Montgomery College leaders and students press council for campus renovations and library upgrades

Montgomery College representatives and students asked the Montgomery County Council to support capital projects and deferred-maintenance work across the college’s campuses during the FY26 capital budget public hearing.

Gloria Aparicio Blackwell, chair of Montgomery College’s board of trustees, thanked the council for prior support and urged continued investment in facilities she said are crucial to students’ career pathways. "The hundred million dollars Leggett building represents your commitment to unlocking the potential of every student," Blackwell said, asking the council to advance deferred maintenance and support the Rockville campus library renovation and the Germantown student services center.

Student speaker Penina Victor described the library’s role as a "safe space" for students who cannot study at home and asked the council to fund modern study areas, quiet rooms and computer access. Victor, a Montgomery College student who testified about the library’s role in her academic progress, said the space supports students with financial or housing instability and that a renovated facility would help students prepare for transfer and workforce roles.

Blackwell said the college’s FY25 capital budget request is fiscally prudent and that investments in facilities enable credential completion and local workforce development. Testimony urged that capital funding prioritize projects that expand student services, modernize learning spaces and address deferred maintenance across campuses.

Council staff noted the public hearing record will inform upcoming committee deliberations on the CIP.