HCC Educational Foundation Fall 2022 Newsletter

The Board of Trustees of Howard Community College (HCC) held a ceremony in October to officially install Daria J. Willis, Ph.D. as fifth president of HCC. A time-honored tradition in higher education, the installation marked the culmination of a week of events that began with the HCC 5K Challenge Race and ended with the President's Gala, an event featuring dinner and dancing to support student scholarships.

This issue of the HCC Educational Foundation newsletter recognizes the exciting ways donors participated over the week – from sponsoring and participating in the 5K Challenge Race to sustaining scholarships through involvement with HCC events. Thanks to you, our students are adapting and thriving on their pathways to success.

Enjoy!

Missy Mattey

HCC 5K Challenge Race Kicks Off Inauguration Week

October 9 was a beautiful day on HCC’s campus to test endurance, coordination, and strength. The HCC 5K Challenge Race also kicked off the events that led up to Dr. Willis’ installation. Led by Dr. Willis herself, participants ran, jumped, and crawled their way to the finish line to raise funds for student scholarships. The 5K Challenge Race focuses on corporate health and wellness programs for organizations in our community. Thank you to the sponsors for helping raise over $109,000 for student scholarships and congratulations to our 2022 winners!

Welcome Home, Dragons!

On October 12, HCC hosted a reception for alumni and retired faculty and staff to meet with Dr. Willis. Guests were invited to create lasting memories in the HCC photo booth and mix and mingle. The event ended with remarks by Dr. Willis.

Introducing HCC’s Fifth President

The installation of Dr. Willis is a historic moment; she is the first African American to lead HCC. Before joining HCC in January 2022, Dr. Willis served as president of Everett Community College in Washington. Guests at the installation ceremony included donors, trustees, elected officials, presidents and representatives from colleges and universities, Howard County leaders, and faculty, staff, and students of HCC.

The ceremony included a speech by Dr. Willis, videos about the life of Dr. Willis, singing by HCC alumna Summer Pearson, greetings from elected officials, and a performance by HCC students of the poem “Phenomenal Woman” by Maya Angelou.

Presidential Gala: Celebrating in Style

At The President’s Gala, Howard County community members and donors were invited to invest in Dr. Willis’ innovative vision for the future by raising funds for student scholarships. Attendees arrived in elegant fashion and celebrated with dinner, cocktails, and dancing. The gala raised over $70,000 for student scholarships and was a night to remember!