March 30, 2017
Berkshire Money Management, Inc. (BMM), a locally based investment advisory firm,
gifted $7,740.00 to 18 students currently enrolled in Berkshire Community College’s
nursing program.
"The magnitude of this donation is very, very small compared to all the education and skill development of the people helping to treat us. But it’s a two-fold step in the right direction,” said BMM President Allen Harris. "I was born at a local hospital. I’ve been treated at local hospitals. I intend to retire in the Berkshires and I know all of us will need medical treatment in the years to come. And we need the best possible treatment. For ourselves and for our loved ones."
Several nursing students, including Lesline Rostick, attended the presentation at the college’s state-of-the-art SIM lab. Rostick, who has a husband who works and a 7-year-old son, said that the gift was "a big weight off" her shoulders.
"When I heard that we were getting this money, I breathed a sigh of relief,” she said. “We are thrilled. All of us."
Nursing faculty and staff, including Director of Nursing Tochi Ubani and BCC President Ellen Kennedy also attended the presentation.
"This gift is a true difference-maker for BCC nursing students who will soon embark on the next phase of their careers,” said Kennedy. “This support will underwrite the costs for this year’s graduates of BCC’s Practical Nurse Certification Program to take required licensure exams. This generosity will allow our students to focus on exam preparation ─ without worrying about how to afford the costly testing and certification process. The partnership is a wonderful example of how area businesses and educational institutions can work together to foster successful student outcomes."
The donation to the nursing program is part of Berkshire Money Management, Inc.’s continued commitment to the dedicated healthcare employees living and working in the region.