Montgomery County Community College Accounting major Jesse Arce has been named to the All-Pennsylvania Academic Team. Photo by Eric Devlin
It’s not easy starting over in a career. Jesse Arce knows that as well as anyone. After 20 years working for an insurance company, Arce was laid off from his position. Yet he wasn’t ready to retire.
“I was at a crossroads,” he said. “I knew I still had more to offer.”
He decided instead to go back to school and enrolled at Montgomery County Community
College in the fall of 2023. It was the best thing he could have done, he said, as
the College has helped him gain the skills he’ll need to re-enter the workforce as
an accountant.
Three years later, Arce, 75, of Blue Bell, is a part-time Accounting major, and has earned statewide recognition for his hard work in-and-out of the classroom. He was recently named to the All-Pennsylvania Academic Team as a workforce pathway scholar. The team is sponsored by Phi Theta Kappa (PTK), the international honor society for two-year colleges, and The Pennsylvania Commission for Community Colleges.
This recognition honors an exceptional group of community college students who have achieved academic excellence and demonstrated a commitment to their colleges and communities. To qualify, workforce students must have a minimum of 12 college-level credit hours at a community college and a cumulative GPA of 3.5 or higher.
The Pennsylvania Commission for Community Colleges recognized Arce and three other MCCC All-Pennsylvania team members with other award recipients statewide in Harrisburg April 7.
“Being nominated through PTK is a real honor for me,” said Arce. “As an adult learner returning to school after many years in the workforce, this recognition means more than I can fully express. It reflects the academic work and support I’ve received from the college community along the way.”
Since enrolling at MCCC primarily as an online student, Arce has thrived. He’s gained a strong foundation in bookkeeping, the accounting software, QuickBooks, and financial principles that are essential in today’s business world. He received Summa Cum Laude distinction for completing the Bookkeeper with QuickBooks certification in 2025 and decided to continue his education and obtain an associate’s degree.
He credits his success in the classroom to the strong work ethic he learned from his parents. His dad was a high school history teacher, while his mom was a housekeeper, who raised chickens to support the family.
“From my mother, I learned how to work,” he said. “From my father, I learned why we work — to grow, to learn, and to build a better future. Their example shaped who I am today.”
Those lessons have served him well. Arce is a Dean’s Commendation List recipient and a member of Alpha Kappa Zeta, the Blue Bell Campus chapter of PTK.
In addition, he’s received the Paul Robert Mucke Scholarship, Montgomery County Community College Scholarship, Melissa Motz Scholarship and the
Billjoe Loeben Scholarship.
Outside campus, Arce served for more than a decade as a volunteer with the Friends of the Wanamaker Pipe Organ of Philadelphia. His responsibilities, especially during performances, included greeting guests, selling tickets and helping distribute mailings of the organization’s news magazine.
Arce said his greatest motivation comes from his family — his son, his daughter, and his three grandchildren — who have encouraged him throughout his academic journey.
“I want them to see that it’s never too late to start over,” he said. “If I can return to school at this stage of life and earn a degree, they can pursue their dreams too.”
As he approaches graduating this spring, Arce said he plans to look for an accounting job. He’s proud of all he’s been able to accomplish since making the decision to go back to school.
“This is a life dream of mine— earning a degree,” he said. “I would like to mention that completing my accounting degree is an important milestone for me. This nomination is a reminder the hard work has been worth it.”