Montgomery College East County Education Center opened on the eastern side of Silver Spring near Fairland.
County Executive Marc Elrich and Council President Andrew Friedson joined Montgomery College President Jermaine Williams on April 20 to celebrate the opening.
The Center is part of the County’s commitment to providing accessible education and career opportunities to all residents.
“The East County Education Center is evidence of our unwavering dedication to uplift our community,” said County Executive Elrich in a press release. “Since taking office, I have been pushing this effort, and I am happy we are now able to expand East County’s educational opportunities. I would like to thank Montgomery College and our dedicated partnerships for their commitment to improving East County.”
The Center is located at Westech Corner (2221 Broadbirch Drive) near U.S. Rt. 29 and will serve about 1,000 students in its first year.
The area is an economic anchor for East County and will assist the County’s workforce development efforts, provide easier access to education and training to East County residents and help spur more economic development throughout this region.
The three other campuses are in Germantown, Rockville and Takoma Park/Silver Spring. The college also has Workforce Development and Continuing Education Centers in Gaithersburg and Wheaton.
The 55,000-square-foot building consists of:
- 11 classrooms
- 10 labs (six allied health labs, three computer labs and one career training education lab)
- Raptor Center (a one-stop shop for admissions, enrollment and visitor services)
- Community Engagement Center
- Truth, Racial Healing and Transformation Center
- Learning Center
- Library
- Event spaces
- Worksource Montgomery
- Student Wellness Center
- Study rooms and lounges
“The new East County Educational Center enables greater access to higher education and career-readiness training for talented students in the area,” said Council President Friedson in a press release. “This strategic investment represents an important step toward enhanced economic mobility and expanded opportunities to live, learn, work and raise a family in East County and across Montgomery County.”
Elrich included more than $60 million in recommended funding in the County’s Fiscal Year 2025-30 Capital Improvement Program to begin planning a full-service East County campus. The Council tentatively approved these funds.
