Dear Students and Members of the Community:

It is with great pleasure that I join Harford Community College as its eighth President. I am looking forward to my new duties and to working with the Board, faculty, staff, and community leaders to help shape the bright future of the College and Harford County.

As someone who has followed the College for many years, I know that Harford is a highly respected institution of higher education that addresses the diverse educational needs of Harford County by offering small classes, well-equipped facilities, and instructors who are experts in their field. The faculty is composed of full-time and adjunct professors who specialize in teaching, and they integrate their professional experience into their classrooms. Harford provides a supportive environment – staff members are available to help students achieve their goals and realize their dreams.

My many years of personal experience have demonstrated that community colleges offer outstanding educational opportunities to students of all ages and abilities. Higher education is life changing and provides opportunities only limited by a student’s desire to work hard to achieve a goal.

Harford has been recognized for its commitment to the environment by maintaining one of the “greenest” campuses in the country. The recent expansion and renovation of Aberdeen Hall, the College’s science, technology, engineering, and math building, incorporated a number of “green” building features into the building design including a rainwater collection system used for flushing toilets and watering the rooftop greenhouse, use of recycled materials throughout the building, solar hot water systems, energy efficiencies, and natural lighting.

Enrollment at the College has been growing rapidly, and many exciting things are planned for the future. Proposed building projects include the redesign and expansion of the College’s athletic building, the Susquehanna Center, to include a 3,300 seat arena. A Towson University building will also be constructed on the west campus to offer upper division courses leading to a bachelor’s degree. Additional buildings are planned to keep pace with anticipated enrollment growth.

With the financial support from the State of Maryland and Harford County, the cost of attending HCC is very reasonable. In fact, Harford offers the least expensive in-county tuition rate available at any Maryland community college. This is a real value for students who do not want to graduate with huge amounts of college loan debt.

In addition to credit courses, degrees, and certificates, the College offers a wide range of noncredit courses and programs many of which help train employees for new careers or job advancement. In addition, there are programs for children, courses for personal enrichment, and classes to take just for fun.

Nearly 70% of Harford County residents attending a Maryland public two- or four-year institution as first time, full-time students begin their post-secondary education at Harford Community College. I invite you to join us at Harford.

Dennis Golladay, Ph.D.
President