Who would have thought back in January 2019 that our academic world (and our lives in general!) would go through such staggering changes? I would never have imagined Frederick Community College hosting the AFACCT conference in a virtual format; yet here we are, continuing to adapt and flex with the changing parameters of the pandemic. Last year’s conference, our first time held virtually, proved to be a huge success, and FCC is very happy to welcome our colleagues throughout Maryland to the 32nd conference as we explore our vision for the future together through the theme, “Embracing Growth and Change.”
The mission of FCC has always been to offer a high-quality learning experience through educational programs that meet a diversity of human and community needs at affordable costs. To meet this end, we continue offering the Parents Lead program and scholarship, which gives eligible parents the financial support for childcare while attending classes in a cohort with a specialized curriculum for degree completion. We are expanding mental health services with a full-time counselor, conducting campus wide student success and racial equity initiatives, providing a STEM Scholars Program, and will soon be implementing peer-to-peer mentoring. In addition, the Frederick County Public School system is working with us on a 5 five-year plan to close the learning gap for students entering college following high school. The need for these changes and additions have only increased since the pandemic, particularly with our marginalized students, who are more at risk than ever.
To give you some background, Frederick Community College is centrally located in Maryland and situated with the scenic backdrop of the Catoctin Mountains, close enough that bears have been spotted wandering in some of the nearby neighborhoods. Frederick Community College also sits on land formerly associated with Thomas Johnson, the first governor of Maryland. His home, Rose Hill Manor (now a museum) is just a few minutes’ drive from our campus. This history underscores the importance of our racial equity work on campus and of examining how we honor the legacy of all who have lived in Frederick and how we explore and promote a more nuanced and complete history. Adjacent to FCC is Fort Detrick, an Army Medical Research and Development Command Institution, where many of our students over the years have held paid internships.
Frederick Community College has a 64-year-old history, serving its first students in 1957 at local high schools before moving to its main campus at Opossumtown Pike. Through the years, our college has grown to include 110 programs of study with many key expansions for our STEM buildings, along with the recent addition of our thriving Student Center. In 2016, FCC opened the doors of its innovative state of the art Learning Commons, built with a flexible design and collaborative spaces to meet the diverse needs of our students.
A few miles from our main campus you will find the Monroe Center, our Advanced Workforce Training Center, which houses our award-winning Hospitality and Culinary Tourism Institute, along with Building Trades, Information Technology, Career and Business Preparation, and Healthcare Careers, offering instruction with hands on access to state-of-the-art equipment.
Both campuses are within minutes of our vibrant downtown. We are a place where the old mingles with the new as our Civil War era architecture and landmarks merge with a thriving social life in breweries, countryside wineries, award winning restaurants (including Top Chef, Bryan Voltaggio) and unusual shops and galleries. I hope when folks are more comfortable traveling that you will visit us. According to the Washington Post, we are as hip as we are historic, and we’ve been dubbed the 8th coolest town in America by Matador Network. This is all to say, when you are ready, come visit!
We have all been on a fast-paced learning curve, and I am beyond impressed by the resilience, courage, and tenacity exhibited by students and colleagues alike. We are learning to live with change, with life in flux, and I am tremendously excited to catch up with you and hear how you have been adapting in your classes, on your campuses, and in your lives since our AFACCT conference last January.
Lora Diaz – Conference Chair