Middlesex CC Student Interned at Billerica House of Corrections

Growing up in the foster care system, Melissa McNulty, of Lowell, dreamed of going to college but thought it was out of reach. Through assistance from the system, she is pursuing an associate degree in Criminal and Social Justice from Middlesex Community College. With a passion for helping her community, she is aiming to be “a proud, educated member of my society,” she said.

“MCC has opened a door for me I never thought would have opened,” McNulty said. “I chose Criminal and Social Justice as an area of study because I want to be a part of the change and effort to stop violence and drug abuse in a city I learned to love.”

Middlesex Criminal and Social Justice Chair Heloisa DaCunha helped McNulty secure a paid summer internship at the Billerica House of Corrections. Working as a mailroom attendant, McNulty sorted, collected, monitored and delivered mail, as well as removed contraband items.

In her role, McNulty learned different aspects of working in a prison environment. The experience was eye-opening as she came to understand how the mail she sorted was the inmates’ connection to the outside world. Under a lead coordinator, she also had the opportunity to observe aspects of the Prison Rape Elimination Act (PREA).

“My experience was educating and full of emotions,” she said. “At first, I never would have imagined being in a jail, but going through photos, delivering mail, and just being in that atmosphere taught me to be humble. It was an opportunity I will remember forever, and in just a short amount of time, I saw what it was like to be a different person, a humbled person, a changed person, but more importantly, a better person.”

McNulty believes she is receiving “an excellent education” from MCC, especially thanks to DaCunha who is her advisor and professor. Beyond the classroom, DaCunha offers guidance and a willingness to talk with McNulty about her future plans.

“My experience within the Billerica House of Corrections and my time here at MCC is an opportunity I will be able to cherish forever and look back on,” she said. “There is an overwhelming amount of support for my success.”

At Middlesex, McNulty is proud to be part of Phi Theta Kappa, the honors society for two-year schools. The achievement is one she “worked exceptionally hard to be a member of.” After graduating from MCC in 2023, she plans to transfer to a four-year state institution and continue making her dreams come true.

MCC, she believes, “is the beginning of the story of my success.”

“Growing up, I always wanted to be a person that could positively impact my community by devoting my compassion to my social surroundings,” she said. “Without my success and guidance throughout my stay at MCC, I would have never had the chance to become the person I always wanted to be.”