Professor Emerita Catherine F. Scott Recognized as Influential Marylander
Professor Emerita Catherine F. Scott’s extraordinary philanthropy to Montgomery College recently earned her recognition as one of the Influential Marylanders by the Maryland business publication, The Daily Record.
The Daily Record created Influential Marylanders in 2006 to honor individuals who have impacted Maryland’s business community and have brought services and success to the region.
Scott not only provided decades of her expertise as an educator, but also contributed in excess of $1 million to Montgomery College and its students. Scott joined Montgomery College in 1958 as an adjunct professor in what was then known as the secretarial studies department. She advanced to chair of the department.
Under her charge, the department developed a medical assistant program and a legal studies, or paralegal, program. Scott petitioned to have the burgeoning department renamed the Department of Office Education to reflect these changes in their curriculum.
“The time I spent at the College was one of the most rewarding periods of my life,” Scott said. “I had wonderful students.” According to Scott, her career-oriented students hoped to gain skills that would enable them to land their first jobs—or to get promoted.
Scott remained at the College until 1986. Since then, she has continued her commitment to the College, donating nearly $1.3 million in recent years.
“I decided that I wanted to give back to the community that had nurtured me,” she said.
In 2007, Scott contributed $300,000 to a scholarship endowed in her name which ensures, in perpetuity, that students get the quality education they need to achieve their fullest potential. In 2013, she gave an additional $1 million to the Montgomery College Foundation.
Scott’s most recent donation benefits two programs at the College. The first, Achieving Collegiate Excellence and Success (ACES), is a partnership between the College, Montgomery County Public Schools and the Universities at Shady Grove, designed to help underrepresented high school students successfully make the move to—and graduate from—college. Scott’s contribution will also aid Montgomery College’s Macklin Business Institute honors program, which provides high-achieving business students with a challenging curriculum, experiential learning opportunities, and mentoring from business executives.
In recognition of her many contributions, Scott became the first faculty member at Montgomery College to have a building named in her honor. She has also joined the Montgomery College Foundation’s Board of Directors.
For more information about donating to Montgomery College, please contact Carol Rognrud, executive director of the Montgomery College Foundation, 240-567-7493 or carol.rognrud@montgomerycollege.edu.
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