President Willis Named Among Baltimore Sun's 'Women to Watch'

Howard Community College President Daria J. Willis was yesterday announced as one of the Baltimore Sun Newspaper's 'Women to Watch,' an annual collection of leaders across industry, culture, and society creating remarkable community impact. Dr. Willis is among 25 women featured in the 10th-anniversary cohort of the list, one of four women in secondary or higher education leadership, and the list's only college president.

The final list is selected by Sun editorial board members and drawn from reader-submitted nominations. Finalists are selected for leadership in diverse areas of the greater Baltimore region, success in their respective fields, and profiles encompass expertise across age, ethnicity, and background.

“The biggest reward we can have as an institution is to make sure that we are truly meeting our students where they dream,” Dr. Willis told the Sun. “We’re realizing that [by] making sure that they’re completing on time, they’re successful in their courses, we’re retaining them from semester to semester, and we’re providing all of the holistic and wellness support services they need to be successful.”

Since assuming office as HCC's fifth president and first African-American chief executive officer in 2022, Dr. Willis has been honored by several local and regional organizations for her leadership and community engagement achievements.  She was named an Influential Marylander by The Daily Record, the Baltimore Business Journal's '40 under 40,' and a Living Legend by the Howard County Council in 2022. Under her leadership, HCC has been named among the nation's top two-year colleges by Niche, an online college selection and data resource for families, among the nation's best schools for international students by Study International, and one of the nation's best two-year colleges by Wallet Hub.

In the last year, total full-time equivalent student enrollment has grown by more than 4.6%, with more than 39% of the growth attributed to stable retention in the college's dual enrollment program with the Howard County Public School System. The number complemented a 14% increase in international student enrollment and a 7% increase among Howard County residents. Last month, the college received a $1 million grant from the U.S. Department of Education to support the reopening of its campus childcare center, which closed in 2020 in the midst of the Covid-19 pandemic. 

Last week, Dr. Willis announced an $11 million capital campaign to build a campus regional workforce development and skilled trades center. Billed by Dr. Willis as an 'anti-poverty, racial equity' initiative for the county, the 50,000 square foot facility will offer a diverse cross-section of Howard County residents training in key industries such as automotive, manufacturing, mechatronics, green technology, cybersecurity, construction management, and more. The facility is scheduled for completion in 2026.