Student Spotlights

At an age when most of his peers have recently finished high school or perhaps just started college, Ethan Trautman has not only graduated from BCC - he has done so as valedictorian. The 18-year-old is the youngest valedictorian ever to matriculate from BCC. The honor came as a bit of a surprise for Ethan, who didn’t think he was eligible because he graduated in the summer. “I got the email with the news and had to look at it three times,” he laughs.

For Craig Williams, the path to college has been one with many twists and turns. Born in New York State, Craig and his family moved to Florida for 15 years before moving to North Adams, Massachusetts in 2007. "I never was an outstanding student in high school," Craig recalls. "It was not fun or exciting to me, and I felt like there was no sense of purpose."

Seventeen-year-old identical twins Gavin and Ethan Trautman may look startlingly alike, but according to Gavin, they are in many ways "polar opposites." Gavin is a double major in math and political science at Kenyon College, a small liberal arts school in Gambier, Ohio, while Ethan is a nursing major at Berkshire Community College. As they create their individual career paths, they often reflect on a strong common bond between them -- BCC, the place where their educational goals took shape.

Elena Dichiara is a psychology and criminal justice major who transferred to BCC from the Community College of Rhode Island. Life in Providence, RI had become tough with bills piling up, wages stagnant, and gun violence on the rise. With two young children in tow, she and her children ended up in a homeless shelter. The family car broke down forcing her husband out of work, which ultimately led to a loss of childcare funding. She and her husband decided it was time for a bold move. They packed up and settled in Williamstown, MA for its reputable public schools and safe atmosphere. 

“If you’re unsure of your future plans for a career or for college, there is no need to go into massive amounts of debt to pay for school,” Marybelle advises. “Community college is the perfect place to find inspiration or just to learn for the sake of learning.”