Jeremiah Reagan

BCC Director of Marketing and Communications Jonah Sykes and Vice President of Academic Affairs Laurie Gordy recently sat down with Jeremiah Reagan, BCC's 2026 valedictorian, for a chat.

Jonah Sykes: Thanks for joining us. To start things off, where are you from, and how did you land at BCC?

Jeremiah Reagan: I've always lived in Western Massachusetts. I was originally born in Worthington, and my family moved to Cummington when I was around 12. Right before starting nursing school, I moved to Savoy with my partner.

I was homeschooled all the way through high school and earned my high school equivalency diploma when I was 18, right before starting at BCC.

Jonah: Amazing. Did you know about BCC before enrolling?

Jeremiah: Yeah. My dad worked here, so it felt like a natural transition. I didn't really know what I wanted to study at first, but community college always felt like a good first step.

Honestly, growing up, I hated schoolwork. I really struggled with things like algebra and writing essays. But I wanted to challenge myself and improve at something that didn't come naturally to me.

Jonah: Did you know you wanted to go into nursing when you first arrived at BCC?

Jeremiah: Not at all. I started here trying to figure out what direction I wanted to go in.

My dad suggested nursing. The more I thought about it, the more it seemed like it checked a lot of boxes for me. I wanted to help people, serve my community and learn about science, pharmacology and the human body.

Laurie Gordy: As a graduate of such a rigorous program, what do you think was the key to your success?

Jeremiah: Balance, humility and consistency.

A lot of people try to cram all their studying into one or two days, but I think it works much better to study consistently throughout the week. It's better to study for an hour every day than to cram for 10 hours on the weekend.

You also have to find balance between school and the rest of your life. School can be part of your life without becoming your entire life. It's a marathon, not a sprint.

Jonah: How did you balance nursing school with the rest of your life?

Jeremiah: At the start of every semester, I would look through the calendar and identify the lighter stretches between exams or major assignments. Then, I would intentionally set aside certain days where I wasn't going to think about schoolwork at all. Planning ahead made a huge difference.

Laurie: What are some of your favorite forms of self-care?

Jeremiah: Spending time with my cats, hiking, being outdoors, and playing music.

Jonah: What were some of your favorite classes or instructors?

Jeremiah: My favorite classes were Anatomy and Physiology I and Nursing 201. For anatomy, I had Professor Crane, who set really high expectations early on and pushed me to grow academically. As for nursing, I loved the critical care and cardiac content. It was incredibly interesting. Plus, Julia Gallagher and Sanah Fouz were two of my clinical instructors that year, and they're some of the most amazing people I've ever met.

Jonah: What was your reaction when you found out you were valedictorian?

Jeremiah: Honestly, I was shocked. If you had told me on my first day at BCC — when I got lost trying to find my pre-calculus classroom — that I'd become valedictorian, I never would have believed you. It felt surreal and like a huge honor at the same time.

Jonah: What advice would you give students considering college, but who might not be sure it's right for them?

Jeremiah: If you want to go to college, absolutely do it, and do it wholeheartedly.

At the same time, it's okay if you don't have everything figured out immediately. There's a lot of pressure on people to know exactly what they want to do right after high school, but most 18-year-olds don't really know. It's okay to take time to figure things out.

Jonah: What's something you know now that you wish you knew when you started college?

Jeremiah: I wish I knew that asking questions doesn't make you a worse student. I used to feel embarrassed asking for clarification or admitting I didn't understand something. But asking for help is what makes you grow.

Jonah: What's next for you?

Jeremiah: I'm enrolled in an accelerated bachelor's and master's nursing program through Southern New Hampshire University. After I complete my bachelor's in nursing, I'll move directly into a master's program focused on nursing education. Eventually, I'd love to teach nursing.

Jonah: What do you think is the value of starting at a community college?

Jeremiah: One of the biggest strengths is the sense of community. Most of my classes were small, so I was able to build real relationships with my professors and classmates. That personal connection makes a huge difference.

At a larger university, you might sit in a lecture hall with 200 students and never really know your instructor. Community college feels much more personal.

Laurie: What do you enjoy doing outside of school and work?

Jeremiah: I enjoy reading, and I also play guitar and a little piano. My dad introduced me to classic rock, so I grew up listening to artists like Bob Dylan, Tom Petty, Bruce Springsteen, Elton John, Billy Joel, Fleetwood Mac and Stevie Nicks. I used to be in a band with friends called "The Caravan of Fools," named after a John Prine song.

Jonah: One last question: What does a college education mean to you?

For me, education means challenging myself and facing things that scare me. Learning didn't come naturally to me when I was younger, so college became an opportunity to grow, improve and ultimately pursue something meaningful.