Friday, May 17 at 10:30 a.m.
The full program, including graduate names, will be available after certification in the summer.
Portraits and Personalized Slides
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Commencement livestream video with American Sign Language (ASL) interpretation.new window
Congratulations Graduates!
Commencement stands out as the highlight of the year, bringing together the entire College community, including faculty, staff, administrators, and alumni to recognize your accomplishments and join in the celebration of this momentous milestone. Attaining an associate degree or certificate is a noteworthy achievement, and you should take pride in your hard work that led to this moment. This milestone is also a testament to the dedication of our remarkable faculty, staff, friends, and families, who have motivated, challenged, and supported you throughout your journey at Montgomery College.
Honors and Awardees
Campus Honors Convocations
Every year Montgomery College has the distinct privilege of celebrating outstanding students and artists, student scholars, honor society members, and state and national award winners. You can view all awards and awardees by honor or campus.
Board of Trustees Academic Excellence Awardees
Applied Technologies, Gudelsky Institute for Technical Education, and Workforce Development and Continuing Education
MR. CHARLES DAVID THOMPSON, an environmental horticulture major, is graduating with a 3.9 grade point average. He received the David M. Rubenstein Economic Club of Washington, D.C. and the Charles and Estelle Feigenbaum Scholarships for academic achievement.He interned at the Washington National Cathedral’s historic Bishop’s Garden last summer, where he was mentored by industry leaders, and designed and maintained intricate landscapes. He also was an apprentice at McKnight Gardens. He volunteered with environmental restoration projects around Washington, specifically at Soapstone Creek. He tutored children at Unique Learning Center, in Washington, D.C. He also earned the rank of Eagle Scout.
He transferred to York College, where he majors in environmental horticulture. He participates on Ultimate Frisbee team and in Young Life. He is also active in his church and community, leading service projects and mission trips. He will intern with the National Park Service this summer as a field leader. He is a native Washingtonian and member of the Permaculture Club. Ultimately, he hopes to have a career in horticulture.
Communications, Health Sciences, Health and Physical Education, and Humanities
MS. JOANEE CATALINA DIAS, a criminal justice major and member of Phi Theta Kappa, is graduating with a 3.9 grade point average. She was a member of the Montgomery Scholars honors program. She served as a senator at large for one semester at the Rockville Campus. She received the Robert Gruenberg Memorial Endowed Scholarship and the Honors Scholar award.While she attended school, she interned for Salvado Law, a defense firm. She helped minimize the language barrier many clients encountered when attempting to comprehend legal processes.
Last summer, she was an investigative intern at the Public Defender Service for the District of Columbia. She worked on investigative tasks to provide the best defense for indigent community members.
She wants to be the voice for marginalized members of society. She hopes to obtain a juris doctorate and focus on public advocacy work. She believes equality and reform is an uphill battle, but if efforts are not persistent then progress will be stagnant.
Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics
MS. MONICA SELENA ESCALANTE ESCOBAR, an electrical engineering major and member of Phi Theta Kappa, is graduating with a 3.86 grade point average. Born and raised in El Salvador, she moved to the United States in 2012.She is a member of Montgomery Scholars and the Southern Management Leadership Program. She was president of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers Club and treasurer of the Academic Development Club. She earned the Honors Scholars Award, the Excellence in Engineering Physics Award, the Dr. Harry Harden Jr. Student Academic Excellence Award, and was a semifinalist for the Jack Kent Cooke Transfer Scholarship.
Last summer, she led her team in the Cyber-Physical Systems Engineering Summer Program. She also interned at Farias Electrical Contractors. She volunteers for the First Aid Team at the Wheaton Volunteer Rescue Squad. She will pursue certification for an Emergency Medical Technician this summer.
She will transfer to University of Maryland for a bachelor’s in electrical engineering. She hopes to inspire other first-generation students and be a leader in Engineers Without Borders.
Workforce Development and Continuing Education Apprenticeship Program
MR. ROBERT DONALD WALSH is completing a two-year apprenticeship program as an automotive technician. He is graduating with a 3.8 grade point average. He is enrolled in the Washington Area New Automobile Dealers Association apprentice-related instruction program. A two-year employee of Jim Coleman Cadillac, he will assume the role of automotive technician upon graduation.A racing enthusiast, especially Formula Drift Car racing, he hopes to compete in the sport. He earned the rank of Black Belt in Budo Taijitsu martial arts and Eagle Scout from the Boy Scouts of America.
Having a sister with Down Syndrome, he regularly participates in charitable events and activities to raise awareness and social acceptance for people with disabilities. He currently volunteers as an assistant scoutmaster in his scout troop, helping younger scouts work toward the rank of Eagle Scout.
He wants to continue his education and become one of the youngest Automotive Service Excellence certified master technicians in the area. Ultimately, he would like to own his own business. He resides in New Market.
Arts, Business, Education, English, and Social Sciences Outstanding Runner-Up
MS. MARIAM KORA BAH, a business major, is graduating with a 3.85 grade point average. She grew up in Guinea, West Africa. After graduating high school, she moved to the United States to complete her higher education studies.While she started her first year in college with limited language proficiency, she was determined to learn. She took several ESL courses. She also engaged in leadership opportunities that leveraged her experience as a first-generation college student to be a changemaker in her community. She started at Delaware Technical Community College (DTCC).
Thinking she would have more opportunities and experiences, she moved to Maryland and enrolled at the Rockville Campus. At DTCC, she was involved in the Presidential Student Leadership Academy. In high school she volunteered helping orphans.
She hopes to continue her education at University of Maryland as an accounting major and become a CPA. She would like to open an accounting firm in Guinea.
Communications, Health Sciences, Health and Physical Education, and Humanities Outstanding Runner-Up
MS. SOFIA HALL-LEVIN, a general studies major (social science, health, and administration) and member of Phi Theta Kappa, is graduating with a 4.0 grade point average. She is a dual enrollment student at Northwood High School, who will be graduating with her associate’s degree and her high school diploma.At her high school, she led and participated in many organizations, including the Minority Scholars Program and the Northwood Official Voice Association, where she was a founding member. At Montgomery College, she published a short story in the Sligo Journal and participated in the Renaissance Scholars honors program. She volunteers at Shepherd’s Table and is an intern at Soleado Lavender Farm, where she is designing a native plant garden.
She will be attending University of Maryland as an environmental science and policy major in the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources.
Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics Outstanding Runner-Up
MR. ROBSUN BACHA GINA, a mechanical engineering major and member of Phi Theta Kappa, is graduating with a 4.0 grade point average. Originally from Ethiopia, he ventured to the United States after completing high school. He possesses a passion for innovation and education. He serves as a student assistant at the College’s Engineering Innovation Center, where he lends his expertise to fellow students, guiding them through intricate engineering designs. Additionally, he volunteers as a tutor and advisor, offering support to high school and college students. He is currently working on research at NIST as an intern. Looking ahead, he plans to pursue a Ph.D. in mechanical engineering, with a specific focus on autonomous robotics and their applications in space exploration. Despite his busy schedule, he finds time to play Rocket League, an esports game, where he has achieved an impressive rank of Diamond 2.Commencement Speakers
Ms. Jenifer Tatiana Navas Morales, an early childhood education/special education major and member of Phi Theta Kappa, is graduating with a 4.0 grade point average.
Born in El Salvador, she came to the United States with her family at the age of four. A DACA recipient with limited funds, she entered the workforce after graduating from Magruder High School. Working at Bright Eyes Early Learning Center, she found her passion. She began taking certification courses—and wanted to pursue an associate’s degree. She has worked full time while attending classes.
She made the Dean’s List every semester. In November 2023, she earned induction to Phi Theta Kappa.
Outside school and work, she directs her church’s food bank program, packing, transporting, and distributing essential goods to designated communities. She also directs the youth program and assists with teaching children.
She will transfer to Towson University’s early childhood education program at the Universities at Shady Grove. Her goal is to become a first grade teacher.
Dr. Jermaine F. Williams became the 11th president of Montgomery College on February 28, 2022.
Dr. Williams’ work in higher education has focused his energies on improving access for students, as well as retention, graduation, and post-completion success. He has paid special attention to mitigating institutional societal and racial inequities, strategically creating programs and policies that support historically underrepresented and/or marginalized groups. He has years of experience designing, managing, and enhancing institutional and statewide programs and initiatives that have yielded positive student outcomes.
Dr. Williams has been widely lauded for his inclusive leadership style and for building teams that create strategic programing and policies to improve student outcomes. His professional approach to student success is deeply rooted in equity-minded systems and data-informed analysis. Dr. Williams’ view of higher education as a public good informs his personal passion about enhancing access, completion, and post-completion success, goals that are shared across Montgomery College.
Having taught at two-year and four-year institutions himself for more than eight years, Dr. Williams has experienced higher education from the vantage point of faculty. Currently, he is a faculty member in Northeastern University’s Graduate School of Education. Before his appointment at Montgomery College, Dr. Williams served as president of Nassau Community College in New York. He has also served as vice president of student affairs at North Shore Community College in Massachusetts, and as the assistant vice president for access, transition, and success at Northeastern Illinois University (NEIU), a Hispanic Serving Institution in Chicago. Dr. Williams also held the role of assistant dean of academic development at NEIU. Prior to NEIU, Dr. Williams worked at the Community College of Philadelphia, a predominantly Black institution, leading several of their Achieving the Dream strategies as director of student success initiatives. He also held roles at Temple University in Philadelphia and St. John’s University in Queens, New York.
Dr. Williams received his artium baccalaureus in anthropology and sociology from Lafayette College, a master of arts in sociology from St. John’s University, a master of education in educational administration with a higher education specialization and a doctorate of education in educational administration with a higher education specialization from Temple University. He also holds certificates from Harvard University’s Graduate School of Education for completion of the Seminar for New Presidents and Management Development Program. Dr. Williams was selected for the Aspen Institute College Excellence Program’s Rising Presidents Fellowship and New Presidents Fellowship for 2018–2019 and 2022, respectively. Advocating at the local and national level, he is a member of the American Association of Community College’s (AACC) Student Success Commission and the Association of Community College Trustees’ (ACCT) Advisory Committee of Presidents. He has served as a member of nonprofit boards and worked closely with Workforce Investment Boards, dedicated to forging partnerships that will help advance equitable educational opportunities.
Other Ways to Watch and Follow
- YouTube Livestreamnew window
- YouTube American Sign Language (ASL) Livestreamnew window
- Social Media: Follow us on social media at #MCGrad2024
- On Cable TV (in Montgomery County):
- Comcast Xfinity channel 998 (HD) or 10 (SD)
- Verizon Fios channel 10 (SD)
- RCN Astound channel 1059 (HD)
Social Media
Be sure to tag @montgomerycollege and use #MCGrad2024 in your posts!
Social Wall
Use #MCGrad2024 on Instagram and X for the option to be featured on the MC commencement social wall.
Frequently Asked Questions
