Over the years, numerous Montgomery County Community College Foundation board members have contributed their time, talent and finances to further the College’s work and help students overcome obstacles to achieving their goals. With this vital support, MCCC has been able to transform the lives of more than 90,000 alumni.

MCCC recently celebrated these contributions by honoring several former Foundation board members during the inaugural Dundore Society Induction Ceremony, which was named after the late Dwight A. Dundore, the first Chair of the Foundation Board.

“Today, Dwight would have been proud to be part of this legacy, to see his work come to fruition and that vision we aspired to be not only for our students but for our communities and all whom we serve,” said Dr. Victoria L. Bastecki-Perez, MCCC President. “The work of the Foundation Board of Directors is an investment in the College and its mission, our students and the future of our communities.”

The inaugural inductees include:

• Geoffrey D. Brandon – Geoffrey served on the Foundation Board from 2002 to 2016 and on the College’s Board of Trustees from 2011 to 2016. He supported several College programs, including the G-STEM (Green Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) summer camp for middle school students and MCCC's Gateway to College Program, as well as many other initiatives.
• The late Alma Jacobs – Alma was a dear friend of and longtime advocate for the College, serving on the Foundation Board in the 1980s and 90s. Over the years, her philanthropic leadership has greatly increased awareness and support for the College’s capital projects and campaigns, including the Friends of the Galleries, the radio recording studio, Gwynllan Society, Leading Women, Women’s Giving Circle, Presidential Scholarship and much more
• The late Dolores Lare – Dolores served on the Foundation Board for nine years, and as the chair for five of those years. She also co-chaired the Futures Rising Campaign, which raised over $10 million and was the co-founder of the Leading Women in Philanthropy Giving Circle and assisted with the Leading Women Golf Symposium for many years. She established the Lare Family and Byrnes Family Endowed scholarships.
• John W. Lea - John (Jake) served on the Foundation Board from 2015 to 2017. He and his wife Gretchen Lea established the Lea Family Endowed Scholarship Fund for Environmental Studies and the Lea Family Endowed Scholarship in 2015. The Leas were members of the West Campus Campaign Committee during the College's Futures Rising Campaign for the 50th anniversary celebration.
• Dekwan Akil Morrow - Kwan earned his associate degree in Liberal Studies at MCCC in 2007 and then his bachelor’s degree in Corporate Communications from Penn State. He was inducted into the Alumni Hall of Fame in 2012, and he served on the Alumni Board of Directors from 2016 to 2019. He served on the Foundation Board from 2013 to 2016.
• Scott W. Rau - Scott was one of our Fabulous 50 honorees during the College’s 50th-anniversary celebration in 2014. He graduated from MCCC in 1978, earning his associate degree in Business Administration. While a student, he was the Student Government Association president and commencement speaker. He earned his bachelor’s degree in business administration from George Washington University.  He served on MCCC’s Alumni Board of Directors during the mid-1990s and served on the Foundation Board from 1997 to 2000 and again from 2014 to 2018. He established the Dr. Donald W. Rau Endowed Scholarship in 2014. He also was a member of the West Campus Campaign Committee.

“The induction into the Dundore Society is one way we can show our appreciation for your commitment and contributions,” said Joseph Gallagher, the current chair of the Foundation to the honorees. “The Foundation’s work makes a profound difference for students, their families and the communities we serve.”

Dundore’s granddaughter, Kelly Rupprecht, who was accompanied by her family, spoke about her grandfather and his passion for MCCC.

“He would be absolutely thrilled with the establishment of the Dundore Society as he was always so very proud of the contributions he made to Montgomery County Community College,” Rupprecht. “My grandfather knew that a good education would help you achieve your dreams and that it should always be accessible and available for everyone.”

Dundore’s lengthy involvement with MCCC started in the early stages of the College’s formation. He served as one of the founding members of the Board of Trustees in 1964 and led the search committee for the first president. In 1976, he was elected to the first of four terms as chair of the Board of Trustees. In 1983, the College established the Foundation to serve as its charitable arm. Dundore also was involved in the formation of the Pottstown Campus.

The Foundation currently manages an endowment of $18 million with over 400 funds. Most recently, the Foundation established 11 Presidential Endowed Scholarships, totaling more than $340,000, as part of Dr. Bastecki-Perez’s inauguration as the sixth president of the College and her legacy. The scholarships will help students overcome financial barriers and are focused on first-generation college students.

During the pandemic when students were facing many hardships, the Foundation responded by creating a student emergency fund, raising more than $100,000. As the College pivoted to online instruction, students needed laptops and WiFi access, and the Foundation quickly acted to create a technology fund to directly assist with these needs.

The result of the Foundation’s support through the contributions of generous donors was evident during MCCC’s recent 55th Commencement ceremonies – the Class of 2022 is the largest in the College’s history with 1,606 graduates. Despite the challenges of the pandemic, the class collectively earned 1,664 degrees and certificates and nearly a third of the class, 550 graduates, were the first in their families to graduate.

“This is the purpose of the Foundation’s work – to help students succeed, whether it’s awarding scholarships, investing in support services or funding programs that will prepare students for tomorrow’s careers,” said Gallagher. “We want all students to be able to reach their goals and cross the stage.”

The Montgomery County Community College Foundation is an approved non-profit 501(c)(3) organization that benefits MCCC and its students through private philanthropy from individuals, groups, organizations, corporations, foundations, and more.

The Foundation functions through the efforts of the Foundation staff and the Foundation Board of Directors. The Foundation staff is comprised of College employees dedicated to the day-to-day operations of the Foundation, building relationships with philanthropic constituents, and aligning the resources of the Foundation with the needs of the College. The Foundation Board is comprised of volunteers nominated and voted to the Board to offer strategic development of the Foundation, facilitate and assist in fundraising efforts, and govern on issues related to the policies and procedures of the Foundation. For more information, email foundation@mc3.edu.