Montgomery County Community College’s annual Deans’ Lecture Series will present the First Generation College-Student Experience, a panel discussion with members of the college and local community about the first generation college student journey.

The panel is free and open to the community and will be held on Monday, Oct. 28, at 12:20 p.m. in MCCC’s Science Center Theater, 340 Dekalb Pike, Blue Bell, with a simulcast to MCCC’s West Campus, North Hall Room 218, 16 E. High Street, Pottstown. Following the panel discussion, audience members will be able to meet with the panelists at 1:30 p.m. in the Science Center Lobby. To reserve your free ticket, visit mc3.edu/deanslecture or call the box office at 215-641-6518.

Dr. Gloria Oikelome, Interim Vice President of Academic Affairs will share opening remarks and the panel will be moderated by Dr. James Bretz, Dean of STEM. The panelists are Theresa Hummel-Kalinger, President at High Five Performance, Inc.; Damon Gray, Management Instructor at MCCC; and Nicoletta Pelchat and Carlos Chavez, students at MCCC. The panelists will share their past and current college experiences to help foster conversation around the importance of a student’s sense of belonging on campus.

“Montgomery County Community College is a vibrant community of students from varying backgrounds and all walks of life. Sharing the stories of our first generation students is essential to understanding the various challenges they face,” said Dr. Oikelome. “Their experiences give us valuable insight for investing in resources and creating an environment that inspires confidence and enables their success.”

The Deans’ Lecture series began in the 2004-2005 academic year. Annually, the academic deans of Montgomery County Community College sponsor guest speakers to discuss topics relevant to the college and local communities. Some past presenters included Dr. Sara Goldrick-Rab-Professor of Higher Education Policy & Sociology at Temple University and Founder of the HOPE Center, and Dr. Galen Godbey-Assistant Professor in the Department of History and Sociology of Science at University of Pennsylvania.