Harford Community College Holds GED Recognition Ceremony

Harford Community College held its annual GED Recognition Ceremony on June 25 in Darlington Hall. Nineteen students earned a Maryland high school diploma in FY25 through Harford’s Adult Literacy program.

Dr. Diane Ryan, Vice President, Academic Affairs, Harford Community College, opened the ceremony. Dr. Lorraine Peniston, Director, Adult Development & Literacy Programs, welcomed everyone. Dr. Stuart Savin, Associate Vice President, Workforce & Community Education, introduced the keynote speaker, Dr. Jennie Towner, Executive & Managing Director for Saddle Up Scholars, Inc. and former Associate Vice President for Student Development at Harford. Dr. Theresa B. Felder, Harford Community College President, and Math Instructor Paul North and Maureen North, Advisor, presented the graduates. Math Instructor Vidya Kausik introduced the graduate speakers, Magaly Gomez and Dawn Hensley. Closing remarks were made by Math Instructor Karen Gabel.

During the ceremony, Suzanne Green and Kathy LaMartina, representatives from Southern Harford County Rotary, presented a scholarship check to Harford Community College. The Southern Harford County Rotary's Marge Pearce Scholarship awards $1,000 annually to students enrolled in the GED program who reside in the Abingdon, Belcamp, Joppa, or Edgewood areas of Harford County. 

Harford’s Adult Literacy program offers instruction in GED preparation and English as a Second Language (ESL). Adult learners in the English as a Second Language program can transition to GED preparation classes with a goal to earn a high school diploma and enroll in post-secondary education programs.

Students who completed their GED in 2025 at Harford: Jade Brannon, Teara Davis, Mandy Fox, Magaly Gomez, Kaitlyn Groscup, Dayanaira Hailey, Destiny Haney, Dawn Hensley, Miranda Hope, Albert Lester, Rahaf Maqousi, Ashton Mills, Anthony Nori, Adam Okrasinski, Elizabeth Onoja, Allyssa Perry, Mariette Seri, Destiny Wick, and Aiden Woolford. Senator Van Hollen’s office presented the 19 graduates with citations for earning a Maryland high school diploma and participating in the GED Recognition Ceremony.

Dr. Lorraine Peniston oversees Harford’s Adult Literacy Program. The ABE/GED program is supported by federal and state funds granted by the Maryland Department of Labor. In addition to Dr. Peniston, Adult Literacy staff includes Cassandra Burke, Rhonda Davis, Marla Goffin, Brian Hendricks, Beth Johnson, Jessie Thompson, and Francinia (Cinnie) Williams.

Harford’s ABE/GED/ESL faculty is composed of Mariama Ayouba-Abdourahamane, Manveen Brar, Sarah Clifton, Justin Fisher, Erica Fitch, Karen Gabel, Rebecca Gomez, Flora Hinton, Nataliya Izvyekova, Monica Jakuboski, Vidya Kausik, Denise McNew, Lee Mooney, Paul North, Sarah Payne, Joseph Ploskonka, Jean Sandhofer, Angela Scott, Anna Sives, Carol Smithson, Shawana Thompson, Raquel Warbington, Paul Weber, Gregory Wright, Betty Wright-Jones, and Art Wynn.

The College plans to hold the next GED recognition ceremony in 2026.