Spotlights

You might not guess that a systems engineer at General Dynamics has a passion for art. But for Mike Kusek, making paintings is second nature. Currently enrolled at BCC as a fine arts/visual arts major, Mike is well on his way to an associate degree - a degree that complements a bachelor of science degree he earned almost 20 years ago at Central State Connecticut University. There, he was a computer science major with a minor in mathematics.

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 Berkshire 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.

Marsha Estabrook-Adams grew up in the bucolic town of Malden Bridge in Columbia County, NY and graduated from New Lebanon High School. After high school graduation, she spent a few years doing office work for engineering companies. But in the late 1980s, when she found herself unemployed, she used the opportunity to make a career change and enter the field of Health Information Management (HIM).

As Berkshire Community College carefully emerges from the pandemic, campus projects continue to improve the efficiency, aesthetics and safety of the College. Such projects include critical infrastructure upgrades, architectural improvements and replacement of windows, roofs, carpeting and more.

In 1982, Ronald Reagan was president, Michael Jackson's album "Thriller" topped the charts and "Cheers" debuted on network television. It was also the year Janet Collins, fresh out of college, got a job at BCC as a computer lab assistant. A graduate of the BCC Class of 1980, Janet went on to graduate North Adams State College (now MCLA) with a bachelor of science degree in computer science. Having grown up in North Adams, it was a natural choice, and she wanted to stay local for her career.