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Commencement 2024

Commencement 2024

Friday, May 17 at 10:30 a.m.

On the Rockville Campus Athletic Field
Commencement Program

The full program, including graduate names, will be available after certification in the summer.

Portraits and Personalized Slides

Find and order your commencement portraitsnew window and search and share your personalized slidenew window.

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


Commencement Speakers

Jenifer Tatiana Navas Morales - Student Remarks
 Jenifer Tatiana Navas Morales

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 - Commencement Address
Dr. Jermaine F. Williams

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

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

Graduate FAQ's

The commencement ceremony will be held on Friday, May 17, 2024, at 10:30 a.m. on the Rockville campus

Graduates may claim two (2) guest tickets. One (1) additional ticket may become available in April. This additional ticket will be first come, first served until all available guest seats under the tent are reserved. Commencement tickets are required for all guests, including children, to sit under the commencement tent. Graduates will receive information on claiming their guest tickets in March.

Graduates may invite an unlimited number of guests to watch the ceremony livestream from three alternate viewing locations on the Rockville campus. Tickets are not needed to view from an alternate location.

Alternate viewing locations: Physical Education Center Small Gym (PE137), the Robert E. Parilla Performing Arts Center (PAC), and the Theatre Arts Arena (TA).

Livestreaming will be available on this webpage for those who cannot attend in person.

Graduation is the completion of all degree requirements as recorded on the official transcript. Commencement is the ceremony that celebrates the completion of a degree.

Only students who have applied for graduation and have met the specific requirements for their declared major in the summer or fall of 2023 or the spring of 2024 may participate in the commencement ceremony. The graduation application does not automatically register you for participating in commencement. A separate registration process takes place for qualified students who are interested in participating in the commencement ceremony. If you have eligibility questions, please contact your campus coordinator:

To participate in the ceremony, you should be a summer or fall graduate or are qualified to graduate in spring that applied for graduation and received your eligibility confirmation. You will then be cleared to receive information to participate.

  1. Open period for online graduation application: spring, October 2–February 15.
  2. Summer and fall 2023 graduates, as well as potential graduates for spring 2024, will receive emails containing important information including deadlines, a link for in-person graduate participation, guest tickets as well as a link to their StageClip portal will be sent to graduates in mid-March. Summer and fall graduates will be also be sent a letter via U.S. mail to the address on file to remind them to check their College email for important commencement updates.
  3. The StageClip site will open on March 13, 2024. All eligible graduates will receive an email with instructions to log in to StageClip for uploading content (photos, messages, videos). Graduates will have until midnight on May 10, 2024, to upload their photos, videos, and messages. On May 11, 2024, the content will move over to production. No additional content can be added or changed after May 11, 2024.
  4. There will also be a separate link to indicate if you will be participating in person and to claim your guest tickets. Graduates will have until April 26, 2024, to respond.

Read the Commencement Guide (PDF, Get Adobe Acrobat PDF Reader - Link opens in new window) for more details.
Read the Rehearsal Information Packet (PDF, Get Adobe Acrobat PDF Reader - Link opens in new window) for rehearsal details.

If you do not submit a photo, video, and/or message to personalize your clip, one with your name, degree, and honors (if you met the requirements) will be created on your behalf for the graduate roll call.

Yes. The cap and gown are recommended but are not mandatory for your StageClip. 

Regalia is required if you participate in person.

Graduates can purchase regalia (cap, gown, tassel), honor cords and rings from any of the campus bookstoresnew window beginning at the end of March. You can also order directly from Jostensnew window. For graduation regalia, start at the graduation products image. Then click on graduation caps and gowns and then on student home ship. It will be mailed directly to your home. For rings and jewelry, click on the college jewelry image.

Contact your campus coordinator for information about PTK stole distribution.

Diploma frames can be pre-ordered herenew window, beginning at the end of March. You will also be able to place an order at one of the campus Grad Fairs in April.

After certifications have been completed in the summer, you will receive correspondence regarding your diploma. 

Yes. Graduates will be able to purchase regalia, meet with a Jostens representative to order rings, announcements, etc., order a diploma frame from the Alumni, and get a formal photo taken. There will also be other activities for graduates to participate in April and May. Check your College email frequently for graduate information.

  • Germantown – Tuesday, April 9, 2024, 11 a.m. -1 p.m.
  • Takoma Park/Silver Spring - Wednesday, April 10, 2024, 11 a.m. -1 p.m.
  • Rockville – Thursday, April 11, 2024, 1-4 p.m. 

Graduation Cap Decorating Party
Please bring your cap with you to decorate.
Germantown: Outside between HS & SA. Inclement weather location HS 011. Registernew window
Takoma Park/Silver Spring: ST 2nd floor near bookstore. Registernew window
Rockville: Green space between HU & TA. Inclement weather location SV Atrium. Registernew window

Complete and sign the Information Change Form (PDF, Get Adobe Acrobat PDF Reader - Link opens in new window) and submit to the College’s Office of Records and Registration for processing. For more information visit Update Your Student Information.

There is no location beyond your own seat where guests may take photos of graduates. If you need to stand to get your shot, we ask that you do so briefly so as not to block others' view of the ceremony. Commencement guests will be prohibited from taking pictures or videotaping from locations near the platform. Arrangements have been made by a professional photography company to take a picture as each graduate crosses the stage. Graduates will get one complimentary photo and the opportunity to purchase additional packages.

If you have any additional questions, please contact the Office of Special Events at events@montgomerycollege.edu. An events staff member will get back to you shortly.

Guest FAQ's

The commencement ceremony will be held on Friday, May 17, 2024, at 10:30 a.m. on the Rockville campus

Graduates may claim two (2) guest tickets. One (1) additional ticket may become available in April. This additional ticket will be first come, first served until all available guest seats under the tent are reserved. Commencement tickets are required for all guests, including children, to sit under the commencement tent.

Graduates may invite an unlimited number of guests to watch the ceremony livestream from three alternate viewing locations on the Rockville campus. Tickets are not needed to view from an alternate location.

Alternate viewing locations: Physical Education Center Small Gym (PE137), the Robert E. Parilla Performing Arts Center (PAC), and the Theatre Arts Arena (TA).

Livestreaming will be available on this webpage for those who cannot attend in person. 

There is no location beyond your own seat where guests may take photos of graduates. If you need to stand to get your shot, we ask that you do so briefly so as not to block others' view of the ceremony. Commencement guests will be prohibited from taking pictures or videotaping from locations near the platform. Arrangements have been made by a professional photography company to take a picture as each graduate crosses the stage. Graduates will get one complimentary photo and the opportunity to purchase additional packages.

In an effort to honor our mission to reduce waste, an abbreviated program will be available via QR code and on the website via the Program button below. Graduates may request up to two full-length keepsake programs, including all graduate names, to be delivered via mail over the summer.

Program
The ceremony lasts approximately 2.5 to 3 hours as all graduates in attendance will be recognized on-stage. In honor of the graduates and to limit disruptions before the ceremony ends, we ask that guests remain in their seats for the duration of the ceremony.
Strollers, balloons, umbrellas, and large bags are not permitted in the guest seating area. Please leave strollers and balloons at the secured area located near the guest entrance and leave large bags and valuables locked securely in your vehicle.

Lot 1 is reserved for VIP and disabled parking. Lot 3 will be closed on the day of commencement. College public safety staff, county police officers, and crossing guards will be available during the ceremonies to direct traffic to drop off and parking locations. Golf carts will be available to transport guests who are in need of assistance from the parking lots to the commencement area.

View the Commencement Map (PDF, Get Adobe Acrobat PDF Reader - Link opens in new window) for more details.

If you have any additional questions, please contact the Office of Special Events at events@montgomerycollege.edu. An events staff member will get back to you shortly.

Students in their caps and gowns at commencement