President’s Biography
Dr. Jermaine F. Williams is the 11th president of Montgomery College, one of the nation’s largest and most diverse community colleges, serving the Washington, D.C., metropolitan region from campuses and educational centers across Montgomery County, Maryland. Montgomery College welcomes more than 46,000 learners annually, including students from approximately 150 countries, and is recognized for expanding access to exceptional education and extraordinary outcomes.
Guided by a focus on access, completion, and post-completion success, Dr. Williams leads the College’s efforts in helping students achieve their goals while strengthening the economic vitality and social well-being of the communities it serves.
Transforming Lives Through Education
Since assuming the presidency in 2022, Dr. Williams has led Montgomery College through a period of strategic transformation, guided by a clear focus on access, completion, and post-completion success. Under his leadership, these Transformational Aspirations guide how the College sets priorities, aligns strategy, and creates individual and community impact.
That focus is grounded in Dr. Williams’ own experience as a first-generation college graduate and his commitment to lifelong learning. Raised in Easton, Pennsylvania, in a family that emphasized education despite limited access and resources, his path was shaped through the guidance of his brother, parents, and mentors who helped him recognize education’s power to unlock potential and transform lives.
Throughout his career, Dr. Williams has advanced education as a catalyst to positively change lives, families, communities, and society as a whole. He focuses on addressing equity gaps and supporting all learners through student-centered strategies that broaden pathways into higher education, strengthen persistence and completion, and connect learning to meaningful careers and continued education. He has taught at both two- and four-year institutions for more than eight years.
Prior to joining Montgomery College, Dr. Williams held senior leadership roles at institutions including North Shore Community College, Northeastern Illinois University, the Community College of Philadelphia, Temple University, and St. John’s University. He previously served as president of Nassau Community College in New York, where he focused on academic offerings, student support, and community partnerships to strengthen student outcomes and create a more vibrant county and region.
Dr. Williams lives in Gaithersburg, Maryland, with his wife and two sons.
Education
- Ed.D., Educational Administration with a Higher Education Specialization, Temple University
- M.Ed., Educational Administration with a Higher Education Specialization, Temple University
- M.A., Sociology, St. John’s University
- A.B., Anthropology and Sociology, Lafayette College
Presidential Priorities
Dr. Williams has identified the following focus areas as priorities that guide Montgomery College toward its mission to transform lives and society.
Montgomery College is creating pathways that help students begin collegiate studies earlier and start strong. Dual enrollment allows high school students to earn college credits, with hundreds of students completing a full associate degree by the time they graduate high school. Through partner initiatives like MC Experience and Junior Achievement Finance Park, students are introduced to college and careers through hands-on learning starting in middle school.
Community-based learning at locations like the East County Education Center, along with multilingual programs and outreach, expands equitable access by meeting learners where they are and creating welcoming, accessible entry points to higher education.
Student success requires a comprehensive approach. The College is strengthening completion through integrated advising, proactive student support systems, and expanded wellness initiatives that recognize the holistic needs of students.
Efforts such as coordinated advising, Mobile Markets, the Mobile Health Center, and dedicated support for parenting students reflect a commitment to helping students persist and achieve their goals.
Montgomery College connects education to opportunity through apprenticeships, internships, and strong transfer pathways that prepare students for careers and continued education by building the skills and connections needed to enter and advance in the workforce.
Through data-informed decision making and continuous improvement, the College is demonstrating measurable outcomes. For every dollar invested in a Montgomery College education, students see a return of $4.70 in lifetime earnings—reflecting the value of an MC education for individuals, families, and the region.