DCCC Chester County Branches

Did you know that DCCC's Credit for Prior Learning program allows you to earn college credits for applicable work experience, military service, and other life experiences? Our Credit for Prior Learning program helps you save time and money while accelerating your educational journey. That sounds like experience well spent. Visit https://www.dccc.edu/student-support-services/credit-for-prior-learning to see if you qualify.

When Katy Gallagher of West Chester first enrolled at DCCC, she wasn’t sure what to expect. “I hadn’t loved being in a classroom during my high school days, and I chose to drop out and earn my GED instead,” she says. “I definitely had some trepidation.” However, she quickly began to feel at home. “The classes are small, the other students are supportive, and the professors take the time to get to know you.” She also found—to her surprise—that a required introductory class, Communications 101, ended up being one of her favorites. “My professor, Dr. Tanya Gardner, offered me the opportunity to work on an interesting research project with the Ardmore Library,” Katy says. “I enjoyed the work, made some new friends, and found a terrific mentor in Dr. Gardner.”

A Paralegal Studies major who also works 32-40 hours a week, Katy has the following advice for prospective students who wonder if they can juggle work with college studies: “Take it one step at a time. Enroll in one class—just to get going. You’ll see what you can handle, and you’ll be able to add more classes as you go along. The important thing is to get started.” Keep up the good work, Katy!

Chester County needs skilled maintenance professionals — and DCCC is stepping up.

Our FREE Building & Facilities Maintenance Certificate launches this August in Coatesville and Downingtown! Perfect for anyone ready to build a career with long‑term opportunity.

Multiple Info sessions available, starting July 15 so don’t wait!
Visit dccc.edu/bfmc to find the information session that works for you.

We love seeing students discover their spark in tech — whether it’s AI, cloud tools or cybersecurity.

If you’re ready to explore what’s out there, our CS programs are a great place to start.
Our programs are built for beginners, career‑changers and anyone ready for something new.

Credit and non-credit options available so visit https://www.dccc.edu/comp-sci/ to explore your options!

Accompanied by bagpipes and big smiles, our latest class of 57 cadets—ranging in age from 20 to 57—graduated from DCCC’s Municipal Police Academy (MPA) on Thursday, June 11 during a ceremony held at Ridley High School. The class included 17 newly hired officers for the Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA), four Chester County Sheriff’s Office officers, three Chester City officers and two Drexel University officers. Among the graduating class were seven female officers. The guest speaker was Upper Darby Police Superintendent Timothy Bernhardt.

More than 95 percent of the municipal police officers in Delaware County and more than 75 percent of the police officers in Chester County graduate from the College’s MPA. The next class starts in July. For more info, visit dccc.edu/mpa.

*Friendly Reminder* The College will be closed Thursday, 6/18 and Friday, 6/19, at all locations, in observance of Juneteenth. We wish our community a reflective and restorative long weekend!

Fatumata “Fatu” Kaba is going straight from community college to the Ivy League. She will complete her bachelor’s degree at Yale University, where she plans to major in either psychology with a concentration in neuroscience, or cognitive science. She hopes to get involved in undergraduate research, and her goal is a career in clinical-based research for Parkinson’s Disease, Alzheimer’s, and traumatic brain injuries.

“DCCC prepared me so well for encountering different experiences, thanks to the people I met and the opportunities I found at the College,” she says. Fatu plans to eventually earn a doctorate—and realized early in her high school career that spending her first two years of college at DCCC made that dream affordable. A Psychology major, she graduated in May with a 4.0 GPA and was president of the Student Government Association. While accepted to Yale based solely on her academics, Fatu also happens to be the 2026 National Junior College Athletic Association Div. III national champion in the triple jump. She earned numerous All-America accolades—including 2026 First Team All-America—during her DCCC track and field career. She says, “It was a great finish to being a DCCC Phantom!”

Head over to our Instagram Stories to see one of Fatu's amazing jumps! Good luck in New Haven, Fatu!

Troy Brock of King of Prussia, 57, always dreamed of becoming a police officer. He’s worked for decades as a security guard for St. Joseph’s University, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, the University of Delaware and the Chester County Courthouse—but always wanted more. In 2009 he enrolled in a police academy but suffered an injury halfway through and had to drop out. A subsequent injury a few years later convinced him that it was too late to attempt the rigors of a physically demanding police academy program.

“I thought being a security guard was my ceiling,” he said. “I thought I was too old and out of shape.” But he decided to try one last time. As the oldest member of the June 2026 Delaware County Municipal Police Academy (MPA) class, he’s gone from being able to do only a single push-up to consistently passing the frequent physical tests demanded of police academy candidate. And on June 11 at Ridley High School, he will graduate from the MPA with 56 other newly minted officers. His father—a retired police officer—will be in attendance. Says Brock, “I thought my dream was buried, but I learned that it’s never too late.”