Alumni Spotlights

"I never adapted well in high school because I never understood the social hierarchy. That's a critical way BCC has helped me, aside from giving me real-world tools and real-world scenarios. It's a new experience. You get to shed that old shell or find a new one. You walk away stronger than you were before ..."

If ever there were an alum who reveres BCC, it would be John Bresnahan '74. Not only did he and his sister and brother matriculate from BCC, but all four of his children also attended BCC. "I wasn't quite sure of the path I wanted, other than I wanted a baccalaureate degree. I decided to start with my associate degree at BCC..."

When Morgan Goodell was 16 years old, her dad, a volunteer in the Clarksburg Fire Department, brought her to work to show her what firefighters do. It was a pivotal moment. "They were all geared up and practicing wall breaches. I remember thinking it was really cool, and I wanted to do it too."

It's often said that the best counselors are those who have overcome adversity themselves. That theory will likely ring true one day for Julia Kalinowsky, a 23-year-old Pittsfield native who recently graduated from Berkshire Community College with an associate degree in Human Services.

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.