Howard Community College Names New Interim Associate Vice Presidents

COLUMBIA, MD, July 03, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Howard Community College President Daria J. Willis today announced Michael Popp as the interim associate vice president of facilities management and operations, and Michael Smelkinson as the interim associate vice president of athletics.

"These two gentlemen have been exemplary in their work and service to the campus community for years and define the best of what makes Howard Community College a best-in-class institution," Willis said. "They have led great teams through very complex situations and have built cultures of collaborative excellence in their areas. I am excited about what they will bring to our college in these new roles."

Smelkinson was named the Director of Athletics on December 1, 2021, after two years of serving as the Assistant Athletic Director and head coach of the men's basketball team at Howard Community College. In his dual role as athletic director and head coach, he has maintained a championship culture while expanding opportunities with the introduction of four new women's and co-ed sports over the past three seasons.

In eight seasons over two separate head coaching stints at HCC, Smelkinson has won four of his eight career Region 20 men's basketball tournament titles and won 172 of his 275 career coaching victories. The 2023-24 season goes down in school and regional history, as he led the Dragons to a conference title, having played no home games during the regular season, while the newly opened Kahlert Foundation Complex was under construction.

Popp began his career at HCC in 2005 as a maintenance mechanic and assumed the role of the Mechanical Engineering and Plumbing (MEP) Supervisor in 2013. He was appointed as Facilities Operations Manager in the fall of 2018, leading the department's second-largest unit.

He has served as lead or co-lead on the college's major projects and renovations since his elevation as manager. During the COVID-19 restrictions, he served as the campus lead for sanitizing efforts in campus offices, classrooms, labs, and building air filtration systems, as well as water sterilization.

Popp and Smelkinson assumed their new roles on July 1.

ABOUT HCC
Since 1970, Howard Community College (HCC) has been a preferred college choice for students and families in Howard County, Maryland. A public community college, HCC offers associate degree and certificate programs, as well as workforce development training and continuing education classes, to nearly 22,000 credit and noncredit students each year. HCC received the 2019 Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award, the nation’s only presidential-level honor for performance excellence in organizations.

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• Michael Popp and Michael Smelkinson

Jarrett CarterHoward Community [email protected]