Spring 2023 Town Hall

On Tuesday, February 21st 2023, Montgomery College’s president, Dr. Jermaine F. Williams, hosted the annual Montgomery College Town Hall on the Rockville Campus.

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Pius Kitengie

Dr. Jermaine F. Williams poses for the camera.

Pius Kitengie

Dr. Williams highlighted the fact that this year’s Spring semester has seen an increase in student’s enrollment and in credit hours. He added “The College is about creating equitable opportunity and our spring enrollment numbers are evidence that we are moving forward.” The number of students in the spring of 2023 has increased by one percent in comparison to last year’s spring semester. That is approximately a thousand new students across all three campuses. The last time the College saw a spring-to-spring increase was back in 2012. In terms of how students are taking classes; about sixty-three percent are face to face; twenty-one percent are distant learning and sixteen percent are remote.

Dr. Williams commented on the robust dialogue that has taken place in and around campus. He was jubilant to share his satisfaction with students and faculty alike who are open to having communications about “equity, inclusion and social justice.” He was happy to know that such conversations happen “organically” Dr. Williams noted “When faculty are walking with students before and after class, it happens when tutors or counsellors are talking with students.”

Lastly, Dr. Williams mentioned how proud he was that the community was so dedicated to diversity, equity, inclusion and anti-racism by using the history of the nation to catapult the College into a brighter future.

In the end the floor was open for questions. Jill Kronstadt, a professor of English and Writing asked a question on behalf of her English 101 students on the Germantown campus. Her students explained how they were trying to adjust to college life and asked how was Dr. Williams as a college student and how did he deal with stress and time management. Dr. Williams explained, “I was a first-generation college student, it was all new to me.” He added “I use to make lists a lot, on posted notes back when those were a thing…I loved making lists as it provided me with a positive reinforcement and a sense of accomplishment.”