CONNECT SYMPOSIUM
FEDERAL RESERVE BANK OF BOSTON
Janice M. Bonanno
Associate Vice President of Student Services
Bunker Hill Community College
January 19, 2012
Community College Students
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National Center for Educational Statistics identifies
non- traditional students as those who:
– Delay their college enrollment after high school;
work full-time; have dependents; are single parents;
are first in family to attend college
For some of the students who we want to move to
middle skill levels, English is not their first language or
they cannot speak English; they are Veterans; and
some have been incarcerated
Most likely, they are academically underprepared for
college and come from poor families
Public Policy Issues Related to
Community College Students
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Poverty
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According to the US Census, more than 46 million people in
the USA live below the poverty level
Almost 75% of all community college students in
Massachusetts qualify as being in low income families
According to an American Council on Education Brief, 81% of
community college students must work an average of 30
hours per week while going to school
Various studies have found that most students leave College
due to financial reasons, yet there are plans to reduce Pell
Grant eligibility in FY 2012
Public Policy Issues Continued
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Poverty (Cont’d.)
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Contrast those facts to an Education Trust Report, indicating that
75 % of students from the top income quartile receive a
Bachelor’s degree by age 24
Immigrants
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Youth who are brought to this country by their parents and
graduate from high school here need to pay in-state tuition at our
public colleges and universities
Immigrant students will stay, work, and contribute to our
communities
This is a potential source of skilled labor that our country cannot
afford to waste
Public Policy Issues Continued
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Massachusetts community colleges are chronically
underfunded in serving emerging populations that
contribute to regional workforce
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There is insufficient classroom space; BHCC midnight courses
The facilities are in need of maintenance and equipment
Focused and targeted funds received would be invested in our
state’s and region’s future, such as the Vision Project
Workforce development system
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There is wide agreement that the workforce development
system is too diffuse for individuals to navigate
The monies flow to no less that 40 – 50 different agencies
spread across the State
New Recognition of Community College Value
to Massachusetts Economic Development
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Governor Patrick appointed an Economic
Development Planning Council in spring 2011
The Council was a collaborative effort of individuals
and institutions in the public and private sectors,
including academia
The meetings were open and attended by business,
education, and union representatives
The Council issued a very significant report in
November 2011
Findings from Report
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Community colleges are an integral part of the
workforce development system
Innovative-based industry clusters drive the
Massachusetts economy
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Well-established industry sectors
 Health Care; higher education, technology, financial
services,
Emerging sectors
 Life sciences, clean energy, creative economy
The report recommends increasing education and
workforce development for middle-skills jobs through
regional collaboration among these sectors
Massachusetts Community College
Gains Sited in Report
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There has been a:
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21.3% increase in the number of degrees awarded
in past five years
36.6% increase in the number of certificates
awarded in past five years
18.9% increase in the number of workforce courses
delivered in past five years
26.8% increase in number of individuals
participating in workforce development /job skills
training
Bunker Hill Community College Initiatives
Addressing Public Policy Issues
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Massachusetts Competitive Partnership
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Is a non-profit, non-partisan, public policy group comprised of
CEOs of some of the Commonwealth’s largest businesses
Goals are to promote job growth and competitiveness in the
Commonwealth, working in collaboration with public officials,
business and civic leaders in Massachusetts
The Massachusetts Competitive Partnership collaboration with
Bunker Hill Community College is a unique corporate/higher
education workforce development model
BHCC and Massachusetts Competitive
Partnership - Model
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Is a pilot program that includes Raytheon, Suffolk Construction;
State Street Bank; BJ’s Wholesale Club, and EMC
Major component of the program is an Learn and Earn Program
– BHCC provides focused workforce curriculum
Corporations provide job opportunities for students.
A supervisor and mentor are assigned to the students and group
learning sessions are arranged by the companies
Companies offer paid student internships and transportation
stipends
Assignments identified to date include: Finance; sales operations;
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HR training; IT; social media marketing; paralegal; engineering
Science, Technology, Engineering,
Mathematics (STEM)
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BHCC Biotechnology Programs received the endorsement of the
Mass Life Science Education Consortium for BHCC’s work in
aligning college programs with industry needs
BHCC students participate in summer internships in Biology, Bio
technology, Chemistry, Bio Medical Engineering, and Engineering
Internships are provided at Tufts, MIT, BU, UMass Boston,
Harvard, Dana Farber, Brandies
BHCC is a partner in the Urban Massachusetts Lewis Stokes
Alliance for Minority Participation Grant
– Grant targets under-represented students of color
– BHCC delivers the curriculum including study groups
– Students receive a stipend for internship at research labs
BHCC Best Practices – Student
Emergency Assistance Fund
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Initiated by President Fifield in 2009 through a Met Life
Grant, institutional funding, and a contribution from the
College’s Student Government Association
Provids grants up to $1,000 per year; average award $730
Funded emergencies include: unanticipated job loss;
housing situation changed; health issue; natural disaster; T
pass/auto, glasses broken, family crisis (such as change in
day care)
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Retention is up to 22% higher for recipients
Successful course completion rate is up to 12% higher
Best Practices – Single Stop USA
and Bunker Hill Community College
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Is a National non-profit organization that partners with trusted
community colleges to obtain private funding that will enable the
community college to connect students and their families with
state and federal resources such as:
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Food stamps; health insurance,
Financial counseling
Free tax preparation (tax credits)
Legal assistance (housing issues)
Program impact
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Enables Bunker Hill Community College to help more students
address economic barriers so more students will graduate
Lifts families out of poverty and helps them achieve economic mobility
BHCC Best Practices – Welcome
Back Center
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Mission
The Welcome Back Center assists internationally
educated nurses who are Massachusetts residents
who earned their credentials outside of the United
States to obtain Massachusetts state licensure so they
can re-enter the nursing workforce.
The Program is a partnership with Roxbury Community
College, Mass Bay Community College, UMass
Boston, and the Department of Higher Education
Welcome Back Center Demographics
and Accomplishments Since 2006
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There have been 798 participants from 112 countries
The top countries include: Haiti, China, Brazil, Nepal,
Nigeria, Russia, Philippines, Ukraine, Ethiopia, Puerto
Rico
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LPN
RN ASN
RN BSN
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Employment: 142 of the 185 graduates were employed at
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38
102
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the time of graduation in hospitals and other health
care facilities