The Vision of the Community College Hub - ALSO IN THIS ISSUE Workforce Development Programs Meet Industry Demands

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The Vision of the Community College Hub - ALSO IN THIS ISSUE Workforce Development Programs Meet Industry Demands
Spring/Summer 2021

                     Bunker Hill Community College Magazine

                     The Vision of
                     the Community
                     College Hub
                     ALSO IN THIS ISSUE
                     Workforce Development
                     Programs Meet
                     Industry Demands
The Vision of the Community College Hub - ALSO IN THIS ISSUE Workforce Development Programs Meet Industry Demands
in this issue

A Message from the President                                                                            7
                                                                                                        Congratulations to Power
                          Dear Bunker Hill Community College Friends and Partners,                      Utility Program Graduates
                                                                                                        EPUT program alumni
                          It has been a year like no other. Since last spring, the COVID-19
                                                                                                        pursue goals in the energy
                          pandemic has devastated our communities. We shuttered our
                                                                                                        industry
                          physical campuses and went remote in mid-March of 2020. The

                                                                                                        10
                          needs of our students, from the basics to academic and social
                          support, became more urgent as they strove to complete their
                          education in isolation. The neglect of our communities over
                          the last few decades has left social and economic infrastructure
                          weakened, unable to withstand the onslaught of the pandemic.
                                                                                                        Unlocking Potential
                          The reignition of the Civil Rights Movement in late spring with the
murder of Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor, and George Floyd pushed us to understand the                   The Vision of the Community
intolerable historical and social context under which so many of our students live and learn.           College Hub

                                                                                                        16
Economic disinvestment and systemic racism in our communities of color and communities
of poverty have hollowed out support for our students, their families, and their communities
over time. The pandemic and the anti-racism protests were the twin lightning in the night
that revealed the fractured landscape.

As we emerge from COVID, and see our community’s endurance and strength through                         Workforce Development
new eyes, we must commit to a more just and equitable recovery—not just the restoration                 Programs Meet Industry
of jobs, but training for jobs that are sustainable and support the economic expansion of               Demands
the local community; not just the restoration of social services, but the restoration of the            Short-term training programs
cultural wealth and assets that would see that community thrive and be proud. The events                connect employers with
of the past year and a half have left me more convinced than ever that community colleges,              skilled workers
and Bunker Hill Community College, in particular, are part of the answers to this recovery,

                                                                                                        20
this new social contract with our people. BHCC has always valued the full complexity of
our students and their communities, in addressing their social and economic needs, and
in recognizing their cultural worth. As we prepare our students for a career pathway that
ensures economic mobility, we will continue to nurture within them a deep sense of place
and belonging in honoring their personal history and lived experiences.                                 Internship Pipeline Lessens
                                                                                                        Equity Gap
This is a time of learning and critical reflection about our difficult past and our nation’s
history. This is also a time to envision the future and to see our path ahead with new eyes.            STEM Internship Initiative
Having come through the darkness of the last year, we know that Bunker Hill Community                   expands paid opportunities
College is a beautiful crossroads, and a community Hub, where helpers, teachers, and                    for BHCC students

                                                                                                        24
learners gather to serve as one another’s beacon of hope. As our campuses get ready
for the fall semester, we will come together again, and light one another’s way forward.

With optimism and gratitude,

                                                                                                        Dream Job
                                                                                                        BHCC students and alumni
                                                                                                        turn passions into purpose
Pam Y. Eddinger, Ph.D.
President
                                                                                                        D E PA R T M E N T S
                                                                                                        1
Bunker Hill Community College Magazine | Spring/Summer 2021 | Vol. XVI No. 1
                                                                                                        Campus News
Articles featured in the Spring/Summer 2021 edition of BHCC Magazine were adapted
from the Boston on Track: Community Colleges Unlock Potential partnership between
Bunker Hill Community College and Roxbury Community College with WCVB Channel 5.
                                                                                                        6
                                                                                                        Grants

      BHCC Magazine Online                                                                              28
Visit bhcc.edu/magazine for exclusive web extras and a more in-depth look into our featured articles.   Arts & Culture
The Vision of the Community College Hub - ALSO IN THIS ISSUE Workforce Development Programs Meet Industry Demands
campus news

                                                                                                         Photo: Oldren Romero and Luz Valdez

Espaillat on Restoring Community
Distinguished Artist and Scholar in Residence prepares for future recovery
in Dominican-American communities affected by COVID-19

           istinguished Artist and Scholar     translating between both languages,             leading workshops, readings, and melodic
           in Residence Rhina Espaillat        running workshops for students and adults,      performances that examine the power of
           was a featured artist at the        and serving as visiting poet at colleges and    words and the ability of art to both enrich
           third annual Dominicans on          other cultural centers.                         and transform lives.
           the Hill event where she read          Earlier this year, award-winning                Special guests and segments at
"Seedlings," a new poem she wrote for          international magazine of faith, culture,       Dominicans on the Hill included a fireside
the occasion. Hosted by Congressman            and society Plough Quarterly announced          chat between Dr. Anthony Fauci and Karl
Adriano Espaillat (NY-13) as a way to          the first annual Rhina P. Espaillat Poetry      Anthony-Towns about COVID-19, a tribute
increase engagement and collaboration          Award in honor of the achievements of the       to loved ones lost in the pandemic by
in Dominican communities across the            Dominican-American poet. The award will         “La Reina del Merengue” Milly Quezada
U.S., the event focused on restoring           be given for an original poem that reflects     and “El Caballo Mayor” Johnny Ventura,
the community as we prepare for                Espaillat’s lyricism, empathy, and ability to   and presentations from poet and author
future economic, educational, political        find grace in everyday events.                  Elizabeth Acevedo, David Ortiz, Lin Manuel
flourishment in a post-COVID-19 world.            A founding member of the Melopoeia           Miranda, and Oz Rodriguez. n
   Espaillat, a former New York City public    trio and member of the quintet known as
school teacher, has devoted her time in        The Diminished Prophets, Espaillat has              atch the Dominicans on the Hill event
                                                                                                  W
retirement to writing poetry, short stories,   served as the College’s Distinguished Artist       at bhcc.edu/magazine
and essays in both English and Spanish,        and Scholar in Residence since fall 2019,

BHCC Magazine                                                                                                                               1
The Vision of the Community College Hub - ALSO IN THIS ISSUE Workforce Development Programs Meet Industry Demands
campus news

See Yourself in STEM
Alumni reflect on STEM Mentorship experiences
BHCC celebrated Massachusetts STEM Week in             students from the Massachusetts Institute of
October with STEM alumni reflecting on their           Technology (MIT), a Civil Engineering Seminar
experiences with STEM Mentorship partners BioNTech     with environmental and geotechnical engineering
US, Merck, and more. From building relationships to    company Haley & Aldrich, a presentation on
defining goals, mentorship partners prepare students   Biomarkers with Platelet Bio, and panel discussion
for graduate school and beyond by providing students   on Virology, Vaccines and the Racial Inequality of
with fundamental skills and real-world laboratory      COVID-19 sponsored by the College’s Biology and
experiences to launch their careers in science.        Chemistry departments.
   The week’s programming featured a Pathways to
Graduate School workshop with Biology graduate         Read more about STEM students on Page 26.

                                                                           BHCC alumni reflected on mentorship experience at Merck
                                                                           (2018) as part of Mass STEM Week; Panel discussion on
                                                                           Coronavirus: Virology, Vaccines, and the Racial Inequality of
                                                                           COVID-19 brings industry experts from BioNTech, Merck,
                                                                           and the Seaman Laboratory Center for Virology and Vaccine
                                                                           Research to BHCC community.

2                                                                                                                              BHCC Magazine
The Vision of the Community College Hub - ALSO IN THIS ISSUE Workforce Development Programs Meet Industry Demands
campus news

                                                                Bunker Hill Community College
                                                                Receives 10-Year Accreditation
                                                                from NECHE
                                                                BHCC received a continuation in accreditation status from
                                                                the New England Commission of Higher Education (NECHE)
                                                                in October. The accreditation establishes that the College
                                                                has demonstrated it is educationally effective and a good
                                                                steward of public resources, and allows BHCC to participate
                                                                in Title V Pell grant funding, enabling student access to
                                                                federal financial aid. Over 60 percent of BHCC students
                                                                receive financial aid to complete their studies. The
                                                                continuation in accreditation will dramatically increase
                                                                access and degree completion.
                                                                   The reaccreditation followed a rigorous self-study and peer-
                                                                review process that involved faculty, staff, administration,
                                                                students, and the Board of Trustees and a virtual visit from
                                                                the Commission that found the College in compliance with
                                                                the Standards of Accreditation.

Women in Science
                                                                   “The Commission commends Bunker Hill Community
                                                                College for its institutional achievements and its continued
                                                                commitment to and focus on student success,” stated the
BHCC hosts second annual LSAMP Day;
                                                                Commission in a letter announcing its recommendation for
Partnership brings Covid-19 vaccine forum to                    the College’s continued accreditation. “The College’s use of
College community                                               local and national datasets, such as Achieving the Dream,
                                                                AACC’s Volunteer Framework of Accountability, and BHCC’s
                  BHCC hosted the second annual Louis
                                                                program reviews to inform planning and decision making is
                  Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation
                                                                particularly noteworthy.”
                  (LSAMP) Day promoting women in science
                                                                   The Commission went on to commend BHCC for its
                  as part of a grant-funded partnership with
                                                                efforts to address the needs of its student community through
                  UMass Boston in October. New Mexico
                                                                initiatives such as the DISH Food Pantry and the Pao Arts
                  State University Professor Rebecca Creamer,
                                                                Center partnership, and noted the success of the College’s
                  Ph.D., delivered a keynote address sharing
                                                                LifeMap and Learning Communities initiatives.
her personal experience as the only woman on the
                                                                   “The roots of our success reach back a decade to those
Microbiology and Plant Pathology faculty at the University
                                                                innovations and early efforts that prepared the path we are
of California.
                                                                currently on,” said BHCC President Pam Eddinger in a letter
   As part of the event, BHCC alumna and UMass Amherst
                                                                to the College community. “I want to thank everyone who
doctoral candidate Bridget Benner joined panelists from
                                                                contributed to our current success through work in teaching
the National Institutes of Health and Massachusetts General
                                                                and learning, student service, and support. We should be
Hospital for a discussion on career pathways in STEM.
                                                                very proud and ready to see BHCC through another 10 years
LSAMP Day also featured presentations on career
                                                                of service to our students and our community.”
opportunities in biology and chemistry, STEM internship
                                                                   NECHE is one of seven commissions in the United States
programs, scholarships, and summer research opportunities.
                                                                that provide institutional accreditation on a regional basis.
   This spring, LSAMP hosted a panel discussion on
                                                                Accreditation is voluntary and applies to the institution as
COVID-19 vaccines and the importance of community
                                                                a whole. The Commission, which is recognized by the U.S.
outreach and awareness. Panelists included Sharon Terry,
                                                                Department of Education, accredits approximately 220
CEO, Genetic Alliance; Swati Mukherjee, Ph.D., Associate
                                                                institutions in the six-state New England region as well as
Director, Editas Medicine; Kristin Millin, M.D., Physician,
                                                                several American-style institutions overseas.
Group Health Cooperative of South Central Wisconsin; and
Elisabeth Farnum, M.D., Assistant Medical Director, Warren
Alpert Medical School, Brown University.

BHCC Magazine                                                                                                                     3
The Vision of the Community College Hub - ALSO IN THIS ISSUE Workforce Development Programs Meet Industry Demands
campus news

                                                                                                          DISH Food Pantry
                                                                                                          Delivers on Food Access
                                                                                           Pantry reflects on first year and how it's adapted to
                                                                                           a virtual service model
                     CONGRATULATIONS!
         On behalf of the Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce, we are thrilled to
                           honor you as a 2021 Pinnacle honoree!

                                          President
               Please find tools below to help you promote your recognition.

               SOCIAL              M E D IEddinger
                                          A HANDLES
                                          Receives 2021
    @BostonChamber    @BostonChamber      Pinnacle Award
                                              @Greater-Boston-
                                            Chamber-of-Commerce
                                                                         @BostonChamber_

                          EVENT HASHTAGS
                                    #BosBizWomen
      Award recognizes  achievements in arts
                    #PinnacleAwards
      and education
                CREATIVE ASSETS
                               LINK
      The Greater Boston Chamber      of Commerce’s
      Women’s Network SHA  R E A BBHCC
                          named    L E L IPresident
                                           NK       Pam
                                                                                           DISH Food Pantry partners with SnapChef to deliver pantry orders to students.
      Eddinger as a 2021 Pinnacle
                               LINK Award honoree for

      outstanding achievement in Arts and Education.
                                                                                           Since the DISH Food Pantry opened its
         The recognition was announced at a virtual
                                                                                           doors on the BHCC Charlestown Campus
      ceremony in January where President Eddinger
                                                                                           in the fall of 2019, the pantry has become
      shared her story of migrating to the United States
                                                                                           a staple for students and staff by adapting
      with her parents who wanted a better education for
                                                                                           to remote operations and consistently
      their children. She went on to credit her parents for
                                                                                           reinforcing its mission to deliver information,
      her leadership in the community college movement
                                                                                           sustenance and health to the community.
      so the next generation of immigrants will have
                                                                                              The following March, just months after the
      choices, have language, and see a broader horizon.
                                                                                           pantry opened, the DISH Food Pantry pivoted
         “I do my work so every immigrant and native
                                                                                           into action as the BHCC community was
      child will have access to affordable, higher education
                                                                                           forced to adjust to physical separation from
      and be touched by the grace and power of the arts,”
                                                                                           the campus and each other by offering remote
      said President Eddinger.
                                                                                           pick-up and delivery services to students.
         The Women’s Network was founded in 1994
                                                                                              “We’ve been operating longer in a
      to promote and expand economic opportunities
                                                                                           pandemic than we were open before that,” says Molly Hansen, DISH
      throughout the Greater Boston region for all
                                                                                           Food Pantry Coordinator. “We’ve had to find alternative ways to
      women in business through shared leadership and
                                                                                           assist students.”
      expertise. The Network offers programs that provide
                                                                                              Last spring, the DISH pantry partnered with New England-based
      career enrichment and development opportunities
                                                                                           staffing agency SnapChef to deliver food orders and Chromebooks
      for women at all professional levels, spotlight the
                                                                                           to BHCC students directly to their homes. The initiative was initially
      achievements of women, and promote the positive
                                                                                           funded through the College’s Student Government Association, and
      influence women have on the region. Previous
                                                                                           later through MassHire and the Boston Resiliency Fund. As the College
      Pinnacle Award honorees include Anita Hill, Sandra
                                                                                           looks forward to welcoming more students back to campus, the DISH
      Fenwick, Vicary Graham, Penni McLean Connor,
                                                                                           plans to extend delivery services to students as needed through the
      Liz Cheng, and Courtney Scrubs.
                                                                                           summer months.
         “Thank you to the Chamber CEO Jim Rooney, and
                                                                                              “We’ve had to be innovative and creative in how we reduce the
      Chair Micho Spring, for providing a platform to lift up
                                                                                           stigma associated with food insecurity while at the same time meeting
      the contributions of women to the Boston economy,
                                                                                           the diverse needs of our students,” adds Hansen. While the pantry
      and to encourage our next generational leaders to
                                                                                           receives monthly deliveries from the Greater Boston Food Bank,
      reach up and speak up,” said President Eddinger.
                                                                                           community partners and donors such as long-time donor Stop & Shop,
                                                                                           Food for Free, Food Link and Hope & Comfort allow the DISH to offer

4                                                                                                                                                           BHCC Magazine
The Vision of the Community College Hub - ALSO IN THIS ISSUE Workforce Development Programs Meet Industry Demands
campus news

                                                                                           NCMPR Presents
                                                                                           Paragon Award and
                                                                                           Three Medallions
                                                                                           to BHCC
                                                                                           BHCC won a Paragon Award and three

                                                               939
                                                                                           medallions from the National Council
                                                                                           of Marketing and Public Relations
                                                               TOTAL NEW                   (NCMPR) for publications created by
                                                               INTAKE FORMS                the College’s Integrated Marketing and
                                                                                           Communications Division.

                                                               2,519                          The annual awards recognize
                                                                                           outstanding achievement in design
                                                               TOTAL ORDERS                and communication at community and
                                                               FILLED                      technical colleges in the United States
                                                                                           and Canada.

                                                               641

38,419                                                         TOTAL USERS
                                                                                                                                                                                                         Gold

                                                                                            Spring/Summer 2019
                                                                                                                 Bunker Hill Community College Magazine                                                  Medallion
                                                               1,066                                             Whose cultural
                                                                                                                 wealth is (de)valued
                                                                                                                 in higher education?
                                                                                                                                                                                                         BHCC Magazine
                                                                                                                                                                                                         Spring/Summer
                                                               TOTAL DELIVERIES
                                                                                                                 BHCC's Second Annual CECW
                                                                                                                 Institute, Power and Place                                                              2019
TOTAL POUNDS DONATED                                           (May–December 2020)
                                                                                                                 ALSO IN THIS ISSUE
                                                                                                                 President Eddinger interviews
                                                                                                                 Karen A. Stout, Ed.D.,
                                                                                                                 of Achieving the Dream

weekly specialty items such as cleaning supplies, coffee and tea, and pet food. The
pantry also has been able to provide student parents with diapers and baby food, and
offers toiletries and hygiene items including ethnic hair products designed for
natural and textured hair.
   The DISH aims to provide a safe and dignified response to food insecurity for the       Silver
campus community. To reduce stigma, Hansen has started to offer Mexican-inspired,          Medallion
Asian-inspired, and Italian-inspired meal and recipe kits as part of the DISH offerings,
                                                                                           Academic                                                                                                                        For the latest
                                                                                                                                                                                                                           information about

as well as birthday celebration kits complete with frosting, cake mix and candles,
                                                                                                                                                                                                                           this catalog,
                                                                                                                                                                                                                           please visit

                                                                                           Catalog
                                                                                                                                                                                                                           bhcc.edu/catalog

monthly mystery snacks, and holiday items.                                                 2019-2021
   L earn more about the DISH Food Pantry and how to donate
    to the DISH at bhcc.edu/magazine
                                                                                                                                                                                           Bunker Hill Community College

                                                                                                                                                                                           2019–2021 College Catalog

                         Outstanding New Professional
                         at a Two-Year College
                                                                                                                                                                                                         Bronze
                                                                                                                                                                                                         Medallion
                                                                                            Spring 2020

                         DISH Coordinator Molly Hansen was awarded the 2021
                                                                                                                 Bunker Hill Community College Magazine

                         Outstanding New Professional at a Two-Year College Award
                                                                                                                                                                                                         BHCC Magazine
                         from the American College Personnel Association (ACPA):
                                                                                                                                                                                                         Spring 2020
                         College Student Educators International Commission for
                         Two-Year Colleges. Hansen has shown dedication to BHCC
                         students and works to promote the importance of college                                                                                                                         Bronze
                                                                                                                                                                                                         Paragon
Molly Hansen
                         campuses in providing services and resources so students                                                                     Vital Signs
                         struggling to finance their education don't have to decide                                                                       Nursing faculty revive pulse of
                                                                                                                                                          BHCC's Nurse Education Program
                                                                                                                                                                                                         “Vital Signs”
                                                                                                                                                          ALSO IN THIS ISSUE

                         between skipping meals to make ends meet or losing focus                                                                                                                        Feature Article
                                                                                                                                                          President Eddinger interviews
                                                                                                                                                          Peggy Fogelman of the Isabella
                                                                                                                                                          Stewart Gardner Museum

                         on their studies. She was recognized at the ACPA National                                                                                                                       BHCC Magazine
                         Convention in March.                                                                                                                                                            Spring 2020

BHCC Magazine                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  5
The Vision of the Community College Hub - ALSO IN THIS ISSUE Workforce Development Programs Meet Industry Demands
grants

Developing Hispanic Serving Institutions
Title V Grant Supports Pathways to Success through Culturally
Responsive Programming

                      BHCC received a $2.9M grant        institutions and strengthen an institution’s
                        from the United States           ability to serve minority and low-income students.
                         Department of Education’s          The “Pathways to Success through Culturally
                         Title V: Developing Hispanic    Responsive Programming” grant will improve
                         Serving Institutions (HSI)      student achievement and engagement through
                                                                                                               “Through this
                         program and is now              Integrated Support Services and Enhanced
                       designated as an HSI. The         Teaching and Learning.                                funding, BHCC will
                    grant program was created               The Integrated Support Services component          be able to implement
by the Department to help institutions expand            will revitalize the continuum of support for          a multipronged
education opportunities for Hispanic students            Hispanic/Latinx students, including onboarding
                                                                                                               approach to improve
by increasing and enhancing academic offerings,          and enrollment with defined Guided Pathway
program quality, and institutional stability.            on-ramps. Student support will continue               service and support
   This is the second designation and grant              through career exploration, goal setting, and         for our Hispanic and
awarded to the College by the Department. In 2017        financial-academic-career planning in a culturally    Latinx students.”
BHCC received designation and a federal grant            responsive and equity-minded environment.
award as part of the Department’s Title III: Asian          The Enhanced Teaching and Learning                      —President Eddinger
American and Pacific Islander Serving Institution        component will establish the Guided Pathways
(AANAPISI) program. Eligibility for Title III and        with contextualized introductory courses, bringing
Title V designation and funding is dependent on          together similar majors and programs of study to
the percentage of the targeted population at an          share content and outcomes to create synchronicity
institution, and submission of a proposal to support     within the first year of study, and enable students
improvements in educational quality, management          to explore career options and participate in
and financial stability at qualifying post-secondary     internships, co-ops and shadowing experiences.

BHCC Receives $250,000 Grant from
JPMorgan Chase Focusing on Career Pathways
                                                 sociological research methods to find         work helped to guide the CPIP program
                                                 clarity in their potential career path.       to provide integrated career guidance
With a generous $250,000 investment              These skills will be even more important to   to more BHCC students and additional
from JPMorgan Chase, BHCC launched               prepare BHCC students to be competitive       BHCC programs.
the Career Pathways Impact Project (CPIP)        during the pandemic-induced downturn.            "Without good career counseling,
this past year.                                     “We are so grateful to JPMorgan Chase      students are unable to progress into the
   CPIP seeks to equip traditionally             for their support,” said BHCC President       workforce easily," said Kristen McKenna,
underserved students with the tangible           Pam Eddinger. “The Ethnographies of           Dean of Workforce and Economic
skills required to navigate the labor            Work framework advances the social            Development at BHCC. "This work puts
market, workplace culture, and develop a         mobility and equity for our students.”        BHCC in the position of solving the supply
better understanding of career pathways.            With support from the Harvard Project      and demand gap between workers and
   The newly developed Ethnographies             on Workforce, three graduate fellows from     employers that exists in the greater Boston
of Work (EoW) curriculum is being                Harvard’s business and policy programs        area workforce."
integrated into a pilot of courses at BHCC       worked at BHCC last summer to accelerate         Ethnographies of Work originated at
with a goal of offering an ethnographic          the career pathways agenda. The Harvard       Guttmann Community College (CUNY)
and sociological approach to career              team focused on the effect of the COVID-      as a year-long social science course and
development. From Sociology to                   19 pandemic on students’ career planning      adapted for community colleges and
Computer Science to Art to Economics             and post-graduation job opportunities,        high schools and BHCC has expanded it
and Learning Community courses,                  and how this might shift the College’s        to 36 courses and 610 students over the
students use ethnographic and                    career preparedness strategies. This          past year.

6                                                                                                                           BHCC Magazine
The Vision of the Community College Hub - ALSO IN THIS ISSUE Workforce Development Programs Meet Industry Demands
In 2020, 17 students graduated from the Electric
                     Power Utility Technology (EPUT) program ready
                     to pursue their goals in the energy industry after
                     two years of study and real-world job experience
                     in the field. The students earned both an associate
                     of science degree in Electric Technology and a
                     certificate in Natural Gas Technology.

BHCC Magazine 				                                                         7
The Vision of the Community College Hub - ALSO IN THIS ISSUE Workforce Development Programs Meet Industry Demands
The EPUT program is a partnership                                                        98% 2020 Graduates
of Bunker Hill Community College,                                                           hired at Eversource Energy
Eversource, UWUA Local 369 and USW
Local 12004 USW.                                                                            80%    inducted into the
   As their studies came to a close and                                                     Honor Society at BHCC
they prepared for the real world—and a
potential career at Eversource or other                                                     70%    maintained a
utility company—we spoke with three                                                         3.0 GPA in the program
graduates from the Class of 2020 who
shared their most memorable EPUT                                                            $30/Hour average
experiences and goals for the future.                                                       starting salary for Energy
                                                                                            and Utility Laborers

Marion Jones, technical training
supervisor and head of the EPUT program,
can be credited with helping to make
the student experience a positive one.
To maintain the program during the
pandemic, Jones, with support from other
members of the Technical Training team,
transitioned to online classes with virtual
labs, which challenged students and
allowed them to grow in new ways.
   “Overseeing the EPUT program affords
me the opportunity to focus my efforts on
helping others become the best version of
themselves,” says Jones. “Through EPUT,
we are developing the workforce of the
future, challenging students to take pride
in an unwavering work ethic while always
striving for a standard of excellence both
personally and professionally.”
   The EPUT program is designed to
prepare students for a variety of employment
opportunities in electric and gas related
positions. Most graduates go on to have
successful careers at Eversource; the
program boasts a 98% job placement

                                               Brad Cronin
success rate. “Students thrive in this
program because of the strong connection
between academics and career,” said            Hometown: Belmont, New Hampshire
Dean of Professional Studies at BHCC           Dream job: Eversource Journeyman
Austin Gilliland. “We’re proud to partner      Lineworker
with Eversource to support students in a       Memorable EPUT experience:
program that furthers their education          Participating in the 12-week co-op program
and leads to a fulfilling career.” n           alongside Eversource employees was an
                                               invaluable experience and gave me the
    To learn more, visit bhcc.edu/eput        opportunity to have hands-on training in the
                                               field. I now feel more prepared and excited for
                                               my career and am proud to do my part to help
                                               keep the lights on for our customers. The EPUT
                                               program gave me the confidence I needed and
                                               taught me to never give up on myself.

8                                                                                                                  BHCC Magazine
Mia Dottin
                Hometown: Cambridge, Mass.
                Dream job: Position in Eversource
                Gas Services
                Memorable EPUT experience: I had a
                hard time finding my place in EPUT until we
                had our first natural gas lab. After learning how
                to mold and fit pipe with help from employees
                in Southborough, I finally saw something that
                I was truly interested in and motivated me to
                continue in the program. I’m extremely grateful
                for all the support I received during my time in
                the EPUT program. Having Eversource employees
                and other industry leaders believe in me helped
                me believe in myself.

                Luis Martinez
                Hometown: Boston, Mass.
                Dream Job: Eversource Underground
                Lineworker
                Memorable EPUT Experience: I’m
                fortunate to have had many unforgettable
                experiences during my time in the EPUT
                program. Outside of my studies and lab work,
                I had the opportunity to serve as a STEM tutor
                at the Boston Teachers Union Pilot School in
                Jamaica Plain. I am the first in my family to
                graduate college and giving back to others is
                extremely rewarding. I’m also grateful for the
                many unique experiences I had at Eversource,
                like participating in events with members of the
                Diversity and Inclusion Council and Business
                Resource Group. I look forward to starting my
                career at a company that values the differences
                and unique perspectives that we all have to offer.

BHCC Magazine                                                    9
10   BHCC Magazine
The community college hub serves as a champion for
                          innovation in education, social justice, equity, and support
                          networks for our students to succeed.

                          Unlocking
                          			Potential
                The Vision of the Community College Hub

                          Insights from the Pandemic
                          In the past year, community colleges have witnessed the disintegration of
                          systems and values that have strengthened institutions over the last quarter
                          century. Through the darkness of the pandemic and the clouded history
                          of racism and systemic deprivations, Bunker Hill Community College
                          President Pam Eddinger witnessed not only the power of the student success
                          movement, but the emergence of a transformation that promises a new
                          vision of “community” in community college—a new social contract with
                          the students and the community it serves.

BHCC Magazine                                                                                            11
President Eddinger delivered “Insights from the
                                    Pandemic” at the Annual Dallas Herring Lecture
                                    BHCC President Pam Eddinger presented “Insights from the Pandemic: The Reckoning
                                    and the Hope at Our Nation’s Community Colleges,” at the William Dallas Herring Lecture
                                    in November 2020. In her discourse, she advanced a renewed vision of the community
                                    college as an educational, economic and social hub of the community.

                                    The Herring Lecture is an annual event hosted by the North Carolina State University
                                    College of Education’s Belk Center for Community College Leadership and Research
                                    in honor of the visionary, who was instrumental in the formation of the North Carolina
                                    Community College System. Herring was driven by his abiding belief in the potential of
                                    all beings to contribute to the progress of humankind. In advocating for community
                                    colleges, he asked politicians not to underestimate the poor and the underserved and to
                                    recognize they are human beings with immense capacity for creatively contributing to the
                                    progress of civilization. This feature captures highlights of President Eddinger’s lecture.

             “Like a flash of lightning in the night, the pandemic...gave
               us a stark and unsparing look at the cavernous wealth and
               attainment gap before us...” – President Eddinger

Community Colleges Before the                 the long-standing mission and collective         enhanced predictive analytics, technology-
COVID Pandemic                                belief of community college educators            enhanced services and supports with only
Prior to the pandemic, the Community          that all students have the potential to          modest results.
College Success Movement and its              learn and succeed, and sets the
mission-driven research were a dominant       expectation that the attainment gap is           A Stark Lesson
force centered on improving persistence       bridgeable between white, economically           It was in the midst of this push for answers
and degree completion, and closing            advantaged students, and students at             about student attainment, and in the
achievement gaps in marginalized              the margins; that students of color, first       progression of our understanding about
populations. The movement has grappled        generation students, and students caught         the factors affecting student success
with these areas of inquiry for more          in generational poverty can achieve              that the COVID-19 pandemic came on
than two decades, producing a number          academic success. It also implies a              the scene in March 2020. Like a flash
of different conceptual frameworks            promise—a social contract—that academic          of lightning in the night, the pandemic
and analyses and an abundance of              success will lead to social and economic         revealed all the cracks and fissures hidden
pedagogical and technical solutions,          mobility, and that social and economic           in the landscape, and gave us a stark and
from assessment and accountability in         equity is imaginable and reachable.              unsparing look at the cavernous wealth
the early 2000s, to the College Scorecard        Community colleges have invested in           and attainment gap before us, in our Black
and Completion Agenda of the Obama            everything from professional development         and brown urban communities, in the
Administration in the following decade,       for teaching and learning, to growing            immigrant communities of our Gateway
to the more recent introduction of the        the next generation of leadership, more          Cities, and in our poor white communities
Guided Pathways concept.                      focused data analyses, targeted case             in the rural regions. While the struggles of
   These frameworks and solutions reflect     management and advising, technology-             these communities are not new to educators

12                                                                                                                           BHCC Magazine
77% of students fall within the two lowest
in the field, the depth of the needs, as
well as their systemic and entrenched
nature, now shapes and informs a national
conversation as never before.                  quintiles of income; generational poverty is
    The systemic deprivations predicated
on race, on class, and on the persistent
choice of private profit over public           common. Three quarters of students work,
good has eroded our social contract.
The optimism that fuels the mission of         many full-time. Three out of five are parents,
community colleges is obscured by the
dismantling of social contracts in related
sectors, in elementary and secondary
                                               half of the parents are single mothers. Last

                                                                                                54% are food
education, in housing and transportation,
in public health, in generational care.        surveyed three years ago,
The hope of community colleges in
lifting our students above the attainment
gap, in restoring their social privilege
                                               insecure;          14% are homeless.
and speeding their economic mobility,
becomes fainter when the support network
is frayed in so many other places. The         generational poverty is common. Three           of their lives. They are adults, with families
lightning bore witness to its disintegration   quarters of students work, many full-time.      to take care of. They are family strong and
in the hometowns of our students.              Three out of five are parents, half of the      economically fragile; when money runs
    Bunker Hill Community College              parents are single mothers. Last surveyed       short, college gives way to family, jobs, and
serves students from Boston and the five       three years ago, 54% are food insecure;         the urgency of survival.
Gateway Cities in the Greater Metropolitan     14% are homeless.                                  When the pandemic hit, the needs
Area. Like many large urban community            While the students know higher                were immediate, but the deprivations
colleges, 77% of students fall within          education is their path to economic and         were long-standing. Community colleges
the two lowest quintiles of income;            social mobility, college is not at the center   have evolved over past decades to

BHCC Magazine                                                                                                                              13
compensate for systemic disinvestment in         partnered with a local nonprofit to deliver      marginalized communities we serve;
our communities, building infrastructure         groceries to student’s homes, and mailed         that our students are economically fragile
on campus to address the lack of support         students grocery store gift cards.               despite their resilience.
resources in individual families and                 Faculty worried about the physical and
communities. BHCC has built libraries            mental health of their students, and how         The Vision of a Just Recovery and
and study commons, computer labs with            they were caring for their school-aged           the Community College Hub
WiFi, dining commons, clinics, food              children as they struggled with their own        Community colleges are the social,
pantries, community gathering spaces,            studies, and understood when students            economic, and educational hubs for our
offices of emergency services, emergency         were unable to appear on video in class          communities. They are no longer a stand-
housing, mental health counseling, and           because they were embarrassed about              alone educational institution. As much
many other social services that kept             their home environment.                          as the COVID lightning has revealed the
students connected.                                  Still, close to 800 students fell silent.    failure of our social and economic systems
   With a promise of open access, and            Follow-up surveying showed that logistical       in serving our communities of poverty and
the availability of physical, social, and        challenges, a digital gap, and separation        communities of color, it has also shown
cultural support infrastructure, community       from social support were among the               us a radical transformation in the nature
colleges are the social and education            main reasons for their disengagement.            of community college as holistic equity-
hub for the communities served. The              Determined that a moment of academic             minded institutions promoting community
importance of this physical and social           disarray would not undermine a                   engagement, economic mobility, and
support was validated when campuses              student’s achievements long-term, BHCC           ultimately, social equity.
closed due to the pandemic. Without a            revised academic and financial policies              The crack of lightning that was COVID
place to call home, many students went           temporarily to provide students with time        lit up the inhumane conditions in our
adrift, and our focus shifted to replicating     to acclimate and complete their courses.         communities, and brought to a crisis
as much of the Hub as possible in a                  It does not take much to disrupt a           point the systemic failures long fed by
virtual environment.                             learner’s journey—a sick child, a lost           racism and marginalization of the poor.
   In March 2020, BHCC pivoted 1,700             job, a bad WiFi connection. The                  Difficult as it is to witness the misery
classes from in-person to remote, providing      pandemic revealed what educators                 and urgent need, BHCC will seize this
students with WiFi, Chromebooks, and             attuned to their local communities have          moment of clarity to think anew about
laptops. When the College’s DISH Food            known for a long time; that equity or            the role of colleges in our community,
Pantry closed its doors, the College             fairness are rare commodities in the             and how we can be agents of change in

     Chief Equity and Compliance Officer Nahomi Carlisle Joins BHCC                                        for the 3,000+ employee
                                                                                                           agency and acted as an
                                     Carlisle, Esq., to the position     values of equity and inclusion    integral part of the executive
                                     of Associate Vice President,        in the community-at-large,        team on diversity and inclusion
                                     Chief Equity and Compliance         and within the community          goals, program development
                                     Officer, Affirmative Action         college movement regionally       and planning. She has
                                     Office, and Section 504/ADA         and nationally.                   practiced as an attorney for
                                     Coordinator at the College.                                           more than ten years with
                                                                         Prior to joining BHCC,            the legal background and
                                     In this role Carlisle provides      Carlisle served as the Director   experience to assist the
                                     vision and leadership in            of Diversity & Inclusion/         College in its compliance
                                     the integration of equity           ADA Compliance for the            work. She has a passion
                                     and cultural wealth into all        Massachusetts Department          for diversity, equity, and
                                     aspects of institutional life for   of Public Health, where she       inclusion, and has dedicated
                                     students, faculty and staff,        oversaw internal compliance       the last several years of her
     Bunker Hill Community           and will advocate on behalf of      with the Affirmative Action /     professional career to creating
     College welcomed Nahomi         the College in forwarding the       Equal Opportunity programs        sustainable equity.

14                                                                                                                             BHCC Magazine
the coming decade. We will explore the       “While the students know higher education is
changing future of the Hub—as a place of
convergence, a place of revolution, and
the home of a new social promise with
                                              their path to economic and social mobility,
our students, to honor their histories, to
activate their potential, and claim their     college is not at the center of their lives. They
place in the world.
   As we look forward toward a post-          are adults, with families to take care of. They
pandemic recovery, BHCC will remain
committed to unlocking potential for our      are family strong and economically fragile;
students by providing access and ensuring
equity in post-secondary education across     when money runs short, college gives way to
a full range of options—from non-credit
workforce training to credit-bearing          family, jobs, and the urgency of survival.“
associate degrees and certificates. n

    o learn more about the community
   T
   college hub, visit bhcc.edu/magazine

BHCC Magazine                                                                                   15
Workforce Development
                       				       Programs Meet
                       		Industry Demands
     Short-term training programs connect employers with skilled workers

16                                                                         BHCC Magazine
Economic Impact of COVID-19:
                                                 Communities of Color and Poor Hit Harder

                                                  • Unemployment rates in Massachusetts have
                                                    lowered to 7.4% (as of March 2021), down
                                                    from the June 2020 high of 17.7%, while
                                                    unemployment rates in communities of
                                                    color remain at least 7-8% higher than the
                                                    statewide average.

                                                  • For those already living in poverty (defined as
                                                    an annual household income of less than $27k),

C
                                                    unemployment rates hover around 22-23%.
            ommunity colleges play a                                                                           for a new job while
            unique role in filling local          • In certain neighborhoods, economic recovery                collecting unemployment
            workforce needs—especially              is slow: In Chinatown, unemployment rates are              benefits. Scholarships
            in Boston, with 90% of BHCC             26.8% and Boston has witnessed a 41% decline               may be available through
alumni remaining in Massachusetts                   in Black-owned business over the past year.                our Rapid Recovery and
after graduation. BHCC’s workforce                                                                             Reemployment program for
development programs have long been                                                                            these opportunities.
crucial to providing employers with
skilled graduates who are committed             professional development programs,               Short-Term Training Programs
to improving their lives and their              education opportunities, career counseling       Looking toward economic recovery from
communities. Now, the COVID-19                  services and skilled labor training for          the pandemic, BHCC quickly developed
pandemic has made such programs more            pre-college and adult learners. These            and launched a series of short-term
important than ever.                            offerings connect skilled labor to careers in    training programs designed to help people
   The impacts of COVID-19 in                   industries that desperately need them.           who are unemployed or underemployed
communities of color and on those already          “Our mission is to provide career             and those that need economic mobility get
living in poverty have proven greater than      advancement opportunities and
on other segments of the population, and        industry-leading training options to
their economic recovery has been slow.          our communities,” says McKenna.
Meanwhile, Boston’s essential industries        “We focus on closing gaps in the                Rapid Recovery and
—information technology, healthcare,            current workforce, while furthering             Reemployment Program
biotechnology and transportation—are            academic success and personal
                                                                                                BHCC’s Rapid Recovery and
working to rebuild and revamp their             achievement for our students. And
                                                                                                Reemployment Program is a unique
recruiting efforts. By aligning its workforce   because we have the privilege of
                                                                                                grant-funded program that allows
development programs with the needs of          supporting diverse, passionate and
                                                                                                students or community members
industry amidst the changes brought on          innovative communities, our variety of
                                                                                                impacted by the COVID-19 economic
by the pandemic, BHCC optimizes the             program offerings are designed to be
                                                                                                downturn to get back in the game
economic potential for students, workers        accessible, progressive and flexible.”
                                                                                                with financially supported training.
and employers.                                     BHCC program offerings range from
                                                                                                Eligible participants will have access to
   “Our ultimate goal is to increase            Google IT support to personal training
                                                                                                full tuition and materials scholarships,
economic mobility on all fronts so that         to dental assistant to HR management.
                                                                                                as well as stipend for successful
students do well and employers do well,”        The College also partners with leading
                                                                                                attendance and completion. These
says Kristen McKenna, Dean of Workforce         industry experts MassHire Career
                                                                                                short-term trainings will allow a student
and Economic Development.                       Centers and The Training Opportunity
                                                                                                to study over a shorter period of time,
   The College works closely with employer      Program to help unemployed
                                                                                                develop skills in a field, and earn an
and workforce partner agencies to provide       students develop the skills needed
                                                                                                industry-recognized credential, which
                                                                                                makes them employable quicker.

                                                                                                   Learn more at bhcc.edu/training

BHCC Magazine                                                                                                                               17
to work by learning the skills and earning
an industry-recognized certification.
   Part of the College’s Rapid Recovery
and Reemployment initiative, these short-
term training programs include a Cisco
Networking Technology Certification
course that prepares students for a
network administrator position in less
than eight weeks, Information Technology
(IT) Support Technician with A+
Certification, and various certifications
in the health professions. These include
training and certification as a Certified
Nursing Assistant, Certified Professional
in Healthcare Information and
Management Systems, Dental Assisting,
and Medical Interpreting.
   “This initiative is BHCC’s response to      Through special grant funding, BHCC          Certificates for Flourishing IT Jobs
the growing need in our community for          will cover the cost of tuition, course       In tune with the changing needs of
opportunities to fast-track learning with      materials and exam fees for those who        the technology market, BHCC recently
an accelerated program and industry-           are unemployed, Pell-grant eligible,         launched two new IT programs. Last
recognized credentials,” McKenna says.         or demonstrate financial need. Career        fall the College began offering a five-
   The short-term training programs will       counseling and job placement support         course Google IT Professional Support
be offered Summer 2021 and Fall 2021           will also be provided to students enrolled   Certificate as part of Google’s Grow with
at no cost to students who are eligible.       in the programs.                             Google initiative to prepare students for
                                                                                            an entry-level job in the fast-growing field
                                                                                            of IT support. It covers key topics from
                                                                                            troubleshooting and customer service to
                            Workforce and Economic Development                              networking, system administration, and
                            Program Offerings                                               security and operating systems. Students
                                                                                            can complete coursework at their own
                            • Adult education and college transition programs
                                                                                            pace, and earn their certificate in 2.5
                            • Test prep courses                                             months with 20 hours per week of work, or
                                                                                            in eight months with six hours per week of
                            • Online and hybrid certification programs in
                                                                                            work. Training vouchers may be available
                              Technology and Healthcare
                                                                                            for Massachusetts residents who are
                            • Career advancement, customized training programs              unemployed through MassHire.
                              and employer counseling                                          Participants in the certificate program
                                                                                            also have the opportunity to learn
                            • Language Institute with courses in English as a
                              Second Language (ESL), Spanish and more

                            • Entrepreneurship and small business support

                               Learn more at bhcc.edu/workforce

18                                                                                                                        BHCC Magazine
Somerville English as a Second Language

                                                 To support English language learners, BHCC offers no-cost English as a Second
                                                 Language classes to low-income Somerville residents through a $250K grant
                                                 from the City of Somerville’s Job Creation and Retention Trust Board. The
                                                 project, known as Somerville English Language Learners or SELL, is funded
from Google employees with unique
                                                 through collaboration with employer partners East Somerville Main Streets, the
backgrounds and perspectives whose
                                                 Community Action Coalition of Somerville and The Welcome Program. Designed
own foundation in IT support served as a
                                                 for all levels of English language learners, the SELL project focuses on career
jumping-off point for their careers. Upon
                                                 readiness, providing students the opportunity to develop customer service and
completion, students are able to apply
                                                 job-seeking skills while furthering their language skills.
for entry-level IT positions with industry
employers such as Cognizant, GE Digital,
Hulu, Info Says, Intel and Sprint.
   Also, through a collaboration with
Socratic Arts, a leader in cybersecurity     environment with the support of a                BHCC offers a broad array of courses
training education, BHCC’s office of         knowledge industry mentor and extensive       and programs geared to in-demand
Workforce and Economic Development           online learning resources. Tasks are          health careers including nursing,
launched a Cybersecurity Training            embedded in the realistic, but fictional,     medical imaging, paramedics, pharmacy
Certificate in 2021 to meet growing          context of work as an entry-level employee    technician, surgical technology, medical
industry demand. Emsi, a national labor      of a government operations agency.            assisting and interpreting. Certification
analytics firm, recently revealed the        Scholarships for this certificate program     programs are also available in Phlebotomy,
United States has less than half of the      may be available through our Rapid            Dental Assisting and EKG Technology.
cybersecurity candidates it needs to keep    Recovery and Reemployment program.            Graduates of these associate degree and
up with the burgeoning demand.                                                             certificate programs are equipped with the
   The Cybersecurity program is a            Affordable Paths to In-Demand                 skills and knowledge to find immediate
progression of three courses designed to     Health Careers                                work in high-demand health fields or to
impart a strong foundation of defensive      Boston’s healthcare and social assistance     transfer seamlessly into health degree
cybersecurity skills in 18 weeks of study    industries account for over 18% of total      programs to further their education,
at 25 hours per week. In three 6-week        employment, with five of the 10 largest       ensuring their success in competitive
courses, students learn to think like        employers being hospitals, and the            health careers now and in the future.
an attacker by exploiting a defense          demand for skilled and diverse healthcare        Among BHCC’s health programs is
contractor’s website and develop skills in   professionals is higher than ever in this     our Cardiac Sonography program, the
advanced network traffic analysis, digital   pandemic era. BHCC is prepared to             only one in Massachusetts public higher
forensics and incident response.             meet the growing demand by providing          education. This accelerated program
   Cybersecurity students work through       affordable, quality education in the health   prioritizes both quality in-class instruction
1-2 tasks per week in a cloud-based          sciences field.                               and hands-on laboratory training.
                                                                                           Students have the opportunity to work
                                                                                           with industry-grade, state-of-the-art
“Our ultimate goal is to increase economic mobility                                       medical apparatus—including ultrasound
                                                                                           machines, radiological systems, x-ray
  on all fronts,” says Kristen McKenna, Dean of                                            imaging technology and remote simulation
                                                                                           equipment—to familiarize themselves with
  Workforce and Economic Development, “so that                                             the very technologies they will encounter
                                                                                           in their careers. Many graduates of this
  students do well and employers do well.”                                                 program work at Boston’s top hospitals. n

BHCC Magazine                                                                                                                        19
Internship Pipeline
                                                   As Massachusetts employers seek to
                                                   recover from the COVID-19 pandemic,
                                                   labor market experts predict a shortage

   Lessens Equity Gap
                                                   of skilled employees needed for these
                                                   companies to grow and succeed. BHCC’s
                                                   Learn and Earn initiative connects
                                                   students—many of whom are low-income
                                                   and people of color—with paid internship
New Community College STEM Internship Initiative   opportunities at Greater Boston’s top
expands paid opportunities for BHCC students       corporations, small businesses, and
                                                   nonprofit and civic organizations. The
                                                   initiative is designed to meet supply and
                                                   demand needs by offering students hands-
                                                   on experience and the opportunity to
                                                   grow their careers while also supporting

20                                                                             BHCC Magazine
companies’ equity goals and diversifying             Unlike traditional four-year college      civic and cultural organizations such as the
the work force in growing industries.             students, BHCC students, like many           Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum, Strong
    According to the 2019 Uncovering              community college students, work in          Women in Action, and All In Energy, to
Hidden Talent report from The Boston              addition to taking their classes. Though     corporate partners such as State Street,
Foundation, many Massachusetts                    many BHCC students bring prior work          Vertex Pharmaceuticals and HubSpot.
employers, especially those in STEM               experience and cultural wealth to their         Learn and Earn interns are paid at
industries, report difficulty in hiring skilled   internship hosts, students may not have      least $18 an hour and provided a travel
workers to fill open positions. Community         reliable transportation options to pursue    stipend ranging from $200-$650. While
colleges can help by partnering with              internship opportunities, have families      employer-paid compensation is the
employers to offer work-based learning            to support, or lack the time or financial    preferred option, many small businesses,
opportunities and internships to close the        means to take on unpaid internships—         nonprofits, and civic organizations are
gap, and support its students in getting          even if the role could lead to employment    unable to pay their interns the minimum
their foot in the door.                           after graduation.                            wage required for the program. BHCC
   Community college students remain                 Since 2012, BHCC’s Learn and Earn         employs a cost-sharing model to
vastly underrepresented in STEM                   program has provided paid internship         supplement wages by securing private
internships, often getting less than 10           opportunities to BHCC students across        funding. The model has allowed BHCC
percent of internships matched through            a variety of industries. The program         to expand Learn and Earn internship
the Massachusetts Life Science Center,            has expanded to include more than 50         opportunities to these employers, and with
Clean Energy Center and Mass Tech                 employer partners ranging from nonprofit,    The Boston Foundation grant funding, will
Collaborative. These programs provide
resources and support to stimulate
STEM internships and employment
opportunities in Massachusetts. While
state universities receive $1M annually
                                                      Strong Women in Action Spotlight Award
from the Massachusetts state legislature to           Learn and Earn Internship Coordinator    “SWIA is a wonderful organization,
support internships, no equivalent funding            Katie Colello accepted the Strong        and we are thrilled to have BHCC
is earmarked for community colleges.                  Women in Action (SWIA) Spotlight         students intern there to gain hands-
   The Boston Foundation launched                     Award on behalf of the College’s Learn   on experience,“ said Colello. “The
a new Community College STEM                          and Earn program and the BHCC            organization values our students and
Internship Initiative in 2021 awarding                Foundation at the SWIA Annual Gala       provides incredible mentorship.“
grants to four local community colleges,
including BHCC. The funding, which                    SWIA is dedicated to building a strong   SWIA provides a wide range of
spans 18 months through the 2021-2022                 and effective network of partners        programs to meet the needs of
academic year, will support expansion                 and aims to empower families and         the families they serve. Their youth
of existing STEM internship initiatives               break the cycle of family poverty in     and teen programs are designed to
at the College and provide seed money                 Massachusetts by promoting pathways      empower, engage, and equip the next
for new STEM internship opportunities.                to economic independence.                generation of leaders to realize their
Through this new initiative, The Boston                                                        potential with amazing hands-on career
Foundation aims to connect community                                                           exploration, mentorship programs,
college students with better internship                                                        simulations, internship opportunities,
opportunities and focuses on removing the                                                      workshops, and experiences.
barriers community college students find
in pursuing internships in STEM.

BHCC Magazine                                                                                                                           21
allow BHCC to expand STEM internship           on their areas of expertise, and student      interns bring to their organizations as well
  opportunities for students regardless of the   recruitment. Liaisons will also work with     as guides them on how to offer effective
  employer’s ability to compensate interns.      faculty in their academic division to         and equitable support to student interns.
     In nearly 10 years of offering Learn and    introduce new and revised curricula for          Over the 18 months of funding, BHCC
  Earn internships, BHCC has learned first-      internship courses, and expand capstone       will engage the College’s Institutional
  hand the necessity of engaging employer        and bridge course offerings.                  Research to make equitable internship
  partners in the mission of the program            The Boston Foundation initiative will      opportunities a high-impact institutional
  and building trusting relationships.           enable all four colleges that received        priority by collecting and analyzing
                                                 funding to bring an intentional focus         data on STEM internship participation,
                                                 to ensuring equity in internship              disaggregated by race, gender and STEM
                                                 opportunities. BHCC has already revised       field, and continually counteracting
                                                 its employer orientation program to reflect   equity gaps. This work will inform future
The program has                                  the equity and cultural wealth framework.     practice and ensure students typically
                                                 The program demonstrates to employers         underrepresented in STEM fields have
expanded to include                              the many cultural assets BHCC student         access to internship opportunities.

more than 50
employer partners
ranging from
nonprofit, civic and
cultural organizations
and interns are paid
at least $18 an hour.

  Faculty play a critical role in developing
  meaningful internship experiences and
  curricula, and bring industry expertise and
  established relationships to the program.
  As part of The Boston Foundation’s
  new initiative, BHCC will appoint three
  faculty liaisons representing the Science,
  Engineering, and Computer Science
  Departments to support onboarding of
  new partners, alignment of required skills
  to BHCC curriculum, review student
  resumes for technical content based

  22                                                                                                                         BHCC Magazine
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