Western Mass. celebrates MassReconnect free community college program

STCC President John B. Cook, right, stands with STCC Trustee Jynai McDonald, third from left, and STCC students at a celebration for MassReconnect.

GREENFIELD, Mass. – At a celebration for a program that offers free education at community colleges for residents 25 and older, Springfield Technical Community College student Sarai Andrades stood behind a podium and shared that she will no longer have to worry about accumulating debt to get her degree.

“As a low-income Latin woman with only one income in the household and other bills to pay, I’m thrilled to qualify for the MassReconnect program,” Andrades told attendees at Greenfield Community College. “MassReconnect opens the door for me to pursue a career in the nursing field without worrying about the costs of tuition and other educational expenses. The program significantly reduces the financial burden of pursuing higher education.”

(Watch the event on YouTube. Use this link to view Sarai Andrades speaking at GCC. Read her speech using this link.)

Standing on a stage behind Andrades were Western Massachusetts community college leaders, including STCC President John B. Cook. College presidents joined students and regional lawmakers on Thursday, Aug. 31, to celebrate what GCC President Michelle Schutt described as a “monumental program for the Commonwealth.”

Schutt and other speakers touted the benefits of Gov. Maura T. Healey’s new MassReconnect program, which establishes free community college for qualifying residents as well as free community college for nursing students of any age.

In addition to President Cook and Schutt, the other Western Massachusetts community college presidents who attended were Berkshire Community College President Ellen Kennedy and HCC President George Timmons.

MassReconnect opens the door for me to pursue a career in the nursing field without worrying about the costs of tuition and other educational expenses Sarai Andrades, STCC student

The event also drew representatives for Massachusetts Department of Higher Education Commissioner Noe Ortega and regional lawmakers: State Sen. Adam Gomez (D-Springfield); State Sen. Jake Oliveira (D-Ludlow), State Rep. Shirley Arriaga (D-Chicopee), who is an STCC alumna; State Sen. Jo Comerford (D-Northampton); State Rep. Pat Duffy (D-Holyoke); and MassReconnect students from other community colleges.

Other STCC students benefiting from MassReconnect who attended the GCC event were Destiny Santos, who hopes to study nursing, and Bradley De Jesus, who is interested in pursuing a degree in a science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) field.

The GCC event follows the official state-wide launch in August of the Healey Administration’s MassReconnect program.

To qualify for MassReconnect, students must be 25 or older on the first day of their classes and be a permanent Massachusetts resident for at least one year at the start of the enrolled term. The program is limited to residents who have not previously earned a college degree (associate or bachelor’s) who enroll in at least six credits per semester in an approved program of study leading to an associate degree or certificate at a community college.

For the first year, the state has allocated $20 million for MassReconnect. The funding covers the full cost of tuition and fees and includes an allowance for books and supplies for qualifying students.

The state budget also includes money to fund free community college for nursing students of any age.

In an interview with WAMC radio, President Cook noted that the average student age at STCC is 26. Many STCC students who are enrolled at the college will immediately benefit from MassReconnect, while others in the Greater Springfield area will have an opportunity to return to college at no cost to them starting this fall. The fall semester starts Tuesday, Sept. 5.

“MassReconnect is very much in our wheelhouse at STCC. It is a remarkable initiative that gives access to a college degree to anyone 25 or older who wanted a college education, but could never afford it,” Cook said. “The governor’s program reconnects adults across the Commonwealth to higher education. This is an invitation for them to come back and consider the pathway that higher education offers them. Thank you to the Healey Administration and our legislators for making this possible.”

To learn more about MassReconnect, visit stcc.edu/pay-for-college/massreconnect. For questions, call STCC Admissions at (413) 755-3333.

About Springfield Technical Community College

STCC, the Commonwealth's only technical community college, continues the pioneering legacy of the Springfield Armory with comprehensive and technical education in manufacturing, STEM, healthcare, business, social services, and the liberal arts. STCC's highly regarded workforce, certificate, degree, and transfer programs are the most affordable in Springfield and provide unequaled opportunity for the vitality of Western Massachusetts. Founded in 1967, the college – a designated Hispanic Serving Institution – seeks to close achievement gaps among students who traditionally face societal barriers. STCC supports students as they transform their lives through intellectual, cultural, and economic engagement while becoming thoughtful, committed and socially responsible graduates.

MEDIA CONTACT:

Jim Danko, (413) 755-4812, jdanko@stcc.edu

• See All News