Keeping Higher Education Affordable and Accessible

As I reflect on National Community College Month, I want the community to understand what we at Middlesex Community College already know: our extensive and immersive online and hybrid options, combined with our campus offerings in Lowell and Bedford, make MCC an attractive, affordable, accessible option, not only for Middlesex County, but the entire New England region.

Since becoming President of MCC last July, one of my priorities has been to make Middlesex an equitable and safe learning environment for students of all ages, backgrounds and experiences. We meet students where they are when they come to the College, and we help them build upon their skills and knowledge to get on their individual paths to pursuing their dreams.

We also understand our students have complicated lives. While getting their education, they are working full- and part-time jobs, taking care of family members and friends, and going through a multitude of unique personal and professional experiences that they need to balance with their studies. Education is just one part of our students’ lives. Middlesex is here to meet students’ needs, fit education into their schedules, and make completing a degree or certificate possible.

Many four-year institutions have recently increased tuition and fees, sometimes making it more difficult for students to start or continue their education. We know that the financial burden of higher education, is a significant barrier that students face in attending college. This is why MCC has not increased fees and why we are expanding Learn and Earn options. Starting at Middlesex decreases the costs of tuition and fees of a four-year degree – a low-risk, low-cost investment for students hoping to improve their lives and the lives of their families.

Taking even a few courses allows students to gain skills and training for jobs. Earning a certificate helps students get into meaningful, stable and well-paying careers in high-demand fields. Completing an associate degree provides a clear path to a four-year degree while exploring majors, programs and future professions. Whether a stepping stone to next steps or a bridge to long-term decisions, Middlesex saves students money while opening up new opportunities for present and future employment and advancement.

The COVID-19 pandemic changed how we live, work and study, and Middlesex is no different in that aspect. In the face of these challenges, our faculty were creative and resilient, transitioning their curriculum to engaging online and hybrid options. These talented efforts not only keep our students on their paths, but helps our students adapt to changes in their circumstances while they pursue their goals.

Semester-by-semester, working with our Board of Trustees and our staff and faculty, we continue to provide flexibility and build upon what we have learned from the pandemic, transforming our spaces into hyflex classrooms, expanding our online and hybrid offerings, while keeping a pulse on the workforce and academic landscape as we emerge from the pandemic. Middlesex is happy to be a convenient option for students.

Additionally, an education from MCC involves more than coursework learned in a classroom. Many of our programs include clinical, laboratory, internship and Service-Learning components. This approach provides students hands-on, relevant exposure to what they will be doing in their careers early on in their college experience. In addition to confirming for students that they are in the right field of study, these opportunities make classroom learning more relevant and impactful.

Setting up our students for stable employment and career paths is one of the most important things we do at Middlesex. Students in our Biotechnology and Information Technology Learn & Earn options are studying while working full-time jobs in their chosen fields.

They are doing so with support from faculty and staff at MCC, colleagues and professionals from our partner companies, and with resources and support services that ensure they will thrive beyond their education. For students’ time and investment, Learn and Earn opportunities can be a game-changer for their careers.

All of these types of opportunities improve the lives of Middlesex students, while strengthening Massachusetts’s economy with knowledgeable and skilled employees. Post-pandemic, this is the way forward. Being unable to pay for college should not prevent anyone from getting their education.

At MCC, we have payment plans and options in place to make this process easier. A student can work with one of our financial aid advisors to learn how to apply for and get financial support, or sit down with our financial wellness counselor to budget appropriately and minimize debt. Thanks to our MCC Foundation and the generosity of our donors, many scholarships are available in addition to institutional support to close the funding gap for our students.

We honor our students’ personal journeys and support their learning with flexible schedules, award-winning programs and unparalleled support services. Middlesex is here for our community, in as many ways as an individual may need, and we stand ready to help our students and keep higher education affordable and accessible.

Phil Sisson is the fifth President of Middlesex Community College.