Recent Lexington High Graduate to Start at MCC This Fall

Kaleigh Jenness has a plan for her professional life and it starts at Middlesex Community College this Fall semester. As a recent Lexington High School graduate starting college in the middle of a pandemic, Middlesex makes the most sense for her financially and logistically.

One of nine children, Jenness is paying for her own education. She plans to continue working at Abbott’s Custard in Lexington Center while she takes classes to finance school.

“My first choice wasn’t to stay at home for college, but financially that’s the best idea for me,” she said. “I want to start out at a good point where I don’t have all these loans to worry about.”

Being able to take classes at Middlesex – especially online – will help her save money and keep a flexible schedule while she balances school and work. Jenness thinks it’s important to continue her education now – rather than waiting for after the pandemic – because she doesn’t want to delay her plans.

“[Continuing school] shows me I can power through many different scenarios to get where I want to be one day,” she said. “I think it’s important that we all know to stay on track and keep going even in these tough times.”

Once Jenness graduates from MCC – as a Biology Transfer student – she will transfer her credits to a four-year school and then onto medical school to become a cardiologist.

Her advanced planning has already involved shadowing several different positions in the healthcare field, inspired by her mother. While she has considered becoming a nurse, paramedic, physician’s assistant and a doctor, she chose cardiology because of her uncle.

After talking with him, it seemed overwhelming to have to be in school for so long, but she knows she’s on the right track – and has a solid work ethic – to meet her goals. It starts with building a solid foundation in her studies at Middlesex.

“It’s important that people take advantage of community colleges because they are very resourceful and give so many opportunities I wouldn’t be able to get from other colleges,” she said. “I think that’s the most important part of it.”

Jenness credits her boss and owner of Abbott’s Custard Jason Denoncourt for helping her navigate starting at Middlesex. He was a huge advocate for her going to the college, including telling her about the Commonwealth Honors Program MCC offers and connecting her with people at the college who can help her adjust to college-life.

Denoncourt believes in the importance of partnerships between MCC and local businesses, including his own. He believes if a student can handle working and taking classes at the right time, there is a lot of value to working because employees gain business and entrepreneurship skills. As he said, “Working is not about earning, it’s about learning.”

“In my prior career, I worked for Congressman Seth Moulton and I was his economic advisor,” he said. “I worked closely with President James C. Mabry and Judy Burke (MCC’s Executive Director of Institutional Advancement) for three years on all of these issues, trying to get these students from their academic studies into the workforce. There are hundreds of companies that require certain skills, so MCC is a perfect place to develop that talent. I was always eager to match companies with students from MCC.”

At the shop, Jenness started in customer service and worked her way up to a student manager. She kept working throughout the pandemic, organizing deliveries. She said it was “a lot of work” that was “figured out as we went along.”

“Working and taking classes is a smart idea because you don’t lose your work ethic,” she said. “I can take my classes, knowing I have to pay for them. It’s important for me to work while I’m also learning so I don’t fall behind money-wise later on.”

Before COVID-19, Jenness taught kids who have down syndrome how to ride horses. Her volunteer work is important to her and she’s interested in possibly pursuing a similar activity during her time at MCC.

“Middlesex has a good reputation,” she said. “I’m just waiting to see where the ride takes me.”

To help keep students on track with their goals, MCC offers personalized financial aid counseling, payment plans, flexible course formats and a supportive community. The college is also celebrating 50 years by offering 50 percent off one course for all NEW students who qualify if they register before September 10.

“As a community college serving a diverse population, we are attuned to our students’ ever-changing needs,” said Frank Nocella, MCC’s Vice President, Finance and Chief Financial Officer. “We are enduring the pandemic together as a community and want to ensure students have access to a high-quality education that they can afford. With our 50th celebration approaching, we can think of no better way to honor our commitment to student success than by offering students a more cost-effective opportunity to start their college careers.”

Visit www.middlesex.mass.edu/save for participation rules.

MCC’s Fall semester starts September 9! To register, visit www.middlesex.mass.edu/registration/ or call 1-800-818-3434.

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!