Lt. Governor Brown Presents $29 Million Check to Montgomery College for Rockville Science Center
Contribution is “an investment in the future potential of Maryland’s lifescience economy”
ROCKVILLE, MD (October 16, 2008) – Lt. Governor Anthony G. Brown visited the Rockville Campus of Montgomery College today to present a ceremonial check recognizing the state’s $29 million contribution toward the construction of the long-awaited Rockville Science Center. Brown was joined on the stage by Montgomery College President Brian Johnson, Senator Jennie Forehand, Montgomery County Council Vice President Phil Andrews and with other college administrators and elected officials.
“Community colleges are the largest suppliers of workforce training in Maryland and Governor O’Malley and I are proud to support their efforts,” Lt. Governor Brown said. “We must continue to work together to stay on the path of progress. The Rockville Science Center is a step along that path. With the addition of the Rockville Science Center, Montgomery College will provide the training and skills to even more Marylanders and will continue to promote Montgomery County’s vibrant I-270 biotech corridor.”
Since taking office in 2007, the O’Malley-Brown administration has increased support for community colleges by record levels and has partnered with all the community college presidents to improve the state’s workforce creation efforts. This year, the administration invested $81 million in community college capital projects, including the $29 million for the Rockville Science Center, and Governor Martin O’Malley has increased operating funds for community colleges over two years by roughly 10 percent.
“The planned science center would provide the necessary classrooms and lab spaces to meet our growing enrollment demand in science and engineering courses,” said Dr. Brian K. Johnson, president of Montgomery College. “The support of Governor Martin O’Malley, Lt. Governor Anthony Brown, and the Maryland General Assembly ensures that future generations of Montgomery College students will receive education necessary to succeed.”
The planned four-story building will be the new home to the departments of biology, chemistry and physics, engineering and geosciences on the Rockville Campus. Along with classrooms and labs, the science center will feature a greenhouse and a rooftop observatory. The building expects to achieve Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Gold certification from the United States Green Buildings Council.
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“We look forward to opening the science center to classes in 2011,” said Dr. Judy Ackerman, vice president and provost of Montgomery College’s Rockville Campus. “The new facility will enable our faculty to deliver exceptional instruction to students in a state-of-the-art facility that supports the State's growing workforce needs in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics.”
During the ceremony, Brown praised the work of community colleges. Brown also encouraged Montgomery College and all community colleges to better promote and help improve the “2+2 program.” The “2+2 program” is a collection of articulation agreements between 2-year community colleges and certain public 4-year colleges or universities. The agreements guarantee the successful and complete transfer of credits to public 4-year colleges or universities for a student who earned an Associates Degree at a participating community college. Brown noted that community colleges and the Maryland Higher Education Commission must collect better data on the program to determine why “too many students…are choosing to forgo the final two years of college.”
More than 14,000 full- and part-time students are enrolled in courses at Montgomery College – Rockville, making it the largest campus of the Montgomery College system. In all, more than 24,000 students are enrolled in courses at any of the three Montgomery College campuses, making it the largest community college in Maryland and one of the largest in the nation. Of the 24,000 full- and part-time students at Montgomery College, nearly 4,500 transferred to 4-year institutions last year. Of those 4,500, more than 2,200 transferred to the University of Maryland, College Park; University of Maryland, University College; or University of Maryland, Baltimore County. Data, however, on the number of students who transferred as part of the “2+2 program” after completing an Associate’s Degree is unavailable.
Brown will continue his outreach to community colleges next week when he visits Frederick Community College to participate in the ribbon cutting of the newly renovated Advanced Workforce Training Center.