Looking Ahead to 2025
Happy New Year, everyone! I am so excited to be writing to you in 2025 as HCC prepares for a great semester and the conclusion of a strong academic year. I want to thank all of our employees, students, and supporters for a historic beginning to this year and share my excitement for the work ahead.
I ended the year attending Maryland Governor Wes Moore’s holiday party, where Interim Board Chair Vivian Moore Lawyer and I represented the college at the People’s House in Annapolis. Many of the state’s legislative, industry, and community leaders were here and commented on the wonderful things they had seen and heard about Dragon Country.
This experience was complemented a few days later as HCC was featured in a year-end social media post from Gov. Moore, who shared a vision for the evolution of our state’s workforce through skilled trades training, entrepreneurship, clean energy industrial expansion, and cybersecurity as linchpins for economic growth.
Gov. Moore’s message follows similar sentiments from Howard County Executive Calvin Ball, who recently published about the value of the partnership between HCC and the county government to actualize prosperity for our neighbors.
Howard Community College is grateful to be highly sought after by state, county, and federal partners in this effort to create opportunities for all people at all levels of work and earning potential. Our most significant contribution may be the forthcoming Cathy and Danny Bell Workforce Development and Skilled Trades Center, which we celebrated last October.
But the Bell Center is just one of the many things we accomplished in 2024.
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
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.
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.
This year, we look forward to several initiatives that will strengthen our campus infrastructure and build on positive student success metrics. We expect new collaboration with corporations and government agencies that will meet students where they dream with financial resources, career exposure, and networking.
As we work with elected officials, fiscal responsibility will be a focal point of our strategic planning. Things will be leaner, but we will seek every opportunity to advocate for job security and expanded services for our employees and students.
HCC has a lot to be proud of so far, and we look forward to working with all stakeholders for our shared and exciting future. As a reminder, classes for the spring semester begin on Jan. 27. We look forward to seeing you all!