- Human Services
- It's often said that the best counselors are those who have overcome adversity themselves. That theory will likely ring true one day for Julia Kalinowsky, a 23-year-old Pittsfield native who recently graduated from »Æ¹ÏÊÓƵ Community College with an associate degree in Human Services.
- Nursing
- Some people seem born to help others. Maria Brodeur, who has worked as a nurse for 42 years, is one of them. At just 15 years old, the Pittsfield native began volunteering at »Æ¹ÏÊÓƵ Medical Center (BMC) in the medical records department. "I always felt that I wanted to help people. I found myself to be very empathetic and compassionate," says Maria, who credits her mentor at BMC, Tina Huggins, with encouraging her to launch a career in nursing.
- Physical Therapist Assistant
- Nina Nunes, no stranger to higher education, has earned two associate degrees, a bachelor's degree and a master's degree. But of all those degrees, "it was the Physical Therapist Assistant (PTA) associate degree from »Æ¹ÏÊÓƵ that changed my life the most," she says. "The intimate support you get from the instructors and from the college itself is invaluable."
- Massage Therapy
- When Pittsfield native Michael Hruby graduated Wahconah High School in 2018, he began taking engineering classes at »Æ¹ÏÊÓƵ. He enjoyed his classes, but he soon realized it was not the path for him. "I'm not a sitting down kind of guy. I couldn't imagine sitting behind a cubicle all day," he says. He started thinking about pursuing physical therapy but wasn't sure he wanted to commit to five years of education. Enter Wayne Klug, »Æ¹ÏÊÓƵ professor of psychology. Michael met Wayne while volunteering at Massachusetts Public Interest Research Group.
- Liberal Arts
- If there's one word to describe Kate Lauzon, it's driven. A 2020 graduate of »Æ¹ÏÊÓƵ Community College, Kate has had rocky points in her life, but she's overcome adversity and is on a mission to succeed. "It's always been me that has had to pick up the pieces, and I have always worked hard for everything I have," she says. That includes her five years at »Æ¹ÏÊÓƵ, which involved plenty of soul-searching and switching majors.