Middlesex Community College: Middlesex CC Named A Military Friendly School For 2021

Press release from the Middlesex Community College:

Caitlin Buckley

3/16/2021

Dedicated to student success, Middlesex Community College strives to meet the needs of the college’s diverse population. Middlesex has been designated a 2021 Silver-Level Military Friendly® School by VIQTORY. MCC supports veterans and their families through the Veterans Resource Centers (VRC), a Veterans Advisory Board, and other special veteran services.

“I am so proud that Middlesex has received the honor of being a designated military friendly college,” said Pamela Flaherty, MCC’s Associate Vice President for Student Affairs. “We started from very humble beginnings in 2006 with a volunteer student. We have blossomed into two full VRC centers, providing an array of services for our veterans and military connected families.”

The annual list of Military Friendly® Schools honors the top colleges, universities and trade schools in the country. They are recognized for doing the most to embrace America’s military service members, veterans and spouses as students, and ensure their success – in the classroom and after graduation.

Middlesex provides educational opportunities – as well as numerous veterans resources – to help make the transition from military to civilian life easier. Nicole Smay – an MCC Nursing major who is a Combat Veteran – served as an Army Medical Service Corps Officer and left with the rank of Captain.

Thankful for MCC’s help in navigating her VA benefits, Smay calls MCC Academic Counselor Melinda Turchiano her “safety net” in helping her use her post-9-11 GI Bill.

Smay also believes her experience in the Army helped to prepare her for her education, including understanding the importance of “looking out for your buddy.” To succeed in her studies, she relies on support from her classmates and professors, and tries to do the same for them.

“I firmly believe that the military prepared me for the rigorous education as a nursing student,” Smay said. “A nursing student must have a lot of will power, focus, and be able to internalize emotions and critically think while providing care to patients. The Army taught me how to do that as an Officer, and the professors of the nursing program have worked to fine tune those qualities."

Throughout the pandemic, the VRC is providing virtual support for military service members who are beginning a college career or returning to complete an academic program. Veterans and military-connected students can receive information about educational programs, assistance with accessing college resources, and answers regarding eligibility for government-, state- and community-sponsored services.

In the Fall semester, the VRC hosted online events for meetings for veteran and military-connected students to connect with each other as they become members of the college community. Workshops featured topics on wellness, executive functioning skills and career development. A two-part Veterans Day Series also ran online focusing on Black Soldiers during World War I and the effects of the influenza epidemic on Camp Devens in 1918.

MCC also provides Green Zone training to faculty and staff thanks to grant funding – trainings that have continued virtually during the pandemic. Green Zones help create a highly-visible network of college employees who better understand the unique needs of active military veterans and their family members.

For more information about veteran services at Middlesex, contact Jessica A. Frost, VRC Director, at frostj@middlesex.mass.edu or 978-656-3282 or visit www.middlesex.mass.edu/veteransresources/ for more information on how MCC supports veteran and military-connected students.

Military Friendly® is owned and operated by VIQTORY, a veteran-owned business. To learn more about MCC’s rating, visit: https://www.militaryfriendly.com/schools/middlesex-community-college/

Discover your path at Middlesex Community College. As one of the largest, most comprehensive community colleges in Massachusetts, MCC has been a proven leader in online education for more than 20 years. We educate, engage and empower a diverse community of learners, offering more than 80 degree and certificate programs – plus hundreds of noncredit courses. Middlesex Community College: Student success starts here!

This press release was produced by the Middlesex Community College. The views expressed here are the author’s own.