WHITPAIN – AT&T Public Safety Scholarships are now available to support Montgomery County Community College (MCCC) Municipal Police Academy cadets. As part of AT&T’s commitment to first responders and the public safety community, grants will help support students facing economic obstacles, including the digital divide.
The new scholarship, made possible by a $20,000 grant from the AT&T Foundation to the MCCC Foundation, was enthusiastically announced during a special event at the MCCC that was attended by university leaders, state and local officials, cadets and AT&T officials .
“The AT&T Public Safety Scholarship Program is a welcome investment that fosters the success of our police cadets, advances the work of the City Police Academy, and helps keep our communities safe and secure,” said Dr. Victoria L. Bastecki-Perez, MCCC President. “The college is grateful to be working with AT&T in supporting our students, who will play an important role as first responders.”
“At AT&T, we have been given responsibility for building the FirstNet® wireless broadband network, built specifically for public safety in Pennsylvania and across the United States,” said David Kerr, President of AT&T Pennsylvania. “We also help inspire and prepare the next generation of first responders in Pennsylvania, which is why we created the AT&T Public Safety Scholarship Program. We appreciate those who answer the call to serve their communities.”
Montgomery County Sheriff Sean P. Kilkenny, who serves on the Montgomery County Community College Board of Trustees, attended the check presentation at the MCCC’s Blue Bell campus, where the City Police Academy is located.
“As a trustee at Montgomery County Community College who has worked with the Sheriff’s Scholarship Fund Foundation, I wholeheartedly believe in educational support for those pursuing a career in law enforcement and public safety. The AT&T Public Safety Scholarship will undoubtedly be of great benefit to these students and the communities they will later serve,” said Kilkenny.
Pennsylvania State Senator Maria Collett and Pennsylvania State Representative Liz Hanbidge also spoke to the cadets and attendees during the event.
“The Montgomery County Community College Municipal Police Academy is an important training ground for the next generation of first responders in our county and throughout the Commonwealth. Thanks to this investment by AT&T, even more students will be able to heed the call to serve and access this incredible program—and our communities will be safer as a result,” said Senator Collett.
“I’m thrilled that companies like AT&T are investing in programs like the Municipal Police Academy at Montgomery County Community College, supporting not only these evolving first responders but also as an investment in public safety for all Pennsylvania residents and as an investment in ours.” education system,” MP Hanbidge said. “This is a prime example of just one of the ways we can support our incredible first responders!”
Since 1973, the Municipal Police Academy at MCCC has been the training program for more than 4,100 cadets with a consistent graduation rate of more than 90 percent. The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania certifies the academy through the Municipal Police Officer Education and Training Commission. The 919-hour curriculum allows successful students to articulate up to 15 credit hours towards an associate degree in criminal justice. Many of the Academy’s alumni serve as officers and in leadership positions throughout Montgomery County and the region.
For more information about the Montgomery County Community College Municipal Police Academy program and scholarship, visit https://www.mc3.edu/degrees-and-programs/municipal-police-academy.
For more information about AT&T in Pennsylvania, visit Pennsylvania.att.com.