Alumni Spotlights

Maria Brodeur
  • Meet Maria Brodeur

  • 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 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.
Nina Nunes
  • Meet Nina Nunes

  • 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 BCC that changed my life the most," she says. "The intimate support you get from the instructors and from the college itself is invaluable."
Michael Hruby
  • Meet Michael Hruby

  • Massage Therapy
  • When Pittsfield native Michael Hruby graduated Wahconah High School in 2018, he began taking engineering classes at BCC. 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, BCC professor of psychology. Michael met Wayne while volunteering at Massachusetts Public Interest Research Group.
Kate Lauzon Profile
  • Meet Kate Lauzon

  • Liberal Arts
  • If there's one word to describe Kate Lauzon, it's driven. A 2020 graduate of Berkshire 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 BCC, which involved plenty of soul-searching and switching majors.
Leah Brooks Portrait
  • Meet Leah Brooks

  • Early Childhood Education
  • Even as a little girl, Leah knew she wanted to pursue a teaching career. It runs in the family: both her grandparents were teachers, and her uncle is a college professor. Born and raised in Becket, MA, Leah attended public schools in Lee. After completing a high school internship in Lee Elementary School, going to college and majoring in early childhood education seemed like the perfect fit - but not without its challenges.