Bowers Focus Group hosts 5th “Walking in Excellence” Conference

Release Date
Event Date
-
Location
ASCC
Headshot of Adrianne Washington

Please register by Friday, Oct. 10

The HFC Dr. Henry J. Bowers Focus Group will host its fifth annual “Walking in Excellence” Conference on Friday, October 17, from 8:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. on the first floor of the Andrew A. Mazzara Administrative Services & Conference Center (ASCC) (Building L on the main campus).

“This conference is going to be a monster! We hosted almost 550 participants at our last conference. I am proud of the work that has been done in the Bowers Focus Group,” said HFC sociology instructor and Bowers Focus Group faculty advisor Dr. Kalvin DaRonne Harvell.

This year’s conference theme is “Journeys of Curiosity: Exploring, Discovering, and Cultivating Wonder across Time and Place.” Adrianne Washington, the founding dean and executive director of the Community College of Baltimore County Honors College, will be the keynote speaker.

“I’m excited to learn from students and hear about their experiences,” said Washington. “I admire and respect Dr. Harvell for the exemplary work he has been able to do in his community. As a fellow sociologist, I’m interested in the programming offered to HFC students, especially those students who are first-generation, marginalized, and underrepresented. As a first-generation student myself, I’m excited to focus on them and showcase some of the work I’ve done with my students who have faced similar challenges as HFC students.”

Making honors programming more inclusive and accessible

Washington is a community college administrator, sociology instructor, and social worker who has approximately 20 years of experience in higher education. She has distinguished herself as a leader in academic innovation, student success, and equity-driven programming. At CCBC, she provides strategic leadership for the Honors College, directs budgets and grant initiatives, and develops cross-campus programs that expand access and elevate student achievement. She has also taught at the Peabody Institute of the Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, MD, where she designed courses exploring the intersections of music, sociology, and social justice.

At CCBC, Washington changed honors education by providing programming for students who are full-time and part-time. She also worked with her Honors College team to make programming more inclusive and accessible through day and evening classes in multiple modalities.

“While we marketed our program to current students, the average age of a student at CCBC is mid-30s. Our demographic information in the Honors College didn’t match CCBC’s demographic information, so we changed strategies,” said Washington. “For example, we were strategic by offering honors experiences to men of color, so we would seek them out instead of expecting them to find us. We welcomed them into the Honors College, making it feel like a space where they could build a community with their peers.”

Washington also changed affordability for many students. One of her areas of expertise is experiential learning, along with high-impact practices and reality pedagogy and creating transformative opportunities for students across disciplines. For instance, Washington specializes in creating equitable travel experiences for first-generation college students, merging traveling with in-class theoretical and philosophical approaches. The research and travel expenses are supplemented by CCBC, so there are no barriers for the students.

“This will enhance their résumés when they transfer,” she explained. “CCBC’s transfer rate is 90%. By going down this path, it enhances students' résumés even further, making them more successful candidates for transferring. Examining what worked and what did not work allowed us to figure out who was not represented, so we began seeking out more first-generation students and other marginalized groups.”

Washington earned her bachelor’s degree in social work from Hood College in Frederick, MD, where she was a member of Phi Alpha. She went on to earn her master’s degree in social work from the University of Maryland, Baltimore. In 2019, Hood named her an Outstanding Alumni Award Winner. In 2022, CCBC named her a Dale Parnell Distinguished Faculty Member. She lives with her family in Baltimore.

Please register for the conference by October 10

“We are excited to have Director Washington join us for the fifth annual ‘Walking in Excellence’ Conference. She shows and proves how to excel in life, execute excellently, and build excellent academic networks. Her talk will enhance our collective academic acumen,” said Harvell.

This conference is free and open to the public. Please register by Friday, October 10, at the link above. Both a continental breakfast and lunch will be provided.

NOTE: The presentations may be recorded. By registering, you acknowledge such recordings and consent to being recorded.
For questions or more information, contact any of the following:

Conference program

Copies of the program will be available at the conference. You may also reference this PDF of the conference program.