Alumna and Former 29 Who Shine Recipient Got Her Start at MCC

At Middlesex Community College, Amelia Sinclaire, of Dracut, explored her options and made lifelong friends in her classes and as a Supplemental Instructor for the college’s Academic Centers for Enrichment (ACE). MCC’s community ­– including a number of faculty and staff – offered the push she needed to be successful.

“Without that support, I definitely wouldn’t be where I am now,” she said. “It’s given me a lot of confidence and helped me grow a lot as a person. They’ve given me a lot of guidance and direction that helped me find where I was going.”

In Spring 2020, Sinclaire was named one of the Mass. Department of Higher Education’s 29 Who Shine, an annual program recognizing outstanding students from Mass. colleges and universities. She was nominated – and chosen – to receive the award because of her academic achievements, record of leadership, and commitment to community service and civic engagement.

“I genuinely enjoy learning and love helping fellow students with their academic achievement,” she said. “It felt cool to be recognized in the work I did and engagement within the community. The award is the thing I’m most proud of during my time at Middlesex.”

After graduating from Middlesex in May 2020, Sinclaire transferred to the University of Massachusetts Lowell (UML) to continue studying Computer Science. MCC Professor Julia Kelly helped Sinclaire get an internship working at a human robotics lab on the UML campus. Still working in the role now, Sinclaire is completing a research study and plans to stay at the lab for the foreseeable future before finding a full-time job.

MCC’s variety of classes allowed her to complete her general education requirements as she narrowed down her field of study. She has long held an interest in Computer Science and Engineering, stemming in part from growing up with a father who worked in STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics).

Sinclaire enjoys the challenge of finding solutions that STEM presents. She believes the high-demand STEM workforce in Massachusetts will also provide job and financial stability.

“The base knowledge MCC covered made me really prepared,” she said. “The topics they cover are applicable for everything. All of my MCC credits transferred perfectly and I was prepared for the curriculum. It definitely gave me a leg-up over other UML students.”

Sinclaire first chose to come to Middlesex because it was “the most cost-effective way to get a degree.” Many of her classes and experiences at MCC offered lab work, guest speakers, and skill building opportunities, including communicating effectively and working with different people.

“MCC gave me the fundamentals to succeed in all my classes at UML, which I think is a big thing,” she said. “More importantly, it opened up the opportunity to work at the lab. A lot of the skills I gained at MCC transferred to real-life applications.”