Driving Student Success To Elevate Quality Of Life, County Status
Prince George's Community College Foundation Hosts Annual Scholarship Golf Tournament
By Raoul Dennis
PHOTOGRAPHY BY RAOUL DENNIS AND AMIR STOUDAMIRE
Prince George’s Community College President Falecia D. Williams came ready to play when she arrived at the Oak Creek Golf Club in Upper Marlboro on September 7. Wearing a stunning navy blue with white tubing sports set, a white sun visor and a smile whose brightness rivaled the day’s sun, Williams was clearly set for a day on the links and not behind a desk.
But the day’s heat was another matter. Already 91 degrees and humid by noon, golfers were braving the high temperatures in high spirits likely remembering the adage that a bad day on the green beats a good day at the office anytime.
And, of course, there was the goal: The purpose of this event was to provide scholarships to students.
The school released this statement: “Proceeds from this event will provide scholarship opportunities to students in need. The Scholarship Golf Tournament provides resources for the College to remove barriers in order to enhance and expand its efforts to address need-based aid for students and promote equitable outcomes for all learners, including those from underrepresented groups.”
Guests went further than the basic requirements. PGCC’s long, deep roots in the community have created rich partnerships and current county leaders who were once students themselves.
“We will be announcing a strong financial commitment to Prince George's Community College very soon,” said Prince George’s County Council Vice Chair Wala Blegay.
“We consider PGCC to be an important partner,” said Heather Nadolny Director of Development and Communications at Bishop McNamara. Bishop McNamara attends the PGCC fundraiser every year. “It’s not just for purposes of a student pipeline. There are efforts in education that we jointly support.”
But perhaps the most compelling point favoring continued support for PGCC was made by Dr. Williams. She shared a strategy that involved fiscally lifting the least of the county community through education as a means of steadying – and lifting -- the economic status of the entire county.
“When we set and achieve performance outcomes that are satisfactorily attained by the bottom quartile (the bottom 25%) of our community, then we’ll know we’ve really achieved excellence. We’ll know we’re having an extraordinary impact on people’s lives and their long-term livelihood. The pinnacle of progress and advancement is when education propels the bottom quartile of our community to experience a higher quality of life. It lifts the entire county to levels we have not even imagined,” Williams said.
The Prince George's Community College Foundation hosted the Prince George's Community College Scholarship Golf Tournament at 7:30 am on Thursday, September 7, 2023 at the Oak Creek Golf Club, located at 600 Bowieville Manor Lane, Upper Marlboro, MD 20774.
The tournament Co-Chairs are Lissa Ross, Angela McCullough, and Ardania Williams.
