Credit: Montgomery County Community College.
Among the cheers and applause, graduates of Montgomery County Community College’s Class of 2025 celebrated their Commencement during three ceremonies held on May 15 in the College’s Health Sciences Center gym in Blue Bell.
As 1,263 graduates collectively received 1,299 degrees and certificates, they proudly joined the ranks of more than 90,000 Mustang alumni. Music major Kayla Horger of Pennsburg opened the ceremonies with a stirring performance of the National Anthem.
Following the anthem, President Dr. Vicki Bastecki-Perez welcomed the graduates and their guests. During her remarks, she announced that Joshu’wa Reid, a mechanical engineering major, had been awarded the prestigious Jack Kent Cook Foundation Undergraduate Transfer Scholarship award of $55,000 per year for up to three years. The Lansdale resident was one of only 90 recipients selected from a competitive national pool of more than 1,600 applicants.
In her address, Bastecki-Perez reflected on a quote shared by Roberto Clemente, Jr., keynote speaker at the College’s 2025 Presidential Symposium on Diversity earlier this year: “You have one thing that makes you very unique in this world, and that is your fingerprint. Use it wisely and use it to make a difference in this world.”
She continued, “Success is not just about achievements, wealth and possessions. It is about how you use your skills and knowledge to uplift others, strengthen your communities and shape the future. When you depart our campus today, I challenge you to literally leave your fingerprints on this world in a way that truly matters.”
Following her remarks, MCCC Board of Trustees Chair Donald Lyons offered his congratulations and shared his personal educational journey, including how he overcame learning challenges through perseverance and academic support.
“Graduates, as you embark on the next chapter of life, embrace every challenge, stand strong in the face of adversity, and pursue your goals with unwavering determination,” Lyons said. “The world is waiting for your impact—go forth and make it unforgettable.”
This year’s student speaker, Ruby Armor, of Lansdale, spoke about the experiences as a Mechanical Engineering major at MCCC, from working on a “hydrogen fuel cell-powered cars to conducting radio astronomy research.”
“And just like a nebula, where stars are born, Montco became a place for me where new micro-communities formed, full of energy, collaboration, and growth. Every late night, every challenge, every connection within this unique community only reaffirmed that I was exactly where I was meant to be. It just fit,” she said.
“This community college journey connects people who might never have crossed paths otherwise,” she continued. “It builds a support system where every win is shared, every milestone matters. You all pushed me, lifted me, celebrated with me, and for that you'll forever hold a special place in my heart.”
Following graduation, Armor plans to pursue an engineering internship before transferring to a four-year institution to earn a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering with a minor in physics.
The Montgomery County Commissioners—Neil Makhija, Jamila H. Winder, and Thomas DiBello—each addressed graduates at one of the three ceremonies, congratulating them and sharing messages of inspiration for the next steps in their journeys.
As part of the Commencement tradition, MCCC also recognized faculty excellence. Each year, the College honors outstanding full- and part-time faculty members for their commitment to student success both inside and outside the classroom.
This year the 2025 Gladys and Raymond Pearlstine Award for Teaching Excellence was awarded to Rosemary Menta Herman, Dental Hygiene Assistant Professor. Herman graduated from MCCC’s Dental Hygiene Program 50 years ago and has taught at the College for 31 years.
In the nomination, one student wrote, “Professor Herman is the most compassionate teacher and instructor I have ever had. She cares immensely about her students’ success not only in the school setting but also in our personal lives. She spends countless hours preparing for class/clinics and ensures that we get the best possible education we can receive.
The Part-Time Faculty Teaching Excellence Award presented by Academic Affairs was awarded to Michael Baron, Psychology Senior Lecturer, who has taught for six years at the College.
In their nominations, students noted that they found his class to be “intellectually stimulating” and praised how he supported any “discussions that might come up during his lecture and gave those discussions time to take place.”
Since 2018, Sound Recording & Music Technology students from each class have written and performed original class songs. This year’s song, “Chase Our Dreams,” was created and recorded Sound Recording and Music Technology students Norm Hocker, Alexandria Horvath, and James Joseph, along with faculty and administrators Ron DiSilvestro, David Ivory, Michael Kelly, Matt Porter, and Shawn Sealer.
MCCC’s Class of 2025 includes 462 first-generation graduates, 98 nursing graduates, 60 education majors municipal police academy graduates, 30 veterans/active military personnel, three dual enrollment students and four All-PA Academic scholars. The oldest graduate, Jesse Arce, is 74 years and the youngest, Sa’diyah Steward, is 15 years. The programs with the largest number of graduates are Liberal Studies, Business Administration and Nursing.
All three ceremonies were livestreamed and are available on MCCC’s website.
