The project developed by Pereira, Schrump, Roller and Van Deusen focuses on fostering a supportive environment at BCC by holding a forum on student self-care, stress reduction and the balancing of academic and personal lives. The forum, titled VENT: Self-Care for the Engaged Student, is a combination of peer-to-peer support and presentations about resources on and off campus for managing academic troubles, community relations, personal issues, and future plans to increase our students' capacity to be engaged student-citizens in the community. VENT is scheduled for Tuesday, December 7th at noon in BCC's room H-207.

NECC is a consortium working together to provide enhanced opportunities for its members, which include colleges and universities in Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Vermont. A nonprofit coalition, NECC is committed to developing the civic skills of students, building partnerships with the community, and integrating civic engagement with teaching and research. Mini-grants were also awarded to students at Brandeis University, Middlebury College and Mount Holyoke College.

For more information on VENT, contact Mary Parkman, BCC's Service-Learning Coordinator, at 413-236-2176 or mparkman@berkshirecc.edu.