Chris Gray, Ph.D.
Founding President, Erie County Community College of Pennsylvania
If you've driven past our Erie West campus lately, the location formerly known as Villa Maria on W. 8th Street, you've probably noticed a constant flurry of activity. Construction crews, scaffolding, and the unmistakable signs of transformation are everywhere, and there's a lot going on. It's an exciting time for EC3!
Our current project has us putting on new roofs, installing fresh windows, and beginning demolition to make way for the construction on our Allied Health Care labs. These changes are more than cosmetic; instead, they're investments in the future of our students and our community. I could write an entire blog about the upgrades alone, but today, I want to share something more personal — something that reminds us why we do what we do and why it's so important.
On my way back from lunch, I stopped for just a few moments to chat with the demolition crew. We talked about the plans and the progress made so far, and we also chatted about how different the campus will look when all is said and done. Then, the foreman shared something that stopped me in my tracks.
This man's wife and daughter are both proud Villa Maria graduates, so the campus holds a special place in his family's heart. I've heard that sentiment many times before, and we've always worked hard to honor the legacy of this building as a place of learning even as we move forward with our own changes. But then he told me something even more powerful.
He said that he, too, had taken classes here; after finishing his third-shift job, he would come to campus for GED classes offered by GECAC, a local nonprofit that partners with EC3 to provide general education training and testing. These classes are held right here, on our campus.
He started his GED journey just a few years ago, determined to earn his high school equivalency. And now, behind his dust mask and safety glasses, he smiled. A big, proud smile. He told me he only has two sections left to complete before he graduates.
The pride in his voice echoed through the hallway. In front of his crew — and a stranger he'd just met — he absolutely beamed with pride. He's committed to this work, and he is going to finish his GED. He came to us, Erie County's community college, because he wanted to do better for himself, for his family, and for his future. Now, he's almost to that finish line.
And that, right there, is the promise of the community college. It's a promise that we here at EC3 are committed to fulfilling for anyone who walks through our doors.
Our community: your college.
