Howard Community College Announces Leadership Transition

Sean Keller, M. Shafeeq Ahmed, Christopher Marasco

The Howard Community College Board of Trustees today announced the departure of three members, Immediate Past Chair Christopher Marasco, Chair Sean Keller, and former Vice Chair M. Shafeeq Ahmed.  

Marasco and Keller will depart the board immediately, while Ahmed concluded his service on Aug. 15. Former Maryland Governor Larry Hogan appointed all three members between 2017 and 2022 as part of the college's seven-member legal governing body.  

“We are grateful for their work in helping this college reach historic milestones,” said HCC President Daria J. Willis. “Our board, our committed faculty and staff, and our dynamic student body have supported senior leadership in identifying and achieving strategic goals for providing a world-class educational experience and removing barriers of access to the same. We wish them the very best of luck in their future work as community servants.”  

The board will be led on an interim basis by current vice chair Vivian Moore Lawyer, who began her term of service in June 2023. Board vacancies at all Maryland public colleges and universities are filled at the pleasure of the Office of the Governor.

Since Nov. 2021, highlights of the partnership between the Board and Dr. Willis include: 

• Enrollment growth of 4% in total headcount, and increases in the last three years.

• Partnership with Howard County Government to launch a rental subsidy program for students

• Partnership with St. John Baptist Church to launch a monthly free meal giveaway program for students

• Launch of a campus-based Boys & Girls Club to support youth development in surrounding communities. It is the state’s first Boys & Girls Club to be located on a community college campus.

• Launch of Youth Engagement Programming (YEP!) track and field and esports clinics for area youth in 2023.

• Launch of Project Elevate, a juvenile justice intervention program. The first of its kind in the state, the program received $290,000 from the Department of Juvenile Services to expand in 2024.

• Received $200,000 Pepsico grant to support Pell Eligible, underserved students in limiting educational costs.

• Received $120,000 from the Howard County Economic Development Authority and Howard County Government to support cybersecurity workforce training. HCC is the state’s top producer of registered apprentices.

• Launched 7-week course offerings to encourage faster time to completion for degrees and less student loan debt. Offerings attracted more than 3,000 registrations in Fall 2024. 

• Launch of admission pathways initiative for completers of solar panel installation certification to associate’s degree.

• Launched dual admission partnership with Capitol Technical University for two and four-year degree pathways in select STEM disciplines.

• Featured in nationally-released docuseries ‘Raising Up,’ profiling HCC support of student parents through study facilities and professional engagement

• Reopening of a campus childcare center for the first time since its closure in 2020 due to the global COVID pandemic. In partnership with Howard County Government and the Community Action Council of Howard County, the center will serve more than 70 families of HCC students, employees, and families in the surrounding community. The college received a $1 million grant from the U.S. Department of Education’s Childcare Access Means Parents in School (CCAMPIS) program in 2023 to support the relaunch of the facility.

• Maintained the college’s ranking as one of the nation’s 100 best community colleges as listed by WalletHub, Niche, and other higher education trade publications.

• Joined Achieving the Dream national student success network.

• A $2.5 million gift donated by Thomas P. Clement, a renowned inventor in health sciences. It is the single largest gift in school history, and follows the second largest gift, a $2 million donation from philanthropist Greg Kahlert given in 2022.

• Raised $43 million workforce development and skilled trades center through public and private sources in the first year of a two-year capital campaign launched in Oct. 2023.

• Regional championships in men’s basketball and track and field, and a seventh conference championship in esports.

• Launch of the college’s first cheerleading and women’s flag football programs.

• Rebranding of institutional and athletic marks.

“I am honored to serve in this interim capacity, in full support of Dr. Willis, this community of scholars and Howard County,” said Lawyer. “What we have accomplished together in just a few short years is historically remarkable. As we embark on a new institutional strategic plan, and a full slate of objectives to improve our campus infrastructure and raise our international profile, we look forward to working with Gov. (Wes) Moore to welcome new trustees to our board. We are sure that they will bring the enthusiasm, expertise, and relationships that will enrich the lives of our students.”