Student Program: Liberal Arts & Sciences

Jonathan Blouin

The Gateway to College program offered me the second chance I needed and that little extra push to get my schedule in order.

Kyle Deane

A huge part of it for me was the tuition break… but also the expectations, like the GPA, were just another driving factor. It was almost like a challenge – a personal challenge to adhere to the guidelines and in that same vein keep your eye on the prize and work towards a dream you have.

Bella Ballin

29 Who Shine Award Recipient Bella Ballin Recognized at State House Ceremony

At just 18, graduating scholar Bella Ballin has already reached many milestones. Last week, as MWCC’s recipient of the Massachusetts Department of Higher Education’s “29 Who Shine” award, she achieved another.

“I fist-bumped the governor and that was the highlight of my day,” she said with a smile.

Ballin, who will graduate from MWCC on May 18 with an associate degree in Liberal Arts: Chemical Science, and on May 20 with her high school diploma through the college’s Pathways Early College Innovation School, was among the 29 public college and university honorees recognized during the sixth annual celebration at the State House. She and her MWCC mentor, Academic Counselor Natalie Mercier of the Division of Access & Transition, were recognized by Gov. Charlie Baker and top education officials during the May 9 ceremony.

“Lieutenant Governor Karyn Polito and I congratulate all 29 of the 2016 award recipients and thank them for their substantial contributions to their campuses and local communities,” Governor Baker said. “Each of the 29 Who Shine honorees represent our future citizenry and workforce and have already made a positive impact on the Commonwealth.”

Diagnosed at age 16 with Multiple Sclerosis, Ballin chose to accelerate the pace of her education by tapping into the opportunities available through MWCC’s unique Pathways program, which has allowed her to simultaneously earn her high school diploma and an associate degree at no cost through school choice funding.

At MWCC, she has been named to the President’s List every semester for maintaining a perfect 4.0 grade point average. She served as a math and chemistry tutor within MWCC’s Academic Support Center, as president of the student math Club, and has volunteered at the Boys & Girls Club of Fitchburg and Leominster. Additionally, she participated in MWCC’s Leadership Camp, Leadership Retreat and Women in Leadership forum. This spring, Bella was named to Who’s Who Among Students in American Universities and Colleges and received the MWCC Alumni Award.

She was accepted into numerous four-year institutions and plans to transfer this fall to Carnegie Mellon University to pursue a bachelor’s degree in science, then return to Massachusetts to build a career in science.

“It’s exciting to see how this exceptional group of student leaders have chosen to put their brainpower and civic engagement to work in so many different ways that benefit our state — through STEM, through the arts, and through teaching, and medicine,” said Secretary of Education Jim Peyser. “We wish all of them well in their next steps, whether in their careers or additional scholarly pursuits.”

Jennifer Guerriero

Jennifer Guerriero initially went to college immediately after high school. Not knowing what she wanted to major in, Jennifer was encouraged to pursue an accounting major as she was good at math. The degree turned out to be a bad fit and after a year and a half she stopped going and went to hairdressing school. She was a hairdresser for a long time and eventually worked her way up to having her own business, but she wanted something else. She wanted to go back to school.

“When my youngest (child) finally went to school full-time, I felt like I needed to do something for myself. I always wanted to finish up my degree,” Jennifer said.

Despite her kids still being young, as a returning student Jennifer found the flexibility offered at the Mount allowed her to succeed.  Classes at the Mount run at various times, allowing people to figure out the schedule that works best for them. And if there was a class I couldn’t get into the classroom for, Jennifer was able to take it online.

“There’s quite an array of online classes and I took quite a few,” Jennifer said. “I was always able to fit every class I needed into my schedule, even with working.”

Danielle Waseleski

Danielle Waseleski graduated in May with her associate degree in liberal arts. While she was at Mount Wachusett Community College she had work-study positions with different departments. She found this to be a convenient way to fit in a job while attending school.

“I’ll go to my classes, then I’ll go to work around lunchtime, go to my classes again, then continue working until whatever time they need,” she said. “It’s just so much easier working at the school so you don’t have to commute to other places.”

Federal Work-Study (FWS) is a type of financial aid designed to assist students with the cost of college, including tuition, fees, transportation and books.  Most students who participate in work-study work ten to twelve hours per week. Positions take place on-campus or off-campus at one of MWCC’s non-profit community service partners.

Danielle started as a student ambassador doing tours of campus, filing documents, and helping out with special events. She since moved her way up to being an office assistant for Admissions where she handles outreach to other students.

“If you’re thinking about going to the Mount, I would definitely recommend doing it, for sure. It’s been one of the best experiences of my life getting my associate degree at the Mount,” Danielle said.

Emily Lapinskas

Beginning at MWCC saved me a huge amount of money and all of my credits transferred. The Mount provided a good foundation for me to build upon.