History of the College
1964
Montgomery County Community College was established December 8, 1964, and the first
Board of Trustees
was appointed.
The original board members were Arthur A. Alderfer, Alice I. Anderson, Herman B.
Blumenthal, Edward J. Carroll, Dwight A. Dundore, Joseph R. Feldmeier, William H.
Harned, Rev. Leonard
M. Jones, Charles Kahn Jr., Thomas P. McArthur, Jr., Gladys C. Pearstine, Stephen
W. Roberts, William E.
Strasburg, William H. Yohn Sr and R. Luther Young
1966
1967
The first Founders’ Day celebration was held.
The Student Government was organized.
MCCC’s soccer team began its first season.
The College crowned its first Miss Montco.
1968
The College’s first class graduated.
The seal and motto were selected: “Cognitio Ad Futurum”.
The College received a $1 million federal grant to help purchase and build a new campus.
The College offered a certificate in retailing for the first time in the Fall.
The College’s first official student handbook was published for the ‘68-‘69 academic year.
1969
The College purchased the Thayer Estate in Blue Bell for $700,000 for its new campus.
The first annual Presidential Scholarship award was granted.
Middle States evaluators visited the campus for the first time in preparation for accreditation.
The College offered 13 different associate-degree programs.
1969
A Middle States evaluation visit was conducted (1969), and full accreditation was offered on April 27, 1970.
1970
The groundbreaking ceremony was held for MCCC’s new campus in Blue Bell on February 16, 1970.
1970
The Nursing program was established.
1970
The Student Government ratified its first constitution.
1972
MCCC’s new campus in Blue Bell opened, and by fall 1972, nearly 4,000 full- and part-time students were enrolled.
1972
The men’s basketball team won the Eastern Pennsylvania Community College Athletic Conference (EPCCAC) championship.
1973
1973
The Municipal Police training program was initiated.
1974
The Student Government Association chartered a Veterans Club.
1975
The College radio station, WRFM, went live.
1975
The soccer team won its fourth EPCCAC crown.
1975
Hall and Oates played the Science Center Auditorium.
1977
The Medical Laboratory Technician program started in the fall semester.
1978
The golf team won an EPCCAC championship.
1978
The women’s field hockey team won an EPCCAC championship.
1980
The College’s Child Care Center opened.
1981
1983
The Foundation, the charitable arm of the College, was established.
1983
Founders’ Hall was renamed Parkhouse Hall.
1984
The Alpha Kappa Zeta chapter of the Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society was started in Blue Bell.
1988
1988
The Lively Arts Series was introduced, and the Writers Conference was held for the first time.
1994
The first Community Day was held.
1994
The College first held what is known today as the Technology & Learning Conference, designed for regional educators and IT professionals.
1995
The President’s Advisory Council on Diversity was launched.
1995
The College launched its website, and internet-based classes were offered for the first time. Faculty, staff and students were assigned email addresses.
1996
Campuses were renamed Central Campus in Blue Bell and West Campus in Pottstown.
1996
West Campus in Pottstown opened at 101 College Drive.
1997
The radio show, “MCCC on the Air”, aired for the first time.
1998
2001
2002
The comprehensive Honors Program launched.
2002
The Alumni Hall of Fame was established.
2003
The Health Careers Suite opened at West Campus, and Radiography, Surgical Technology and Medical Assisting programs began.
2004
The Library at Central Campus was renamed “The Brendlinger Library” in honor of the founding president, Dr. LeRoy Brendlinger.
2005
The College offered its first Study Abroad program in Florence, Italy.
2006
The College joined Achieving the Dream in further pursuit of equity and improved learning outcomes.
2006
In partnership with the Montgomery County Workforce Investment Board, the College began offering an accelerated GED preparatory course at West Campus.
2006
Human Services faculty developed and launched the innovative Partnership on Work Enrichment and Readiness (POWER) program for people in mental health recovery.
2006
West Campus was expanded to include North Hall, with additional classrooms, offices and a fine arts gallery.
2006
The College launched its University Center framework. By partnering with select four-year colleges and universities, graduates and community members could earn bachelor’s and master’s degrees conveniently at the Pottstown campus.
2007
The Advanced Technology Center opened at Central Campus.
2007
The College was named to the President’s Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll by the Corporation for National and Community Service for the first time.
2007
The College entered into a partnership with Bucknell University’s Community College Scholars Program through the Jack Kent Cooke Foundation.
2007
The College became a charter signatory of the American College & University President’s Climate Commitment and pledged to eliminate carbon emissions by 2050.
2008
The Mustangs Intercollegiate Athletics program was re-launched.
2008
The College is named one of the top technologically advanced community colleges in the country by the Center for Digital Education for the first time (MCCC has earned this award multiple times since).
2008
MCCC launched the Faculty Diversity Fellowship Program.
2009
The Fine Arts Center renovation of the existing art barn was completed and the College introduced a new Associate in Fine Arts degree program.
2009
The College was named a “Military Friendly School” by Victory Media for the first time (MCCC has earned this award multiple times since).
2010
The College received a federal grant to establish an Upward Bound Program for at-risk high school youth in Norristown and Pottstown.
2010
The College opened the Center for Entrepreneurial Studies at Central Campus.
2010
A new Children’s Center opened at the Central Campus.
2010
The National Association for the Education of Young Children gave the Children’s Center exemplary status for Engaging Diverse Families.
2010
The Black Box Theater and music suites opened in the Science Center at Central Campus.
2010
The College introduced a free transportation shuttle between Central and West Campuses to help students and reduce its carbon footprint.
2010
A full-scale renovation to Parkhouse Hall was completed at Central Campus.
2011
The College was awarded the Achieving the Dream Leader College status for its work to improve student learning outcomes (MCCC has earned this status multiple times since).
2011
The College joined the national “College Completion Challenge” and pledged to increase graduation rates.
2011
The Beta Tau Lambda Chapter of the Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society was started in Pottstown.
2011
MCCC was selected to participate in the American Association of Community Colleges’ Voluntary Framework of Accountability pilot.
2011
The College earned its first sustainability award from the Greater Valley Forge Management Association for its campus shuttle (MCCC has earned this award multiple times since).
2012
The Veterans Resource Center opened in the former “202 House” at Central Campus.
2012
A full-scale renovation to College Hall was completed at Central Campus.
2012
West Campus was expanded to include the former East Penn AAA Building at 95 S. Hanover Street in Pottstown to house the University Center.
2013
The College received a $150,000 grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to develop and implement an Integrated Planning and Advising Services approach, providing technology support for redesigned student entry and academic advising processes to enhance the way the College engages students in educational planning, counseling, coaching and targeted intervention.
2013
2014
MCCC celebrated its 50th anniversary year.
2014
The College received a $100,000 Next Generation Learning Challenges grant funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and managed by EDUCAUSE for the Business Models Incubator project to improve first-time students’ understanding of financial, civic and digital literacies.
2014
President Dr. Karen A. Stout was invited by U.S. President Barack Obama to attend the White House College Opportunity Summit on January 16, 2014, to share the College’s initiatives to help low-income and economically challenged students attain access to higher education. She returned to the White House on August 12, 2014 to continue the national dialogue and provide a progress update.
2014
The College received its second Climate Leadership Award from Second Nature, becoming the first community college to earn multiple awards from the organization.
2014
President Dr. Karen Stout served as a panelist for the annual U.S. News STEM Solutions National Leadership Conference to discuss viable solutions for America’s skills and education gap in the areas of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM).
2014
Wind turbines (West Campus) and solar panels (Central Campus) were installed as part of the College’s Guaranteed Energy Savings Agreement with Siemens Industries, Inc.
2015
Montgomery County Economic Development Corporation presented a $2 million gift to MCCC.
2015
MCCC Board of Trustees named Dr. Karen Stout as President Emerita for her many contributions to the College and the community, as she leaves MCCC to assume the role of President and CEO of Achieving the Dream, Inc.
2015
The student success center at Central Campus was renamed the Karen Stout Student Success Center in honor of President Emerita Dr. Karen Stout.
2015
MCCC earned recertification as a Leader College by Achieving the Dream.
2015
The College expanded the Faculty Diversity Fellowship Program to include teaching faculty, advisors and librarians.
2016
2016
West Campus was expanded with the addition of the Sustainability and Innovation Hub at 140 College Drive in Pottstown.
2016
The Municipal Police Academy was moved back to Central Campus.
2016
Montgomery County Planning Commission presented MCCC with the 2016 Montgomery Award for the planning and design of its Sustainability and Innovation Hub.
2016
MCCC was named a Most Promising Place to Work for the first time by “Diverse: Issues in Higher Education” and the National Institute for Staff and Organizational Development (the College has earned this award multiple times since).
2017
Engineering students won the Perseverance and Spirit of the Event Award with their hydrogen fuel cell powered urban concept vehicle at the Shell Eco-Marathon in Detroit, Michigan.
2017
The new Health Sciences Center at Central Campus opened, the result of a complete renovation of the former Physical Education building.
2017
The Workforce Development Division moved its headquarters to Pottstown.
2018
MCCC received the League for Innovation in Community Colleges’ Riegelman Award for Excellence in Public Health & Health Navigation Education for its new Public Health Program.
2018
The new Sound Recording & Music Technology mix room opened at Central Campus.
2018
The EDUCAUSE Leadership award was presented to Dr. Celeste Schwartz, MCCC’s Vice President of Information Technology & Chief Digital Officer.
2018
Montgomery County Development Corporation presented the 2018 Project Impact Award to MCCC on October 22, 2018 for its Sound Recording Technology recording studio.
2018
The College began hosting a chapter of Mu Alpha Theta, the national Math Honor Society.
2019
Phase 1 of the Science Center renovation at Central Campus was completed.
2019
Dr. Victoria L. Bastecki-Perez was named Interim President.
2019
The Board of Trustees approved the Equity Statement for Student Success.
2019
The College received a $1.9 million U.S. Department of Education Title III grant for the creation and implementation of the College Connection Experience, an immersive academic pathway program for first-time college students with wrap-around support services that encompass all years of a student’s career at the College.
2019
MCCC held its first pride-flag-raising ceremonies on National Diversity Day during Global Diversity Awareness Month.
2019
The College earned Gold Seal status from the ALL In Challenge for its campus-voting rate (the College was one of 560 institutions to earn this national award).
2019
Forbes recognized MCCC as one of the top 60 employers in Pennsylvania.
2019
MCCC earned the inaugural PNGAS Guard-Friendly School designation by the Pennsylvania National Guard Associations.
2019
The College began hosting a chapter of Psi Beta, the Community College National Honor Society in Psychology.
2020
The College kicked off its new inclusive, athletic program—Mustangs eSports (electronic sports). Students competed in the game of Rocket League at esports pavilions located at Central and West Campuses.
2020
MCCC earned Achieving the Dream’s highest recognition for achievement, the Leader College of Distinction designation, for the College’s collective efforts in improving student outcomes and narrowing equity gaps. MCCC is one of only 11 community colleges in the country to receive this prominent designation.
2020
The College was selected as one of the top 10 Bellwether finalists in the Planning, Governance & Finance category for its “Anytime, Anywhere: An Equitable, Scalable & Impactful Approach to Academic Support” initiative (MCCC’s additive academic support of 24/7 online tutoring).
2020
The men’s basketball team won its first-ever Regional XIX Championship Title and competed at the National Junior College Athletic Association championship tournament where the seventh-seeded Mustangs lost after two games.
2020
MCCC successfully pivoted to remote learning for all students during the spring 2020 semester due to the global COVID-19 pandemic.
2020
The campuses were renamed, from Central Campus and West Campus to Blue Bell Campus and Pottstown Campus, respectively.
2020
2020
2021
A collaboration with Challenger Center to open the first Challenger Learning Center in Pennsylvania at the Pottstown Campus was announced.
2021
MCCC received its largest gift to date of $3 million from Kenneth D. Baker, a dedicated advocate of the College and its mission, for the creation of the Baker Center of Excellence for Employee Ownership and Business Transformation.
2021
Dr. Victoria Bastecki-Perez was inaugurated as the sixth president of MCCC.