This year, our Lenten Gift to MassBay Community College Foundation’s “Essential Needs Fund” will help students prepare for a successful future regardless of economic barriers. Throughout Lent, in the bulletin and on the website, we will share this story with you as we prepare for our collaborative-wide Special Second Collection March 21-22.
Many of us picture college in a familiar way. We think of dorm rooms, meal plans, walking to class, and maybe a part-time job for extra money. For those who went to college this way, the basics were covered, and that made learning easier.
For most students at MassBay Community College, college looks very different.
Each year, MassBay serves more than 5,000 students, including over 500 from Wellesley, Natick, Newton, and Needham. Many come from underserved communities, and 43% are the first in their families to attend college. Almost 40% come from households earning less than $60,000 a year. The average student is 26 years old.
These students balance more than schoolwork. Many are working full or part-time jobs. Some are raising children or caring for parents. Many are doing all of this at once. They travel to campus with full lives behind them and show up ready to learn.
“As a Certified Nursing Assistant working per diem night shifts while completing my nursing prerequisites at MassBay, I have experienced firsthand the challenges of having to choose between buying groceries and purchasing textbooks, between paying for transportation and covering other essential expenses.”
-Claire, majoring in General Studies with the goal of applying to MassBay’s nursing program.
Students come to MassBay because of it’s flexibility and the opportunities it offers. These students are capable, focused and highly motivated. They know education can lead to a better future for themselves, their families, and their communities. Their commitment is remarkable.
But commitment alone does not remove every barrier or pay for the real costs of staying in school and succeeding.
Next week, we will look more closely at the hidden costs that make staying in college so hard for many students.
