State University of New York (SUNY) system. Dr. Williams has focused his energies there on improving access for students, as well as retention and graduation, with special attention to mitigating social inequities for historically underrepresented people. He has been widely lauded for his inclusive leadership style and for building teams that create strategic programing and policies to improve student outcomes.
“The heart of any organization is unequivocally its people. Institutions don’t drive themselves,” Dr. Williams added. “It’s the people who build them and nurture them. And I can see that Montgomery College has been fortified by people who believe that care, compassion, and equity are the hallmarks for addressing unmet student needs.”
Known as a collaborative leader, Dr. Williams focused on supporting the mission and spirit of community colleges. Having taught at two-year and four-year institutions for more than eight years, he has experienced higher education from several important vantage points. Dr. Williams’ view of higher education as a public good informs his personal passion about enhancing access, completion, and post-completion success. His professional approach to student success is deeply rooted in equity-minded systems and data-informed analysis.
Dr. Williams has published and spoken on access, equity, and achievement in national and international settings. His doctorate of education in educational administration, with a higher education specialization, is from Temple University. He also holds certificates from Harvard University’s Graduate School of Education. Dr. Williams was selected to participate in the Aspen Institute’s Rising Presidential Fellowship in 2018 and held a New Presidents Fellowship in 2021. He is actively engaged in the community, serving on several boards of directors. Dr. Williams is a father and husband who values family time with his spouse and two children.
26 Northwood High School Students Earn Associates Degrees from Montgomery College Prior to High School Graduation
The Montgomery College Middle College program at Northwood High School began in 2014. In 2018, there were five graduates who earned their Associates Degrees in General Studies with a STEM core. Since then the program has grown to 12 graduates in 2019, 14 in 2020, and 26 graduates this year.
There are currently 55 students registered to take classes at MC in the fall on track to graduate in 2022 as the program has grown substantially each year. Students earn degrees in general studies with three core areas – STEM, humanities, and social sciences, and students can also earn their AA in business.
Program coordinator, Michael Sauter, tells us that many graduates have continued to the University of Maryland, but most students in this year’s graduating class were accepted to Limited Enrollment Programs there this year after completing the gateway courses required to get into such programs as – business, computer science, biological science, psychology, communication, and environmental science.
The spectrum of majors shows the wide application of the credits students can earn in the MC general studies program. Many Northwood MC2 students also leave the University of Maryland system with our alumni currently attending a wide variety of out-of-state colleges including Ursinus, Hofstra, Loyola Marymount, Virginia Tech, George Washington, and this year’s graduates were accepted to Georgetown, UC Berkeley, and Princeton.
Unlike the Early College program, Middle College students are able to stay more involved in Northwood as many are 3 sport athletes, in theater, and members of student government including SGA presidents.
The 26 students that earned their degrees from Montgomery College are listed alphabetically, by last name, below:
Yajaira Amaya
Tiffany Begazo
Bea Beyer
Anaiya Bobo
Madeleine Brennan
Luke Caron
Sebastian Castro
Paula Chavez
Andrew Cudd
Camila DeAlvarez
Christian Estrada
Deborah Etyang
Sally Flores
Ramy Haddad
Aryeh Kraiman
Abigail Leibowitz
Daisy Lopez
Jennifer Mejia Zavala
Ashley Merino
Leila N’Diaye
Elizabeth Romero Andrade
Janet Rosetti
Katherine Salmeron
Ian Stoddard
Letu Tiruneh
Rodrigo Villamil
Thwir slides can be seen by clicking here.
Paint Branch High School Senior Earns College Degree Two Weeks Before High School Diploma
Alan Gutierrez is about to graduate from Paint Branch High School, but he just received his Associates Degree from Montgomery College.
The high school senior is in the Early College Program and received a full scholarship to attend Princeton University in 2021, according to ABC7.
Gutierrez participated in clubs at Montgomery College and was even the captain of the swim team his junior year prior to some seasons being cancelled during the pandemic. He earned a 3.94-grade point average in the business cohort at Montgomery College and plans to study public policy at Princeton.
On Friday, May 21, the Montgomery College community celebrates the academic achievement of the Class of 2021 in a Virtual Commencement Ceremony. The ceremony will include remarks by Montgomery College President DeRionne Pollard, Board of Trustees Chair and The Honorable Michael Knapp. The program can be seen below.
Montgomery College President DeRionne Pollard to Become President of Nevada State College
Current Montgomery College President DeRionne Pollard is slated to become the next president of Nevada State College, a four year institution in Henderson, Nevada.
Current NSC President Bart Patterson is stepping down from his position on June 30th.
Pollard also serves on the board of Montgomery County Business Development Corporation, Montgomery County Chamber of Commerce, Universities at Shady Grove, and Generation Hope.
She became president of MC back in 2010.
Montgomery College Board Chair Michael J. Knapp released the following statement today:
“On behalf of the Board of Trustees of Montgomery College, I want to congratulate Dr. DeRionne Pollard on her selection as the next president of Nevada State College (NSC) in Henderson, Nevada. We are still waiting for action by the Board of Regents for the Nevada System of Higher Education this afternoon, but expect her to be their choice. It is with mixed emotion that I share this news, as Dr. Pollard’s 11 years leading the College have driven the institution to accomplish a myriad of goals. Dr. Pollard’s leadership capacities have not gone unnoticed by NSC, a public, four-year institution. Plans for an interim president of Montgomery College and the process for selecting a new president will be announced in the coming days.
The Board is grateful to have partnered with Dr. Pollard on numerous initiatives over the years, helping to situate the College optimally to fulfill its mission. Dr. Pollard’s leadership has produced some extraordinary changes in our shared notions of inclusion, access, and quality. In many ways her unique vision has fundamentally shaped the way we think about serving our community as fiscal stewards, business partners, and architects of student success. Her practicality combined with a tireless mission-drive has brought out the best in many of us, allowing us to contribute our own skills and leadership to the College’s work. The Board is aware that Dr. Pollard’s impact on many at the institution has been similarly inspirational and empowering. She embodies many of the most highly respected qualities of leadership. While she will be greatly missed, the Board is certain that this move will allow her to contribute in new ways to higher education and that Nevada State College will benefit from her vision.
Dr. Pollard’s work has indelibly marked the forward progress of Montgomery College, and the Board remains deeply committed to that trajectory. On behalf of the Board, I wish Dr. Pollard success in the next chapter of her professional life.”
