Prince George's Community College

Finding big opportunities on a small campus

When Prince enrolled in his first class at Laurel College Center (LCC), convenience was his primary motivator. The campus was walking distance from his home, making it quicker and easier to get to and from school without having to worry about transportation. But it didn’t take long for Prince to realize that convenience was just one of many benefits associated with being a student at LCC, a regional higher education center founded by HCC and Prince George’s Community College (PGCC).

“The classes are smaller and quieter,” said Prince, who began his college experience during the summer of 2018 at PGCC, in pursuit of an associate degree in business administration. “I found it much easier to focus in class. I got to know my peers and my instructors very well, and that opened up opportunities for me to get involved with what was happening on campus, outside of class time.”

One of those opportunities came about when Prince joined the Student Government Association (SGA) and was eventually nominated to fill the senator role. Through his involvement as a leader in the SGA, he has participated in campus-sponsored travel, and has also helped plan and manage events for his school.

“LCC makes it easy to get involved,” said Prince, who completed his associate degree in spring 2019. “I feel like I have been able to make a positive difference through joining the SGA and representing Laurel College Center. I’ve been able to learn and experience some new things that I otherwise may have missed out on.”

Prince’s ultimate goal is to earn a bachelor’s degree in information sciences – a field that he is personally passionate about but that also offers a high level of job security. He is transferring to the University of Maryland, College Park, where he will begin taking computing, programming, and coding courses, starting in the fall 2019 semester.

“I feel like my experience at LCC has prepared me well for what comes next,” said Prince. “It’s a great campus that offers a lot of support and flexibility. It’s made a big difference for me.”