Subscribe to MWCC News On May 30, 2025, Mount Wachusett Community College (MWCC) celebrated the achievements of its Early College Program graduates. The Gateway to College and Pathways Early College Experience programs have played an integral role in shaping the futures of fifty-one exceptional students, twenty-four of whom earned an associate degree.
Gateway to College, which is completing 19 years of programming, serves students wishing to enter post-secondary education while earning their high school diploma and college credits. To date, 608 students have graduated from the Gateway program, with 38 students graduating this year. Of these, 16 graduates earned their associate degree and/or certificate from MWCC just two weeks ago.
“This graduating class stands as a testament to what is possible when access meets opportunity,” Fagan Forhan, Dean, K-12 Partnerships & Civic Engagement. “We are here to honor your accomplishments and to recognize the community of educators, leaders, and partners who have made this possible.”
“Early College at MWCC has grown by leaps and bounds since the state began designating programs. We are incredibly proud of these programs and of the students who are here today graduating from our two-year, full-time, early college programs,” stated James Vander Hooven, President of MWCC. “You have spent a good amount of your high school career here on our campus and we have had the privilege of watching you collectively redefine the high school experience and what it can and should look like for students today.”
“It takes tremendous partnerships, relationships and trust to be able to put these programs together to be as successful as they are for our students and this work would not be possible without the deep relationship we have with Gardner Public Schools,” Vander Hooven continued. “We are grateful for the innovation, partnership, and the tremendous impact that our collective work is having on the student experience. Thank you to Mark Pellegrino, Superintendent of Gardner Public Schools, Paula Bolger, Principal of Gardner High School, and Melissa Paine, College & Career Readiness Coordinator of Gardner Public Schools, for all that you do to break down the barriers and to make these programs a reality for so many students.”
“I couldn’t be more proud of you all,” Mayor Michael Nicholson told students. “Each of you have your own story and your own experiences that got you here today, and you will carry them with you. I can’t wait to see how you carry that forward from this ceremony into the rest of your lives.”
“Gateway to College and Pathways Early College Experience are two wonderful programs that allow students in Gardner to choose a different option for their high school experience,” Superintendent Pellegrino stated. “Congratulations to the Class of 2025 and thank you to MWCC for being such a wonderful, creative partner that gives these opportunities to our students. We couldn’t ask for a better partnership.”
Graduates from Gateway will continue their educational journey at a variety of institutions, including Worcester State, Salem State, Dean College, Emmanuel College, Fitchburg State, UMass Boston, trade schools, and MWCC. Several students will also be joining the military or entering the workforce.
Gateway to College valedictorian was Megan Prachniak of Holden. Prachniak earned her diploma and Associate of Science in Interdisciplinary Studies and plans to attend the Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences in an accelerated pharmacy doctoral program with the goal of working in pharmaceutical research.
The Pathways Early College Experience, entering its 15th year this fall, allows high school students to earn both a high school diploma and an associate degree simultaneously during their junior and senior years. Since its inception in 2010, Pathways has seen 211 students graduate, including 13 from the Class of 2025. These graduates will continue their education at prestigious institutions such as Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI), UMass Dartmouth, UMass Boston, Columbia University, Fitchburg State, Westfield State, Merrimack College, and many more.
Graduates of the Pathways program have had great success, with 75% of them going on to earn bachelor’s degrees. The program was initially launched in collaboration with the Ralph C. Mahar Regional School District and has since partnered with Gardner Public Schools in 2019.
Olivia Wentworth of Fitchburg was the Pathways Early College valedictorian and is graduating with her diploma and Associate of Science in Interdisciplinary Studies degree. Wentworth committed to playing softball at the University of Massachusetts Boston while majoring in information technology with a focus on digital forensics in pursuit of a career as an intelligence analyst.
Both Gateway to College and Pathways have made a significant impact on students’ lives, offering them the opportunity to pursue higher education while overcoming challenges and achieving their academic goals.
For more information about the Early College Programs at Mount Wachusett Community College, mwcc.edu.
The Gateway to College Class of 2025 members who earned their diploma are:
Liara N. Alves Diaz, Gardner
Parker Donald Bolden, Hubbardston
Sarah Leeanne Bunton, Hubbardston
Katelin Charland, Hubbardston
Juanita De Aquino Mejia, Fitchburg
Mars Deans, Westford
Willow Duquette-Holmes, Berlin
Rikki Marie Eringi White, Templeton
Olivia Rachel Gallant, Barre
Lillian Marie Hardy, Orange
Isabella Herrick, Ayer
Frederick Everett Jenoure IV, New Braintree
Aiden Michael Kenney, Orange
Michael James Kuehl, Phillipston
Caleb LeGrand, Townsend
Jesuel Jose Malave Burgos, Fitchburg
Leah Tamar Myrthil, Gardner
Cameron Citlali Ramos, Clinton
Kirill Dmitrievich Strunkin, Sterling
Amanda Thompson, Lunenburg
Alexis Maria Tucceri, Townsend
Max Ryan Franco Zeppa, Fitchburg
Gateway graduates also receiving a diploma, associate degree and certificate are:
Kiara Anializ Alicea-Roman, Fitchburg
Isabelle Bento, Holden
Sophia Annelis Ulloa, Gardner
Gateway graduates receiving a diploma and associate degree are:
Hannah Fowler, Athol
Nayah Liz Islam Espinosa, Rutland
Nickolas J. Jakoulov, Westminster
David Kjornes, Winchendon
Mason Jeffrey Lucia, West Brookfield
Kazim Fraz Mehmud, Gardner
Megan Grace Prachniak, Holden
Fiorella Rodriguez, Westford
Gateway graduates receiving a diploma and certificate are:
Sam Larkin Fessenden, Athol
Jackson Fitzpatrick Griffith, Gardner
Emily Rose Jones, Ayer
Brayden Thomas Swanson, Athol
Aiyana Tabales, Fitchburg
The Pathways Early College Class of 2025 members who earned their diploma and associate degree are:
Angelar Lunie Bazile, Sterling
Eli Rose Butler, Gardner
Josue Diaz Saldarriaga, Gardner
Riley Elizabeth Forhan, Lancaster
Kiley Mary Marie Kulesza, Rutland
Jaiden Timothy Lopez, Gardner
Syeira Kayelen Phillips, Fitchburg
Kalea Nicole Reilly, Ashburnham
Delaney Marie Smith, Westminster
Nathaniel Monahan Soucy, Monson
Olivia Joy Wentworth, Fitchburg
Pathways graduates who earned their diploma, associate degree, and a certificate are:
Alyssa Jean Goulet, Barre
Gavryela Mora, Fitchburg
In addition to the Gateway to College and Pathways Early College Experience graduates, homeschool graduate Julien Nordstrom-Learnard of Hubbardston was presented with their diploma during the ceremony.