CONNECT SYMPOSIUMFEDERAL RESERVE BANK OF BOSTON

Janice M. Bonanno

Associate Vice President of Student Services

Bunker Hill Community College

January 19, 2012

Community College Students

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

Poverty– 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

Poverty (Cont’d.)– 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– 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

Massachusetts community colleges are chronically underfunded in serving emerging populations that contribute to regional workforce– 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

– 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

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

Community colleges are an integral part of the workforce development system

Innovative-based industry clusters drive the Massachusetts economy– 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

There has been a:– 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

Massachusetts Competitive Partnership– 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

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; HR training; IT; social media marketing; paralegal; engineering

Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics (STEM)

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

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)– 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

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:– Food stamps; health insurance,– Financial counseling– Free tax preparation (tax credits)– Legal assistance (housing issues)

Program impact – 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

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

There have been 798 participants from 112 countries The top countries include: Haiti, China, Brazil, Nepal,

Nigeria, Russia, Philippines, Ukraine, Ethiopia, Puerto Rico

LPN 38 RN ASN 102 RN BSN 45 Employment: 142 of the 185 graduates were employed at

the time of graduation in hospitals and other health care facilities