Tracking Implementation

Thousands of Montgomery County middle and high school students experienced Montgomery College through hands-on academic, arts, and career exploration programs. Approximately 2,400 eighth-grade students participated in the redesigned MC Experience, while programs such as Portraits of Life, the MCPS All-County Art Show, Clay Olympics, the MCPS Dance Showcase, and the Minority Scholars Youth Anti-Racist Film Festival brought thousands more K–12 students to Montgomery College locations. Together, these experiences introduced students to the College's people, programs, and learning environments while strengthening the College's connection to the community.

Montgomery College strengthened its presence in the community through a refreshed institutional brand, expanded partnerships, and a coordinated outreach strategy. The College introduced a new institutional brand and launched the accompanying Proving What's Possible marketing campaign, increasing awareness of Montgomery College and creating a more unified institutional identity. The Montgomery College Foundation launched the Pathways to Excellence Partnership Program, which brought together more than 40 businesses in its first year, while expanded partnerships with employers and community organizations and a coordinated community engagement strategy deepened connections with residents, schools, businesses, and nonprofits.

The College broadened opportunities for civic engagement. The Institute for Race, Justice, and Civic Engagement resumed regular programming with events exploring democracy, human rights, and civic responsibility, while faculty developed a College-wide civic engagement guiding statement that will help embed civic engagement more intentionally throughout the curriculum.

In March, about 5,500 eighth graders participated in the Worlds of Work (WOW) and MC Experience events. These large-scale, immersive programs introduced many students to a college setting for the first time, offering hands-on exposure to academic programs, career pathways, and postsecondary opportunities. The excitement and visibility reinforced college as an attainable, inclusive future for all students, supporting the goal of early, meaningful engagement.

A new Student Enrollment Plan (SEP) 2025–2029 was developed through cross-divisional collaboration, aligning with the College’s Strategic Plan and Academic Master Plan. The SEP focuses on continuous enrollment growth by expanding access for high school graduates and adult learners, improving retention and completion through enhanced new student onboarding and financial support structures, expanding academic advising and deepening career alignment, and strengthening recruitment and student support services.

The East County Education Center (ECEC) has demonstrated strong community engagement throughout FY25, hosting more than 75 events with and for community partners, welcoming more than 4,000 participants. These collaborative initiatives involved diverse external partners including WorkSource Montgomery, MCPS, Black Physicians & Healthcare Network, United Way, Mentor Maryland, Maryland Department of Labor, Leadership Montgomery, and the National Council for Mental Wellbeing. The facility's strategic use for both rental and waived community events has successfully strengthened ties with East County residents, students, prospective students, nonprofits, employers, faith-based organizations, businesses, and K-12 partners.

Deliberative dialogue and civic engagement events this year included the Library's Information Literacy Week Program, interview with journalist Mercedes Vargas-Llosa, voting information and mock polling events, humanities days, and the A Republic if You Can Keep it: The 2024 Election and the Limits of Presidential Power event.  Other ongoing student voter engagement events led by MC votes reach around 7,000 students each year.

In April 2024, the East County Educational Center opened, representing an important step forward in the development of an East County expansion plan to meet the community’s educational needs. The first non-credit classes on April 1st were fully enrolled and credit classes begin in the summer. The 55,000 square feet building is home to a flex lab for hands-on training as well as nursing labs, all-purpose classrooms, convening spaces, and a library.

The Harvest Festival in October 2023 was one of the ways that the College is scaling up outreach efforts in the community to raise awareness of the academic, cultural, and civic opportunities available at the College. Hosted by WDCE and held on the Rockville campus, the Harvest Fest attracted over 500 community members who enjoyed activities for all ages including an art show, dancing, a coding demonstration, a DJ, ice cream, while learning about WDCE offerings and financial assistance programs.

The Mobile Market is a partnership between Montgomery College and the Capital Area Food Bank and is an example of how the College is leveraging partnerships with community-based organizations addressing mental health, food and housing insecurity for students and employees.

Held once a month on each of the three campuses with the help of employee and student volunteers, the market provides fresh fruits, vegetables, and other foods to MC students, faculty/staff, and the community at no cost to participants. In FY 24 over 6,000 people were served.

Thanks to the Blueprint for Maryland’s Future, 50 new career advisors will serve in Montgomery County Public Schools to provide career exploration, career conversations, and career planning for students from grades 6 to 12. Through a new formal partnership, MCPS, WorkSource Montgomery (WSM), and Montgomery College will train these advisors and provide MCPS students with on-campus activities thereby significantly expanding connections with county students. 

Students and employees helped shape the College's work on belonging. Through intentional conversations, focus groups, and engagement activities, the College developed shared definitions of student and employee belonging that will guide future initiatives and strengthen efforts to create a welcoming community for everyone.

Montgomery College became the first college in the nation to adapt Eric's ID Law for use on College-issued student IDs. Students and employees helped shape implementation through surveys, focus groups, and campus discussions. This initiative allows students to voluntarily identify a non-apparent disability on their College ID card, helping first responders and College personnel respond more effectively and supporting the College's commitment to being a place where everyone belongs.

The College invested in building internal capacity for constructive dialogue and employee engagement. The first cohort of 26 employees completed Constructive Dialogue Institute certification and will help facilitate conversations across differences throughout the College. The College also established a more coordinated approach to Employee Resource Groups and Heritage Month programming, creating additional opportunities for employees to connect, learn, and build community.

Montgomery College was designated a Hunger-Free Campus by the Maryland Higher Education Commission, recognizing the College's commitment to ensuring students have access to the food and basic resources they need to succeed. During the year, the College expanded food security initiatives through partnerships with the Capital Area Food Bank and mRelief, helping connect students with nutritious food and public benefits while reducing barriers to student success.

Montgomery College continued to take bold steps to support parenting students. In the spring, MC hosted a national premiere event, Care & Curriculum: Spotlight on Student Parents, the first-ever professional development curriculum in the country designed specifically to help faculty and staff better support student parents. Developed in partnership with national nonprofits Believe in Students and Ascend at the Aspen Institute, the curriculum is designed to foster awareness, empathy, and action among faculty and staff across the nation.   Montgomery College is proud to be the first institution in the country to implement this innovative training.

Intentional efforts to engage in personalized academic and career advising during their critical first semester—a key milestone in fostering both student success and a sense of belonging. For the combined 2023 and 2024 cohorts, 100% of first-time students have now activated their plans, positioning them to make informed decisions about their academic pathways and connect more meaningfully with the College community from the start.

To strengthen a sense of belonging and community among students and employees, the College offered programs and dialogues, including: Understanding and Countering Anti-Muslim Discrimination; Islamophobia: A Dialogue on Bias and Allyship; Understanding Jewish Identity and Antisemitism; Defining, Understanding, and Responding to Bias on Campus; and Safe Zone Training.

Student club eligibility was reimagined so that it could include all students, including those taking non-credit classes thus expanding belonging and leadership pathways for all learners. This catalyzed a non-credit cybersecurity club that earned the TP/SS Emerging Club Award—the College’s first recognition of non-credit student leadership.

In August 2023, the College was selected from among Generation Hope’s inaugural FamilyU cohort as the exemplary institution, which means MC will receive $25,000 to continue advancing our student-parent work. An estimated 15-20% of students are parenting while they pursue their education at MC and the College is committed to ensuring they feel a sense of belonging, helping to support their journey to successful completion and post-completion success.

Embracing open education resources is one way the College seeks to leverage innovative teaching and delivery models to ensure equitable access and success for all students. In Fall 2023, 641 (24%) of all courses were “Z courses” (no textbook purchases required!) which represents an almost 10% increase compared to Fall 2022.

Making students feel welcome and increasing their sense of belonging starts before they even enroll. In October 2023, Raptor Central began making personalized outreach calls to new students and since then have made over 7,000 calls and connected with over 2,400 students. Early data shows that those students who were successfully reached are more likely to claim their MC account and take next steps toward enrollment.   

The College improved the enrollment experience by making it easier for prospective students and families to access information, navigate the admissions process, and connect with the College through a redesigned admissions application, expanded multilingual services, and more coordinated recruitment efforts.

Montgomery College realigned its STEM disciplines to better prepare students for transfer, employment, and emerging workforce needs. STEM programs were reorganized into three new academic areas to strengthen interdisciplinary collaboration and create stronger connections between academic programs and workforce opportunities. The College also joined the Aspen Institute's Unlocking Opportunity network to strengthen transfer pathways, workforce alignment, and stackable credentials.

The College advanced teaching and learning effectiveness through innovation and faculty leadership. Faculty developed College-wide AI-Inclusive Curriculum Guidelines and expanded professional development focused on High Impact Practices. These efforts help faculty create engaging, high-quality learning experiences while preparing students with the knowledge and skills needed for a changing workforce.

As part of its work with the Achieving the Dream (ATD) Network, the College redesigned its academic calendar to offer more courses in shortened sessions beginning in Fall 2026. The additional scheduling options will provide greater flexibility for students while creating new opportunities to improve retention, completion, and academic momentum.

The College also continued to strengthen student advising and academic planning. New advising milestones help students navigate key decisions from enrollment through graduation, while expanded use of technology, including Starfish and Degree Planner, provide more coordinated support and help students stay on track to achieve their goals.

New, soon to be multilingual, resource maps consolidate information about the wide range of student support services at each College location, such as tutoring, reading/writing support, lactation rooms, and remote learning spaces, into a single, easy-to-navigate format reachable in moments via QR codes on screens and printed cards. By making help easy to find, the maps improve learning, advance equity, and boost effectiveness through timely support and higher engagement.

Several new or enhanced spaces have been introduced this year to provide environments that actively support student learning. The new Leggett Math and Science Building opened with 20 state-of-the-art labs, a cybersecurity center, and a planetarium. After a two-year renovation, the Takoma Park/Silver Spring library, with its modernized interior, more group study rooms, Hyflex classrooms, and improved accessibility, opened. The Writing, Reading, and Language Centers at Germantown and Rockville have both enhanced their spaces to create warmer, more welcoming, and student-centered learning environments. A new Honors lounge on the Germantown campus features all the technology and amenities needed to make it an ideal space for honors students to study, collaborate, and hold events.

A new interactive digital course placement guide streamlines the assessment process and helps to ensure accurate placement, so students start where they can succeed. Accurate placement avoids wasted courses and credits, lowers costs, and provides clearer pathways and reduced time to completion. The result is more equitable retention and a smoother registration experience that supports overall enrollment.

The strategic plan calls for a unified advising and counseling platform across the student journey. With Starfish being fully adopted in fall 2024, that objective has been achieved. Building on this foundation, the College is integrating instructional faculty into Starfish and expanding its use through pilots in the Digital Learning Center, the Writing, Reading, and Language Center, and the Math, Accounting, Physics, and Engineering Learning Center. Starfish is now central to how we support students, and early check-in and flag data show impact and increased adoption.

The Academy for Teaching Transformation launched a restructured “My PLAN” (My Professional Learning Accountability Network), a three-year, cohort-based professional development roadmap that pairs new faculty with an Instructional Designer Mentor across six sequenced semesters on active learning, curriculum design, inclusive teaching, and future trends. By embedding sustained mentoring and evidence-based pedagogy, My PLAN aligns course design with learning outcomes and assessment, increases instructional consistency across sections, and accelerates adoption of high-impact practices—advancing educational effectiveness through stronger student engagement and improved learning.

Building on the College’s established portfolio of online programs, last year four additional fully online options launched in high-demand fields such as information technology, gaming, and database systems. Designed with accessible course design, embedded supports, and evidence-based online pedagogy, these additions expand flexible pathways that help students balance work, family, and school—strengthening an inclusive, effective learning environment for all students and enhancing overall educational effectiveness.

As part of the process mapping, the College is closely examining the six existing student applications and identifying opportunities for consolidation, aiming to improve the overall student experience through increased efficiency.

The addition of Learning Centers, including at the East County Educational Center, as in-person locations for students to undergo the placement process, helps to ensure students are quickly and accurately placed in classes for which they are best prepared to be successful. 

Raptor Central, Counseling and Advising, and Recruitment teams began collaborating to offer Registration Open Houses in both face-to-face and online formats. These one-stop-shop events allow students to apply for admission, meet with an advisor, register for classes, apply for financial aid, and begin the placement process ensuring an efficient start to their educational journey at MC. 

Montgomery College expanded opportunities for students to connect their education to meaningful careers. Career-connected learning grew through undergraduate research, internships, pre-apprenticeships, competency assessments, and partnerships with employers. The College also introduced seven new microcredentials in areas such as artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, workplace communication, customer service, and service learning, giving students additional opportunities to build workforce-relevant skills.

To help more students receive credit for the knowledge and skills they already possess, Montgomery College established the Office of Learning Recognition and Advancement. In its first year, the office identified 242 courses eligible for Credit for Prior Learning, expanded recognition of workforce and military learning, and strengthened pathways between noncredit and credit programs. The College was also selected as one of only nine institutions nationally to participate in a Council for Adult and Experiential Learning initiative to expand Credit for Prior Learning in early childhood education, creating new pathways for working professionals to earn academic credit for prior learning and accelerate completion of a credential or degree.

Montgomery College received more than $2.6 million in Nurse Support Program funding to expand clinical training opportunities and help prepare Maryland's future nursing workforce. The College also expanded career planning resources to help students across academic programs explore career options, develop professional skills, and prepare for the transition from college to the workplace.

The College expanded its apprenticeship programs beyond the 1,100 trade apprenticeships to include additional nontraditional fields. In partnership with AstraZeneca (AZ) and Charles River Laboratories (CRL), MC is now a registered sponsor of apprenticeships in Biotechnology, offering credit or non-credit students unique earn-as-you-learn opportunities, combining related instruction with on-the-job training to prepare them for successful careers in the biotechnology and biomanufacturing fields. In addition, as part of the MoCo CAP’s initiative to place trained career advisors in every MCPS school in the county, the Business & Information Technology program delivered the educational component for this program which is now also a registered apprenticeship.

A newly established Center for Learning Recognition and Advancement is leading the development and implementation of procedure infrastructure, academic program collaboration, and student support related to credit for prior learning (CPL). This includes the launch of a dedicated CPL website, finalized CPL guidelines, and developed a comprehensive CPL chart, with catalog designation updates underway all of which help to build a comprehensive library of resources designed to support students’ awareness and acquisition of credit (including earning of micro credentials) for prior learning, including prior non-credit coursework. Critically for better connections between workforce and academic programs at the College, formal mapping of coursework to credits has occurred in the building trades, hospitality management, automotive programs, cloud computing/networking, and criminal justice.

College Central Network (CCN) software is a robust career platform designed to provide job seekers with employment opportunities and career development resources. A link to the tool, along with an explanation of how it can benefit students, is now more easily available in Blackboard resulting in an 18% increase in the number of students submitting their resumes for review and approval.

In April 2024, the ribbon was cut on the Hughes Network Systems, LLC (HUGHES)'s cutting-edge manufacturing facility at Montgomery College’s PIC MC at the Germantown Campus. This partnership aims to strengthen the workforce in Montgomery County, create workforce development and career opportunities, and provide experiential opportunities for MC students that lead to post-completion success.  

In the Next Gen Talent series, industry leaders and Montgomery College President Jermaine F. Williams discuss Montgomery County’s workforce needs—ways to open doors to careers for residents and close skill gaps for employers. Topics in FY 24 have included skills-based hiring, in-demand jobs, career paths, and more.