From MCC to UMass: A MassTransfer Student Thrives

Edye Benedict wanted to pay for her own college tuition. Growing up in Concord, Mass., the proximity and affordability of Middlesex Community College made an easy choice. Now a 2018 MCC graduate, Benedict attends the University of Massachusetts Amherst with the assistance of the MassTransfer program.

“I'm extremely grateful to the MassTransfer system and I recommend community college to everyone,” she said. “You can save so much money, have a better learning experience than you can at a university and when you're ready to move onto your four-year degree, the programs in place allow for a seamless transition into the next chapter of your life.”

Benedict found her time at MCC to be rewarding, from the courses she completed, her friendships with fellow students, to the advising she received from her professors. She participated in the Commonwealth Honors Program and was inducted into Phi Theta Kappa honors society. She believed the college offered many academic and social experiences rivaling large universities, including career planning, disabilities support services and the library.

Benedict said, “Community college is what you make of it and because I took full advantage of all the opportunities and support at MCC and put in the work necessary to succeed, I not only felt prepared to join UMass as a junior, but also found that I was better equipped than fellow students who had been at UMass from the start.”

The most influential factor in her experience at MCC was her relationships with her professors, who not only fostered a love of learning and provided an excellent education, but were instrumental to her success.

“MCC's smaller population means a higher likelihood of having the same professor more than once and small class sizes make it much less daunting to approach them and much easier to connect – as well as creating a classroom environment where students can get to know each other and develop positive relationships throughout the semester/year,” she said. “I know many professors who went above and beyond for their students.”

Thanks to MCC’s Transfer Program, Edye is flourishing at UMass Amherst. She takes honors-level courses – classes not overwhelming or too difficult, due to her preparation by MCC – and is completing her thesis at a developmental child psychology lab.

Edye has stayed in touch with her community at MCC, including with advisors who continue to provide “a unique level of care and dedication,” she said.

There are many opportunities for students who start at MCC and transfer to a host of different colleges and universities – the MassTransfer program is just one of the options offered at MCC. Middlesex is equipped with the resources, and faculty and staff, to ensure students are directed to their correct paths.

National Transfer Week is October 21 to October 25. MCC is celebrating by talking to students about their experiences.

Jane Fain, MCC Coordinator of Transfer Affairs, said, “My hope is that sharing these stories will help increase awareness among faculty and staff of common transfer barriers and show our students how people they know have successfully made the transition.”

For more information about the Middlesex Community College Transfer Program, visit: https://www.middlesex.mass.edu/transfer/.

Discover your path at Middlesex Community College. As one of the largest, most comprehensive community colleges in Massachusetts, we educate, engage and empower a diverse community of learners. MCC offers more than 80 degree and certificate programs – plus hundreds of noncredit courses – on our campuses in Bedford and Lowell, and online. Middlesex Community College: Student success starts here!