BCC Student Selected for Commonwealth’s '29 Who Shine' Program

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PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Danielle Harriott, a nursing student at Berkshire Community College (BCC) and a Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) on the surgical floor at Berkshire Medical Center, has been selected as BCC's honoree for the Commonwealth's 29 Who Shine program. 
 
She will be honored on Thursday, May 13 at 2 pm by Governor Charlie Baker and the Massachusetts Department of Higher Education during a YouTube livestream event.
 
Launched by the Commonwealth in 2011, 29 Who Shine recognizes 29 outstanding public college and university graduates. Each honoree shows exceptional promise as a future leader and has a strong record of academic achievement and civic engagement.
 
Harriott was "shocked and surprised" to win the award. 
 
"It's not something I'm used to," she said. 
 
But Amanda Davis, an adjunct nursing faculty member at BCC who mentors Danielle, said it was an easy choice to nominate her.
 
"Danielle is a great student who has a wonderful way of communicating with her patients. I had her in my LPN clinical group, and she always came ready and prepared. I know she'll be a great nurse," Davis said.
 
Acknowledging that she didn't follow a typical educational path, Danielle decided to go back to school in 2010, with three children under the age of three — a daughter and twin boys. She took pre-requisite classes at Capital Community College in Hartford, Conn. and was accepted into the nursing program, where she completed three semesters before deciding to work full-time as a CNA. 
 
Eventually moving to Massachusetts, Danielle began working at Laurel Lake nursing home (now Lee HealthCare) and at Berkshire Medical Center. There, colleagues encouraged her to continue her education. 
 
"I finally took the leap and chose BCC, and I'm glad I did," Danielle said.
 
Now nearly eight months into a ten-month Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) program at BCC, she plans to apply to the college's bridge program (transitioning from an LPN to an Associate Degree in Nursing), but she is still working to figure out her career goals. 
 
"I haven't found my exact niche yet, but I know I want to be working with people hands on," she said, adding that she's considering working in at-home care or hospice.
 
 "Being a good nurse is not just meds and paperwork," she said. "You're caring for a human. You have to know how to do that before anything else." 

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Pittsfield ZBA Member Recognized for 40 Years of Service

By Brittany PolitoiBerkshires Staff

Albert Ingegni III tells the council about how his father-in-law, former Mayor Remo Del Gallo who died at age 94 in 2020, enjoyed his many years serving the city and told Ingegni to do the same. 

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — It's not every day that a citizen is recognized for decades of service to a local board — except for Tuesday.

Albert Ingegni III was applauded for four decades of service on the Zoning Board of Appeals during City Council. Mayor Peter Marchetti presented him with a certificate of thanks for his commitment to the community.

"It's not every day that you get to stand before the City Council in honor of a Pittsfield citizen who has dedicated 40 years of his life serving on a board or commission," he said.

"As we say that, I know that there are many people that want to serve on boards and commissions and this office will take any resume that there is and evaluate each person but tonight, we're here to honor Albert Ingegni."

The honoree is currently chair of the ZBA, which handles applicants who are appealing a decision or asking for a variance.

Ingegni said he was thinking on the ride over about his late father-in-law, former Mayor Remo Del Gallo, who told him to "enjoy every moment of it because it goes really quickly."

"He was right," he said. "Thank you all."

The council accepted $18,000 from the state Department of Conservation and Recreation and a  $310,060 from the U.S. Department of Transportation's Safe Streets and Roads for All program.

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