Start a New Career in a High-Demand Industry with MCC

Now is the time to jumpstart a new career in a thriving industry! Middlesex Community College offers high-quality education to prepare students directly for the workforce – with access to industry leaders and internship experiences – at an affordable price. MCC’s Paralegal Studies program will offer fully online classes for the 2020 Fall semester to help students fit education into their busy schedules and ensure the health and safety of all students, faculty and staff.

“The legal profession does well in both good economies and bad economies,” said Halye Sugarman, MCC’s Professor and Program Coordinator of Paralegal Studies. “There is a need for lawyers, legal help – the court systems are open and operating and there’s also specific areas of the law that tend to get very busy even in an economy that is not strong. I am hearing from employers, there are jobs available. I’ve been speaking with our alumni and they are working.”

Jennifer LeMasurier – who graduated in 2020 – came to MCC as an adult learner seeking a career change after being a stay-at-home mother for 17 years. During her time at MCC, she was named a member of the Advisory Board and a recipient of the Muriel J. Hervey Paralegal Scholarship.

LeMasurier started researching programs when she was inspired to get into Paralegal Studies after being a co-personal representative for her great aunt’s estate.

“My decision was based upon affordability; location; online course availability; flexibility of courses being offered during the day, night and online; the variety of courses offered; and that the paralegal program is American Bar Association (ABA) approved,” she said.

Once she started taking courses for the certificate program, LeMasurier realized her past coursework from a bachelor’s degree counted toward an associate in Paralegal Studies. Middlesex helped her fit education into her life.

“MCC offers the flexibility and scaffolding necessary for students who come from different backgrounds and various stages of life to succeed,” she said. “Small class sizes foster a more personalized learning environment and are conducive for various learning styles. The faculty are knowledgeable, caring and supportive educators. They go above and beyond to support their students through life’s challenges in order to support continued learning and to help them reach their goals. When the students succeed it is a success for everyone.”

With MCC, she was also able to earn a Legal Technology Certificate, Basic Community Mediation Training Certificate, and became a Mass. Notary Public. LeMasurier held an internship at the Boston Municipal Court where she had the opportunity to learn more about the Massachusetts Rules of Civil and Criminal Procedures.

“The internship provided me the opportunity to observe cases with different judges, perform legal research and writing, and gain insight into the application of the law,” she said. “I was able to see the importance of each person’s role in the courtroom, the significance of organization, and of accurate and thorough legal research and writing.”

The internship and networking opportunities students have at MCC help them learn more about what industry interests them for their future careers.

“We’re really well-connected with the Massachusetts Paralegal Association that provides networking,” Sugarman said. “We hold a networking event of our own each semester, Paralegal Career Night. We’re also connected with the Paralegal Association of New Hampshire.”

These networking opportunities include a relationship held with MCC’s Law Center that allows students from MCC’s Paralegal Studies Program to intern every semester.

According to ABA guidelines, all of MCC’s Paralegal Studies classes that were previously held in-person can now be offered in a synchronous online format. These classes will meet virtually and in real-time – at the same time every week – and students will be able to interact live with colleagues and professors.

MCC’s program also offers asynchronous courses that were already in place and are designed to offer an interactive and immersive online learning experience. Students are provided access to resources and materials they need to be successful, while meeting deadlines, completing coursework and engaging in class discussions on their own time.

MCC’s Paralegal Studies program offers three paths to assist students in entering the workforce or transferring to a four-year program: post-graduate Paralegal Certificate; Associate in Science, Liberal Studies – Paralegal Career; and Associate in Science, Liberal Studies ­– Paralegal Transfer.

All program pathways prepare students to assist attorneys and provide the legal knowledge, practical skills and ethical values necessary for a fulfilled and successful career, which may include working in law firms, government agencies, business and nonprofits.

Approved by the ABA, MCC’s Paralegal Studies Program was ranked in the top five in the state in the Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly Readers’ Poll for 2019.

Visit www.middlesex.mass.edu/paralegal/ for more information about MCC’s Paralegal Studies Program or contact Halye Sugarman at sugarmanh@middlesex.mass.edu or 781-280-3768.

To help keep students on track with their goals, MCC offers personalized financial aid counseling, payment plans, flexible course formats and a supportive community.

MCC is offering three incentives to help students continue their education. One incentive offers 50 percent off a first class to students who were laid-off due to COVID-19. The college is also offering 50 percent off a course to new students in celebration of the college’s 50th anniversary. For students who have completed 45 credits at MCC but have not taken classes recently, there is a completion scholarship available. Qualifying students must register by September 10.

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

To register for Fall classes, 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!