Twenty-three students from nine different school entities proudly received their high 完成学业后获得学校毕业证 通往大学的大门 蒙哥马利县社区学院的项目. 他们的家人、朋友和支持者 cheered as they crossed the stage and moved their tassels during the graduation ceremony 于5月22日在中冶蓝铃校区举行.

The 通往大学的大门 Program and its experienced faculty and staff help students who have disengaged from high school complete the requirements they need for their 高中毕业并获得大学学分. 自2013年ccc启动该项目以来 at its 蓝贝尔 and Pottstown campuses, 274 students have earned their high school 文凭，改变了他们的人生道路.

Including this year, MCCC’s Gateway Program earned the national 实现梦想’s Program Excellence Award for seven consecutive years for its success in helping students 达到他们的目标. 网关是其中的一部分 实现梦想 national network that promotes community college reform and student success.

 “In this graduating class, we have students that began with us in Fall 2022 and students 谁才和我们一起过了15周. 我们有几所第一代高中 今天早上在座的毕业生. We have young people who navigated school changes, health challenges, heartbreak, holding multiple jobs, keeping up on rent and bills, becoming a parent, grief, anxieties, self-doubt, and failure. 但是这些年轻人工作了 hard to rewrite the script on their education, and I could not be more proud. 我希望 you are proud of yourselves” said Michelle Kulla, 通往大学的大门 Program Manager.

在节目的欢迎辞中. Vicki Bastecki-Perez, MCCC总裁: shared the metaphor of the classic story, “The Little Engine That Could.”

“毕业生们，你们就像那个小引擎. 你们每个人都面对自己的高山， whether it was personal challenges, academic hurdles or other obstacles,” said President Bastecki-Perez. “Although you might have doubted your ability to overcome these trials, you persevered and continued moving forward, pushing through the tough times, together with the guidance and support of our Gateway team, your school district, family and 朋友.”

“This experience will give you the confidence to embrace a new mantra – instead of “I think I can,” you can now say to yourself, “I believe I can, I know I can, and 我会的，”她说.

The graduates include the following students from the participating school entities:

• 英联邦文凭-文森特·韦斯
• North Penn – Keron Espinal, Josh O’Meara, Isa Andia Ibn Muhammed
• 欧文J. 罗伯茨-马修·米切纳
• 波茨格罗夫-纳撒尼尔·格拉博夫斯基-阿雷纳，凯尔·罗森
• 斯普林菲尔德-霍莉·坎摩尔，米拉·施勒弗勒
• 斯普林-福特——詹姆斯·麦克
• 苏德顿-赖利·奥利夫，阿纳斯塔西娅·巴尔加斯
• Upper Merion – Kimberly Alvarez-Dolores, Lianisse Carter, Tymir Dickerson, Mike Lyons, 内森·麦科勒姆，阿里安娜·普莱斯
• Wissahickon – Alyssa Bagosy, Graham Dupee, Ava Kraft, Ariel Lucas-Turner, Gianna Johnson

Sixteen graduates will be continuing their education at either MCCC or another college, 7名毕业生将进入职场. 除了收到他们的 high school diplomas, each graduate earned between 9 to 30 credits.

Eight special awards were presented to several outstanding graduates. 这个奖项是 最佳进步奖颁给了霍莉·坎摩尔. 最坚定奖颁发了 金伯利·阿尔瓦雷斯·多洛雷斯. The Change of Heart award was presented to Gianna Johnson. The Courageous Award was presented to Mira Schreffler. 全面的基础学生 该奖项由Isa Andia Ibn-Muhammad获得. 毅力奖颁发给 内森·麦科勒姆和利亚尼斯·卡特. PECO冉冉升起的新星有Josh O 'Meara, Ariel 卢卡斯-特纳，阿里安娜·普莱斯. The Transition Student of the Semester award was presented 致艾娃·克拉夫特.

MCCC alumna and 通往大学的大门 Intern, Erica Bennett, gave the graduation address. Bennett recently graduated Summa Cum Laude from MCCC on May 16 with her Certificate 在公共服务部门.

In her speech, she encouraged the graduates to never give up.

“No matter what it looks like, how uncomfortable it may be, whether others seem more qualified or how many times you must start over or face something new or different, 永远不要放弃自己，”贝内特说. “我们现在都有一个参考点 看起来不应该放弃自己. 祝贺2024届的毕业生们. 现在 去吧，你们都能搞定的.”

MCCC’s Gateway Program is one of only two programs in Pennsylvania and is among 28 全国19个州的全国性项目. 它是最早的学院之一 to be a Bellwether finalist, a national award that recognizes programs or activities that have been designed and successfully implemented to foster or support teaching 和学习.

A total of 21 school districts – Boyertown, Cheltenham, Colonial, Daniel Boone, Exeter, Hatboro-Horsham, Jenkintown, Norristown, North Penn, 欧文J. 罗伯茨，珀基门谷， Phoenixville, Pottsgrove, Souderton, Springfield, Spring-Ford, Upper Dublin, Upper Merion, Upper Moreland, Upper Perkiomen and Wissahickon – collaborate with MCCC, referring 参加项目的学生.

Additionally, partners PECO and Univest have provided financial support for the program 学生奖学金.

MCCC’s Gateway team includes Program Manager Michelle Kulla; Resource Specialist Esau Collins; and faculty Michael Baron, David Pica, Stephanie Wuertz and Dr. 维多利亚 Vetro.