Chris Gray, Ph.D.
Founding President, Erie County Community College of Pennsylvania
"Fast away the old year passes" begins the final line of the old carol "Deck the Halls." With a melody that is Welsh in origin and lyrics that date back to 1862 Scotland, this song is one that we hear often this time of year. It's a true staple of the season, celebrating the conviviality of merrymaking and fellowship that so often accompany the arrival of the holidays. This is a time defined by anticipation, laughter, joy, and the comfort of familiar traditions. It's a time to celebrate the return of the light as we move through the winter solstice and begin the slow, gradual march toward spring.
As I sit down to write today, another semester is in the books. Grades are submitted, and students are finally taking a well-deserved rest. The campus grows quieter in late December. Offices slow. Classrooms rest. Everyone exhales. We use this pause, stretching between now and January 5, to reflect on what we've accomplished and to prepare for what comes next.
And here at EC3, what comes next is shaped almost entirely by our students.
This year alone, we've served more than 800 Erie County residents, changed their lives. Each brought to us their goals and hopes for the future, and they trusted us to help them take the next step toward making those goals and hopes into a reality. Many are attending EC3 part-time, using creative scheduling to fit classes in around jobs, families, and other responsibilities that don't disappear just because a semester ends. A significant number of our students are over the age of 30, returning to pursue a college education armed with the life experience that has helped them to form a clear image of why they are here and what they want their next chapter to look like. More than a third of our students come from underrepresented populations, and more than half of our students are women. We work to serve them all.
The reason is deceptively simple! Here at EC3, these are not just random, abstract numbers. They are actual people, and we treat them accordingly. They are parents doing homework at kitchen tables after dinner and bedtime routines. They are adults with careers who are looking to make changes and have taken those first brave steps into unfamiliar territory. They are first-generation students learning how to belong in spaces that were not always built with them in mind. That's who we serve.
This year, EC3 also saw a ten percent increase in enrollment; what a reminder that even in uncertain times, people still believe deeply in the power of education to open doors! Our programs continue to reflect that belief. Students in General Studies are building strong foundations while keeping their options open about what comes next. Those in Management and Entrepreneurial Thinking are preparing to lead and innovate in the business world. Our Criminal Justice students are engaging thoughtfully with questions of service and community responsibility. They are all taking steps to change themselves and our community.
We've also expanded our technical and workforce offerings this year, introducing new certificates in IT Technical Support and IT Infrastructure Management, along with IMM Electrical and IMM Mechanical certificates. These programs represent more than new lines in a catalog; they represent real pathways to stability and opportunity.
As 2025 winds down, I find myself filled with gratitude. For our students, who trust us with their futures. For our faculty and staff, who show up every day with care and commitment. And for the quiet knowledge that what we do here matters: sometimes loudly, sometimes quietly, but always profoundly. Always.
The year may be ending, but the work continues. And we are ready.
Our community: your college.
