TV And Radio Personality, Mika Brzezinski, Featured Speaker

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TV and Radio personality, Mika Brzezinski
PITTSFIELD, Mass. - On Friday, May 29, 2009 the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at Berkshire Community College (OLLI) will inaugurate the Mona Sherman Memorial Lecture series by presenting TV and Radio personality, Mika Brzezinski, who will discuss Journalism in the Age of Obama. The program at the Colonial Theater in Pittsfield starts at 6:30 PM and is open to the public at no charge.

Ms. Brzezinski is a co-host of "Morning Joe" and an MSNBC anchor. She also reports on "NBC Nightly News" and is an alternating news anchor for "Weekend Today." Prior to joining MSNBC in January 2007, Brzezinski was an anchor of the "CBS Evening News Weekend Edition" and a CBS News correspondent who frequently contributed to "CBS Sunday Morning" and "60 Minutes."

She joined CBS News in 1997 as the anchor of "CBS News Up To The Minute," but took a short hiatus in 2000 to co-host MSNBC's weekday afternoon program "Homepage." In September 2001, she returned to CBS as their principal "Ground Zero" reporter for the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks. Brzezinski began her journalism career in 1991 in Hartford, Connecticut, as a general assignment reporter at WTIC. A year later she joined WFSB, also in Hartford, and quickly became the weekday morning anchor.

Mona joined the Berkshire Institute for Lifetime Learning (BILL) following a successful management career and became a significant force in its development. She served on the Board of Directors and as President, and introduced the Distinguished Speaker series, now an important feature of the OLLI educational program. She was a key factor in securing the hugely important affiliation with the Osher Foundation and the merger of BILL into Berkshire Community College as an OLLI. Her energy, curiosity and interests were endless as she participated among the many cultural Berkshire organizations.

Support for this ongoing lecture series is made possible by generous contributions from friends and family of Mona Sherman to the Berkshire Community College Foundation, OLLI/Mona Sherman Fund at 1350 West Street, Pittsfield, MA. 01201.
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Kennedy Calls BCC Workforce Graduates Inspiring

By Breanna SteeleiBerkshires Staff

The programs ranged from emergency medical technician to computers to commercial drivers. See more photos here. 
PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Berkshire Community College Workforce and Community Education graduates were encouraged to be all they can be on Wednesday.
 
Graduates, families, friends, and staff gathered in Boland Theatre to celebrate around 100 graduates who completed a variety of courses.
 
They included community health worker, emergency medical technician, phlebotomy technician, registered behavior technician, AI fundamentals, Commercial Drivers License Class A and B, CompTIA Tech-plus, para educator, and English for Speakers of Other Languages.
 
College President Ellen Kennedy said it was amazing that this might be her last public speaking event before her tenure comes to an end.
 
She acknowledged the diverse reasons for their studies including career advancement and personal growth, commending their vulnerability and dedication. 
 
"Some of you explored AI, some of you improved your English speaking in really important ways, and the reason that each of you is here is because you decided to put your heart and soul to get vulnerable to do something that might have felt a little bit uncomfortable," she said. "And you did it, and we are so incredibly proud of you, and so happy to be here tonight, celebrating you."
 
Keynote speaker Shirley Edgerton, founder of Rites of Passage and Empowerment (ROPE) encouraged the graduates to reflect on their accomplishments and look forward to the future.
 
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