Duncan, Pollard Sit Down for Talk at Montgomery College

Arne Duncan | White House

Former education secretary Arne Duncan will take part in a “presidential dialogue” with Montgomery College President DeRionne Pollard next month.

Pollard and Duncan, who served under President Barack Obama, will discuss the “Politics of Radical Inclusion.” The event takes place 9 a.m. Tuesday, March 5, Robert E. Parilla Performing Arts Center on the Rockville campus. The discussion is free and open to the public.

As education secretary, Duncan visited schools in all 50 states to promote public investment in education, recruit new teachers and increase college enrollment through larger Pell grants. His tenure as secretary followed seven years as the chief executive officer of Chicago Public Schools, during which applications for teaching positions tripled and 100 new schools were opened.

Duncan is currently the managing partner at Emerson Collective, an organization dedicated to removing barriers to opportunity for youth. The organization’s work centers on education, immigration reform, the environment and other social justice initiatives. Through partnerships with local business leaders, community organizers, and nonprofit groups, it seeks to create inclusive communities for disconnected youth.

Duncan graduated magna cum laude from Harvard University with a degree in sociology. He was also co-captain of Harvard’s basketball team.

A free copy of Duncan’s book, How Schools Work: An Inside Account of Failure and Success from One of the Nation’s Longest-serving Secretaries of Education, will be provided to the first 50 students at the event.

The 2018-2019 Montgomery College Presidential Dialogue Series explores the politics of radical inclusion. Building communities in which everyone feels welcomed is a “radical” ideal with many benefits, including higher academic achievement by students.

About Staff Writer

View all posts by Staff Writer