Page 20 - BusinessWest April 3, 2023

“I’m incredibly excited about this,” she added. “Reconnecting with those people who have some college but no degree and letting them know that there’s a new opportunity here has great potential for the community colleges and GCC specifically.”
Rick Sullivan, president and CEO of the West- ern Massachusetts Economic Development Coun- cil, agreed.
Using similar language, he said MassRecon- nect could have broad and powerful impact over time, providing benefits for the region, its employ- ers, and both community colleges and the four- year institutions for which they are feeders.
Based on initiatives in Michigan and Ten- nessee, the MassReconnect proposal actually goes further than those programs by covering more than just tuition; it also covers mandatory fees, books, and various support services. It is designed to remove barriers to getting the college degree that is needed to succeed in most jobs today, and it holds significant promise to just that, said those we spoke with.
Cook told BusinessWest that the average age of a student at STCC is 26, a statistic that might
surprise some, but certainly helps explain the thinking behind MassReconnect and its potential impact.
“This idea is right in our wheelhouse,” he noted. “This is a group of adults, many of whom have college credits, that we really want to encourage to come and take another look at college.”
Indeed, he went on, for many individuals over age 25, there are now many competing forces when it comes to the weekly budget, and for a good number of them, higher education is some- thing that doesn’t make the cut. MassReconnect, as he noted earlier, provides people an opportu- nity to rethink college education.
“There are many students who might just have the perception that they are priced out,” he said. “And when we give them a chance to look at this, they might realize, ‘OK, that business degree is not out or my reach,’ or ‘maybe a manufacturing program isn’t going to be too big a lift for me.’”
Ripple Effects
Royal concurred, and noted that MassRecon- nect will bring more
“Massachusetts, as a state, needs to move beyond the notion that everything requires a bachelor’s degree.”
“Reconnecting with those people who have some college but no degree and letting them know that there’s a new opportunity here has great potential for the community colleges and GCC specifically.”
attention to the state’s community colleges — and the careers that indi- viduals can access with two years (or less) of col- lege education.
“Massachusetts, as a state, needs to move beyond the notion that everything requires a bachelor’s degree,” she told BusinessWest. “There are many jobs
where an associate degree would either elevate their wages or help them gain a footing toward a career change or a particular job.”
Cook agreed, and said he considers MassRe- connect to be an investment in the state’s commu- nity colleges and a huge opportunity to introduce more individuals to the value of the education provided by these schools and their ability to help open doors.
“At this price point, and with our class sizes, you won’t find a better deal,” he told BusinessWest.
Schutt noted that these arguments and oth- ers have been born out in other states where the notion of free community college has become reality, especially Michigan, which adopted a model on which MassReconnect is based and has had it in place for three years now. She said that state has measured its success in many ways.
“From the number of people who came to
CHRISTINA ROYAL
MICHELLE SCHUTT
Reconnect
Continued on page 22
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