Page 16 - BusinessWest August 19, 2024

“Think about the impact on people in Massachusetts who will be paying taxes, earning livable wages, and entering the middle class and beyond, who otherwise would not be able to do so.”
had a way last year to build a line of sight toward this out- come. Many, many people saw the value and benefit, and that helped us arrive here today.”
Degrees of Progress
Timmons noted that community colleges in Massachu- setts saw an 8% enrollment bump in 2023 following pas- sage of MassReconnect — and 45% among the over-25 crowd. That was heartening in more ways than one; not only did colleges benefit, but the program was actively tar- geting the fact that some 750,000 Massachusetts adults have started a college degree but not finished it.
“That seemed like low-hanging fruit, and MassRecon- nect really bears evidence of that,” he said, before noting that MassEducate has, at its heart, the same goals of access and equity.
“I’m so passionate about this work of education. It is the great equalizer. Once you have an education and all the rights and privileges of that degree, you can earn a liv- able, sustainable wage, you can take care of yourself and your family, and you can literally change the trajectory of a family. You’re not only changing your own life, but the lives of your children and your grandchildren.
“That’s amazing,” he went on. “Think about the impact on people in Massachusetts who will be paying taxes, earning livable wages, and entering the middle class and beyond, who otherwise would not be able to do so. And from a workforce-development standpoint, employers are getting a much more educated and prepared workforce to do the work that is needed.”
Graduates can connect with those jobs in more than one way, Cook said, noting that some might not realize they can enter good careers at a sub-bachelor’s level, in
fields ranging from STEM to healthcare, and now do it without debt.
“And we know that our baccalaureate partners will also be the recipients down the road when students trans- fer. We look forward to that. This is just so significant
for Massachusetts,” he added. “The term I use is, com- munity colleges can become an equity engine for higher education.”
At STCC, where more than half the population are stu- dents of color, many of whom are first-generation college students in their families, the idea that even more stu- dents, especially those from lower-income families, may be able to access and education and a career is exciting, Cook said. “MassConnect demonstrated that, when you can get people’s attention, you will get the outcomes that you want.”
One challenge now, Timmons said, is to make sure new students at HCC have the resources they need to succeed (see opinion on page 10).
“With an influx of students, we have to focus on suc- cess and completion and how to scale up our support services for students. We’ve dealt with equity and access. Now, how do we remove the barriers to get them across the finish line and right out into the workforce or transfer- ring to a four-year institution? These are good problems to have. I’d rather have these problems than not have them. And over time, we’ll address them as we need to.
“There’s still time to enroll,” Timmons was quick to add. “All you have to do is approach your local community college, express interest, and as long as they meet the program requirements and follow the steps, anyone in Massachusetts can start a new path toward a better way of life, which is pretty exciting for me.” BW
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