Celebrating 50 Years of Student Success, Academic Achievement and Service to the Community!
Welcome to Prince George 's Community College! As we prepare to begin celebrating 50 years of serving the residents of the county and metropolitan region, it is important to reference the accomplishments made possible by the shared visions of dedicated and committed faculty, staff, administration, local and state governments, community leaders and citizens, and those we serve – students. Fifty-years ago, the college began on the campus of Suitland High School and relocated to the Largo Campus approximately 10 years later. A student body of 2000 grew to over 40, 000, and in May 2007, the largest graduating class – 824 - in recent years received associate degrees and certificates as proof of their commitment to higher education and lifelong learning. Seven presidents, each with his vision, worked assiduously to build a premier institution of higher learning, dedicated to meeting the educational and workforce needs of the community and the region.
Prince George ’s Community College can boast of many things. We were the first educational institution to integrate in the county, and today we serve more African-American students than any other post-secondary institution in the state of Maryland . Our nursing and allied health programs are second to none, and more than 95% of program graduates pass the state licensure exams on the first attempt.
The first Truman Scholar enrolled at a community college was Dr. Lisa Satterwhite, one of our own. Two of our students, Ronald Crouch and Michelle Burton, were chosen as Jack Kent Cooke Scholars, and each year, our students represent Prince George ’s Community College on the Maryland All-Academic Team and the USA All-Academic Team. Pro-golfer, Fred Funk, musical talent, Ginuwine, and Michael Weiss, world-renown ice-skater extraordinaire and Olympic medalist, received their degrees from Prince George ’s Community College.
Dr. Alicia Juarrero, retired philosophy professor, was named the Outstanding Community College Professor in 2002 by the Council for the Advancement and Support of Education (CASE), and the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching. This is the only honor accorded to faculty for their dedication to teaching, commitment to students, and creative approach to learning in higher education. In 2002, the Book Bridge Project, under the leadership of Professor Mary Brown, was the winner of the 2002 Hesburgh Award Certificate of Excellence which recognizes innovative undergraduate faculty development programs. Additionally, faculty, administrators and staff are authors of creative works, textbooks, and articles focusing on fiction, poetry, English grammar, chemistry, sociology, business, forensics, and college safety, to name only a few. Our faculty continues to deliver high-quality instruction and design innovative programs designed to meet the market demands.
In the past eight years, we have added two degree centers and a Skilled Trades Center to complement the academic offerings at Andrews Air Force Base. University Town Center in Hyattsville and the Laurel College Center in Laurel meet transfer and career/workforce development needs of their constituent populations. The Skilled Trades Center , located in Camp Springs , is designed to meet occupational career needs of the county and region. We have grown physically, too. This fall the Largo Campus will celebrate the re-opening of the Welcome Center and one-stop-services in Bladen Hall, in support of new and continuing students. Marlboro Hall will be home to the Student Success Center , and the High Technology Building will open for occupancy this fall with classes scheduled for spring 2008. Groundbreaking plans are underway for a new three-story Center for Health Studies in 2009.
We have much to celebrate and much more to accomplish. Our more than 100 degree, certificate, and workforce development programs serve to enhance the lives of our students and the economic vitality of our community. It is our mission to provide a gateway to a highly relevant, meaningful, accessible, affordable, and quality education, through a learning-centered environment that engages student academically and socially.
As I take the helm of Prince George ’s Community College, I invite you to join us on our unrelenting journey focusing on student success, through the provision of quality programs and excellent services. We are - One College and One Community with One Vision.