Montgomery County Community College

Blue Bell, Pa.— Montgomery County Community College President Dr. Karen A. Stout has been elected to the National Junior College Athletic Association Board of Directors (NJCAA). She will represent the Northeastern District, which includes Regions 3, 15, 19 and 21. Her two-year term begins on Aug. 1.

Dr. Stout has served as President of Montgomery County Community College since 2001. Under her leadership, the College reintroduced intercollegiate athletics in 2007 after a 20-year hiatus. The College’s Mustangs compete in women’s soccer, softball and baseball in NJCAA Region 19, and in men’s soccer, men’s and women’s basketball and women’s volleyball in the Eastern Pennsylvania Collegiate Conference (EPCC).

“Every once in a while you run across someone whose interests and resume seem to be a perfect fit. That is how I would describe the addition of Dr. Karen Stout to the NJCAA Board of Directors,” said Mary Ellen Leicht, Executive Director of the NJCAA. “The NJCAA is experiencing a period of growth and advancement and we are very fortunate to have someone of Dr. Stout’s background and tenure join the outstanding group of current board members dedicated to working towards the betterment of the NJCAA, our member colleges and most importantly our student-athletes. I am truly looking forward to working with Dr. Stout in the years to come.”

An accomplished athlete, Dr. Stout understands the important role that athletics can play in student success. She is passionate about advancing co-curricular athletic opportunities for community college students. Nationally, community college athletics programs have shown an increase in student enrollment and engagement, which in turn improves student progression and graduation.

A native of Bel Air, Maryland and a 1978 graduate of Bel Air High School, Dr. Stout lettered in three sports while a Bobcat and was named to All-County and All-Metro squads in field hockey, basketball and softball. While at Bel Air, she was part of four state championship teams, three in softball and one in field hockey. Her athletic achievements earned her the first ever “Female Athlete of the Year “Award by the Evening Sun.

Her academic and athletic accomplishments earned her a full scholarship to the University of Delaware where she was a four-time letter winner and four-year starter in two sports, softball and field hockey. While a Blue Hen, she played for the national field hockey championship and competed on top five ranked teams all four years. She continued her field hockey career after leaving Delaware, participating on three international touring teams, including competing in the 1998 Masters World Cup Championship in Holland, and she was a member of five indoor national championship club teams and three outdoor national championship club squads.