MCLA Receives Grant for STEM Pathways Project

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NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts recently was granted $75,000 from the Massachusetts Department of Higher Education for its @Scale STEM Pathways Project.

The project, which builds upon MCLA's STEM Pathways Project, aims to further increase both enrollments in STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) majors and the number of students graduating with a degree in a STEM disciplines. With this funding, MCLA will add supplemental instruction, tutoring and expanded internship opportunities.
 
"We are grateful for the support and investment in STEM education," said Monica N. Joslin, dean of academic affairs. "This will allow us to expand and enhance strategies and successful initiatives which promote students' academic, experiential, and career awareness interests, and also to reach out and work with our sister institutions on best practices in support of student success in STEM majors." 
 
Administered through the MCLA Center for Student Success and Engagement, the college's SSPP employs a STEM student success plan that begins with activities during a student's freshman year, and continues until they graduate. The SSPP delivers enhanced academic support, advising and career planning, and marshals the efforts of MCLA's academic affairs and student affairs departments.
 
The @Scale initiative was launched by the governor's STEM council to focus public and private resources in support of an integrated portfolio of education enhancement projects aligned to achieve the goals of the commonwealth's STEM plan.
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North Adams Airport Commission Discusses Damaged Hangar

By Jack GuerinoiBerkshires Staff
NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — The Airport Commission discussed what to do with the now-closed, city-owned Shamrock Hangar on Tuesday.
 
Chairman James Haskins said that after pipes burst in the hangar last winter, the Shamrock has basically been sitting empty.
 
"Pipes were frozen in the walls and broke," he said. "It was shut down a year ago. The pipes are still broken, and the city did fix a broken pipe outside that led up to the building a few weeks ago, but we have to make a decision on what to do with that space and make a plan."
 
The city purchased the hangar in 2017 with Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) funds. It was subsequently renovated and opened as a public space. Commissioner Dean Bullett expressed disappointment that the building was never winterized.
 
"This is something that should have never happened in the first place," Bullett said.
 
Haskins clarified that the city intended to winterize the property, but due to "overlap," officials could not get to the hangar quickly enough to do so properly. He noted that although some work has been done to repair the hangar, the project needs to be completed.
 
Airport user and former commissioner Trevor Gilman said that when it was open, the Greylock Soaring Club leased space in the hangar. The city waived the lease fee, and in exchange, the club maintained and cleaned the area.
 
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