MCC Early College Students Awarded with Fellowships

Two Middlesex Community College students were named to the 2023-2024 Early College Policy Fellowship by the Massachusetts Alliance for Early College (MA4EC). Nnadubem Ganobi and Ivan Kim both graduated from Lowell High School (LHS) in 2023 and took classes with MCC as part of the Early College program.

“I am thrilled for Nnadubem and Ivan on their accomplishment and wish them both great luck on their fellowships,” said Phil Sisson, MCC’s President. “MCC shares a strong relationship with Lowell High School and the Early College program helps us better prepare students for the next steps of their college journey.

“This fellowship will provide an excellent stepping stone for Nnadubem and Ivan to gain valuable skills that will serve them well as they continue through college and beyond. Their lived experiences in MCC’s Early College are important for their advocacy and will help them relay the benefits of the program to other students. We are proud to play a role in their successes.”

When Ganobi first learned about Early College, he did not think he had the confidence or skills to successfully complete college-level courses. Wanting to make his college applications more competitive, he started by registering for MCC’s Dual Enrollment classes offered at LHS for free and joined the Early College Promise program. This semester, he is continuing at MCC.

As part of the fellowship, Ganobi will create an advocacy campaign to inform the community about the benefits of Early College. He will work with leaders of the program and within the community to engage with state legislators and policymakers on legislation and funding.

“I thought this was a great opportunity to gain advocating experience and have an internship at the start of college,” Ganobi said. “Through the program, I learned the importance of taking risks and reaching out for opportunities. If I didn’t take advantage of Early College, I wouldn’t be as eager to pursue higher education due to how expensive college is.”

For Kim, Early College was an opportunity to challenge himself. He took six MCC college-level courses, earning 15 credits he transferred to UMass Lowell. In each of his classes, Kim learned skills that improved his communication, prioritization and time management, as well as helped him learn more responsibility.

With the fellowship, Kim was able to maintain a relationship with MCC and Early College. He is interested in helping the community understand the value of the program and its impact on students. Calling his own experience “life-changing,” Kim’s goal is to help remove barriers other students face in getting an education.

“My experience in MCC’s Early College helped me reach my goals because I am an entire year ahead and I entered college prepared,” Kim said. “By taking MCC’s Early College classes, I was able to save money and time that I can use for my future education. I found my experience with MCC to be unique and worth sharing.”