President's Annual Report: 2025
.jpg)
As we reflect on the 2024–2025 academic year, I am filled with immense pride for the remarkable accomplishments of our students, faculty, staff, and partners. Together, we have advanced our institutional goal of meeting students where they dream as a premier resource for Howard County and beyond.
This year, we celebrated transformative milestones, including the opening of Maryland’s first community college cyber range—an investment that positions HCC as a leader in closing the cybersecurity workforce gap. The groundbreaking of the Cathy and Danny Bell Workforce Development & Trades Center, supported by over $42 million in public and private funding, further solidified our commitment to skilled trades education.
Our dedication to student success extended beyond the classroom. The reopening of the Children’s Learning Center and the expansion of the Fueling Dragons Food Pantry—which distributed over 55,000 pounds of food—demonstrated our unwavering support for student parents and basic needs security.
Community engagement reached new heights, from hosting federal town halls with U.S. Senators to sponsoring cultural festivals like Howard County Pride and the Howard County Library’s annual Battle of the Books. Our record-breaking $5.3 million in philanthropic support, including a historic $2.5 million gift naming Thomas P. Clement Hall, fuels scholarships and programs that change lives.
Our men’s basketball team reached the semi-finals of the national NJCAA tournament for the first time in 12 years, while internationally, students explored oceanography in Bermuda and baking in France, and our delegation visit to Japan strengthened global partnerships, resulting in a memorandum of understanding with Setsunan University. None of this would be possible without the collective effort of our trustees, donors, and leaders from our county, state, and federal government. As we look ahead, I am inspired by the resilience and creativity of Dragon Country. Together, we will continue opening doors to prosperity, equity, and lifelong learning.
With gratitude,
Daria J. Willis, Ph.D.
President, Howard Community College