Middlesex Community College: Alum Returns To Middlesex CC 27 Years Later To Finish Degree

Press release from the Middlesex Community College:

Caitlin Buckley

3/26/2021

An advocate for lifelong learning, Gerard McQuaid returned to Middlesex Community College after 27 years to finish the Criminology course he needed to graduate. The Medford-native started at Middlesex in 1989 and completed 60 out of 61 credits towards an associate degree in Criminal Justice. While he walked at graduation in 1994, he was unable to take the one remaining course to finish his degree program.

Having met with a financial advisor after his first child was born, McQuaid was inspired to change his career path. Though he wanted to finish his degree, the class he needed to take was not available in the summer and he put his education on hold in order to pursue a different direction.

In September of 1994, McQuaid started his own financial planning practice where he worked until his retirement in January 2021. He led a successful career, but that final Criminology course at MCC remained on his mind.

“It will be extremely rewarding [to come back to Middlesex] as it’s been important to me,” he said. “I’ll start the Criminology class the week after retirement. I didn’t miss a beat – ok, 27 years is a bit of a stretch. I’ll have that sense of accomplishment, I’ll stay engaged – learning is a lifelong process.”

After graduating from high school, McQuaid went straight into the workforce. While working at the MITRE Corporation, he participated in the Business and Industry Program where MCC instructors came to the organization to offer classes. Having the company pay for his tuition was the incentive McQuaid needed to succeed.

“The teachers were motivating, the class schedules were very accommodating,” he said. “That helped inspire confidence and passion into my school work.”

McQuaid remembers MCC instructors Lynda Pintrich and Peyton Paxton as standouts among a strong lineup of professors. He also sees the value and relevance that his courses had throughout his career and life. While his presentation classes helped him speak to audiences about financial planning, he improved his writing skills in his English courses. He also gained a new appreciation for the U.S. in his Constitutional Law course, and learned more about different cultures while studying about the people who immigrated to Boston between the 1800s to 1990s.

“The Criminal Justice classes were very helpful as a Security Aide at MITRE,” he said. “The discipline, the topics and the high ethics were extremely important. Holistically, Psychology and Sociology gave me a new perspective on things.”

Throughout his time as a student at Middlesex and in his career as a financial planner, McQuaid has witnessed firsthand the value of community colleges. He has seen many instances of clients paying a large amount of money for one year of college for their children – and then having the child drop out. Calling these situations “heartbreaking,” he emphasizes the benefits of community colleges as a starting point for everyone.

“The associate degree programs are so comprehensive,” he said. “And the ability to then transfer those credits can save the student thousands of dollars.”

McQuaid also believes that a certificate, degree or even just a few classes from Middlesex helps prepare all professionals in their career path. From a student taking a few different classes to figure out what it is they want to pursue, to a person working in the trades wanting to expand their business – McQuaid recommends they go to MCC.

“There is an excellent variety of classes,” he said. “The best plumbers, carpenters and electricians need to run their businesses. They could take accounting, business, computer applications and social media – they would have excellent billing resources, organized files, with a solid web presence to market.”

As he takes his online Criminology course at Middlesex, McQuaid is looking into the potential of taking additional courses over the next few semesters.

But first, McQuaid wants to see “how retirement treats me” because after all, “life changes and we need to be flexible.”

MCC’s Public Service program helps students go into – and succeed in – the workforce or transfer to four-year schools with its award-winning and affordable offerings, small class sizes and flexible schedules. https://www.middlesex.mass.edu/discover/dyp_pubserv.aspx for more information and to discover your path to a Public Service degree at Middlesex.

MCC is celebrating 50 years! If you have ever taken a class at MCC, you are an alum! To share your story – and join in on the 50th anniversary celebrations – contact Amy Lee, Director of Annual Giving and Alumni Relations, at 978-656-3028 or leea@middlesex.mass.edu. Visit www.middlesex.mass.edu/alumni/ for more information and to join the Alumni Association.

With three-week, five-week and eight-week sessions, MCC’s Summer semester helps students fit education into their busy lives. Visit www.middlesex.mass.edu/registration/ or call 1-800-818-3434 to register.

Discover your path at Middlesex Community College. As one of the largest, most comprehensive community colleges in Massachusetts, MCC has been a proven leader in online education for more than 20 years. We educate, engage and empower a diverse community of learners, offering more than 80 degree and certificate programs – plus hundreds of noncredit courses. Middlesex Community College: Student success starts here!

This press release was produced by the Middlesex Community College. The views expressed here are the author’s own.