We know many Frederick County residents have been dealing with unemployment and financial challenges during the COVID-19 pandemic. FCC is committed to providing our community members with workforce training opportunities and tuition assistance to help them secure employment and recover from all they have faced over the last year.

To aid in these efforts, we have received $1.1 million in State funding to provide workforce training opportunities and tuition assistance for individuals, especially those struggling with unemployment due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The funding allows eligible students to receive tuition assistance for courses in the areas of healthcare, childcare, information technology, welding, and real estate.

Nearly $700,000 of the State funding is from the Federal Governor’s Emergency Education Relief (GEER) Fund.

Some of this funding has already been used to cover the cost of tuition and educational materials for 40 students taking workforce training classes this semester. More funding will be available to serve students in the fall 2021 semester.

Additionally, GEER funding allows FCC to develop new workforce/certification programming that is responsive to the needs of employers in the region, hire a part-time instructional designer to support curriculum development, and hire a part-time student success coach to provide direct services for students enrolled in workforce courses. This includes helping students apply GEER-tuition assistance funds and other tuition support to their courses and identify College and community resources to help meet their needs.

In addition to the GEER funds, FCC received $400,000 in funding from the Maryland Higher Education Commission (MHEC) as part of its Recovery Now program.

This funding will be used to expand existing and develop new in-demand workforce development training and educational programs. These programs will support those who are recently unemployed or want to improve their job skills to reenter the workplace.

The MHEC Recovery Now funding will also provide tuition assistance to students enrolling in FCC workforce development or continuing professional education programs. It will allow FCC to enhance certain program areas through additional training and equipment purchases. Program areas include biotechnology, logistics and production technology, and automotive technology. These all sectors that are important to the local economy. 

Students enrolling in workforce development courses or continuing professional education courses leading to government or industry-required certification or licensure will be evaluated for tuition assistance and other student support based on the eligibility requirements. Students can apply by first completing the CEWD Financial Assistance Request Form found here.

We thank the State of Maryland for seeing the need for this funding and recognizing FCC as a leader in workforce training. We are grateful to be able to provide workforce training opportunities during the pandemic recovery that can strengthen the financial well-being of our community members.

Best wishes,

Elizabeth Burmaster
President, Frederick Community College

Celebrating our 2021 Graduates 

We anticipate that nearly 1,000 FCC graduates will have triumphed through the extraordinary challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic this year to successfully complete their individual goals. The entire FCC community is proud of the accomplishments of our students.

Due to the continued risk of COVID-19 virus transmission in large gatherings, FCC will not hold a traditional commencement ceremony in May. We will still celebrate our graduates while adhering to all requirements of the FCC Roadmap to Resilience and Recovery. 

The distribution of diplomas will be scheduled individually for each graduate to receive their diploma, walk across the stage in their cap and gown, and have their picture taken by a professional photographer.

There will also be a video and printed program celebrating the class of 2021 that will be available to graduates and the College community on May 17, 2021.

We congratulate all our graduates and we look forward to celebrating their accomplishments in May.

Application Period for FCC Foundation Fall Semester Scholarships Open

The FCC Foundation scholarship application period is now open.

Last year, the Foundation awarded over $1 million dollars to more than 1,000 students attending FCC.

To view available scholarships for the fall semester, click here. The application will be open until August 15, 2021, but students are encouraged to apply early.

For more information, contact Michael Thornton, FCC scholarship program manager, at mthornton@frederick.edu.

Student Thank You Notes Show Impact of Scholarships

Each semester, hundreds of students are able to enroll in FCC classes because of scholarships they receive from generous donors. We thank our donors for helping FCC increase access to higher education for all. Below are some excerpts of thank you notes written by students who received the Robert and Lynn Gruner Scholarship.
 
“As an adult learner, I’ve encountered new challenges in continuing my studies uninterrupted. Compiled with a pandemic, there have been days where I’ve questioned my decision to start anew. However, your gift has reminded me that I am not on my own. With your support, I am one semester closer to becoming a nurse. When that day comes, I will be thinking of your generosity. I promise to pay it forward.”
 
“Thank you from the bottom of my heart. You have no idea how much this means to me. With your generous gift, I’m able to afford to take 12 credits this spring semester. I’m so appreciative of your kindness and thank you for giving back to the community and providing an opportunity for students like myself.”
 
“Thank you for believing in me and my future. Thank you for assisting me in pursuing my dream. Thank you for making a difference in my life. Receiving this scholarship allows me to focus my energy toward my education, rather than the financial stress it can bring. It allows me to worry less about how many hours I will need to work each week to pay off my school costs and in turn allows me to put more of my energy toward succeeding in school. I cannot emphasize how much it means to be a recipient of this scholarship. Thank you for taking a chance on me. I am excited to make you proud and show you how much of a difference you are making in students’ lives by believing in them.”
 
The Robert and Lynn Gruner Scholarship was created to support five or more FCC students with financial need each year with special consideration given to recipients who were foster children. Robert was an engineer who mentored many young engineering students. Lynn is a math teacher and tutor. Lynn became acquainted with FCC through the Institute for Learning in Retirement (ILR). 

“There’s just something about being at FCC that brings me great joy," Lynn Gruner said. "I just love it there.” 
 
For more information about FCC scholarships, click here.

FCC Looking for Feedback on Social Media Accounts

FCC is looking for feedback from individuals who follow our social media accounts.​

We want to make sure our social media pages reflect what our followers are most interested in seeing.

We've put together a quick survey to gain insight on the social media use and preferences of our students, employees, and community members. We want to learn what social media apps you use most, what type of content you want us to share, what we do well on our social media pages, and what we can improve upon.

The survey should take about five minutes to complete and all answers are anonymous. Students, employees, community members, or anyone else who is interested in our social media pages are invited to participate. We value your feedback.

To take the survey, click the link here.

FCC Staff Hold Facebook Live Session to Discuss ESL Offerings

FCC staff recently held a Facebook Live session in both English and Spanish to share information about Adult Education/English as a Second Language (ESL) offerings. During the session, Rachel Riggs, FCC ESL instructional specialist, and Ivania Amador, FCC transition specialist, discussed upcoming ESL courses at FCC, including:

• Basic ESL courses, which are open to all adults over 18,
• Targeted ESL courses, which prepare students for credit courses,
• Academic ESOL, which provides academic credit, and
• Adult Basic Education courses, which include GED preparation courses and non-credit/developmental courses.

The Basic ESL and the Adult Basic Education courses are free.
 
Riggs and Amador also discussed bridge courses, which introduce students to different career fields such as accounting or healthcare and provide extra language support.
 
To view the Facebook Live session, click here.
 
For more information about our Adult Education offerings, click here. For more information about our ESL offerings, click here.

FCC Holding Virtual Open Houses

FCC will hold virtual open houses on April 10 and April 21 to share information on programs and services, ways to pay for college, and more.

The Admissions Open House will be held on April 10 and will cover general FCC information with representatives from departments across the College sharing insight. There will also be a student panel.

The Monroe Center Open House will be held on April 21 and will cover programs and resources offered at the Monroe Center, where many of the College career training programs are held.

More information about each open house is available below. If you have questions, contact admissions@frederick.edu or 301.624.2716.

Admissions Open House
Saturday, April 10, 2021 - 10:00-11:30 a.m.

• Explore more than 85 degree and certificate programs
• Discover student resources and support services
• Learn about Continuing Education and Workforce Development (CEWD) options
• Learn how to pay for college
• Discover advising and transfer resources
• Hear from a panel of current students

• Learn about the Monroe Center
• Meet with program managers about career training programs
• Review upcoming course options
• Discover tuition assistance and scholarship opportunities
• Hear from Career Services 

To register, click here.

FCC Student's Story of Addiction, Recovery featured in COIPP Annual Report

An FCC student was recently highlighted in the Children of Incarcerated Parents Partnership (COIPP) Annual Report.

Rachel Noor shared her story of enrolling at FCC after being encouraged by Shari Ostrow Scher, COIPP executive director.

Rachel, a mother of four, met Shari after serving time in a jail for driving under the influence. Shari and COIPP “were a huge catalyst in both recovery and pursuing a new career path in my life,” Rachel said.

Read below to hear more of Rachel’s story and her advice for anyone else who may be struggling with mental illness and/or addiction.

“I am currently enrolled at FCC pursuing my second associate degree, specializing in addictions counseling and mental health. I already have an associate degree in nursing and have been a registered nurse (RN) since 2003. I am a mom to four wonderful kids. I left a 20-year marriage due to domestic violence that was exacerbated by alcohol. I had to start a new life from scratch. I am in recovery as well. I was addicted to alcohol.

My passion is to help other addicts recover and build a new life. I want others who have experienced incarceration, who have fought the battles of mental illness and addiction, and have broken families know that there is a better way and not to give up hope that they can have a happy and productive life. Together we can stop this legacy of domestic violence, depression, and abuse.

Miss Shari told me this one time and I’ve never forgotten it: ‘You can’t go to college unless you fill out the application.’ Set the goal of changing your life, but don’t let it overwhelm you. One day at a time. Small steps over time become miles traveled. I started at FCC in the spring of 2020. I’ve completed six classes and have received an A grade in all of them. This semester I am taking four classes. I did it one day at a time. You can too.”

Rachel (center) is pictured above with three of her children.

COIPP is a volunteer-run non-profit organization that provides support, resources, and services for the children impacted by the incarceration of a loved one (as well as their caregivers) and present and formerly incarcerated family members in the Frederick region. To learn more about COIPP, click here.

FCC Named to Top Colleges in Maryland List

FCC has been named one of the top colleges in Maryland for 2021 by Intelligent.com, an independent resource for online degree rankings and higher education planning. FCC was also named the “Best for Night and Weekend Classes.”

Each institution is evaluated based on curriculum quality, graduation rate, reputation, and post-graduate employment. The 2021 rankings are calculated through a scoring system which includes student engagement, potential return on investment, and leading third-party evaluations.

To see the full list, click here.

Alumni Spotlight - Adam Leverette
 

Each month, we highlight FCC alumni in this e-news. This month, we are featuring Adam Leverette.

Adam is a recent graduate who enrolled at FCC in the fall of 2019 after graduating from Oakdale High School. He was able to earn his associate degree in cybersecurity from FCC in just one year by taking five classes each semester and using credits he earned while enrolled at the FCPS Career and Technology Center (CTC) as a high school student.

Adam is currently employed as a security analyst at a Managed Security Services Provider (MSSP). He said he chose to pursue a career in cybersecurity because he found it to be an exciting, meaningful field that offers many different pathways.

“I wanted my work to have an impact,” Adam said. “I wanted to be able to make a difference for people and be proud of what I do.”

Read more about Adam and his experience at FCC below.

Why did you decide to come to FCC?

I came to FCC because I wanted to get a college education without committing to a four-year program immediately out of high school. FCC was local and I’d heard great things about it, plus I had already taken FCC classes through the FCPS Career and Technology Center so it was an easy choice.

What did you enjoy most about FCC?

The main campus was well-kept and the professors I had were great. Special shout-out to Professor (Pei) Taverner for being a great math instructor. The library and the tennis courts are a nice touch.

What did you gain from your time at FCC? Are there any lessons or skills you learned while at FCC that you use in your professional life today?

I learned a lot of real-life applicable mathematics from my Math 101 class. My Computer Science (Java) class was a struggle, but it was very valuable to understand how programming works for a cybersecurity career. The UNIX, Cybercrime, and Ethical Hacking classes especially taught me incredibly valuable skills that I use at my job.

What did you do after your time at FCC, and how are you currently employed?

I’m working as a Security Analyst right here in Maryland - and I love my job. There’s something special about knowing that the work you’re doing is keeping people safe, and the job itself is really interesting. 

FCC Phi Theta Kappa Receives National Recognition

The FCC Phi Theta Kappa (PTK) chapter has been named a 2021 REACH Chapter for its excellence in membership and development.
 
For more than 100 years, the Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society has connected high-achieving college students to opportunities to develop professional and leadership skills, earn scholarships, and explore career paths.
 
The FCC chapter – Alpha Delta Sigma – was founded in 1979 and has had about 3,000 students serve as members since then.
 
“When students get engaged in campus programming, explore leadership opportunities, and utilize personal development resources developed by PTK, real transformation happens,” said Christin Grissom, PTK Vice President of Scholarship and Membership. “We couldn’t be prouder of our REACH Chapters for their efforts to encourage PTK membership acceptance despite challenges presented by the pandemic and unlock limitless opportunities that PTK membership provides for deserving students.”

We thank our faculty and staff members who have supported the FCC chapter, Alpha Delta Sigma. We are grateful to Jeanni Winston-Muir, who has served as an advisor for 30 years. Jeanni's longstanding commitment to FCC and PTK have had a significant impact on the lives of countless students. We thank Helen Kerr, who has served as an advisor for five years and has helped ensure FCC students have access to the benefits offered through PTK membership. 
 
Students who have successfully completed a minimum of 12 credit hours at FCC and earned a cumulative grade point average of 3.7 or better are eligible for Phi Theta Kappa membership.  Interested students can contact Jeanni Winston-Muir at Jwinston-Muir@frederick.edu.