MCCC Releases Thursday's Commencement Info

The following information about Thursday's Montgomery County Community College Commencement was submitted by Alana J. Mauger, representing the college.

will hold its 45th Commencement Ceremony on Thursday, May 17 at 7 p.m. at its Central Campus, 340 DeKalb Pike, Blue Bell for the largest graduating class in the College’s history.  Dr. William E. Trueheart, president and chief executive officer of Achieving the Dream, Inc. will deliver the 2012 Commencement keynote address

A total of 1,563 students will receive associate’s degrees and certificates during the College’s 45th Commencement exercises, which return to the College’s Central Campus in Blue Bell after being held in Valley Forge for the past two years.

Montgomery County Community College, Central Campus is located at 340 DeKalb Pike, Blue Bell, PA 19422. The ceremony will take place under the large tent behind College Hall.

The Largest Graduating Class in School History

With an increase of more than 18 percent over last year, the largest class in Montgomery County Community College history will graduate on May 17, 2012. A total of 1,563 students will receive associate’s degrees and certificates during the College’s 45th Commencement exercises, which return to the College’s Central Campus in Blue Bell after being held in Valley Forge for the past two years.

In addition to setting the largest overall record, the class of 2012 also sets the record for the most West Campus students to graduate in a given year, totaling 293, and for the most e-Learning graduates at 37. This year’s class also includes 19 veterans and four graduates on active military duty, and 49 international students from 23 different countries.

In other statistics, the class of 2012 is comprised of 11 Honors Program participants; 141 members of Phi Theta Kappa International Honors Society; 70 inductees into Who’s Who Among Students in American Junior Colleges; and 44 students who earned a 3.9 GPA or higher.

The average age of the 2012 graduating class is 28, with the youngest student at age 17 and the oldest at age 71.

Keynote Speaker: Dr. William E. Trueheart

Dr. William E. Trueheart, president and chief executive officer of Achieving the Dream, Inc. will deliver the 2012 Commencement keynote address to Montgomery County Community College graduates on May 17 at 7 p.m.

Achieving the Dream: Community Colleges Count is a national network of 150 institutions dedicated to improving student success and completion. Established in 2004 by the Lumina Foundation and its partners, Achieving the Dream is considered the most comprehensive non-governmental reform movement for student success in higher education history.

In 2011, MCCC was designated as an Achieving the Dream Leader College for its commitment to student success and sustained improvement on key student achievement indicators. Specifically, the College was commended for its work to improve student outcomes in developmental courses, its development and launch of a Minority Male Mentoring Program, and for its use of data to make informed decisions about teaching and learning.

“Dr. Trueheart’s selection as Commencement speaker supports the College’s strategic commitment to improving student access, success and completion,” said MCCC President Dr. Karen A. Stout. “Our work in this area is transforming the education – and the lives – of our students, many of whom will graduate in May.”

As president of Achieving the Dream, Dr. Trueheart participates in a number of national organizations and initiatives, including the 21st Century Commission on the Future of Community Colleges; the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation National Advisory Committee for Completion by Design; the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching’s Statistics Pathway Steering Committee; and the Gulf Coast Partner Achieving Student Success National Advisory Board, among others.

Dr. Trueheart holds a B.A in political science and economics from the University of Connecticut; an M.P.A. from Harvard University John F. Kennedy School of Government; and an Ed.D. from the Graduate School of Education at Harvard University.

Prior to joining Achieving the Dream, Dr. Trueheart served as president of Bryant University in Rhode Island. He also held several positions at Harvard University, including the Office of Governing Boards associate secretary and the assistant dean and director of the Master of Public Education Program, as well as several administrative posts at the University of Connecticut.

MCCC’s 45th Commencement ceremony returns to the College’s Central Campus in Blue Bell for 2012 after being held off-site at the Valley Forge Convention Center in 2010 and 2011 because of campus construction.