DC3 Names LeMon 2026 Distinguished Alumnus

Published April 22, 2026

James “Jamie” LeMon, of Ellicott City, Md., has been tapped as the 2026 Dodge City Community College (DC3) Distinguished Alumnus for the college’s May graduation activities.

LeMon, a native of Washington, Pa., graduated from DC3 with an Associate of Arts degree in 1986.

At Washington High School just outside Pittsburgh, LeMon was a standout wide receiver, and his athletic ability began catching the attention of major Division I programs, including Virginia Tech and the University of Tennessee. Both programs expressed interest in offering him a full scholarship—if he could improve his grades.

“I always had potential. That was never an issue,” he said. “I just needed encouragement. I never took books home until I was in the 11th grade. It wasn’t like I was studying and wasn’t getting it. I just wasn’t doing it.”

Recognizing the opportunity in front of him, LeMon made an effort to improve his grades during his senior year. While he showed some progress, it was not enough. He graduated with a 1.4 GPA, effectively closing the door on Division I opportunities and leaving him uncertain about his future.

With no scholarships in sight after graduation, LeMon decided to follow in his father’s footsteps and get a job working in a nearby steel mill. After just eight days, he realized it was not the path he wanted, so he reached out to his high school coach about playing ball at a junior college. After a few phone calls, LeMon was on his way to Dodge City for his first college recruiting visit.

“On my birthday, June 16, I flew out to Dodge City,” he said. “And the bottom line is, I’d never been really anywhere outside of Pennsylvania. But people were really nice.”

Based on his favorable impression of Head Coach Jerry Cullen and the DC3 football program, LeMon decided to nix his other two recruiting visits.

Being the youngest of six and the only boy, LeMon said his family didn’t have a lot of resources. Over the summer, he worked and saved; however, when the time came, he still didn’t have enough money to buy a bus ticket from Pittsburgh.

“My brother-in-law was going to Cincinnati,” he said. “So he dropped me off in Cincinnati at the bus station, and I caught the bus.”

As it turns out, it was a 36-hour bus ride to Kansas, with an eight-hour layover in Chicago.

“I cried the whole time,” he said. “I’m not ashamed to say it. I just cried. I was sick. I had never left home before.”

Thinking back on it now, LeMon said that more than anything, when he arrived, he was just angry.

“The first few weeks, I just wouldn’t talk to a lot of people,” he said. “I was just a little frustrated. I was wanting to go home, but my mom said, ‘Please stay.’”

So, he stayed, due to the support of his football coaches, Head Coach Jerry Cullen and Assistant Coach Tim Beck, as well as campus legend Jo Weinmeister, who was the college’s registrar at the time.

However, unknown to LeMon, making the team would be no easy task. He discovered he wasn’t guaranteed a spot due to the rules of the era, which only allowed 10 of the 30–35 out-of-state students on the football roster.

Ultimately, LeMon rose to the challenge and secured his place on the team, becoming a first-team all-conference wide receiver during his freshman season. However, during his sophomore year, he suffered a season-ending knee injury. Once again, he faced a difficult decision: return home or stay and continue his education.

Following his mother’s advice, he chose to remain at DC3 and focus on his academics.

“Football was only going to take me so far,” he said. “When I left here, I realized the academic piece had been my focus.”

Due to his success at DC3, LeMon earned a full scholarship to West Virginia University, where he continued his football career as a Mountaineer and competed in major bowl games, including the Sun Bowl and Fiesta Bowl national championship.

After completing his undergraduate studies, LeMon continued to build on his academic achievements. He earned a Bachelor of Arts in Physical Education in 1989 and a Master of Science in Physical Education/Teacher Education in 1993 from West Virginia University. He later obtained a Master of Science in Community Health Promotion from the West Virginia University School of Medicine, a Master of Science in Social Work from the University of Maryland, and a Certification in Administration and Supervision from Johns Hopkins University.

For more than two decades, LeMon has dedicated his career to education and student success. He began as a high school teacher and head track coach before advancing into leadership roles, including assistant principal and high school principal.

“I have shared my personal journey with thousands of students,” LeMon said. “One thing I try to tell the kids is it’s not where you start. It’s where you finish. And it’s the people who help you along the way. It’s really the people who help you along the way.”

Today, LeMon oversees the Howard County (Maryland) Public School System Office of Community Engagement and Partnerships, a role he assumed in 2024 after serving seven years as the district’s Executive Director of Community, Parent, and School Outreach.

Howard County operates 78 schools serving more than 57,000 students, representing 187 home languages and 147 home countries, and is consistently ranked the No. 1 school system in the state of Maryland.

LeMon and his wife, Erica, have three sons, Gerik, Xavier, and Shane.

LeMon will speak at the college’s Honors Banquet on Friday, May 1, at 6 p.m., at the Boot Hill Casino and Resort Conference Center. The following day, on Saturday, May 2, at 3 p.m., he will address DC3’s 90th graduating class at Commencement, which will be hosted at the United Wireless Arena.

By Lance Ziesch
DC3 Director of Marketing and Public Relations